The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-04-10
Os the Way 10 Palestine.
NAPLES, Italy, March -, 1901,

will say a whole congregation, or two OF
them, and then some, so I will just talk
to them all at once.
1 closed my last letter few hours be-
fore reaching Gibralter, leaving the last
few moments for brief cards to friends.
Although the Atlantic was rough all the
way, and we really had but one day OF
sunshine and comparatively smooth wa
ter, it was not till we reached Gibralter
that we met with our first real disappont-
ment. We had been promised about five
hours here on shore 10 visit this world
renowned fortress.
As the afternoon began to wear away
aud all were ON deck eagerly scanning
the horizon for the first glimpse Of land
the atmosphere began to get murky, the
wind to howl and the rain to fall. You
can imagine our feelings. Still, hope,
that blessed element that
"Springs eternal in the human breast,
kept Us out expecting the rain to cease,
and the wind to blow the mist away aud
then subside. Our eyes were strained to
catch the first sight of the Pillars Of Her
cules that stand as frowning giants to
guard the entrance into the eastern world.
At last we saw the spray dashing on the
northeast and we instinclivelv knew that
we were on the shores of our late enemy,
Spain. As we approached nearer we
could catch faint outline through the
| misty air nrtba ShDras Of Tho two ,,Dpti
nents, Europe and Africa. As we en-
tered the bay or harbor Just back of the
rock, Gibrslter, storm was raging and
the sea getting very rough. We We're pi-
loted on past at least a dozen warships
lying at anchor, till at last the anchors
were heaved overboord.
Scarcely had the boat stopped till
| whole crowd gathered on the deck wait
ing fer the tender to carry them to land.
Great was the disappointment expressed
by many when the boat did not come.
The captain, Horgemann, whose good
judgment most heartily approved, said
it was too rough for anyone to 90 ashore,
aud that he would "lay to- all night and
in the morning we would have chance
to go ashore. But in the morning the
/ weather was no better. Twice the ten
der came out, once to bring on few pas
! scngers and later TO land few who had
reached their destination. Some fairly
/ h wled, so little sense do some people
have, and absolute lack of Judgment.
But he was my captain for sure after
that. Finally the captain said he would
not take on coal and would unload his
cargo on his return. 1t was the first time
this ever occurred. The wind had by this
| time sumewhat subsided so that it was
safe to pull out. They began to weigh
anchor when the hoisting engine broke
aud dropped one anchor quite a distance.
The other could be reached and was
brought on deck by block and pulley.
The other was beyond reach. We began
to drift toward the other vessels and to
save collision steam was put on and we
dragged the other anchor out farther into
the bay where they cut the massive chain
and let the anchor 90 to the bottom. At
1890 we len the harbor after delay of
eighteen hours.
Now for Gibralter itself: | can't give
you my first impression for it was not
very clear to myself. ] was too much
distracted or attracted, by the turbulence
of the elements and desire to know where
we were going and what they would do.
Still, saw Gibralter all right, but it was
not till morning that had a clear and
distinct view OF it. Passing in from The
Atlantic the bay extends north of the
rock and entirely past IN the east. A
low-lying neck of land joins it to the
main land thus making it appear to rise
sheer out of the water 400 feet. On the
north and east. at the foot of the rock
near the harbor Is quite town of several
thousand people, all English and belong
ing to the garrison. On the east the rock
is perpendicular as it also is on the south,
as we saw when passing from the harbor
into the strait. Looking at it from the
strait it presents two lofty peaks at either
end Joined by tagged outline of rock not
so high. The distance between these is
hall a mile. l have been little careful
about judging distances since hearing the
| number of guesses made on the height of
the rock. 1t ran all the way from $50
feet to 5000 feet. l confess the height de-
ceived me a little.
We could see nothing OF the fortifica-
tion at all except few old cannon placed
on the top which l suppose were old,
worn out things. We could see no cyl
dence Of the tunnels, but had we been a
hostile ship have no doubt we would
have heard the evidence very quickly.
On Thursday evening being our last on
shipboard and the captains asst run on
this boat, as he is to be transferred to
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse, the captain
| gave dinner. 1t was a swell affair. the
particulars Of which 1 cannot give in de-
tail, reserving it for private recital later.
At the close Of dinner we went on the
promenade deck to find it transferred in
to bower of beauty. The canvass sides
had been put on and the whole was taste
fully decorated with the flags of all ma
tions, the stars and stripes having a
/ prominent place. An extra row of cleo
trio lights had been strung up and gave
the deck decidedly brilliant air. The
orchestra was stationed at the one end
where the passengers strolled leisurely
around.
The sea was calm and. the boat moved
smoothly through the deep blue waters
OF the Mediterranean. The temperature
has been about 7O' above for several days,
but the strong wind makes it seem lower,