We take up our Parabola 



their interests as to send out great ships to batter one an- 

 other to pieces with these deadly engines, whose name I 

 forget," kicking the old cannon again, "a great master of 

 those hellish arts, called Nelson, is said to have feasted in 

 this cave — doubtless, after a sacrifice of human flesh. Yet 

 this monster, at the time, was the idol of popularity among 

 his people. It seems to me that soon after his era, and, by 

 the way, the great Frank Napoleon's bloody career, that the 

 nations began to conceive peace was an advantage, led by one 

 Cobden, also celebrated for having introduced corn into his 

 country, which formerly had only potatoes — both important 

 vegetables, I fancy, before we discovered the system of feed- 

 ing by electricity." 



Our Irish gunner seemed much taken aback by these 

 anticipations, and I have little doubt, in confidence, thought 

 us slightly deranged. But to reassure him, we began to 

 cross-question him with scientific projectile questions in gun- 

 nery, and from that branched off to personal inquiries as to 

 his duties, and the sort of life on the Rock ; for the private 

 soldiers are not allowed to go beyond the Spanish lines. He 

 said it was not a disagreeable life, but they now and then 

 had some very " witty fatiggs," which we found out to be 

 weighty fatigues, such as taking guns up and down, &c. 



To-morrow we set off for Malaga as early as we can get 

 our limited washing back from the laundress, being, in spite 

 of our true British pride and glory in the spot, rather sick 

 of Gibraltar. 



196 



