Part 12

The ancient name of the rock was _Kalpe_, while the hills on the African side were called _Abyla_ (now Sierra Bullones; p. 103). Together they were known as the ‘Pillars of Hercules’, the entrance to the ocean. Under the protection of the divine Hercules-Melkarth, the Phœnicians ventured through the straits, even as far as Britain, whence they brought the earliest tidings from the North and also cargoes of tin, which they mixed with copper to produce bronze. _Kalpe_ was also the name of the first Phœnician settlement on the bay of Gibraltar, while _Carteia_, on the inner part of the bay, was probably of ancient Iberian origin. Carteia was still an important harbour under the Carthaginians, and in 171 B. C. it became the first Roman colony in the whole peninsula. Nothing is recorded of the period which succeeded the invasion of the Vandals (p. 322). At length in 711 the bay re-appears in history, when _Mûsa_, the governor appointed by the Caliph of Damascus, sent the Berber _Târik ibn Ziyâd_ across from Ceuta to the bay of Algeciras on an expedition against Spain, in which he defeated the Visigoths at Veger de la Frontera, near Cape Trafalgar (p. 58). Impressed by the commanding position of the rock of Gibraltar, Târik afterwards erected a fort upon it, which formed the nucleus of the Moorish castle (p. 55). From him is derived the name of _Jebel Târik_, ‘mountain of Târik’, corrupted into Gibraltar. In 1309 Gibraltar was captured by _Al. Pérez de Guzmán_ (_el Bueno_) for Ferdinand IV. of Castile; the Moors recaptured it in 1333, but in 1462 lost it again to the Spaniards. In consequence of the plundering of Gibraltar by Algerian pirates under _Kheireddin_ (p. 221), Charles V. ordered the fortifications to be reconstructed and new ramparts to be built from the S. side of the town to the crest of the hill. In 1610 the Spanish Admiral _Mendoza_ caused the last Moriscoes of Andalusia to be sent back to Morocco from this very port, where their ancestors had so long held sway, and whence they had gone forth to conquer the whole peninsula. After having undergone ten sieges at various periods, the fortress was surprised and captured by the British fleet under _Adm. George Rooke_ and _Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt_ in 1704, during the Spanish War of Succession, and was stoutly and successfully defended by them during a six months’ bombardment by the Spaniards and the French (1704–5). The thirteenth siege (1727) and the ‘great siege’ by the French and the Spaniards (1779–83) were also unsuccessful, the British commander then being _Gen. Eliott_, afterwards Lord Heathfield. By the Peace of Versailles, in 1783, Great Britain was confirmed in her possession of the historic rock.

The older FORTIFICATIONS on the coast, from Land Port on the N. to Europa Point on the S., those on the S. slope of the rock above Europa Point, and those on the N. side (the famous underground galleries, p. 55) have in late years been strengthened by the construction of a fort on the summit of the hill, armed with guns of the largest calibre.

From the _Old Mole_, dating from 1309, and lately prolonged by the _North Mole_, we pass through the _Old Mole Gate_ (the outer gate of the harbour), and then, beyond the _Market_, through the inner _Waterport Gate_, which stands on the site of the old Moorish wharf. This brings us to the S. E. to CASEMATES SQUARE.

Adjacent, on the S., is WATERPORT STREET, with the chief buildings, forming, together with the parallel street to the W. called _Irish Town_, the chief business quarter.

Waterport Street is prolonged to the S. by CHURCH STREET. Beyond Commercial Square and the _Exchange_ (Pl. 3) we come to the Catholic _Cathedral_ (Pl. 4), on the left, originally a mosque, but restored by the ‘Catholic kings’ (p. 75) after 1502; there now remains little worth seeing except the Moorish orange-court.—A little farther on, on the same side is the _Supreme Court_ (Pl. 7), with its pretty garden. To the right, in Cathedral Square, stands the _Anglican Cathedral_ (Pl. 6), built in the Moorish style.

The southmost part of this line of streets is SOUTHPORT STREET, where, on the right, rises the _Convent_, once a Franciscan establishment, now the _Government House_ (governor, Sir Arch. Hunter), the garden of which contains a venerable dragon-tree (p. 30). At the S. end of this street is _Southport Gate_, which is always open, dating from the time of Charles V., but restored in 1883. Outside the gate, on the left, is the small _Trafalgar Cemetery_, where the British who fell at the battle of Trafalgar (p. 58) are buried.

The =Alameda=, beyond the gate, a fine promenade with rich subtropical vegetation, was laid out by Governor George Don in 1814. A military band plays near the Assembly Rooms (p. 53) on Sun. and Wed. from 3–5, or in summer in the evening. To the W. we overlook the _Naval Harbour_, with its dockyard, quays, and long _South Mole_.

A little to the E. of the Southport Gate is _Prince Edward’s Gate_, a second exit to the S. from the town, whence the *=Europa Main Road= ascends gently along the W. slope of the rock, above the Alameda Gardens, between gardens and villas. Below it, on the right, farther on, are the _Naval Hospital_ and the _Buena Vista Barracks_. Lastly, a little way short of a signal-station, we descend between the fissured rocks of the _Europa Pass_ to (1½ M.) _Europa Point_, with its great _Lighthouse_, the much-eroded S. extremity of the peninsula. The road then turns to the N., soon affording a view of the Spanish Mediterranean coast, to the _Governor’s Cottage_ and the _Monkeys’ Cave_ hidden among the rocks.

The _Moorish Castle_, above the artillery barracks, begun by Târik in 713 and completed in 742, is entered through the Civil Prison (verbal permission required by foreigners). Access to the _Subterranean Galleries_ of the fortress, lying below the castle and dating from 1782 (comp. p. 54), is now limited to British subjects.

From the Market (p. 54) we may walk to the N. E. to the _Land Port_ (notice as to closing should be observed; comp. p. 52), and past the _Inundation_, a space which may be flooded for defensive purposes (made in 1705), to the =North Front=, which forms part of the low neck of land below the N. slopes of the rock. From this point the Devil’s Tower Road leads to the S.E., past the _Cemeteries_, to the _Devil’s Tower_ (10 min. from the Land Fort), probably an old Genoese watch-tower. The road then turns to the S. to _Catalan Bay_, below the E. flank of the rock, just allowing room for the little fishing-village of _Caleta_. The rocks contain several caves.

Beyond the _Neutral Ground_, 550 yds. in breadth, we come to the Spanish town of _Linea de la Concepción_ (29,600 inhab.), 1¼ M. to the N. of Gibraltar, which owes its origin to the old Spanish lines of defence, long since demolished. The place is uninteresting.

6. From Gibraltar to Seville.

a. Viâ Bobadilla and Utrera.

STEAMBOAT from Gibraltar (Commercial Pier) to _Algeciras Puerto_ in ½ hr. (fare 1½ or 1 p.; passengers with through-tickets have their luggage conveyed gratis).—RAILWAY from Algeciras Puerto to _Seville_, 214 M., in 10½ hrs. (54 p. 20, 40 p. 20, 24 p. 85 c.); carriages are changed at Bobadilla, La Roda, and Utrera. Rail. Restaurants at Ronda, Bobadilla, and Utrera. There are through-expresses from Granada to Seville (thrice weekly, in 7¾ hrs.), but they do not correspond with the Algeciras trains.

_Algeciras_ (Hot. Reina Cristina, first-class; Hot. Anglo-Hispano; Hot. Marina; Brit, vice-cons., W. J. Smith; pop. 13,300), a small town on the W. margin of the bay of that name, is a winter resort of English and American visitors. The famous Morocco Conference (comp. p. 96) of 1906 was held in the Casa Consistorial or town-hall.—Local steamer to Ceuta, see p. 102.

The train for Bobadilla, soon after starting, crosses the rivers _Palmones_ and _Guadarranque_. To the right we have a final view of the Bay of Algeciras and the African coast. Beyond (8¾ M.) _San Roque_ we traverse extensive plantations of cork-trees (p. 171). 26 M. _Jimena_; 36 M. _Gaucin_, in the _Guadiaro Valley_, the station for the little town high up on the hills, 5½ M. to the E.—We next pass through the romantic _Guadiaro Ravine_, and through many tunnels under the slopes of the _Sierra de Ronda_, and skirt the foot of the barren limestone slopes of the _Sierra de Libar_.

65½ M. =Ronda= (2460 ft.; Rail. Restaur.; Hot. Reina Victoria, first-class, pens. from 17½ or 20 p.; Hot. Royal, in the new town, English, pens. from 12½ p., good; pop. 19,000), one of the most interesting towns in Spain, occupying a plateau girdled by grand mountains. From the station we follow the Carrera de Espinel to the W. to the Calle de Castelar, the main street of the new town, and the _Plaza de Toros_ (bull-ring). From the railed-in platforms of the _Paseo de la Merced_, a park a little to the N.W. of the plaza, we enjoy a fine view, with the foaming _Guadalevin_, or Guadiaro, some 660 ft, below us. The _Puente Nuevo_, crossing at the S. end of the main street (p. 56) from the new town to the old town, affords a splendid view of the *_Ravine_ of the Guadalevin (_El Tajo_, ‘the cutting’), about 330 ft. deep and filled with the spray of the river. The bed of the latter is strewn with rocks and the abrupt sides of the gorge are thickly overgrown with cactus.

The train descends between olives and cork-trees into the valley of the _Guadalete_ (p. 59), and then cuts through the last N. spurs of the S. Andalusian Mts.

110 M. =Bobadilla= (1240 ft.; Rail. Restaur.) is the junction for Cordova (see R. 9), Granada (see R. 9), and Málaga (R. 11).

We follow the Cordova line as far as (124½ M.) _La Roda_ (comp. p. 72; change carr.), and then turn to the W. to (147 M.) _Osuna_ and (166½ M.) _Marchena_, junction of the Utrera and Cordova line (p. 59). We next cross the _Guadaira_ (p. 59) and pass (184 M.) _Empalme de Morón_. At (194 M.) =Utrera= (Rail. Restaur.; change carr.) we join the Cadiz and Seville line (R. 6 b).

The train now runs to the N.W., mostly through fertile land (oranges, pomegranates, olives), and crosses the Guadaira.

214 M. _Seville_ (Estación San Bernardo or de Cádiz), see p. 59.

b. Viâ Tangier and Cadiz.

FROM (GIBRALTAR) ALGECIRAS TO CADIZ. Steamers of the _Vapores Correos de Africa_ (agents at Gibraltar and Algeciras, see p. 53; at Tangier, p. 98; at Cadiz, p. 58) from Algeciras (steamboats from Gibraltar, see p. 56) every morning except on Mon. & Frid. (from Cadiz daily except on Sun. & Thurs.) to (3 hrs.) Tangier and (9 hrs.) Cadiz (fares 1st cl. 30 p., 2nd cl. 23 p.; to Tangier only 15 or 12 p.). From Gibraltar to Tangier there ply on Tues., Thurs., and Wed. the small cargo-steamers of the _Bland Line_ (about 2¼ hrs.; 10 or 5 p.). Steamers of the _Hall Line_ ply weekly and those of the Royal Mail Steam Packet and the Oldenburg-Portuguese lines mentioned at p. 104, as well as of the Navigation Mixte, ply occasionally to Cadiz. The voyage to Cadiz viâ Tangier is picturesque in itself, and it affords also a most interesting glimpse of Moorish-Mohammedan life at Tangier. On the other hand the steamboat communication is uncertain in stormy weather, and to many travellers the voyage, especially in the smaller vessels, is very trying.

FROM CADIZ TO SEVILLE, 95 M., railway in 3¼–5¼ hrs. (fares 19 p. 80, 14 p. 50, 8 p. 70 c.). Railway Restaurant at Utrera only.

For _Algeciras_ and the voyage through the _Straits_, see pp. 56, 5. As far as Tarifa the steamers usually skirt the Andalusian coast, and then strike across the straits to the semicircular _Bay of Tangier_, which is bounded on the E. by _Cape Malabata_.

=Tangier=, see p. 98.

After leaving the Bay of Tangier we sight _Cape Spartel_ (p. 102) on the coast of Morocco. In clear weather we command a beautiful retrospect of the mountainous coast, as far as the Sierra Bullones (p. 103). Opposite, on the Spanish coast, where the hills gradually recede, at the N.W. end of the shallow _Bay of Barbate_, rises _Cape Trafalgar_, the _Promontorium Junonis_ of the Romans and _Taraf al-Ghâr_ (‘cape of caverns’) of the Moors. The tall lighthouse on the cape is visible at night from a distance of 22 M. It was here, on 21st Oct. 1805, that _Nelson_ won the brilliant victory over the combined French and Spanish fleets under _Villeneuve_ and _Gravina_ that cost him his life and made Britain mistress of the seas.

Farther along the sandy coast, are the little town of _Conil_ and the insignificant _Cape Roche_, beyond which we sight _San Fernando_ (p. 59). At length, rising out of the blue sea, appear the lofty quays and the white houses of _Cadiz_, overtopped by the cathedral, a beautiful sight in sunny weather. We steer round _Fort San Sebastián_, skirt the cliffs of _Los Cochinos_ and _Las Puercas_, and enter the broad _Bay of Cadiz_.

=Cadiz.=—ARRIVAL. Passengers of the Vapores Correos de Africa steamers are landed in tenders gratis, but heavy luggage is taken ashore by special boats according to tariff. The _mandadero_, or porter, usually gets ½–1 p. for taking luggage to the _Aduana_ (custom-house) or to the hotel.—The RAILWAY STATION (_Estación_) lies at the harbour.

HOTELS (comp. p. 51). _Hôt. de France_, Plaza de Loreto, pens. from 12½ p.; _Hôt. Continental_, Calle del Duque de Tetuán 23; _Hôt. de Cadiz_, Plaza de la Constitución, pens. from 10 p.

CAFÉS. _Cervecería Inglesa_, Plaza de la Constitución, corner of Calle del Duque de Tetuán; _Café Imperial_, Calle del Duque de Tetuán 6; _Cervecería Alemana_, Calle Zorrilla 2.

POST OFFICE (_Correo_), Calle del Sacramento 1.—TELEGRAPH OFFICE, Alameda de Apodaca 20.

BANKERS. _Ant. Sicre & Co._ (Agents of Crédit Lyonnais), Calle Diego de Cádiz 5; _Amaro Duarte & Co._, Plaza de Mina 18.—MONEY CHANGERS. _Casa de Cambio_, Calle de San Francisco 8 and 16.

CONSULS. British Vice-Consul, _R. A. Calvert_, Alameda 20.—U. S. Consular Agent, _J. Sanderson_, Alameda 12.—LLOYD’S AGENT, _H. MacPherson_, San Ginés 6.

STEAMBOAT LINES. _Hall Line_, weekly from London to Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar, and Málaga (comp. pp. 1, 89); the _Compañía Trasatlántica_ (office in the Calle Isabel la Católica) has a Philippine Line (monthly from Liverpool to Lisbon, etc.; comp. p. 1), a Canary Line, and several others; _Vapores Correos de Africa_ (agent, Antonio Millán), comp. p. 57; steamers of the _Austro-American Line_ (office, Viuda de R. Alcon) ply between Trieste, Almería, Las Palmas, and Buenos Ayres; _Navegación é Industria_ (Viuda de R. Alcon), for the Canaries.

_Cadiz_, Span. _Cádiz_, the _Gadîr_ of the Phœnicians and _Gades_ of the Romans, now a provincial capital of 64,100 inhab., and a fortress, is most picturesquely situated on a low limestone rock, which was once an island, on the W. side of the Bay of Cadiz.

From the harbour or from the railway-station we cross the Plaza Isabel Segunda either to the Calle Alonso el Sábio and the _Cathedral_ (Catedral Nueva), or to the Calle del Sacramento, leading to the _Torre del Vigía_ or _de Tavira_, 102 ft. high, which is accessible only by special permission of the Capitania del Puerto (Calle de Aduana). The top (151 steps; fee 30–50 c.) commands an excellent survey of the town, surrounded almost entirely by the sea, with its flat-roofed houses and their _miradores_ or belvederes.

[Illustration: SEVILLA]

The Calle Sagasta, the second side-street off the Calle del Sacramento, leads to the right into the Calle del Duque de Tetuán, the chief artery of traffic, which ends in the busy Plaza de la Constitución to the N.W. A little to the N.E., in the pretty Plaza de Mina, is the _Academia de Bellas Artes_, the picture-gallery of which contains several admirable works by Murillo, Zurbarán, and other masters. (Adm. 9–3, in summer 7–4; Sun. and holidays 10–3.)

On the N. outskirts of the town are the beautiful *Gardens of the _Alameda de Apodaca_ and the _Parque Genovés_, with their fine palms. On the S. side of the town, not far from the W. end of the shadeless Paseo del Sur, rises the former Capuchin convent-church of _Santa Catalina_ (ring on the left in the adjacent court; adm. 20 c.), containing Murillo’s last work, the *Betrothal of St. Catharine.

The RAILWAY TO SEVILLE runs along the narrow neck of land which connects Cadiz with the mainland, rounds the Bay of Cadiz, passing between salt-marshes, where salt is obtained by evaporation, and then strikes across the delta of the _Guadalete_. The chief stations are the naval harbour of _San Fernando_, the sea-baths of _Puerto Real_, and the _Puerto de Santa María_ (‘El Puerto’). Turning to the N.E., the train now runs through a hilly country to (30½ M.) _Jerez_ (or _Xeres_) _de la Frontera_, the third-richest town in Spain, with 52,500 inhab., far-famed for its ‘sherry’.

Our next run is through moor, alternating with fertile tracts, to (75 M.) =Utrera= (p. 57), junction for La Roda (and Bobadilla, R. 6 a), and also for the direct line to Cordova. Lastly, we cross the _Guadaira_ to (95 M.) _Seville_ (Estación de Cádiz, see below).

7. Seville.

=Railway Stations.= 1. _Estación San Bernardo or de Cádiz_ (Pl. F, G, 1; Rail. Restaur.), for the line to Utrera (Cadiz, Granada, Málaga).—2. _Estación de Córdoba_ or _de Madrid_ (Pl. D, 5, 6; Restaur.), near the Guadalquivir. Hotel carriages and cabs at both. Tariff, see p. 60.

=Hotels= (comp. p. 51). *HOT. DE MADRID (Pl. a; D, E, 4), Calle de Méndez Núñes 2, with dépendance (Pl. b; D, 4), in the Plaza del Pacífico, pens. from 12½ (in spring 15) p.; *HOT. DE INGLATERRA (Pl. f; E, 4), Plaza Nueva 13, newly fitted up, pens. from 12½ p.; HÔT. DE PARIS (Pl. c; D, 4), Plaza del Pacífico, with two dépendances (Pl. d), similar charges; these three claim to be first-class.—HOT. DE ROMA (Pl. e; D, 4), Plaza del Duque de la Victoria 6, pens. from 9 p.; HOT. DE ORIENTE (Pl. i; E, 4), Plaza Nueva 8, pens. 7–10 p.; PENSIÓN LA PENINSULAR (Pl. g; E, 4), Plaza Nueva 20; CECIL HOTEL (Pl. h; E, 4), Calle de Méndez Núñez 18 & 23; HÔT. DE LA PAIX (Pl. k; E, 4), same street, No. 11; HOT. SIMÓN (Pl. n; D, 4), Calle O’Donnell 25, pens. 7 p.; HÔT. RESTAUR. ALHAMBRA, Calle Santa María de Gracia (Pl. D, 4).—During Holy Week (semana santa) and the Feria (p. 60) charges are doubled almost everywhere, and rooms should be secured long beforehand.

=Cafés.= _Pasaje de Oriente_ (see below); _Cervecería Inglesa_ (Engl. beer) and _Café de Paris_, both in the Calle de la Campana; _Perla Chica_, near the Ayuntamiento (p. 65).—=Restaurant.= *_Pasaje de Oriente_, Calle de las Sierpes.

The =Tramways= (_Tranvías_; cars stop where required; passengers ring to alight) all start from the Plaza de la Constitución (Pl. E, 3). For a general view of the city the circular lines ‘Constitución, Roario, Macarena’ (red cross) and ‘Constitución, Puerta Real, Puerta de Jerez’ (green cross) are recommended. The ‘Línea del Parque’ runs to the park on fine afternoons only.

Cabs. │ 1–2 pers. │ 3–4 pers. │ by day │at night│ by day │at night ────────────────────┼────────┼────────┼────────┼──────── One-horse, per drive│1 p. │2 p. │1½ p. │2½ p. „ per hour │2 „ │3 „ │2½ „ │4 „ Two-horse, per drive│2 „ │4 „ │2 „ │4 „ „ per hour │3 „ │5 „ │3 „ │5 „

The night hours are from midnight to sunrise. Small articles 25 c.; trunk under 66 lbs. (30 kilos) 50 c., heavier 1 p.—During the Semana Santa and the Feria fares are about double (but not for baggage), and bargaining is advisable. Driving on Holy Thursday and Good Friday is prohibited.

=Post & Telegraph Office= (_Correos y Telégrafos_; Pl. D, 4), Calle de las Sierpes. Poste-restante hours are from 8.15 to 9.45, from 12.15 to 2.15, and 6–7 p.m.

=Banks.= _Crédit Lyonnais_, Calle de las Sierpes 87; _Banco Hispano-Americano_, same street, No. 91; _Banco de Cartagena_, Calle Rioja 18.

=Consuls.= British, _A. L. Keyser_, Chicarreros 10 (to the E. of the Audiencia, Pl. E, 3); vice-consul, _A. Henderson_.—United States, _Ch. S. Vinans_, Mercaderes 50 (Pl. E, 3); vice-consul, _C. Karminski_.—=Lloyd’s Agent=, _José Dunipe_, Marqués de Santa Ana 14.

=English Church=, Plaza del Museo (Pl. D, 5). Services in winter.

=Theatres.= *_Teatro de San Fernando_ (Pl. D, E, 4), Calle de Tetuán, for operas and ballet; _Teatro de Cervantes_ (Pl. C, 4), Calle Amor de Dios, for short dramas, etc.—=Bull Ring= (_Plaza de Toros_; Pl. F, 4, 5). Famous ‘corridas’ on Easter Sunday and during the Feria.

=Church Festivals.= Most curious among these are the *Processions (pasos) of the brotherhoods during Holy Week, which attract crowds of spectators. They are best witnessed from the stand in front of the town-hall (seat for the 4 days 10 p.).—The *=Feria= (18–20th April), a picturesque popular festival, founded in 1847, is held in the Prado de San Sebastián (Pl. G, 1, 2), where wealthy families have their own tents.

=Sights.= Most of the churches are open in the morning only; the _Cathedral_ (p. 63) till 12 and after 3.30. In the Sacristía de los Cálices (p. 64) a ticket (permiso) for this sacristia, for the Sacristía Mayor, the Sala Capitular, and the closed chapels is obtained for 2 p. The Capilla Real is open in the forenoon only (fee ½–1 p.). The services of the importunate guides to the Cathedral and the Giralda may be dispensed with. During Holy Week, when the churches are open all day, the inspection of their art-treasures is scarcely possible. Admission to collections in private houses and charitable institutions is readily granted as a rule, but seldom without difficulty on Sundays and holidays and during Holy Week. The usual days and hours of admission are—

*_Alcázar_ (p. 61), week-days 11–4; tickets (1 p.) are issued at the office at the back of the Patio de las Banderas (door No. 11).

_Casa de Pilatos_ (p. 65), daily (50 c., for the poor).

*_Giralda_ (p. 62), daily (25 c.); no one allowed to ascend alone.

*_Hospital de la Caridad_ (p. 67), daily (fee ½–1 p.); clear weather indispensable; afternoon light best.

*_Museo Provincial_ (p. 66), daily 10–3 (in summer 10–4). On Sun. the Archæological Museum is open till 1 only.

TWO DAYS (when time is limited). 1st. Forenoon, _Plaza de la Constitución_ (p. 65), _Cathedral_ (p. 63), _Alcázar_ (p. 61); afternoon, _Calle de las Sierpes_ (p. 65), _Casa de Pilatos_ (p. 65); towards evening, ascent of the _Giralda_ (p. 62).—2nd. Forenoon, _Museum_ (p. 66); afternoon, _Caridad_ (p. 67), _Paseo de las Delicias_ (p. 67), and _Parque María Luisa_ (p. 68).