The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-27
Tire ROCK Of GIBRALTAR
Where There Are Beautiful Gardens
and Masked Batteries That
Bristle.
A Oily Of Twenty Thousand Inhab-
itants, Built Upon a Solid
Rock.
"Ths City Protected by the Lord"-some
Queer and Interesting soonss Wit
messed In 1angier.

messed IN 1angier.
The idea that many people have Of Glib
raltar Is mainly that derived from thei
college d%ays-that 1t Is an invincible fortress,
held IN ancient days by the Phnnician.
and now by the British. whereon one Of tn,
pillars Of Hercules was built.
The majority Of English speaking people
do not understand that 1t Is a city built
upon a rock" with n population Of over
10000 people, with good hotels. beautiful
drives around the Mediterranean sea, with
its alameda (garden) t~astefully laid out,
where, amid a most luxuriant growth Of
geraniums, oleanders, the aloe and the olive,
capped by cacti Of remarkable Dimensions,
= mixed throng arrayed in all manner Of
costumes, from the turbaned Moor the
Spanish don, the English soldiers, the fac
lie Greek, down to the unpretentious Amer
lean citizen, wander during the afternoon
70 the strains Of a fine military band.
There are hospitals and churches. The re-
!igious element being mixed, there are Nyo
bishops, and the various nations Of the
earth are represented by their consuls.
delivered my letter Of introduction to
o. American consul, MIR. Horatio l.
Sprague, a most genial gentleman, who
mas occupied his present office for over 48
consecutive years II who gave us permits
to "the galleries" These galleries are
actually tunnels within the rock, on ths
north front, which rise in tiers ona above
the other and command the entire entrance
20 the straits and to the narrow strip Of
land known as "the neutral ground"
which separates Gibraltar from the Span
ish frontier, and which il removed would
render the massive rock an island-then
perhaps even more improbable than it is
At present.
You can drive in a carriage to the en-
trance Of these Notifications, or you can
ride mules or donkeys entirely through the
galleries. The ascent Is not very steep, and
At the distance Of about 80 feet apart en-
treasures are cut in the rock, in which bris-
tie guns OF the newest description, which at
moments notice can be brought to bear
upon land and sea.
Besides these batteries within the actual
rock OF Gibraltar, to which the ordinary
visitor Is admitted, there are other subter.
ranean passages. only to be visited by spe-
cial permits, and in addition to all these
masked batteries the military defenses on
the lower part Of the rock are most sur
prising, and what with the Victoria bat.
terry, the DEVILS Tongue battery, the Or
ange bastion, the Ragged Staff stairs and
the Jumpers battery the traveller sees that
indeed the fort must be invincible, Every
possible device for bombardment, blowing
up ships, exploding mines and killing men.
upon which indeed generally depends the
success OF war, can be found here.
The British products exported TO 01bral-
tar amount to 466O, 600 a year, and the col.
lected revenue Is sufficient I support the
city.
In times of peace the garrison consists of
sou men and costs England g. 900, 900 an.
nually, and there are stores and water els
terms within the Notifications sufficient to
supply a garrison of $50, 900 men for two
years, The impregnability Of this wonder
ful and gigantic lion, lying with his mighty
head looking over the blue waves of the
mediterranean. may be conceived when 1t
II remembered that General Elliot held It |
1or TOUR years with 5000 troops, some of
them IN a wretchedly forlorn condition.
against the entire army and navy Of Snain |
and France.
Since the establishment Of Q regular line |
OF steamships from New York to Genoa,
stopping at Gibraltar, this little city, this
remarkable rock rising sheer out Of the sea
l,45O feet; this great key to the blue Medi-
tsrranean and to the countries whose shores
are washed by its waves; this once supposed
lend Of the world" this historical and in.
vincible fortiication will become better
known and will be the frequent resort for
those who not only seek it for itself, but ~
the nearest point to the north Of Africa,
Tangier, the politico-diplomatio capital Of
che empire OF Morocco, which presents even
more novel experiences in manners Gus
toms and popularity Of appearances than
Gibraltar itself.
must turn over to the guidebook to find
how ancient thisc city Is, how 1t was once SO |
prosperous that it vas called 1.-THE city pro- |
tected by the Lord" and that its popular |
ton Is nearly $4,000, about 800 Of whom are
Europeans. After this / must give, as they |
ray at prayer meetings, my experiences"
The Joaquin Pieleago, u yacht built steam.
or, leaves Gibraltar three times q week for !
TanRier and,Cadiz, making the trip in a
day, the return passage being made on the
alternate days.
The most remarkable sight Is the market
place on u market day. Imagine an omen
place on Il hillside about twice the size of
Bryant park and the reservoir, paved with |
cobblestones, and imagine all over it in
the closest proximity squatting groups of
men, women and children In all varieties |
OF native costume and of different shades |
and colors. Here lie a number of camels
lately arrived in caravans from over the
desert. There are numerous hocks of sheep, |
Here comes II Moor with a live goat over |
his shoulders, There goes a fierce looking |
native from the mountains, with his head
shaved excepting "A long lock of hair which
falls over his shoulder, carrying u skin of
water. Occasionally one sees a Spaniard
IN modern garb on II beautiful Moorish
horse stepping gingerly in and about the
crowd
All kinds of produce are here displayed, |
the vendors, with high pitched voices, of, |
fering their wares and expostulating about |
prices. There are money changers and
snake charmers, sellers Of wood, hay, brass,
coal, iron and tin, Of Eggs, poultry, somber
woolen and gayly colored linen stutfs, OF
fruits. candles and drinks. There Isl slave
market, and IL cattle market, and a grain
market, and what with the continual move
ment, the native cries of the merchants,
the bleating OF sheep and the goats, the
''l0w" Of the camels and the cry Of the
calves you may Imagine what IA scene must
lbs presented. -Tangier Cor. New York