La Junta tribune., 1908-08-01
STEAMSHIP SLAvoNIA J
IN THE MEDITERRANEAN ,
June 30. 1905. y

the southeast point OF Portugal.
Everybody was on deck to get the
first glimpse of the solid earth
again. A monastery near TO light
house was the first spot To show. as
il is white. The shore line was 80
indistinct that one could not be sure
whether it was the outline OF the
shore or the clouds, as the mountains
sometimes appear 20 Us. This was
my first view of Europe, country
about as large as the United States,
yet which has been the center OF
civilization tor ages. and which has
been the field where the savage in
stincts Of man have indulged in
every manner Of savagery. bloody
wars. murder. chopping off heads,
burning at the stake, and every
form Of cruelty and oppression, and
yet out of these wars and fierce con-
tests have sprung our civilization
and all that is best in the world. As
a consequence Europe is divided up
into paltry countries, many not so
large as our small states, with each
different language, different
people, different money. and diff
ferent manners and customs. | will
pass through countries. in my brief
trip. that speak six or seven differ
ent languages, and will have to
change my money quite as often.
On the 18th. Monday, we came in
view of the coast of Spain. and a
short time thereafter Cape Spartel
on the west coast of Africa. my first
sight of still another continent.
Everybody was again on the upper
promenade deck watching for land
again and Interested in the differ
ent scenes as they came IN view.
We got maps and charts out and
found out the names of the capes.
bays, mountains and towns. We
passed Tarifa, a small port of Spain,
with its light house. This town gave
us the word tariff" asa tariff or
tax was levied on imported gooos at
this place at an early day. A boat
was here stranded on rock. and
was given up. The cargo had been
removed. but they have not been
able to save the vessel. just beyond
we entered the Strait of Gibraltar.
passing Tangier. Morocco. We
caught our first sight of the inn
pregnable Gibraltar rock. around
the coast Of Spain. which gradually
rose higher and stood out farther.
with the great rock about 1900 feet
or more high. about two miles long.
and only half mile wide. stood in
its pride and strength. the strongest
fortification in the world. This be-
longs to England. was wrested from
Spain, and is now held by her to
command the entrance to the Medi-
terranean. Spain then acquired
a point opposite from Morocco
center. but of far less strength
Just north of the rock. which rises
precipitous from the sea on the
east and from the neck of land on
the south. is a strip probably a
quarter of mile wide which IS
neutral ground. adjoining which is
Spanish territory. British sentinels
patrol the south line and Spanish the
north, near which is small Spanish
tewn. The narrowest place in the
strait is about nine miles wide to-
the west. while at Gibraltar it is
about fourteen miles wide. There
is beautiful bay on the west. deep
but not large. magnificent harbor.
between the rock and which is the
city Of Gibraltar. This is a quaint
city. with crooked. narrow streets.
houses built mostly of brick plaster
ca IS are our adobe houses. There
are no sidewalks as a rule. for there
is no room for them. the streets
being often only fifteen or twenty
feet wide, and the shops and stores
opening Immediately on them.
There is barely room for two cabs to
pass. Our driver yelled here and
there for the people to get out of
the way which. at one or two places
they could only do so by stepping
into a shop. The people. of course.
walk the streets where the vehicles
travel. saw our familiar burro in
This crowded city, packed with char