OF GIBRALTAR. 7 



any considerable depth. There can be no doubt 

 that the greater portion of the isthmus now in pos- 

 session of Great Britain has been reclaimed from the 

 sea, and old plans of the territory of Gibraltar re- 

 present the existence of a morass near the north 

 side of the rock, in the site now occupied by the moat, 

 or, as it is called, " the inundation." The bastions 

 and glacis near the land-port appear also to have been 

 built upon land reclaimed from the sea; and there can 

 be no doubt that the sea approached the market-place 

 nearer than it does at the present time. The same 

 process of reclaiming from the sea being necessary 

 for the formation of the extensive new fortifications 

 on the line wall and Europa point, Gibraltar will be in 

 a few years several feet wider in these situations. 



The rock of Gibraltar is bounded on the north by 

 the main land of Spain. On the south and east it is 

 washed by the Mediterranean. Standing at Europa 

 point on a calm clear day, this deep sea, over which 

 " are hung the charms of antiquity, poetry, romance, 

 and genius," is viewed silent as a lake, with scarcely a 

 ripple on its surface. In the far distance across the 

 water is seen Ceuta, and Afric's burning shore, towered 

 over by Abyla's cloud-capped summits, with ranges 

 of blue mountains in all directions. On other occa- 

 sions this most beautiful of seas has a more majestic 

 appearance, the wind blowing with tempestuous fury 

 swells the water, and dashes its foaming waves on 

 the rugged sides of the rock, splashing their white 

 feathery spray high into the air: so grand and mag- 

 nificent is then the tout ensemble as to repay any 



