OF GIBRALTAR. 29 



the inhabitants have, is a dense fog, which rather 

 cools the air. On returning into the garrison, 

 from a ride on the sandy beach outside the barrier, 

 the difference of temperature is painfully felt. In 

 passing the Puerto, de la Terra, blasts of heated air 

 oppress the rider, and on entering the main street, 

 he again experiences the undescribable sensations of 

 breathing confined and impure air. The summer 

 nights retain nearly all the heat of the day, there not 

 being sufficient time for the rock to become cool 

 before the sun rises again. The reflected heat from 

 the rocky surfaces of Gibraltar is of itself a great 

 source of suffering to the inhabitants. 



The vegetation on the rock being comparatively 

 of a diminutive kind, does not afford much shelter; 

 and I am sure if General Don's plan was still further 

 carried out, by planting more poplars, firs, and bella- 

 sombras on the higher parts of the rock, Gibraltar 

 might be rendered a cooler residence in the course of 

 years. The winters are certainly milder and less 

 variable, as must be naturally expected, than those of 

 more northerly climes, but there are years when some 

 of the winter months are nearly as bad as any in 

 England. The cold is, occasionally, even in the most 

 favourable winters, very intense ; snow is observed in 

 many parts of the neighbouring hills for many weeks, 

 and sometimes thin pellicles of ice are formed in 

 some parts of the rock itself. Gibraltar is also occa- 

 sionally visited by hail and thunder storms. The 

 lightning is never very prolonged ; distant thunder is 

 of much more frequent occurrence. Rain frequently 



