200 FKAGMENTS OF SCIENCE. 



these statements, the navigating lieutenant changed his 

 course, and steered for the place. A pilot came on board, 

 and he informed us that we were before the mouth 

 of the Guadalquivir, and that the lighthouse was that 

 of Cipiona. Cadiz was still some eighteen miles distant. 

 We steered towards the city, hoping to get into the 

 harbour before dark. But the pilot who would have 

 guided us had been snapped up by another vessel, and 

 we did not get in. We beat about during the night, 



and in the morning found ourselves about fifteen 



& 



miles from Cadiz. ^The sun rose behind the city, 

 and we steered straight into the light. The three- 

 towered cathedral stood in the midst, round which 

 swarmed apparently a multitude of chimney-stacks. A 

 nearer approach showed the chimneys to be small turrets. 

 A pilot was taken on board ; for there is a dangerous 

 shoal in the harbour. The appearance of the town as 

 the sun shone upon its white and lofty walls was singu- 

 larly beautiful. We cast anchor ; some officials arrived 

 and demanded a clean bill of health. We had none. 

 They would have nothing to do with us ; so the yellow 

 quarantine flag was hoisted, and we waited for permis- 

 sion to land the Cadiz party. After some hours' delay 

 the English consul and vice-consul came on board, and 

 with them a Spanish officer ablaze with gold lace and 

 decorations. Under slight pressure the requisite permis- 

 sion had been granted. We landed our party, and in 

 the afternoon weighed anchor. Thanks to the kindness 

 of our excellent paymaster, I was here transferred to a 

 more roomy berth. 



Cadiz soon sank beneath the sea, and we sighted in 

 succession Cape Trafalgar, Tarifa, and the revolving, 

 light of Ceuta. The water was very calm, and the moon 

 rose in a quiet heaven. She swung with her convex 

 surface downwards, the common boundary between light 



