DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11789#0031
ARRIVAL AT GIBRALTAR.
21
supplies to his vessel, a gentle breeze arose, and
early next morning (on the 12th of March), we
were again entering the Straits of Gibraltar. About
the middle of the forenoon, we saw, within the space
of half an hour, two whales (of a different kind
from those we had seen near the Western Islands),
spouting water most beautifully. I had recently
been told by those who pretended to know, that the
idea that whales spout water, as we so often see
them represented in pictures, was simply a poetical
fiction, and I felt no small delight in having ocular
proof that this curious phenomenon was no flourish
of the poets, but a substantial scientific fact.
We entered the harbor of Gibraltar about 2
o'clock P. M. As soon as we had cast anchor and
obtained pratique, we, the passengers, went ashore
to mail letters to our friends in America, and make
a hasty survey of this celebrated and most interest-
ing place. On landing, we were struck with the
singular and motley appearance of the throng col-
lected on the wharf, consisting of Spaniards, Jews,
Moors, Arabs, &c, each dressed in the peculiar
garb of his nation or sect, and chattering his own
lingo. The Arabs and Moors interested me most,
both on account of their great vivacity and talk-
ativeness, and their strange and picturesque attire.
21
supplies to his vessel, a gentle breeze arose, and
early next morning (on the 12th of March), we
were again entering the Straits of Gibraltar. About
the middle of the forenoon, we saw, within the space
of half an hour, two whales (of a different kind
from those we had seen near the Western Islands),
spouting water most beautifully. I had recently
been told by those who pretended to know, that the
idea that whales spout water, as we so often see
them represented in pictures, was simply a poetical
fiction, and I felt no small delight in having ocular
proof that this curious phenomenon was no flourish
of the poets, but a substantial scientific fact.
We entered the harbor of Gibraltar about 2
o'clock P. M. As soon as we had cast anchor and
obtained pratique, we, the passengers, went ashore
to mail letters to our friends in America, and make
a hasty survey of this celebrated and most interest-
ing place. On landing, we were struck with the
singular and motley appearance of the throng col-
lected on the wharf, consisting of Spaniards, Jews,
Moors, Arabs, &c, each dressed in the peculiar
garb of his nation or sect, and chattering his own
lingo. The Arabs and Moors interested me most,
both on account of their great vivacity and talk-
ativeness, and their strange and picturesque attire.