Yesterday afternoon, Lieutenant Lacy and myself went, with an artillery officer, round the galleries, or excavations, of which, although they may have often been described, very few persons can form a conception. They extend along the north end of the rock, where it is quite perpendicular for many hundred feet, and must have been executed at an immense cost of labour and expense. They are so high and broad that you can ride through them, and at different intervals embrasures have been worked out, in which are placed twenty-four pounders, commanding every approach towards the place.

These galleries are two or three stories high, and communicate with each other by means of spiral staircases; they sometimes are cut far back into the rock, so as to form large spaces, which were appropriated for barracks; and there are two magnificent halls scooped out of the solid stone, one called Cornwallis', the other St. George's Hall. The view through the embrasures of the latter is magnificent, as it is near the summit of the rock.

I am now sitting with the windows open,

A FINE PROSPECT.

53

enjoying a view of both the Atlantic and Mediterranean, the mountains of the coast of Barbary, and those between Cadiz and Algesiras.

54

THE DUKE OF NEMOURS.

CHAPTER VI.

Arrival of the Duke of Nemours-Explore Monkeys' Cave-Number of wild plants-Fishing excursion amongst the rocks at Europa Point-Blubber fish -Donkey-Trip to San Roque, and return— Exposed situation of Windmill Hill.

Gibraltar, 16th Nov., 1837.

THIS morning has brought Her Majesty's ship "Asia," and the Duke of Nemours, the son of the King of France, who has just come from Constantina. There was of course a great tomashah on the occasion of his landing; the troops were all ordered out; he was received with a royal salute, and we were knocked about for his amusement the whole morning, on the Alameda. He is a fine-looking, fair-haired boy, apparently not more than eighteen, but seemed

perfectly at home and at ease during the whole business.

November 13th.-Lieutenant Lacy and myself started off to explore Monkeys' Cave, placed at the south-east extremity of the rock. It is so called, as the monkeys are said in stormy weather to congregate here for shelter. The only way of reaching it is by means of a ropeladder, which we fixed to one of the carriages of the guns, and got down the perpendicular side of the rock, until we landed on the platform, opposite the mouth of the cave. This was nearly concealed by a large wild fig-tree, which waves over the entrance. The cave itself is of no very great depth, and is principally remarkable for the number of wild flowers and plants which grow about it, and which, from the difficulty of access, are seldom or never disturbed.

The air was literally perfumed with the white narcissus, and we filled a large fishingbasket with specimens of a great number of plants we had never seen before. Amongst the creepers I observed the passion-flower, and several old Indian friends. We returned

up

56

FISHING EXPEDITION.

the rope-ladder, very tired, but amply repaid for our trouble.

November 14th.-With two companions I proceeded on a fishing expedition to the rocks at Europa Point; we all got very well down, by a rope-ladder, to the first landingplace on the cliff, where the ladder was thrown to us, and we had to tie it again to a projecting stone, and descended to a second platform: here poor A's nerves failed; he could neither return nor follow us, and had to remain grilling in the sun for a couple of hours, until we had finished our sport. As the rocks on this side go in a perpendicular direction into the water, it is of a great depth, but so clear that you can see the large fish in shoals many fathoms below the surface. I could not resist the temptation of taking a plunge off the rocks, but was disagreeably surprised on finding myself stung as if by nettles, which was occasioned by the numerous blubber fish floating about! Mem. In future to avoid blubbering.

I went lately on an excursion, with a brother officer, to St. Roque, a small Spanish town, about six miles off. After putting up our horses,