THE ROCK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 80

THE ROCK.

I ' By a. Banker.

Guarding the «ntr*noe to the Mediterranean, and almost within cannon shot of Africa-, stands a mighty uphea-ved n»tural fastn€ss, oa.e of the moat impregnable fortresses in the -whole world, which, though of limited extent, yet is one of the most valued appanages of the British Grown, as comnianding the short route to In<Ke, to Australasia, and to other of tihe numerous territories of that mightiest Empire th world has ever seen — Greater Britain. Forced upwards by some tremendou natural agency, the reck of Gibraltar rears its lofty maned' head) like some gigantic !iou crouching defiantly for an onslaught. And, on closer inspection, it is indeed «. formidjable defence against any foe. Bristling with innumerable cannon, honeycombed with galleries pierced with embrasures, from each of which a powerful gun projects, with masked batteries invisib!e to the enemy, bu<t armed with gigai:tic cannon of the latest type, galleries cut in the rock in a-11 directions, vast storehouses capable of storing sufficient food to sustain a garrison for a long siege, it % would appear impossible for any foe to lower that proud flag which has so long braved the battle and the breeze. And the s'opes of that rock are in parts extremely beautiful. Public and private gardens, edorned with palm trees and flowering trees and shrubs, which in thai genial 1 clime g;ow in wild luxuriance, while higher up the rock brilliant wild flowers carpet it with parterres of many-hued bloom, th© forests, yet higher, being the abode of a number of large monkeys of the baboon type, said, in times cf deaxth of their natural food, to descend from their fasiiiese and even savagely to attack unwary wayfarers.. In the town itself is a motley, crowdec* assemblage of many nationalities : tirrbaned Mcors from the opposite coast of Morocco; Spanish peasants and others in their picturesque costume— though the graceful mantilla is giving place to the Parisian hat, and th> sombrero to the ungrace(ul, inelegant, ■ but exhenrely popular and universally worn cap — perhaps the most inartistic headgear ever worn by civilised roan; with negroes' of many =hades of colour, many British soldiers in varied uniforms, policemen also in the famiLar uniform, Europeans of many nationalities, sailors on leave from the fle» of ironclads lying in the harbour, and many others. And to pome the contemplation of that stately rork is a reminc^er that the Rock of Ages is the surest defence both for time anjl for eternity. For the Saviour of the world, who by Hi* sufferings and death has redeemed u?— fox all that agony and all that ecorn and contumely were borne as the punishment due to vs — is ere-r ready to receive all who will but come unto Him for eternal life m the land of glory There was a poor man tip at Cairn«, Who ])o-^ = -ril but a wife ami 12 bairns, AVlkim> whfzjng ami sneezing was 60 £»r fiom ploas'imr Tll.lt il g<>\o linn %ome awful bad turns. In tho iunUi of his terrible plight, 'MuNt tlu> <ouc;liiiifT ami barking at night, Hi> fomxl a frioiitl ;ino in Woods' Pepper* m.nt (Airo, 'Hut soon ii.it hi-: family ill right*,