21 October 1805 239 
little animals must surely spend their whole lives there, for with the 
steep overhanging cliff above them and the sea washing below, there 
would seem to be no means of escape. It was whilst watching them 
that we suddenly spied a big Wild Cat (eds catus) sidling along 
a narrow shelf of sandstone until it disappeared into the tangled 
mass of scrub. It was quite unconscious of our presence and was 
evidently intent on a rabbit for dinner. 
The view from the summit of the cliffs of Trafalear is one 
of vast extent and surpassing grandeur. We were fortunate in 
having a very clear day. The whole of the African side of the 
Straits from Apes’ Hill, opposite Gibraltar, past Tangier to the blue 
headland of Cape Spartel far out in the Atlantic lay before us. 
Beyond Spartel, the Atlantic coast down to Arzila, Larache and 
southward stretched away into space. ‘Tarifa itself was hidden 
by the spur of yellow sandhills which engulf the old Pheenician 
city of Belon. Northward the whole strand past the white town 
of Conil and onward to the Isla and Cadiz was visible, whilst 
eastward, the rugged outlines of the Serrania of Ronda, over 
70 miles distant, were clearly silhouetted, as were the nearer Hacho 
of Gaucin, the Sierra Bermeja near Estepona and beyond these 
the Sierra Blanca and far distant Malaga Mountains. Truly a 
marvellous panorama. From the spot I occupied I could see 
the ground beyond Conil where Graham, afterwards Lord Lyne- 
doch, marched to fight and defeat the French at Barrosa in 1811. 
But the chief historical interest naturally centred in the sheet 
of glittering water immediately below us, for we were exactly 
opposite the spot, ‘Cape Trafalgar bearing 10 miles east,” where 
the greatest of naval battles was fought. What a view the inhabi- 
tants of these wild hills must have had from the point we now 
occupied, over 500 ft. above the sea, on that 21 October as 
Nelson’s twenty-seven ships bore down on the straggling line of 
French and Spaniards heading for Cadiz. With the wind W.N.W., 
