CAPE ST. VINCENT AND NELSON.

7

the Crows: the mount still bearing the name of these birds who watched, as tradition affirms, over the corpse of St. Vincent after his execution by Dacian at Valencia. But this locality is more memorable as having been the scene of our victories in 1797, when fifteen of our ships under Sir John Jarvis out-manoeuvred and captured twenty-five belonging to Spain. It was on this occasion that a young commodore leaped in the heat of the action through the cabin window of the San Nicholas, one of the Spanish ships, and took it. But in an instant San Joseph discharged a broadside on the captors, when the youth boarded her also from the deck of the San Nicholas, and then he cheered on his crew, and captured both the vessels, which were first-rates. Commodore Nelson thus received the swords of the two conquered Spaniards, which he coolly handed to William Feary, one of his bargemen, who as coolly put them under his arm; and in a few minutes Nelson and old Feary were as active as ever somewhere else in the hurry of the battle, all as if nothing remarkable had happened.

Bearing up towards Cadiz, which we saw in the glowing sunset, with its superb cathedral and convents and its long ridge of white Spanish buildings, I passed at a distance the little fishing town of Palos, as memorable in its own way as most of places. From this port Columbus set sail over the unexplored solitude of the broad Atlantic, for the discovery of the Western world, and to this same insignificant place he returned after having found America.

But all the while Cape Trafalgar and its bay and battle were uppermost in my mind. As our course lay over the whole scene of action, soon after dinner everybody was on deck to witness the spot, where every man in the English.

fleet did his duty, and where Nelson fell, at the very place which was stained by the blood of his Secretary, who had fallen early in the action. "They have done for me at last, Hardy," he exclaimed. "I hope not," replied his Captain. "Yes," said Nelson, "my back is shot through." An hour and a half after, but not till the opposing ship had struck her colours, Hardy ran down into the cockpit to the dying Admiral. He found him in intense agony, but looking up, Nelson said, "Well, Hardy, how goes the battle?" 'Very well, my lord, fourteen or fifteen of the enemy's ships are ours." "I had bargained for twenty," said Nelson. “I hope none of ours have struck." His energy survived to the last; and when told that Collingwood would probably assume the command, he said impatiently-" Not while I live." -Then he added, "Anchor, Hardy, anchor." Before his death the navy of England's enemies had ceased to exist.

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We entered the Straits of Gibraltar in the dark, and after firing guns, and sending up rockets, and returning a variety of flaming signals, we dropped anchor in the bay. But before sunrise next morning, everybody was astir, and boats were alongside to carry us on shore. I landed at the Old Mole under the Moorish fort, and alongside of a battery called the Devil's Tongue. Not a cloud was in the calm and glowing sky, nor a ripple on the whole of the silver sea, which yet seemed to sleep in its dignified repose. What an amphitheatre swept along the surrounding scenery! On the one hand was a range of high undulated hills glittering in the morning sun, but without a particle of mist,-the mountains of Grenada and the Sierra Nevada being in the background. These romantic shores of Spain seemed rising from green and corn-covered slopes into brown hills, and purple

GIBRALTAR.

mountains capped with snow, and eleven thousand feet in height. On the African side, more dimly seen were the rocks and fortress of Ceuta backed by the bold precipices of Abyla, forming with the Rock of Gibraltar the two pillars of Hercules, the entrance of the Strait connecting the Mediterranean with the Atlantic ocean. Beyond were the stupendous atlas range of mountains of the Modina Sidonia, cutting the canopy, and covered with snow. But the great object of interest was the Rock of Gibraltar itself, which struck my heart with awe. From the position I first saw it in, it brought Arthur's Seat to my recollection. There was the lion couchant formed as distinctly as our own at Edinburgh, and looking with secure complacency over the neutral ground, connecting this fortification with Spain. I remarked that the paws were awanting, and was told the reason, namely, that every bulk or boulder on the rock had been carefully smoothed down, to render its face as plain and perpendicular as a stone wall. The whole rock seemed to be a huge and indistinct mysterious monster, rising boldly to the height of twelve or fourteen hundred feet-one lofty precipice being overhung by another still loftier and more perpendicular. It was literally bound round and round, above and below, within and without, with barracks, and forts, and batteries, and curtains, and ravelings, and ramparts, and confined terraces, and esplanades. Here, there, and everywhere, in straight and in zigzag lines and crescents, were cannons mounted in every variety of bristling batteries-some pointing downwards, others up, and all in every direction. And then what a mingled mass of houses, and hill, and rock, and verandahs, and green gardens, and vines, and orange and Mediterranean trees, and shrubs, and luxuriant hedges of

10

INHABITANTS AND ITS FLAG.

geranium, and varieties of flowing aloe, and shelving banks of green grass,—every thing edged by the blue bay.

When we landed everything seemed to be solid, and heavy, and bomb proof at all points. And what a mixture along the narrow and steep streets, of countenances and countries, creeds and costumes! There were from Tangiers creeping cringing creatures, with remarkably low foreheads, and little faces, less intelligent than those of the monkeys jumping on the rocks. These might make an Englishman almost ashamed that he belonged to the human species. There were short, full-faced, and fat men, with dark complexions, and red flowing garments, white turbans, yellow slippers, and bare feet and legs; these were Moors. That man with the dry distressed parchment-like countenance, keen eye, and restless gait, is a Jew clad in gaberdine, and probably a native from Barbary. Those with coarse dirty flannels covering over the trunk of their body, are Arabs from the African Deserts. And that tall, well-proportioned, copper-coloured man, with a black scanty beard, is a native of Morocco. There were plenty of merchants with their sombrero, and Turks with their tamboosh.

Το my mind the most interesting object at Gibraltar was the flag of Great and unconquered Britain flying free as the wind, or flapping playfully around the staff; fixed firm on the top of the rock so well fortified: but securer far even than this in the brave-hearted courage and caution both of our soldiers and sailors. See, I remarked to my boy, how it spreads on the wings of the four winds of heaven, affording an interesting emblem of the extent and security of our dominions abroad, and of the sacred and civil rights of our people at home. Perpendicular rocks mounted with can

LEAVE GIBRALTAR.

11

non, armies and navies, may afford protection to the English flag, but its main security rests firmer than Gibraltar itself in the liberty every Englishman enjoys both in Church and State.

Mounting the hill at once, and meeting a Spaniard driving his goats into the town, our party breakfasted thankfully in five minutes on rich milk and brown bread, and went through the galleries and up to the summit. Here I had a rich reward for the toil I encountered in climbing the steep ascent. I had a bird's-eye view of the works beneath, of the coasts of Europe and Africa, of the Mediterranean, of the town of St. Roque, of the eyrie-placed city of Ronda, of the plains of Andalusia, and of the mountains of Grenada. As we were only allowed six hours on shore, and as the last mail steamer had left some of the overland passengers at Gibraltar, I was put to the push in going through the streets, into the shops, and on to the batteries, and through the crowded markets and gardens, which were also guarded by twelvepounders in plenty. All the passengers having gone on board, the anchor was heaved about noon. The excitement was kept keenly up till long after the Ripon turned Europapoint, and steamed direct up the Mediterranean. There, cried one, is a transport leaving Gibraltar with troops; she has taken the Straits for the Atlantic, and may be bound for the West Indies. Nay, says another, she is bound more likely for the Cape and Caffre war. There is a first-rate man-ofwar with every inch of canvass spread to the wind and a band of music playing, what a fine sight! She is from Malta. Yonder is the steamer from Liverpool we passed off Cape St. Vincent, and here is a French frigate, really a clean and a clever ship; but she would have catched a mistake had she come half as near the rock forty years ago.