452 
large. They are seldom caught, and are 
daring enough te deprive acentinel of his 
meal now and then, which they will con- 
vey from his box with their usual dex- 
terity. They are very susceptible of the 
alteration of weather, and, when the wind 
is from the south or the west, they are not 
to be seen; as they invariably change 
their abode, and sheiter themselves on 
that side towards which it does not blow. 
As so many of the inhabitants are com- 
posed of Spaniards, they are allowed the 
exercise of their religion, and have alarge 
church appropriated to their use. A 
convent, which of course formerly be- 
longed to them, is the residence of the 
governor; itis a spacious building, and 
contains some good rooms, but. the 
eburch attached to it is small and gloomy. 
It is now undergoing repair; the roof 
is ornamented with rose work in the 
Grecian style, and on the walls are tablets 
to the memory of General Boyd, General 
O'Hara; and to the Hon. Capt. Paget, of 
the Sybille; whichis an elegant sculpture, 
There are three libraries, one exclu- 
sively for the ‘use of the officers of the 
garrison, another a circulating one for 
the use of the inhabitants, and a third is 
a ‘subscription one, to which no person 
belongs ‘but by ballot; it is liberally con- 
ducted, ‘and has a reading-room, where 
strangers are admitted on the introduction 
of a member. It is well provided. with 
good books in the various languages, and 
receives from England the Morning Chro. 
nicle, the Star, Cobbett’s Register, 
Lloyd’s List, and a price current ; a bust 
of Cicero graces the head of the room, 
and there is a collection of a great variety 
of lava; each specimen having a label on 
it describing the spot from which it was 
taken. Spanish Gazettes, such as they 
are, are likewise received. A paper is 
published here every Saturday, entitled 
the Gibraltar Chronicle;” it bas been 
established nearly four years, is well 
printed, but conducted bya Frenchman! 
A wretched theatre and more wretched 
Spanish actors and musicians are now 
amusing us. It is a most shabby place, 
and seldom resorted to, excepting when 
the governor attends it, but for the pur- 
pose of ridiculing the performers and 
smoking segars. They have brought out 
a piece, representing the escape of the 
Marquis de Ja Romana, with the Spanish 
_soldiers from Zealand. The bills of the 
performance are handsomely printed, on 
various coloured ‘silk, in Spanish and 
broken English: one of the performers 
on his benefit night, concluded his ad. 
dress with a wish “to have the attend- 
Journal of a recent Voyage to Cadiz. 
[June 4; 
‘ance of Ladis and Gentilmin.” They 
dress gaudily; and their scenery, stage, 
and tout-ensemble, are scarcely better 
than a Bartholomew-fair exhibition. - 
There are now in the town upwards 
of two hundred French fugitives from 
Spain, and many more are on board of a 
ship in the harbour, who are not per- 
mitted’ to Jand. Indeed, they would 
hardly find a habitatiom that could shelter 
them, and it is wonderful to see the 
number of wooden huts scattered on the 
rock, and sull more the manner in which 
the people are already crowded into 
them. Sometimes, owing to their height, 
they are drenched with rain, and en- 
veloped in those mists which obscure the 
signa!-house for days together. 
The greatest precaution is taken with 
respect to the admission of any person 
into the garrison, who is not in a naval 
or military capacity. Every resident 
is obliged to be provided with a card of 
registry, which is granted every six 
months; without this, he is liable to in+ 
convenience, when he may wish to pass 
the different gates, and, at might, it is re= 
quired that no one appears in the streets 
without a light. The restraint on the 
movements of the inhabitants extends so 
far, as not to allow them to rest their 
arms ‘on, or lean over the walls of the 
ramparts, or to walk over every part of 
the rock without a particular permission ; 
and it is attended with difficulty some- 
times to obtain leave to see the galleriesa 
The power of the governor extends, 
not-only to the military, but to the civil 
departments; and his exercise of autho- 
rity has at times been such, as not to 
harmonize with the inclination of the in- 
babitants. The soldier claims notice 
and respect which the people are not 
disposed to grant him; and, as the gar 
rison is not in a state of siege, the former 
often feel indignant when they are not 
permitted to relax from what they may 
consider, too strict regulations. The 
consequence is, that each party is 
often involved in a quarrel; and, I onder- 
stand, that there are appeals at this mos 
ment lying before the privy-council for 
decision. 
I intend to apply for my passports to+ 
morrow, and take a jaunt overland to 
Cadiz; bidding an adieu toa place which 
is deserving the attention of a traveller, 
but who, without particular friends to 
form a society for him, will find this spot, 
if he be a sauntering Englishman, in- 
auspicious to his comforts, and very little 
inviting for a residence beyond a few 
days. ; 
Te 
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