File:Gibraltar and its sieges, with a description of its natural features (1879) (14583026108).jpg

Identifier: gibraltaritssieg00step (find matches)
Title: Gibraltar and its sieges, with a description of its natural features
Year: 1879 (1870s)
Authors: Stephens, Frederic George, 1828-1907
Subjects: Gibraltar -- Description and travel Gibraltar -- History Gibraltar -- History Siege, 1779-1783
Publisher: London, New York : T. Nelson
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
is defended by theformidable Lower Lines ; and thence a continuousseries of defensive works stretches along the westernfront, and round the southern side of the Rock,until terminated by precipitous and inaccessibleheights. This grand range of batteries, bastions,and ravelins is now armed with upwards of onethousand guns. To the west lies the Bay, which measures nearlyeight miles and a half in length, and upwards offive in breadth; its circuit being between thirtyand forty miles. On its western curve, facing thetown of Gibraltar, is situated the Spanish town ofAlgesiras. It boldly indents the shore on the northof the famous Strait, which extends, we may add,from Cape Spartel to Ceuta, on the African coast,and Cape Trafalgar to Europa Point, on the Spanishside. Its length is about thirty-six miles, its averagebreadth from fifteen to twenty. The voyager, as his ship passes under the Rock,comes to regard it as one immense mass of fortifi-cations, which Nature seems specially to have con-
Text Appearing After Image:
APPEARANCE OF THE ROCK. 121 stnicted for the reception of artillery. Batteriesfrown on its precipitous sides; batteries crown itsrugged summit; batteries line the waters edge;and batteries project audaciously even into the verysea. Such is the Old Mole, or Devils Tongue,which played so famous a part in the celebratedsiege, and received from the Spaniards its expressivethough certainly too emphatic appellation. Half-way up the slope may be seen the walls of the oldMoorish castle. To the right, the irregular build-ings of the town, of all imaginable shapes andcolours, are clustered in picturesque variety at thefoot of the precipices. To complete the picture, theBay is studded with numerous craft, from the statelyman-of-war and the great India-bound steamer, tothe smart-looking felucca which spreads its lateen-sails to the Mediterranean breeze. On landing, the traveller pushes his way througlia motley crowd, crosses the double enceinte, ditches,and drawbridge, and enters the market-place

Note About Images