36 CHELTENHAM COLLEGE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
which is usually veiled. At this service everything is in darkness, 
except just at the east end ; the organ peals forth the most solemn 
and measured music, and gradually you see the purple veil at the 
east end drawn slowly aside, disclosing a gray veil, which in its turn 
yields place to a black veil ; and all this time the solemnity of the 
music has been increasing, till it culminates at the point, when, the 
black veil dividing, the great cross is at length visible ; but only for 
a short time, for slowly the veils are replaced, and the service ends 
as it began in solemn silence and darkness. After leaving Valencia 
the Principal visited the ancient Saguntum ; he then passed on to 
Cordova. Cordova is a very picturesque old town in itself, but the 
beauty of the town is quite swamped by the grandeur of its peculiar 
treasure, the old Moorish Mosque built ten centuries ago, which 
covers four acres of ground, and the interior of which is upheld by 
eleven hundred beautiful pillars, no two of which are alike, though 
they all resemble each other. These pillars were brought from 
different parts of the world. A very zealous bishop spoilt the value 
of this unique specimen of architecture somewhat by building 
within the mosque a Christian Church, itself very remarkable and 
beautiful. Only one place of any great interest now remained to 
be visited, and that place is the most interesting in some respects, 
as it was the last stronghold of the Moors—Granada, which was 
captured by Ferdinand and Isabella A.D. 1492. The town of 
Granada itself is not very interesting, but the same cannot be said 
of the world-famed Alhambra and the hill on which it stands. 
Nothing could well be more picturesque than the woods and the 
apparently impregnable fortress which they surround. Viewed from 
a distance the Alhambra is picturesque only in conjunction with its 
surroundings ; taken by itself it is not so striking. It is only when 
you get inside it that you realize its manifold beauties. The 
striking effect about the Alhambra is the exquisite and often 
beautifully coloured tracery with which the Moors used to fill in 
their arches and cover their walls: it looks exactly like finely worked 
lace. The pillars and arches are also very light and graceful. The 
Principal arrived at Granada by chance on the very day which is 
the best in the whole year to see the town—on the Anniversary of 
its capture by Ferdinand. The festivities were concluded in the 
evening by a grand historical performance in the theatre, when 
two different actors appeared, each once, on horseback, among 
the audience. From Granada the Principal returned home via 
Seville, where there is a magnificent cathedral of great size and 
