24 LIFE OF TfiE AUTHOR. 



appeared to be much more common than sparrows in this country 

 During the spring, the quails and bee-eaters arrived in vast numbers 

 from the opposite coast of Africa. Once when I was rambling on 

 the sea-shore, a flock of a dozen red flamingoes passed nearly within 

 gun-shot of me. 



" At my uncles' house, I made the acquaintance of an English 

 gentleman who had been staying with them for some time. I found 

 his conversation very agreeable, and we made arrangements to go 

 to Cadiz by land, taking Gibraltar in our way. 



" It is a well-known fact that apes are found in no part of Europe 

 except in Gibraltar. They inhabit the steepest parts of the moun- 

 tain, and always prefer to be sheltered from the wind when it blows 

 hard. I had letters of introduction to the Danish Consul, Mr Glynn. 

 As good luck would have it, the wind changed to the eastward on 

 the very morning on which the Consul had arranged to show us over 

 the rock of Gibraltar. He said that the apes were sure to be on the 

 move, as the change of wind would force them from their quarters ; 

 and actually, on our way up the mountain, we had a fair view of the 

 apes on their passage. I counted from fifty to sixty of them ; and 

 an ape or two might be seen in the flock with a young one on its 

 back. ^Eneas in his day reversed the thing, and carried an old 

 animal not a young one. 



* Cessi, et sublato montem genitore petivi.' 



' f YTe visited Algesiras, and there I saw the Hannibal seventy-four 

 aground. Colonel Lyon of St. Roque gave us a full account of her 

 misfortune. This brave old Irish gentleman, aware that there would 

 be no promotion for him in his own country, on account of his 

 adherence to the ancient creed, had left it with many others in early 

 life, and entered the Spanish brigade. 



' Interque moerentes amicos, 

 Egregius properarat exul.' 



He told us he was standing in the fort of St. Roque just at the time 

 that the Hannibal ran aground, and was forced to strike her colours 

 to the guns of Algesiras. At that moment, unconquerable love of 

 his deserted country took possession of his soul. He threw down a 



