Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-12-28
In the Mediterranean,

Yesterday morning. when | awoke, the
vessel was at anchor OFF GIBRALTAR and
We were treated 10 Il sight OF the famous
rock. The harDor was Iul OF shipping
among which were at least a dozen .a!Ge
British men-of-war TIL browning cliff
rose to the north TO a height of l+f feet,
and among the Terraces in the precipice
frownng portfolios were visible showing
how we'll the British had fortified this
pace. Swarms of sea-sulls We're flying
around the ship, fighting for the refuse
thrown overheard, and squawking as
unsteady as rusty hinges. Not a whit
more musical was the jabber of several
dozen Spanish and Portuguese boatmen
who had come fer the purpose OF se.l!ng
fruit and Incidentally OF carrying pas
SengerS TO shore at prices a little snort
of the value of one of their boats, when
new. The oCanges were done up in bum
dies of dozen, woven in sort of grass
and sold by the batch. Each owner was
vociferouS.y commanding the excellent
quality of his own goods and Vehcmenlly
pointing out the faults IN his neiShbor
property. The consuVs boat soon came
alongside ard | went on shore in her.
Later ia the day the admiral of the fleet
and the commander of the garrison made
Official calls. When | stepped ashose, Gao
men and guides Immediately opened upon
me battery of various languages, 10
Wit, English. French, German, spanish
not easily recognized in the universal din
ii was easy to get rid of the cabmcn for
they could not leave their Nthic.t's, but
il was not so with the guides. To inform
them that theiC services were not desired
was useless. They demanded 81 but were
finally willing 10 guide Tor shiiIlis
twenty-five cents. The streets OF the
town are very narrow. very crooked, and
very clean, and on them you meet cong
lomerate OF many nations. from the dark
est African to the lairest Caucasian. The
stores were very small affairs, but many
of them contained goods of value. While
waiting for a boat at the wharf. spent
half an hour watching the antics of
tame monkey. lie is a voracious eater and
when not thus engaged spends his time III
picking f1eas of himself and cracking
them in his teeth or better TO his liking,
sitting on his keepers shoulder and pick
ing them of the Keepers head. The whole
performance is lmely imaginary for
neither of them has flea. There is "a
colony of monkeys on the rock at GiDral-
iar-the only native ones in Europe.
The<e are several penalties against shoot
ing at them. they now number about 80
and when one L. Torn the fact is duly
registered Noticed two Moors driving a
flock of turkeys through the main street
of the city. en- route to market. The poor
things were cons family lodging to AVOID
the feet OF the mules ana dotkeyS, and
yet the Old gobbles insisted on strutting
and showing his courage after each mar
. now escape. After returning to the ship
l saw the most amusing sight of the day
A barge had come alongside and was coal
ing our vessel There were about nifty
Spanish and Portuguese on board, each en-
deavoring to Jabber the most and wcsh
the least. The oNerseer Stoou OH The raA
and jabbered and swore louder than any
of the rest, the "Cadr-r-r-ones" and Car
r-r-r-rambas' rol ed over his tongue IN
the smoothest and oiliest fashion, but
human lungs have a limit. When he could
swear no longer he leape'l among the
men and mauled them light and left /
admired the impartial manner in which
he bestowed his blows, apparently without
fear favor, OF affection,
This morning We started for Malta, $50
knots away. A fleece wind called the
"mistral" is blowing, and the sea is rough
hut as We are headed directly across the
swells. the boat is steady. A soldier at
Gibraltar informed me that IT was the
coolest day they had had for a year, hut
went ashore in Khaki and found it
fairly comfortable, Only at veSy long in-
tervals has frost been known to IA and
then only on the extreme top OF the rock.
The warships gave lis II ringing send off
Their bands played yankee Doodle and
ours God Save the Queen and the men
yelled themselves hoarsc.
All day long we have been sailing within
full Wow of the northern coast of Africa.
, How rugged and barren il looks! \ small
p range the Little Atlas Mountains
| skirts the sea, while the great range is
further inland out OF view. number of
= small towns can he seen, such as Oran,
Ttnez. Chacchel, and very soon Algiers
, will be in view. All this country is in
habited by Mohammedan tribes and -
very historical 1t was once "A part Of
, Carthage, and after the destruction of
that city became a Roman Province. At
The division of the Roman Empire II fell
to the Greeks, who were too weak 10 de-
fend 1t against the Arabs. who rapidly
conquered II and used it as a base Of
operations against Europe. The people
wore formerly notorious pirates. falling on
, tho defenceless villages on the European
shores of the Mediterranean plundeCing,
burning and carrying away the villagers.
especially the pretty women. FOR The