ll causes considered, the most remarkable object in Europe.
During the approach the interest is absorbing; and the two or three
hours employed in passing round the extremity of the rock, and
stretching sufficiently far into the Straits, to gain wind and channel
for entering the bay, slipped away more rapidly than many a ten minutes
I could have called to my recollection. The simultaneous view of Europe
and Africa; the eventful positions with which you are surrounded,--Tarifa,
Algeciras, and further on Trafalgar; the very depths beneath you too
shallow for the recollections which crowd into this limited space;
commencing with history so ancient as to have attained the rank of
fable,--and heroes long since promoted to demi-gods; and reaching to the
passage of the injured Florinda, so quickly responded to by that of
Tharig, followed by a hundred Arab fleets. The shipping of all nations
continually diverting the attention from these _souvenirs_; and,
crowning all, the stupendous mass of the now impregnable rock.

Amidst all this, I could not drive from my thoughts the simple and
patriotic old Spanish historian de Pisa, and the operation to which he
attributes the origin of this mountain. From him may be learned all the
details respecting this work of Hercules; as to which, as well as to the
motives of its fabricator, the poets of antiquity were in the dark.
Hercules had been induced, by the high reputation of Spain, of her
population, and her various natural advantages, to conduct thither an
army for the purpose of taking possession of the country. After having
put his project in execution, he remained in Spain, and enjoyed a long
and prosperous reign. The victory, which gave him possession of the
country, took place at Tarifa; and it was in its commemoration and
honour that before he established the seat of government at Toledo, he
assembled the conquered population, and compelled them to throw stones
into the sea, by which means, in a short time, this monument was
completed.

Before we set foot on this imperceptible trophy of a league in length by
two thousand feet high the French ensign and myself hailed a steamer as
we passed by her in the offing, and found she was bound for Cadiz, and
we must go on board the following afternoon. On landing, however, my
projects underwent a change, as I told you at the commencement of my
letter. There is not much to be seen at Gibraltar that would interest
you, except indeed the unique