_May 7._--Put in to the port of Lisbon.
The orders issued to the troops are to be ready to land at a moment’s
notice with artillery and every preparation of war in case of
emergency, but no one allowed to go on shore on any account whatever.
Hence we conceive that some attempt from the French fleet (said to
be at Cadiz) is thought possible; and should it approach the Tagus,
the Commander-in-Chief had determined to land his forces and seize
the batteries commanding the river, and this, we conceived, would be
excellent fun. Meantime, however the orange groves might tempt us
with their fragrance and their verdure, no one was allowed to land.
The Portuguese boats, though, brought us off plenty of oranges still
attached to their green branches, which tickled the imagination to
heighten their zest, and to quench our salt-sea thirst after fruit and
freshness.
The _Orpheus_ frigate (it is said) sends intelligence into the Tagus
that Lord Nelson blockades Cadiz with such a force as the combined
fleet dare not encounter. Whatever the intelligence was, however, it
produced orders to sail.
We hear that General Junot blustered a good deal at a British armament
entering the Tagus, and declared that the first man that set foot
on shore should be the signal for his departure. He was spared the
trouble, however, for this afternoon we set sail, having received
orders to be on the alert to repel any attack from gunboats as we
approached the gut of Gibraltar. Good amusement in drilling all hands
on board to the service of the great guns and small arms.
_May 12._--A beautiful breeze brought us off Cadiz, where we passed
through great Nelson’s fleet, lying to, and, as we imagined, blockading
the combined fleet, who had by this time got to the West Indies. We
were now at the point where precaution was necessary.
As junior I took the first watch. A most beautiful moonlight night
showed to admiration the coast of Barbary, terminated by Ape’s Hill,
and on the other hand the not less sublime outline of the Spanish land.
The moon with her immeasurable column on the waters, silvering the
prominent points in the dark grandeur of these newly seen and far-famed
shores, while the fleets in quiet approached it with swift wings, and
the keel-ploughed deep seemed kindling with diamonds and with fire--a
sight never, never to be forgotten! Nor do I know the price that (after
experience of its sublimity) could have bought this watch from me.
I felt sure that if any attempt were made on us, we should distinguish
ourselves, but the blessed wind was too fair and strong, and the whole
fleet glided along in silent and unspeakable triumph, the elements that
had opposed now inviting to accelerate our speed, the sparkling waves
pursuing but to push us forward, and the winds never drawing breath
from our full canvas, transparent with the peerless moon. Lewis took
the second watch, and in four hours I was again to relieve him, but
before they had elapsed he came into the cabin and told me I need not
disturb myself, as we were close under the Rock. But we had scarcely
composed ourselves before a desperate cannonading began. Up we both
jumped, and being nearly dressed, ran on deck cursing the gunboats. But
it was only the Spanish batteries saluting the dawn of the birthday of
the Prince of Peace!!!
However, the wonderful and beautiful Rock would not let us leave the
deck until broad daylight had unfolded all its features. To be so first
seen, uprising like the very wall of heaven, and tracing its giant
outline upon the dark blue of night, while mortals in their little
ships are bounding upon the liquid diamond that bathes its foot, was
fortunate, for of all the shows and sights I have ever seen, none so
transfixed me with delight and splendid novelty as this glorious
Pinnacle of Rock. Close to it we seemed, its peopled and fortified
steep rising above us high up into heaven, light above light moving
upon the rich darkness of his umbered face, so that to see where his
long uneven ridge ended in the sky, the spectator’s head must hang back
between the shoulder-blades. After a short sleep, curiosity called us
early on deck, and it is impossible to conceive a scene more busy,
beautiful, and variously attractive to an inexperienced eye than the
Bay of Gibraltar at this time presented. In the first place, even to
the most sedate mind, there is a sort of magnificent personality in
the form and situation of the Rock fortress itself, difficult indeed
to describe, but impossible not irresistibly to feel. There he rears
himself proudly out of the blue water into the blue sky, while all
around within the sweep of his thunder lies in uniform subjection. Vast
mountains and bold shores shut in the horizon, but they approach not
him; in the heart of a great kingdom, in the midst of enemies, within
his own circuit he is unapproachably supreme. The moment friendly
ships come within his shadow, the foe ceases to pursue, and retires in
acknowledgment of his power.
On the other side of the Bay, the Spanish port and depot of Algeciras,
about seven miles distant, furnishes, in time of war, objects of
continual interest. Swarms of gunboats are assembled there, as well as
in the African fortress of Ceuta, fifteen miles distant (other side of
Gut), and in unfavourable winds infest, damage, and sometimes carry off
the merchant vessels as their prey in the very sight of the impregnable
fortress, whose garrison, from their parades and quarters, can quietly
behold every vicissitude of their running contests, exhibited on a
scene beautiful beyond all description. The two fortresses, as daylight
ceases and again returns, hear each other’s warning gun, and know that
either keeps its watch, while vessels constantly approaching from
east and west bring produce and intelligence from every part of the
world, and every ship that arrives or passes through the Straits is
subject to the inspection of every individual. No need to look into the
arrivals--all passes under review, and each inhabitant has a place on
that high theatre from which to contemplate the spectacle at his own
pleasure.
Thus when our friends informed us when the combined fleet had gone up
or down, and how long after Lord Nelson had followed (viz. a month),
they told us not what they had heard, but what each officer had seen
for himself, and had counted as the number of each fleet.
[Illustration: GIBRALTAR--NORTH VIEW