32 Voyage of the Novara. 



from 5000 to GOOO men ; and whilst the troops defiled in 

 slow and quick step, lightnings and thunders issued from 

 all the crevices and embrasures of the artificially-perforated 

 rock ; huge volumes of dense smoke followed, and a rolling 

 subterraneous rumbling gave the mountain exactly the cha- 

 racter of a volcano suddenly burst into action. The echo of 

 these salvoes of rejoicing must have been heard, not only in the 

 adjacent parts of Spain, but also on the more remote coast of 

 Africa; and he who was ignorant of the real cause, might 

 have supposed it a grand rehearsal of that fearful tragedy 

 which the English seem determined to perform in the event 

 of an attack. The supposition, however, that the guns 

 of Gibraltar are able entirely to command the Straits is 

 erroneous, for these, at their narrowest part, are 12^ miles 

 wide, and not even the Armstrong guns, with which the 

 fortress has lately been furnished, have so extensive a range. 

 The English are, however, able to command the Straits by a 

 fleet, which would find in the Bay of Gibraltar a sufficiently 

 safe and roomv anchorao-e. 



Erom the fortifications, a narrow and rather steep path 

 leads to the telegraph station, at an elevation of 1300 feet 

 above the level of the sea. Steamers and men-of-war, as 

 soon as visible, are signalled from this point by means of im- 

 mense balls and fla^s. It would be verv difficult to sii^nal 

 merchantmen in the same way, as, during a prevailing wes- 

 terly wind, multitudes of ships often appear to' the eastward of 

 the rock, anxiously waiting for a favourable easterly breeze to 



