The National tribune., 1906-03-01

turning out the guard; few idle
Spaniards lounging along the road at
the foot of the barracks stop, and, lean
ing against the stone wall. watch the
proceedings, laZily smoking the while;
swarthy Moor egg merchant, in white
slippers, gabardine and feZ, passes
quickly along without bestowing so
much as a glance; dog strays on to
the square towards the line, and is at
once driven off by regimental police
man. But by this time the Orderly
Corporals have finished their grocery
distribution and the Sergeant-Major is
walking sedately up and down in front
of the line.
Suddenly from the direction of the
orderly room is heard the clanking of
a sword.
The Sergeant-Major halts, faces the
guards draws himself up and shouts
shrilly. Gy-a-ards-Sh'ni"
There is a sharp but spirited clatter,
and then the line becomes rigid. The
Sergeant Major turns, takes two quick
steps forward and salutes the Adjutant
with Guards present and correct.
sir," Then he turns and shouts again:
stand fast Nortwest; remainder, stand
at cess"
Inspecting the Guard.
The Adjutant goes forward accom-
panied by the Sergeant-Major to the
head of the line, and commences his
inspection II takes him nearly an hour
to thoroughly examine the 150 men,
each guard springing to attention as he
approaches. When all is done he re-
turns to the front and gives the COM
mand: "Guards-Shun! Fix-Bay-
netsi" There is the simultaneous flash
of line of steel, and the noise of bay
onets being fixed to standards. Then
the man on the right gives the signal,
left arms fly back to their owners sides,
rifles are drawn smartly in to the per-
pendicular, and the line IS at attention
and rigid once again. March off, is
the next command; officers come for
ward to take command of the guards
for the Northwest and North Fronts
and Main. AS they draw their swords
the guards move off in succession, from
the Captains guard of Is men on the
right of the line down to the Corporal's
modest guard of three.
Such is the ceremony enacted on the
Rock every morning. Throughout the
ensuing "a hours these men will be the
unclosing eyes of that rock sentinel
that stands frowingly on the threshold
of the greatest waterway of the world
But their duty will lie less in watching
the straits and the bay than in enforc-
ing the very necessary fortress orders
and in guarding the secrets of gigantic
magazines and ingenionsly masked bat
teries from prying eyes. The stately
guarfship outside the New Mole and the
swift flying torpedo boats adequately
police the waters, while on the summit
of the Rock, 1.467 feet high. is the
fias-capped signal station, with it's pow
erful telescopes and night glasses un-
ceasingly sweeping over the great ocean
route-in fair weather to a range of Is
miles-and reporting instantly by flag
and telegraph the sighting of every ves-
sci.
Duties of the sentry.
The guards of the eRock-'temporari-
ly I'm the hands of the British" as the
Spanish will have it-are a fascination
to the soldier with imagination. When
he has performed his first North Front
guard he will. write home with impress
sive superiority: This is no playing at
soldering" The mere fact that he has
issued to him the Martini-Henri rife in
place of the Metford, with ball am
munition, on this and other important
guards, is to him sufficiently suggestive
When, with his arms at the port" on
being posted, he hears the Corporal
read aloud from the order board: He
will allow no one, particularly Spanish
patrols, to approach within SO yards of
his post. If his warning is disregarded
ne is TO fire. care being taken to aim
lew" he feels the responsibility of an
Empire on his shoulders. With the
shout of an ardent stentor he will turn
out the guard to Grand Rounds If he
be on No. / post, banging his rifle with
he noisiest precision when he presents
arms" at night. bringing his rifle brisk
y to the charge" he viii emit whoop
hat will send the hearts of the patrol
seeking to steal upon him unawares
into their mouths. Spanish patrols,
who have been known to attempt TO
pierce our lines, have thus often been
startled into a hasty retreat by strong
unged British sentries.
Dangerous Bulls.
Nothing will test the new sentry so
much as the landing of the bulls on the
neutral ground from the Spanish bum
boats. The animals roam at random,
he sentry is clothed in red, and bar
rack-room tales are prolific and blood
thirsty AT such moments the, soldief
realizes the inconvenience of memory.
But rarely, indeed, are his misgiving=
justified. The animals are mostly
plethoric and well controlled by Their
Spanish drovers.
The haphazard shots of the Spanish
sentries at night at the tobacco SNUG