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books are soon worn out and disfigured by constant use, and a considerable expense entailed in its removal from station to station; indeed, the larger it might become, the greater would this difficulty be felt.

The military authorities very properly have established a recruiting party in the Province; and such is the love of adventure, and the desire to see foreign parts, that there is no difficulty in getting men, who prefer sixpence a-day, with the chance of seeing the world, to four or five shillings daily wages for ordinary or farm labour; and it must not be forgotten, however, that the term of military service being now limited, the soldier's life is far less hopeless than it was many years ago.

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Gib.," as military men usually call it, seems, on the whole, a favorite station; though I heard a good deal of ennui being a prevalent complaint. There very little general society, apart from the military; and rides in the country are confined to the corkwoods, and a few Spanish towns in the immediate neighbourhood. There is, however, a pack of hounds kept up; and, while I was there, the theatre was open, the company consisting of a party of Zouaves, who had been in the Crimea.

One favorite piece was "A Surprise by the Russians on the Corps Dramatique." This was the representa

tion of an occurrence, which actually took place in the midst of some fine acting, and had been attended with the loss of life. Some of the Zouaves were attired as ladies, with a profusion of crinoline; and were compelled, in the midst of a most touching scene, to throw aside their flaming red-petticoats, and seize their muskets, the effect of which was very laughable, though no joke at the time. The house was poorly attended; the taste for theatricals being as dull at Gibraltar as in any other part of the English world. A great change has taken place certainly, in this respect, since the days of good Queen Bess; late dinner-hours have had much to do, I suspect, in effecting this state of things-more, in fact, than many would be willing to allow.

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The streets in Gibraltar,-or I should rather say the street, is very narrow; but, at all hours of the day, it is full of people. The gardens, walks and drives, between the Almeida and Europa Point, are very beautiful, and produce on the stranger the most delightful impression of the far-famed Mountain of Tarik. The name of Gibraltar is well-known to be a corruption of Jebel-Tarik, the Arabic conqueror of that part of Spain.

It was not one of the least interesting circumstances attending my brief stay, that I should be

lodged in the very house in which the brave old General Elliott resided during the memorable siege, which he so gallantly and successfully maintained against the floating batteries of Spain. In the diningroom, his portrait and those of many of his companions in arms are to be seen, in the quaint, old style of the last century.

When in the East, I was particularly fortunate in point of weather, having experienced but two wet days, one at Gibraltar, which enabled me to read Drinkwater's account of the siege, for he was there all the time and kept a regular journal daily. Although a little too minute, I found its perusal particularly attractive, having at the time every spot in view.

After a week's most pleasant residence, I bade adieu to Gibraltar; and as Sir William was kind enough to accompany me on board the "Ripon," and introduce me to Captain Christian, I was soon as much at home, among the passengers, as my fortunate meeting with Butts made me in the "Delta ;" and the following day, I found a distant connexion of my own on board, and Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, of Charleston, near neighbours of my sisters in Scotland.

CHAPTER III.

MALTA.

SUNDAY morning found us on the blue waters of the Mediterranean; and, about noon, we had a very beautiful view of the lofty mountain range of Andalusia, the Sierra Nevada, some of the peaks of which are upwards of twelve or thirteen thousand feet high, and are covered with perpetual snow.

We sailed along the coast of Algeria, and passed the site of ancient Carthage, at a great distance, however. On the third day we had a close view of Pantellaria, the island prison of Naples for political offenders; and it is not difficult to conceive the delight, which must have pervaded this isolated spot, when the intelligence of Garibaldi's exploits announced that the prison-doors would soon be open.

We reached Malta on Thursday; the great strength of which and its commanding position in the Medi

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