The Washington herald., 1906-11-18

upon the Illustrated Lte liiSui stltSt do-
vas in exactly the mood to extract the
pure essence Of enjoyment from the Rock
The coast OF Portugal had moved me 70
no special raotures, though just as we
sighted Cape da Roca. with the Royal
Castle Of Cintra on the highest summit Of
the much-dented peak, somebody called
my attention away from the battlements
and towers-which the afternoon sun
had painted crimson-to look at majestic
line Of battle ships on the starboaTd side.
It was the French fleet. eleven splendid
men-o'-var riding on the high sea, and
each vessel at equal distance from the
other.
If only il had proved TO be an American
squadron. how vigorously l would have
hurrabed.
From our steamer chairs. Jack and al
lowed the picturesque panorama Of the
Portuguese coast to slip by in silence.
Jack was meditating upon China, and my
thoughts were engaged with that instru-
ment OF fate, the dachshund. The land
seemed rocky IN a red brown way-exactly
like Jack after late poker seSsion-but
transiiXed my eyes 20 the croWning
slopes Of green. which were dotted with
shining white castles and ancient-loOking
monastaries and friendly little villages.
The horrid smoking chimneys of Lis
Dor 1isDeiled my romantic ideas Of that
city. which we could see falntly in the
distance, and I took refuge in recalling
.he Old Moorish wars and the part played
u them by the battered castles that cling,
IKE monuments Of time, TO the landscape
Right in between an Insignificant little
port and a wall Of rock we encountered
dozen or more steamers, all crowded
about the signal station. This is the
highway from Africa, South America,
Australia, and East Asia. I became quite
sentimental. thinking how many hearts
would soon be gladdened By news that
would flash over the wires 70 women OF
many nations whose husbands follow the
sea.
That night we pitched and tossed
through the Bay OF Cadlz, and early the
next morning. even before the sun was
Jp, / wrapped my curl-papered head in a
Spanish mantilla-to be strictly in char
acter-and thrust it through the portfolio
20 Atll0lu TIC llGdlS VI Elt4EAl-N-
was tremendously excited. Africa on
one side Of me, with the summit OF the
Dschebel Musa thrust into the clouds, and
the lesser watch-mOuntain harboring the
town and fortress Of Ceuta; and there. 10
my left, the gigantic rock Of Gibraltar
jutting from the quiet sea Ike a sentinel
OF the world. II was just Ike the English
70 appropriate this wonder. 1t made me
petulant 20 think Of such a stronghold
flying any flag bat ours.
] hung over the edge Of that portfolio
for a solid hour, drinking in the beauty OF
the dawn scene. The British squadron.
recently arrived for the Mediterranean
maneuvers, was drawn in a gray line be
fore the fortress. We seemed the only
thing in motion on the CLASSY sea. Not a
soul visible on the battle ships; not a sign
IF life on the rocks; only tiers Of barracks
and houses upon the steep incline, Ike a
picture thrown from a lantern slide, It
was the most inspiring and impressive
sight I ever beheld, and my eyes hung
upon the spectacle as the first glimmer Of
the sun shed its rose splendor broadcast.
By and by a little phantom craft sped
Of entrance. and after the official formal
tiles. the beautiful harbor awakened in
the clear atmosphere of broad day. By
the time I hurried on deck many of the
passengers were drinking five O'clock-in-
the-morning coffee and eating the lus-
cioUs strawberries the little vendeT-bOats
had brought 30 our ship
The berries were perfectly enormous and
I'm their fresh and dewy huils were the
most delicious early morning repast imagi-
Unable. They were sold in attractive bas-
kets and in company with exquisite Glove
pinks which grow wild in the fertile crew
ices OF Gibraltar. The flower and fruit
met with ready purchasers. and when
went 10 my regulation breakfast at
o'clock. the table was literally heaped
with charming nOsegays. Every man on
board must have purchased flowers for
every woman. and the salon was scented
with Glove pinks for several days.
a more intimate acquaintance with
Gibraltar might have robbed me Of my
idcalc impression cf this tremendous
naval fortress. II was sufficient to sit on
deck and view the scene. and listen 10
the stories Of several young British Off
GERS who were more TecOnCiled TO Indian
service than they would have been TO as
signment here. The two that embarked
looked sad and regretful. for Gibraltar,
picturesque as il appears, Is something OF
a Botany Bay. 1t is all the fault Of the
Spanish frontier being too close at hand
and bothersOme. You cannot walk for ten
minutes away from the heart Of the for
tress without being brought up short by
Spanish request to show your pass
port You cannot go for a horseback
-fEa v-SFhprrs rfGLrf~7cr a ah1ra a
ish sentinel. and an interview that lasts
from fifteen minutes TO a full hour. Il
Hung Chang would find congeniaI occu4
paticn as a sentinel az this Spanish from
tier. for such q parsonage is nothing
short of a human Interrogation point His
sole duty is to ask questions and scruti-
nize papers.
There are advantages and disadvan-
tages In going 70 Gibraltar in a German
vessel Our English admiral experienced
the latter. He wanted to go ashore. and
he was not allowed to do so. all because
the English are suspicious of the Ger
mans. and will not allow them, or any
body from their ships. to visit the fOrtif-
cations.
II was in vain that the English admiral
asserted his nationality and declared that
his eldest son was in command Of one of
the war vessels IN the harbor, and that
ne wished to communicate with him in the
worst way. The frantic little man did
not know which particular ship was under
command Of his son; neither was the son
aware of the close proximity Of his dot
ing family, but all that heavenly morn
ing the numerous sisters and the mother
of the mucb-yearned-for individual hung
over the vessels side, each with a spy
glass glued to her eyes. searching in
vain for the beloved relative. The No
roccan and Spanish traders that swarmed