The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-02-01

find the direction of the wind. This
ascertained, the women and girls range
themselves along the windward side of
the EZRA and toss the grain into the air.
until the chaff is blown away.
Another Portuguese institution. that
may have been borrowed from Moses
time, is the nora, or water wheel, You
see it everywhere along the country road
sides, with blind-folded oxen marching
round and round, raising the water, which
is sent through stone troughs to fill the
fountains and feed the irrigating bitches.
Late in the afternoon we crossed the
Rubicon of the Guadiana and left old
Portugal behind. So it happened that in
the glory of a Spanish sunset, l caught
the first glimpse of the longed for-land of
my chateauen Espagne, cherished since
childhood-the only bit of real estate |
ever owned. In c]oud-pictures against
the sunset sky, its shining towers arose
complete
with battlements high in the hush of the
air,
And the turrets thereon"
appropriately draped in crimson and
gold, the royal colors of Spain. In the
moving panorama of f1eecy clouds, one
could distinctly trace the gallant figure of
Don Quixote de la Mancha, followed by
his faithful squire, riding their donkeys
full tilt against misty wind mills; the
mighty Caliph Abdurrehman, rearing
Moslem temples for the mail clad Cid to
destroy; and all the other delights and
wonders that belong to every body's i'm
aginary possessions in Spain.
There was just time before twilight
dropped its curtain on the scene to get a
field glass view of Palos, the ancient port
of South western Spain, whence Colum-
bus sailed, four hundred years ago, on
his first voyage to America. The plain
little stone church of St. George, look
ing as fresh in the distance as if only yes
terday the contractor had handed over his
finished work-still guards the entrance
to the town, as when the great Admiral
read from its pulpit the royal edict-that
the citizens of Palos should furnish his
crews for the uncertain voyage in search
of another world. Fancy the terror and
distress in the little town, as such an un-
expected levy upon its scanty population!
There, too, is the convent chapel of Santa
Clara, where Columbus and his sailors
fulfilled their vows, after the return from
that momentous first voyage. You re-
during which they promised the Blessed
Virgin that if saved by her interposition,
they would spend the whole of their first
night ashore in prayer and praise before
Her nearest altar History says that
Columbus, at least, performed his vow to
the letter, kneeling all night long on the
cold stones before Her image in Santa
Clara. Two or three miles beyond, clear
and distinct on its breezy hilltop, stands
the old, old convent of La Rabida, whose
counterfeit figured at our Worlds Fair in
Chicago few years ago. To day, pass
ing vessels rarely touch at Palos, because
the aged town offers few inducements TO
modern trade or travel ; but you may easily
reach it from Cadiz, either on donkey
back, after the fashion of the country. or
in a carriage. Aside from its historic
associations, it contains absolutely moth
ing of interest one long struggling
street and few scattered houses climb
ing up the hillside. [ doubt if half a
dozen of its five or six hundred inhabi-
tants ever heard of Columbus or what he
discovered; and the visitor 20 Palos brings
away with him, besides an extra burden
of dust and fleas, sad impression of pre-
vailing ignorance, poverty and sloth
Speaking Of antiquity-the discovery of
America. only four little centuries ago, is
but as minute past compared with the
traditions of Cadiz. Founded by Hercu-
les, eleven centuries before Christ was
born, it is not only one of the oldest cities
in Europe, but fully half as old as this
weary world itself, according to the
Hebrew tradition! What its early name
may have been under the Phnnecians and
Carthagenians, is not now known. The
Romans, who captured it three and half
centuries before the foundation of Rome
was laid, called it 'Gaddis," and made it
for time the most wealthy and impor-
tant city of the world Afterwards the
Goths and Moors had their turn at it. each
few hundred years; and it has been
Spanish only since 1862. Nor has it be-
longed to Spain ever since, for Drake, the
English buccaneer, took forcible possess
sion in 1887, followed by Lord Essex and
horde of Britons, who twisted it's time
honored name into something like
''Kales." The French held it few wears
in the early part of the present century;
and Heaven knows who its next master
may be, when Spain gets little more out
of pocket and credit.
With these historic points in mind, ones
first view of Cadiz, ''The Silver City," is
an immense surprise. You are prepared
for sad, gray, tumble down old place
but not for the bright and heautiful real