The Republican journal., 1901-02-21
~ur eLoR1Es OF GRENADA.
Far Pilgrimage into the Past.

ain appropriately reserved Tor mt
snale, Unimaginative tourists APP
'n5 ,.h this holy of HOLES in parlo1
PO' trayersing the 1875 miles from Nal
f'' - about eight hours. But how can
~ with any regard for the eternal
VD ,,s. consent to such an incongruity?
gun gum the numbering diligencia, drawn
niles seemed much too modern for
al far pilgrimage into the past;
" uoud have preferred the more
nitiye transit of Quixote's time on
~. hacks of the mules.
W.T. spanish engineering has accom-
,tad wonderful things in those al
"a inaccessible Sierras, where goats
mini fear to tread. The whole distance
's.oild tumble of PERCEPTIONS slopes,
,,.s rsveIns. perilous defiles, roaring
Fonts and mad upheavals, at one
in, retessitating fourteen tunnels
,rag thirty miles. The cars are luxu-
..os,. appointed, to meet the demands
,n,aprn travel. They are constructed
.r. English plan. in small square
commitments, eight passengers being
.,.-1| quota of each division.
The most lhlegmatic American must
a. d, pulses thrill as he nears this
,,rrru reit of a glorious but tragic
r.J-rls .asl stronghold of the Moors,
!, vI5rb history and tradition, skill,
Genius aud nature, have combined to
-,,5arr an effect whose like does not
a,.l oT earth Owing to slight acct
f.u aH the road, which delayed the
ibeenti3 a few hours for repairs, it
MAS rearing midnight when we reached
al,naIa A very silent party, render
ri 3am0 hy excitement, rode through
ta s.eei ING city and up the Alhambra
6s,gh-s 9th its farther edge, under over
synIne foliage. A gorgeous southern
aaon iliumined the fragrant gardens
gar.t aigltjngales were singing, silver
.ia. tHe domes and steeples, and trans
formed every tile-covered roof into an
s4ddals palace set with gems.
Nowadays no well-informed tourist
remains in the lower town, when there
at Two lamous hotels on the hilltop,
within the hallowed precincts of the
aM8mtra walls One of them-'Los
,p,e Spelos -snuggles close under the
'gullou Towers; and the other,
a.sa The Washington Irving" has
~Ja6al honey suggestions amid such
Surroundings. OF course we chose the
latter Is loyal Americans should. and
Tegr ,ooa comfortably established-for
attls time Of year travel is compare
tive Light IA Grenada. But one must
le strangely devoid of sentiment to
,-1. the first night under the
sH4a "l Tire Alhambra. Is it some
g,t Ne4rherezade whispering in
lGU.Hlr stories cherished from child
pL fH Trough the mind in bewilder-
N- 'ANslon - a regular Arabian
A- trrtainment-of the glories
a. t.f .H0p,S, in the most remarkable
a7rTaenr the world has ever seen.
lNo7,HGment of beauty, of symme-
oof and costume; the power, the
1@' y tile struggle, the DOWNFALL: the
Ha 9t Moslem and Christian forces
--Hdta just four hundred and nine
years G8 tins month of January, on
1, 'eE spot, when Cardinal Mendoza
N4Gel tie banner of the cross above
4eAaMutra towers, after nearly eight
'FAIirrN OF Noslem occupation. Queen
i''pr.it. attoutred in complete armor,
.a 'e through your dreams on her
a'L'} r4rarsoned steed, as she often
appeared Tor the inspiration of her SOL
~lN >0u see the doughty knights of
-NAlarla, handicapped by their heavy
@as Of mail, creeping like lizards
AVls -A5se dizzy heights and fathom-
-M -'iIrS to engage in deadly conflict
'+ Aq9Hsh warriors of Ell Zagal, who
mere "s familiar with every trail and
w vi American Indians with their
''-l 7''Aies. Y ou witness Ferdinand's
A.'hiiHt entry into the fallen CITY,
surrounded by eourtiers, cavaliers and
generals the lower of Spain in her
s"4atst days; while banners, emblaz-
'4'l ~ letters of gold with the names
y a5t4e>@nd Aragon and San Jago,
's.s ~'it n'rHtefous thanleaves on the
F And most pathetic of all is that
y. 'r learned and gentle Boabdil, last
''4 Cyl lIe Moors, who wept as he, was
'"'IN2 The palace where he and his an
''''' Is mad lived in such unparalleled
IVA and was consoled by his shrew
' ..,. 'I'''lei, who turned to him and said
'- '' @eli to weep like a woman over
'"'' too could not defend as man."
--"4Aenmg for the first time in a
''' STU long deserted gives one fore
r' WI yhe first morning in Paradise.
,u '''S' impulse is to spring to the
.u'p'* Far below you see a deep,
' gorge descending toward the
MI. w. uled with tall elms and carpeted
'' ''Iets; and everywhere in the
t...~ warm sunshine birds are pour
w. N-u tutlr souls in melody. Through
,.. '-'lJlf0l wood, broad, well-kept
A--. -lLn NJ all directions each horder