SECOND TOUR ABROAD
Bermudas--Switzerland--Italy--Monte
Carlo--Algiers--Morocco--Spain--Biarritz and Pau.
In November 1907 I again left Amarillo bound for Panama and the Andes.
But the only steamer offering from New Orleans was so small, and the
messing arrangements so primitive, that I abandoned the idea, railed to
New York, saw a steamer starting for the Bermudas and joined her. For
honeymoon and other trips the Bermudas are a favourite resort of New
Yorkers. Fourteen honeymoon couples were reckoned to be on board. The
climate of these islands is very delightful. The hotels are quite good;
English society pretty much confined to the Army and Navy; two
golf-courses; the best of bathing, boating and sea-fishing. The Marine
Aquarium is most interesting. The roads are good and not a motor-car in
the land!
The islands are composed solely of coralline limestone. It can be
quarried almost anywhere. Blasting is not necessary, the stone being so
soft that it can be sawn out in blocks of any size to meet the
architect's needs. It is beautifully white and hardens after exposure.
After staying two weeks I returned to New York and took passage to
Cherbourg, crossed France to Lausanne, saw some friends and then went on
to St Moritz, which we all know is so famous for its wonderful winter
climate, intensely cold but clear skies and bright sunshine. Curling,
hockey, skiing, tobogganing and bobbing were in full swing; the splendid
hotels crowded; dinners and dances every day. A very jolly place indeed.
After ten days' stay a sledge took me over the mountains to Chiavenna,
thence steamer over the lake to Como, and train to Milan. It was very
cold and foggy there, but the city is a handsome one; I saw the
Cathedral, the arcade, etc., and visited the famous Scala Opera House
and its wonderful ballet. Thence to Genoa--very cold--and on to Monte
Carlo, at once entering a balmy, delicious climate. The season was just
beginning, but the play-rooms were pretty full. With its splendid shops,
fine hotels, gardens, Casino, pigeon-shooting, etc. etc., Monte Carlo is
unrivalled. It is distinctly a place to wear "clothes," and the women's
costumes in the play-rooms and Casino are enough to make the marrying
man think twice.
After visiting Monaco, Nice and Cannes, at Marseilles I took steamer to
Algiers. Barring its agreeable winter climate there is not much
attraction there. Here I was told that the marriageable Jewess is kept
in a dark room, fed on rich foods and allowed no exercise; treated, in
fact, as a goose for a fat liver.
So I went on to Blida, where is a French Army Remount Depot. A large
number of beautiful Arab horses were being inspected and shown by their
picturesque owners. They were not the type for cow-ponies and seemed a
bit light for cavalry purposes. From Blida I went by train to Oran, a
considerable port in Algiers. There was nothing particular to see or do
except visit a certain Morocco chief who had started the late troubles
at Fez and was here in durance vile (chains). Among the few tourists I
met a Hungarian and his English wife and we became fairly intimate. His
wife told me he was the dread of her life, being scorching mad on
motor-cars. It happened there was one and only one car in the town for
hire, and the Baron must needs hire it and invite me, with his wife, to
a trip up a certain hill or mountain overlooking the city. A holy man,
or marabout, denned on the top and we must pay our respects. The road
proved to be exceedingly steep, and zigzagged in a remarkable way, with
very sharp, angular turns. No car had ever been up it, and few
carriages. We reached the top in due time, saluted the old man and
started back. My friend was at the wheel and did a few turns all right,
till we came to a straight shoot, very narrow, a ditch on one side,
trees on the other, and just here the brake refused to work. Reaching
over I touched his shoulder and suggested that he should go slower. No
reply; he was speechless, and we knew at once that he had lost control,
and realized our horrible position. On we rushed, he guiding it straight
all right, till we approached the bend, the worst on the road, and quite
impossible to manipulate at great speed. Right in front was an unguarded
cliff, with a drop of 500 feet over practically a precipice. But--well,
there was no "terrible accident" to be reported. Most fortunately a pile
of rocks had been accumulated for the purpose of building a parapet
wall, and on to the top of this pile the car jumped and lodged, without
even turning over. The jar and shock were bad enough, but no one was
much hurt. It reminded me of another occasion when I got a jar of a
different kind. Once, after playing golf with a man in America, he
offered to drive me to town in his motor-car. Knowing him to be a
scorcher I excused myself by saying that I was not ready to go. He
started; very soon afterwards word came back that he had run into a
telegraph post and killed himself and his driver. Such things tend to
cool one's motor ambition.
At Oran I boarded a small French steamer for Mellilla, in Spanish
Morocco, a Spanish convict station and a considerable military post.
This was just before Spain's recent Riff Campaign. The table fare on
the steamer was not British! Cuttle-fish soup or stew was prominent on
the bill; a huge dish of snails was always much in demand, and the other
delicacies were not tempting, to me at least. Eggs, always eggs! How
often in one's travels does one have to resort to them. In Mellilla
itself there was no hotel. We messed at the strangest restaurant it was
ever my ill-luck to enter. The troops reminded me somewhat of those of
Guatemala, slovenly, slouching, and poorly dressed. Their officers were
splendid in gold braid, feathers and gaudy uniforms. Around the town
were circular block-houses, beyond which even then no one was allowed to
go. Indeed, mounted tribesmen could be seen sometimes riding up to the
line and flourishing their guns in apparent defiance. Curiosity made me
venture forward till warned back by the guard. These Riffians were
certainly picturesque-looking rascals. Mellilla was then not on the
tourist's track, so was all the more interesting and novel.
From there by steamer to Gibraltar, stopping at Ceuta on the way. At
Gibraltar a friend, Capt. B----, took me all over the rock, the
galleries, and certain fortifications. A meeting of hounds near
Algeciras was attended. Thence by train to Granada to visit the
marvellously lovely Alhambra, and of course to meet the King of the
Gipsies; Ronda, romantic and picturesque; Cordova and its immense
mosque and old Roman bridge; and so on to Madrid by a most comfortable
and fast train; but the temperature all through Central Spain is
extremely cold in winter. The country is inhospitable-looking, and the
natives seem to have abandoned their picturesque national dress. One
must now go to Mexico to see the cavalier in his gay and handsome
costume. In Madrid I of course visited the splendid Armoury; also the
National Art Gallery with its Velasquezs and Murillos. From Madrid to
San Sebastian, the season not yet begun, and Biarritz. Here I spent a
most enjoyable month: dry, bracing climate, good golf-course, good
hotels, etc. It was the English season; the Spanish season being in
summer. On King Edward's arrival with his entourage and fashionable
followers golf became impossible, so I went on to Pau and played there.
From Pau a short run took me to Lourdes, with its grotto, chapel, etc.
From Pau to Bordeaux, a handsome, busy town. Then Paris and home.