The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-03-15

Salifornia; in short the early romano
and history of America epitomlzed-l
inc could only get at those precious doc
uments! A confirmation of the state
ment by historians, that Francisco Pi
zaTo, the conqueror of Peru, could no
write his name, is found here for let
ters purportng to be his bear his }
mark only.
1t is best to visit the Alcazar in tn
morning, while one is fresh as may be
You apply at a small office in the ser
rated, fifty-feet high wall, near the
entrance; where pass will be furnish
ed without which you cannot gain ad
mission There are two gates at this
Al-Kasr, C'House of Caesar or roya
residence) one Is known as the "Ban'
deras,' (fags), because there the Span
ish colors are hoisted when the sover'
eign is inside; and the other is the
''Monteria," from whence he sallies
forth to the chase. AS everybody
knows, this most sumptuous of Moor
( ish palaces, which Is second to the AL
hambra of Granada in size and situa-
ton, occupies the size of the Roman
praetor, and was rebuilt in the tenth
century, for the Arab prince, Abdu-r-
r-ralfnan Anna'ssir Liden- Allah-"De
| fender of the religion of God" After
wards it was enlarged and altered by
Pedro T., nicknamed the Cruel; by the
Philips H., Ill, and V; by Charles
", and Ferdinand VI, and Isabella of
Portugal whom King Charles married;
in short, nearly every sovereign has
done his best, according to his individ-
ual taste, toward identifying and
adorning this royal residence. The re-
suit is rather too gaudy, succession
of brilliant coloring and intricate ara
besques, which confuse the mind and
weary the eyes and leave an impress
sion of too much paint and gliding
The coloring and designs traced upon
it's walls are approached only in the
finest India shawls. Domes disc like
series of intersecting soap-bubbles,
and the stalactte stucco drops vivid
prishms in honey-comb patterns The
gardens are said to be the most beau
tiful In Europe. There are many court
yards, the largest is, Las Doncellas, 70
feet long by "a wide, being superb with
rich glazed tiles. At one end of it Is
the chair of justice, from which the
kadi, and afterwards, Pedro the Cruel,
exercised the Office of Judge. Then
come the grand saloons of Charles V,
of the Apeadero, of Maria Pedilla, and
of Philip H., each a wonder in its way
The Hall of Ambassadors has a glori-
Gus media naranja, (half orange) roof
and is probably the most gorgeously
decorated chamber In the world It's
dazzling walls are crowned with
carved wooden dome, colored in blue
and scarlet and studded with golden
stars. In this room Pedro caused his
brother whom he had invited as a.
guest to be murdered; and here also
he murdered Abu Said, another royal
guest, for the Jewels he carried. The
Patio de las Doncellas was the central
court of the Moorish seraglio, and the
place where the annual tribute of one
hundred Christian maidens was de-
llvered by the vaccals Of the Sultan.
The oldest portion of the building
fronts the main garden, which Charles
", spent a torture In beautifying.
Here you may Inspect the tank in
which gloomy Philip ", used to fish
during the years when he shut himself
up in seclusion to do penance for his |
sins. Here is also the Isabel chapel, |
covered with curious cinquecente tiles;
and the vaulted baths which had once |
been Arab prisons converted into bath
ing pools for Maria de Pedila. Maria, /
the unmarried queen ruled in this AL
~azar. as no woman has ever done be-
fore or since So great was her influ-
snse over Pedro the Cruel that peo-
pie believed she managd him by magic
arts; but it was only the witchcraft of |
owe, tact and gentleness in the hands
If beautiful woman. No words can
10 justice to these gardens, with their I
fountains and statuary and wealth of
lowers. their labyrnths and terraces
md orange-clad walls All is like
scene from the Arabian Nights, espec-
ally the Donzellas court where the
Moorish ruler used to choose his wives.
fifty rich and fifty poor, all the maid
ms of Seville being compelled to pass
n review before him. Beyond this are
shown the sleeping rooms of the Moor
sh king, where an aggregate of four
hundred wives and three hundred chill
lren were quartered This does not
eem so incredible since we have learn
d that the present Emperor of Mo-
Deco had eighty children born to his
household in one month!
Following the Alcazar walls down to-
yard the quay, you come to the Tore
lei Orc, Tower Of Gold so named from
he shining yellow tiles that originally
it. 1t Is one of the oldest and
manifest landmarks Of the MOOrS with |