Page:Autobiography of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes.djvu/88

62 gallantry and a gentleman, but his temper was entirely uncontrollable and many have been the scenes that he had enacted on his quarterdeck in the presence of all hands, which was a great offset from his many very estimable qualities.

Leaving the Baltic we passed through the Gull and passing the Castle of Elsinore, the scene where the great Shakespeare laid his tragedy of Hamlet, and that of the town of [Ven] where the great Tycho had his observatory. With the lands of Jutland, we passed the sleeve into the North Sea and thence rounded the British isles on our way to the Mediterranean.

Our passage was rough until we made the Cape St Vincent and thence into the Straits of Gibraltar and cast anchor in Gibraltar bay. This wonderful stronghold and all its historic recollections gave it great interest. The outline of this great rock, its picturesque effect with its bristling fortifications was a source of great interest to me and was a never ceasing of curiosity until we had an opportunity of wandering over its surface and scaling its heights which in a few days we had leave to visit the shore. The scene was a very interesting one from the Bay; the numbers of vessels and boats with their beautiful lateen sails, the stately Men of war and the bustle and movement of arrivals & departures was enough to enchant one. These great Pillars of Hercules rising so abruptly and in such great contrast to what we had left in Northern Europe kept our attention alive, and the satisfaction I then felt of having chosen a profession, gave me great delight. I felt as if I was entering a new world and with every historic record lying opened before me.

After a short stay at Gibraltar, where we had an opportunity of gratifying our curiosity in visiting its strong holds, which we were permitted to do under the permission from Govr Don, then Govr, and were kindly permitted to inspect where we chose, rambling about in various directions to our entire satisfaction, visiting St Michaels Cave & the lofty flag staff station as well as the Northern Galleries in which a great number of large cannon were placed to overwhelm an enemy who might come on that side called the Neutral Ground, a low and flat sandy plane which intervenes between the Rock and the Spanish Territory. This has been oft the point of contention during the Sieges which Gibraltar has undergone. On the Spanish line beyond gun shot the Spaniards still maintain a guard. There are lines of works and trenches across the Neutral Ground from the Bay to the Mediterranean. On either side of the Rock vessels are frequently caught and becalmed for hours by its too near approach. They generally keep the Straits open and get the full force of the wind which at times blows with great violence.

We left to join the Squadron then about to go into winter quarters at Messina. On our way up the Mediterranean we cruised a few