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1811.) 
plains, here and there, interspersed with 
verdare and trees.’ On the summit of 
one of the mountains, near the town of 
Saint Roque, is a spot called the “ Queen 
of Spain’s Chair,” her Catholic Majesty 
having sat there to witness the expected 
surrender of the garrison in 1782. 
The town of St, Roque is distant about 
eight miles, and is a dirty place, like 
other Spanish towns. Between this and 
Gibraltar, are the Spanish lines, which 
bound a tract of light sandy soil, called 
the neutral ground, about one mile in 
breadth, and three to fourin length. They 
are protected at each end by two large 
forts, called Fort St. Philip, on the west, 
and Fort Barbary, on the east; on the 
‘walls are a number of watch towers, and 
within the line are extensive barracks, or 
ranges. of huts for the troops, and one 
small wooden gateway which leads into 
Spain. 
In time of war it is not uncommon for 
the officers of each nation to have in- 
tercourse with each other occasionally on 
the neutral ground, until formal notice 
be given that itis tocease. The zig-zag 
approaches which were thrown up here 
by twenty thousand of the enemy in one 
night, are still visible, though nearly filled 
with sand. Human bones are often 
discovered in abundance on this spot. 
From the signa|-house are also dis- 
tinctiy seen the fortifications of Ceuta ; 
which are, from their great elevation on a 
rock, deemed impregnable, especially to 
the Moors. It is connected with Bar- 
bary by an isthmus of sand, but the tewn 
is thinly peopled: it has a good harbour 
and seems to be a second Gibraltar, 
It is remarkable that since I have 
been ‘here, the captain of the English 
packet » from Falmouth, actually 
mistook Ceuta for this place, and an- 
chored there some hours, until he was 
blown off by 2 gale of wind. 
This small portion of the African coast 
presents majestic mountains rising amid 
the clouds, particularly one called ‘* Apes’ 
Hill,”’so named from the vast number of 
apes which inhabit it. 
Immediately opposite to the town of 
Gibraltar is Algezeras, a sea-port be» 
longing to Spain, containing about twelve 
thousand inhabitants, It 1s defended by 
‘small rocks which are strongly fortified ; 
and isa rendezvous for ships of war and 
gun-boats which so much annoy the 
, straights in war tine. 
_ Some excellent serpentine roads are 
cut on the western side of the rock, one 
ef which leads to St. Michae!’s cavern, 
a 
Journal of a recent Voyage to Cadiz. 431 
ahout half an hour's gentle walk up the 
hill.) This cavern is of .an unknown 
depth, many attempts have, from time to 
time, been made to find its bottom, but 
without success. General O‘Hara, it is 
said, descended considerably lower than 
any one before him, and, thinking that 
no person would venture to the depth he 
did, left a purse with money on the spot, 
which was to belong to whoever would 
fetch it; a soldier went down and brought 
it up, but no one has succeeded him to 
the same distance. 
It.is a beautiful stalactitic cave, and 
opens by a chasm about eight feet high 
and four wide, leading into a gloomy 
sloping chamber, vaulted and supported, 
as it were, by a large pillar, naturally 
formed in the centre, and looking like the 
trunk of a decayed tree, from the base of 
which the descent commences. 
In the front of the entrance is a smal? 
space of ground, neatly levelled and 
turfed, for the accommodation of blocks 
heads who decide points of honor! We 
pass, in coming here, through a chasm 
sunk in the rock about twenty feet deep, 
called the Devil’s Gap, it leads to a guard 
house at the ** Queen’s Gate,” which 
prevents improper access to the signal 
house; and near this isa very Jarge mor= 
tar curiously formed iu the rock, com- 
manding the dock-yard, and fired by a 
train. e 
There is another cavern of smaller dis 
mensions toward the north end of the 
rock ; here arealso a variety of stalactites, 
and some spar running in fine’ veins 
through a dark-grey stone, containing a 
kind of diamond, Itis asmail bright subs 
stance, which easily separates into cryse 
tals, and they are often sought for 
the purpose of making trifling ornaments, 
which are more curious than valuable, 
The petrifactions are worked into candles 
~ sticks, inkstands, seals, cc. &c. in great 
variety. 
The west side of the rock is covered 
here and there with the palm tree and the. 
palmetta, » The golden Striped aloe and 
the prickly pear also grow  luxuriantly 
amid the crevices. The geranium, the 
rose, the broom, the asphodil, &c. are in 
flower; and a row of poplars at Tyrwhitt’s. 
Farm, are now in foliage. 
These trees and shrubs afford shelter 
to a few partridges; but a standing gars 
rison order forbids the use of the fowlings 
niece, so that they are never molested, 
Tonkeys also find refuge among them 3 
there is a herd of upwards of two hundred 
of those animals, some of which are very 
large. 
