The record-union., 1898-04-14


seats facing each other, a high seat in
front for the driver. and an open can
opy top with pongee curtains. They
are drawn by a sturdy little pony, and
| for three hours ride we paid only 81
for four persons. There were hundreds
| of these carriages darting in every di-
rection and always turning to the left
and not to the right as with US.
| There We're also in the streets scores
of little mules-"too dear for anything. -
Often their load consisted of large
| bags of produce on either side and a
2OO-pourd Spanish woman esconsed In
the center There were also mules
! hitched three and four tandem and
| drawing carts.
| How all this mass of life that l have
so inadequately described, was hope
lessly mixed in the middle of the street
moving in every direction and often
completely filling the narrow streets
mot over fifteen feet wide) that branch
ed off on all sides.
The houses were exceedingly neat and
/ clean-chiefiy cream color. They We're
all flush with the streets-no room fol-
yards in that busy town. Many Of the
houses have oaken doors brightly pol
ished with brass door plates and knock
ers. There were also some houses OF
Spanish architecture.
| Cameras are forbidden in Gibraltar
for fear that some of the secrets of the
Notifications might be found out, and
we could get no pictures Of the strange
scenes before US.
We were able, however, to visit some
of the interior Notifications of the rock
All over the rock are irregular rows OF
ominous looking holes, like the port
holes in a warship. Back twenty-five
! feet from the face of the solid rock
! these holes are connected by galleries
| Those we visited were about one-third
the way up the rock. There was much
red tape in getting entrance. The way
at first led through a trench eight feet
/ wide and eight feet deep, and open to
! the sky. 1t is we'll paved and drained
and pretty mosses and Verdure deco
rated its winding sides. Every now
and then a heavy iron gate was SOL
emnly unlocked and locked after US by
a sentry.
At length we plunged into the very
rock of Gibraltar. 1t was dark and
damp at first, but we soon came to the
row of galleries mentioned before, and
the gun holes afforded ample light. The
gun chambers are about fifty feet
! apart, and in each is a monster gun
| The shells are filled with slugs so as
| to NOW down attacking troops.
| The whole rock is thus honey comb
! ed by galleries and vast chambers.
Most of them are closed to the public
and only a few of the chief officers
! know about all of them.
One of the new guns, which was be-
| ing hauled laboriously up the hill at
| the back of the rock, was not less than
six feet in diameter at the breech.
was told that the work of strengthen
/ ing the place goes on unremittingly.
The most impressive sight in Gibral-
| ter is to stand at the base of the rock
in the back, where it joins the small
neck of neutral ground" connecting il
with Spain. At this point the rock
rises as perpendicularly as stone
wall, l 400 feet high--or five times as
| high as the dome of the California
State Capitol building. 1t makes one
| dizzy to look up, and there is that feel
| ing of immensity which one sometimes
experiences when gazing into the heav-
ems on a starry night. 1t seems to say
to the longing eyes of Spain, and indeed
of all Europe, as if with upraised hand:
Thus far, but no farther shalt thou
| comet Stand back!"
The neutral ground between Spain
and Gibraltar is low and fiat and about
as large as the Sacramento race course
One the one side is a row of English
sentinels pacing up and down, one man
for every hundred yards They are
sturdy, athletic looking young fellows
in scarlet coats, with buckles and trap
pings highly polished. They walk erect
ly, and are strictly business. On the
other side, in strange contrast, are the
Spanish sentries. Most of them wear
| broad brimmed black oilcloth hats OF
peculiar shape, and large black cape
| that falls to the knees and quite en-
velops their hands and shooting equip
ment. Below the knees they wear
black cloth leggings.
These soldiers looked just like the
robber bandits that in opera bouffe
come to carry away the prima donna
They lolled about and talked more OF
less with the throng Of peasant women
and children congregated there.
An English soldier explained to us
afterward that the Spanish soldier has
no incentive to be anything more thar
he is because of poor pay and treat
ment. They are evidently held in little
respect, for We saw a well-dressed mar
in the neutral ground, whom we re-
marked must be a Spanish officer. He
overheard US, and turning on his hee
said, most impatiently: do you not
know Ze French offisaire?'
On the Spanish side, back of the SEN
tries, there was nothing but evidences
of a poverty stricken people. The best
building in sight was a large circular
one-a bull ring. 1 half suspect it is
largely patronized by the English gar
rison
To sum up the impressions which
Gibraltar made on most of the travellers
on the "Werra," it is greater an6
grander than pictures and descriptions
would indicate, and absolutely impreg.
nable. 1t would seem that few men
properly provisioned and provided with
guns and ammunition, could hold Il
against the world. 1t controls the mar.
row entrance to the Mediterranean, an6
through that no inconsiderable share
of the commerce of the world.
L have no special love for England
as nation, but could but respect the
great show of strength which she
makes here, and the intelligence and
high civilization back of it all.
At O'Clock we re-embarked on the
steamer and the light of a gloriou:
sunset was falling on the summit Of
Gibraltar as We turned about anc
headed toward the Mediterranean ant
Naples WILLIAM SKEELS.