I r I
i :
126 THE ATLANTIC.
means an unimportant part in some of the recent
geological processes of reconstruction.
On the evening of the I7tli of January Ave passed
Cape Trafalgar of glorious memory, and sighted the
light of Tarifa ; and when Ave Avent on deck at sunrise
the next morning Ave Avere close under the Hock
of Gibraltar, the endless line of batteries and the
sulky ironclads of the Channel fleet, Avliicli happened
to be lying in the bay, clearing np in the increasing
lig lit; and the grand outline formed by the mountains
of SeAulle and Granada on the one hand, and
Jebel Musa and the distant range of the Atlas on
the other, glowing out peak after peak in rose-colour
and bronze, and then sloAvly subsiding into their
normal shades of purple, while the blue Mediterranean
stretched aAvay Avitliout a ripple to the east-
Avard.
The ‘ Challenger ’ remained lashed alongside the
N cav Mole at Gibraltar for a week. Tbe Aveatlier,
although it Avas little past mid-Avinter, Avas AA ann
and bright; the spring seemed already starting, and
some beautiful mauve patches of almond-blossom
lightened up the face of the grim old rock. The
aloes Avere in full flower, and tbe ‘ Alameda ’ and
the grounds of the Governor’s snramer cottage Avere
crimson Avitii them. I do not knoAV any plant more
ornamental. The rich colour of the floAver-spikes
contrasts admirably Avitli the cold grey-green of
the foliage, and the rigid spear-like leaves have a
thoroughly exotic look, more so than most of the
plants of warmer latitudes.
January —A small party of us had a most
pleasant excursion Avith Captain Phillimore, the
Captain-Superintendent of the Dockyard. "We started
after breakfast in tbe gnn-boat ‘ Pigeon,’ across the
bay to Algesiras. After paying our respects to the
Spanish Governor, a handsome dignified man aaJio
received us Avith great courtesy and returned our
visit on tbe folloAving day, Ave took a Avalk about
the toAvn, admired tbe market Avitli its ample supply
of fresh vegetables and fruit, and visited a large
circus-like building, Avbere for about a Aveek in the
year, in carnival time, hull-fights are h e ld ; and
Avhich Avas filled Avith horse-trappings, and banners
and SAvords and small feathered spears, and all the
other taAvdry and horrid paraphernalia of that
harharons sport,
A splendid aqueduct, evidently built in the old
times when Spain held a very different position from
the one she holds now, brings abundance of water
into the town from the high grounds at some distance.
Near the toAvn it crosses a valley, raised
high on a long line of quaint narroAV arches. We
wandered up this valley for several miles to a pretty
Avater-fall called ‘ La Chorrea,’ Avhere Ave stopped and
had a delicious luncheon, the chief element in it the
supply of luscious ripe oranges which Ave had got
fresh from the trees on our Avay ; and after sitting
sketching and chatting during the heat of the day,
Ave quietly retraced our steps to the tovAui, AA'here we
found the ‘ Pigeon ’ awaiting our return.
The valley is well Avooded, and from the peculiar
character of the vegetation, in the middle of the
reMon of evergreen shruhs and trees,o o there was little
to remind ns of winter. The greater part of our
route lay through an old cork-forest, the gnarled