The International Magazine, Volume 4, No. 5, December 1851Various
History
The International Magazine, Volume 4, No. 5, December 1851
Various
Art, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- History -- Periodicals
This last small town is prettily situated on a hill, about five miles
from Gibraltar. On passing the drawbridge which crosses the ditch
at the Landport point, we got on the isthmus which traverses the
inundation, situated at the North Front of this isolated fortress, and
which is the only avenue of access or egress. The approach to this
is also guarded by two strong outposts. The last of these, called
the old North Front, furnishes sentries which guard the intermediate
posts between it and the Spanish lines. On arriving at the end of the
isthmus, we crossed a place which is called the Neutral ground, and
reached a small village garrisoned by a wing of a Spanish regiment,
who are there stationed to intercept smugglers. On leaving the village
there is no regular road, but those wishing to proceed to Spain have
to ride or walk by the shore for a distance of about two miles, until
they reach a plain, which is crossed by a road leading to a small
village called Campo. This place is often resorted to by the gentry of
Gibraltar, who find it much cooler during summer than their residences
in the streets of the town. After passing this village, which had
certainly little of interest about it, we rode by a circuitous road,
generally hedged on each side by plants of the cactus and aloes, and
but little wooded, till we reached San Roque.
Here we saw in miniature what may be called a specimen of a Spanish
town; the windows at the lower story of the houses barred with cages
of iron called _regas_, which completely obstruct all entrance by that
mode, rendering them in fact like jails. The streets paved with large
stones, quite dry, and disposed so irregularly as to make them the most
disagreeable to ride in that I ever witnessed. Then there was the small
alameda, with its walks, and trees quite neat and regular; where the
beauties of the rural town paced with their mantillas and fans: on the
other side was a barrack, which contained a Spanish regiment, who were
drilling and exercising when we arrived. These were swarthy-looking
fellows, mostly young and undersized.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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