The Bible in Spain

G >> George Borrow >> The Bible in Spain

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That same day I made enquiry respecting the means of transferring
myself to Tangier, having no wish to prolong my stay at Gibraltar,
where, though it is an exceedingly interesting place to an
observant traveller, I had no particular business to detain me. In
the evening I was visited by a Jew, a native of Barbary, who
informed me that he was secretary to the master of a small Genoese
bark which plied between Tangier and Gibraltar. Upon his assuring
me that the vessel would infallibly start for the former place on
the following evening, I agreed with him for my passage. He said
that as the wind was blowing from the Levant quarter, the voyage
would be a speedy one. Being desirous now of disposing to the most
advantage of the short time which I expected to remain at
Gibraltar, I determined upon visiting the excavations, which I had
as yet never seen, on the following morning, and accordingly sent
for and easily obtained the necessary permission.

About six on Tuesday morning, I started on this expedition,
attended by a very intelligent good-looking lad of the Jewish
persuasion, one of two brothers who officiated at the inn in the
capacity of valets de place.

The morning was dim and hazy, yet sultry to a degree. We ascended
a precipitous street, and proceeding in an easterly direction, soon
arrived in the vicinity of what is generally known by the name of
the Moorish Castle, a large tower, but so battered by the cannon
balls discharged against it in the famous siege, that it is at
present little better than a ruin; hundreds of round holes are to
be seen in its sides, in which, as it is said, the shot are still
imbedded; here, at a species of hut, we were joined by an artillery
sergeant, who was to be our guide. After saluting us, he led the
way to a huge rock, where he unlocked a gate at the entrance of a
dark vaulted passage which passed under it, emerging from which
passage we found ourselves in a steep path, or rather staircase,
with walls on either side.

We proceeded very leisurely, for hurry in such a situation would
have been of little avail, as we should have lost our breath in a
minute's time. The soldier, perfectly well acquainted with the
locality, stalked along with measured steps, his eyes turned to the
ground.

I looked fully as much at that man as at the strange place where we
now were, and which was every moment becoming stranger. He was a
fine specimen of the yeoman turned soldier; indeed, the corps to
which he belonged consists almost entirely of that class. There he
paces along, tall, strong, ruddy, and chestnut-haired, an
Englishman every inch; behold him pacing along, sober, silent, and
civil, a genuine English soldier. I prize the sturdy Scot, I love
the daring and impetuous Irishman; I admire all the various races
which constitute the population of the British isles; yet I must
say that, upon the whole, none are so well adapted to ply the
soldier's hardy trade as the rural sons of old England, so strong,
so cool, yet, at the same time, animated with so much hidden fire.
Turn to the history of England and you will at once perceive of
what such men are capable; even at Hastings, in the grey old time,
under almost every disadvantage, weakened by a recent and terrible
conflict, without discipline, comparatively speaking, and uncouthly
armed, they all but vanquished the Norman chivalry. Trace their
deeds in France, which they twice subdued; and even follow them to
Spain, where they twanged the yew and raised the battle-axe, and
left behind them a name of glory at Inglis Mendi, a name that shall
last till fire consumes the Cantabrian hills. And, oh, in modern
times, trace the deeds of these gallant men all over the world, and
especially in France and Spain, and admire them, even as I did that
sober, silent, soldier-like man who was showing me the wonders of a
foreign mountain fortress, wrested by his countrymen from a
powerful and proud nation more than a century before, and of which
he was now a trusty and efficient guardian.

We arrived close to the stupendous precipice, which rises abruptly
above the isthmus called the neutral ground, staring gauntly and
horridly at Spain, and immediately entered the excavations. They
consist of galleries scooped in the living rock at the distance of
some twelve feet from the outside, behind which they run the whole
breadth of the hill in this direction. In these galleries, at
short distances, are ragged yawning apertures, all formed by the
hand of man, where stand the cannon upon neat slightly-raised
pavements of small flint stones, each with its pyramid of bullets
on one side, and on the other a box, in which is stowed the gear
which the gunner requires in the exercise of his craft. Everything
was in its place, everything in the nicest English order,
everything ready to scathe and overwhelm in a few moments the
proudest and most numerous host which might appear marching in
hostile array against this singular fortress on the land side.

There is not much variety in these places, one cavern and one gun
resembling the other. As for the guns, they are not of large
calibre, indeed, such are not needed here, where a pebble
discharged from so great an altitude would be fraught with death.
On descending a shaft, however, I observed, in one cave of special
importance, two enormous carronades looking with peculiar
wickedness and malignity down a shelving rock, which perhaps,
although not without tremendous difficulty, might be scaled. The
mere wind of one of these huge guns would be sufficient to topple
over a thousand men. What sensations of dread and horror must be
awakened in the breast of a foe when this hollow rock, in the day
of siege, emits its flame, smoke, and thundering wind from a
thousand yawning holes; horror not inferior to that felt by the
peasant of the neighbourhood when Mongibello belches forth from all
its orifices its sulphureous fires.

Emerging from the excavations, we proceeded to view various
batteries. I asked the sergeant whether his companions and himself
were dexterous at the use of the guns. He replied that these
cannons were to them what the fowling-piece is to the fowler, that
they handled them as easily, and, he believed, pointed them with
more precision, as they seldom or never missed an object within
range of the shot. This man never spoke until he was addressed,
and then the answers which he gave were replete with good sense,
and in general well worded. After our excursion, which lasted at
least two hours, I made him a small present, and took leave with a
hearty shake of the hand.

In the evening I prepared to go on board the vessel bound for
Tangier, trusting in what the Jewish secretary had told me as to
its sailing. Meeting him, however, accidentally in the street, he
informed me that it would not start until the following morning,
advising me at the same time to be on board at an early hour. I
now roamed about the streets until night was beginning to set in,
and becoming weary, I was just about to direct my steps to the inn,
when I felt myself gently pulled by the skirt. I was amidst a
concourse of people who were gathered around some Irish soldiers
who were disputing, and I paid no attention; but I was pulled again
more forcibly than before, and I heard myself addressed in a
language which I had half forgotten, and which I scarcely expected
ever to hear again. I looked round, and lo! a tall figure stood
close to me and gazed in my face with anxious inquiring eyes. On
its head was the kauk or furred cap of Jerusalem; depending from
its shoulders, and almost trailing on the ground, was a broad blue
mantle, whilst kandrisa or Turkish trousers enveloped its nether
limbs. I gazed on the figure as wistfully as it gazed upon me. At
first the features appeared perfectly strange, and I was about to
exclaim, I know you not, when one or two lineaments struck me, and
I cried, though somewhat hesitatingly, "Surely this is Judah Lib."

I was in a steamer in the Baltic in the year '34, if I mistake not.
There was a drizzling rain and a high sea, when I observed a young
man of about two and twenty leaning in a melancholy attitude
against the side of the vessel. By his countenance I knew him to
be one of the Hebrew race, nevertheless there was something very
singular in his appearance, something which is rarely found amongst
that people, a certain air of nobleness which highly interested me.
I approached him, and in a few minutes we were in earnest
conversation. He spoke Polish and Jewish German indiscriminately.
The story which he related to me was highly extraordinary, yet I
yielded implicit credit to all his words, which came from his mouth
with an air of sincerity which precluded doubt; and, moreover, he
could have no motive for deceiving me. One idea, one object,
engrossed him entirely: "My father," said he, in language which
strongly marked his race, "was a native of Galatia, a Jew of high
caste, a learned man, for he knew Zohar, {22} and he was likewise
skilled in medicine. When I was a child of some eight years, he
left Galatia, and taking his wife, who was my mother, and myself
with him, he bent his way unto the East, even to Jerusalem; there
he established himself as a merchant, for he was acquainted with
trade and the arts of getting money. He was much respected by the
Rabbins of Jerusalem, for he was a Polish man, and he knew more
Zohar and more secrets than the wisest of them. He made frequent
journeys, and was absent for weeks and for months, but he never
exceeded six moons. My father loved me, and he taught me part of
what he knew in the moments of his leisure. I assisted him in his
trade, but he took me not with him in his journeys. We had a shop
at Jerusalem, even a shop of commerce, where we sold the goods of
the Nazarene, and my mother and myself, and even a little sister
who was born shortly after our arrival at Jerusalem, all assisted
my father in his commerce. At length it came to pass, that on a
particular time he told us that he was going on a journey, and he
embraced us and bade us farewell, and he departed, whilst we
continued at Jerusalem attending to the business. We awaited his
return, but months passed, even six months, and he came not, and we
wondered; and months passed, even other six passed, but still he
came not, nor did we hear any tidings of him, and our hearts were
filled with heaviness and sorrow. But when years, even two years,
were expired, I said to my mother, 'I will go and seek my father';
and she said, 'Do so,' and she gave me her blessing, and I kissed
my little sister, and I went forth as far as Egypt, and there I
heard tidings of my father, for people told me he had been there,
and they named the time, and they said that he had passed from
thence to the land of the Turk; so I myself followed to the land of
the Turk, even unto Constantinople. And when I arrived there I
again heard of my father, for he was well known amongst the Jews,
and they told me the time of his being there, and they added that
he had speculated and prospered, and departed from Constantinople,
but whither he went they knew not. So I reasoned within myself and
said, perhaps he may have gone to the land of his fathers, even
unto Galatia, to visit his kindred; so I determined to go there
myself, and I went, and I found our kindred, and I made myself
known to them, and they rejoiced to see me; but when I asked them
for my father, they shook their heads and could give me no
intelligence; and they would fain have had me tarry with them, but
I would not, for the thought of my father was working strong within
me, and I could not rest. So I departed and went to another
country, even unto Russia, and I went deep into that country, even
as far as Kazan, and of all I met, whether Jew, or Russ, or Tartar,
I inquired for my father; but no one knew him, nor had heard of
him. So I turned back and here thou seest me; and I now purpose
going through all Germany and France, nay, through all the world,
until I have received intelligence of my father, for I cannot rest
until I know what is become of my father, for the thought of him
burneth in my brain like fire, even like the fire of Jehinnim."

Such was the individual whom I now saw again, after a lapse of five
years, in the streets of Gibraltar, in the dusk of the evening.
"Yes," he replied, "I am Judah, surnamed the Lib. Thou didst not
recognise me, but I knew thee at once. I should have known thee
amongst a million, and not a day has passed since I last saw thee,
but I have thought on thee." I was about to reply, but he pulled
me out of the crowd and led me into a shop where, squatted on the
floor, sat six or seven Jews cutting leather; he said something to
them which I did not understand, whereupon they bowed their heads
and followed their occupation, without taking any notice of us. A
singular figure had followed us to the door; it was a man dressed
in exceedingly shabby European garments, which exhibited
nevertheless the cut of a fashionable tailor. He seemed about
fifty; his face, which was very broad, was of a deep bronze colour;
the features were rugged, but exceedingly manly, and,
notwithstanding they were those of a Jew, exhibited no marks of
cunning, but, on the contrary, much simplicity and good nature.
His form was about the middle height, and tremendously athletic,
the arms and back were literally those of a Hercules squeezed into
a modern surtout; the lower part of his face was covered with a
bushy beard, which depended half way down his breast. This figure
remained at the door, his eyes fixed upon myself and Judah.

The first inquiry which I now addressed was "Have you heard of your
father?"

"I have," he replied. "When we parted, I proceeded through many
lands, and wherever I went I inquired of the people respecting my
father, but still they shook their heads, until I arrived at the
land of Tunis; and there I went to the head rabbi, and he told me
that he knew my father well, and that he had been there, even at
Tunis, and he named the time, and he said that from thence he
departed for the land of Fez; and he spoke much of my father and of
his learning, and he mentioned the Zohar, even that dark book which
my father loved so well; and he spoke yet more of my father's
wealth and his speculations, in all of which it seems he had
thriven. So I departed and I mounted a ship, and I went into the
land of Barbary, even unto Fez, and when I arrived there I heard
much intelligence of my father, but it was intelligence which
perhaps was worse than ignorance. For the Jews told me that my
father had been there, and had speculated and had thriven, and that
from thence he departed for Tafilaltz, which is the country of
which the Emperor, even Muley Abderrahman, is a native; and there
he was still prosperous, and his wealth in gold and silver was very
great; and he wished to go to a not far distant town, and he
engaged certain Moors, two in number, to accompany him and defend
him and his treasures: and the Moors were strong men, even
makhasniah or soldiers; and they made a covenant with my father,
and they gave him their right hands, and they swore to spill their
blood rather than his should be shed. And my father was encouraged
and he waxed bold, and he departed with them, even with the two
false Moors. And when they arrived in the uninhabited place, they
smote my father, and they prevailed against him, and they poured
out his blood in the way, and they robbed him of all he had, of his
silks and his merchandise, and of the gold and silver which he had
made in his speculations, and they went to their own villages, and
there they sat themselves down and bought lands and houses, and
they rejoiced and they triumphed, and they made a merit of their
deed, saying, 'We have killed an infidel, even an accursed Jew';
and these things were notorious in Fez. And when I heard these
tidings my heart was sad, and I became like a child, and I wept;
but the fire of Jehinnim burned no longer in my brain, for I now
knew what was become of my father. At last I took comfort and I
reasoned with myself, saying, 'Would it not be wise to go unto the
Moorish king and demand of him vengeance for my father's death, and
that the spoilers be despoiled, and the treasure, even my father's
treasure, be wrested from their hands and delivered up to me who am
his son?' And the king of the Moors was not at that time in Fez,
but was absent in his wars; and I arose and followed him, even unto
Arbat, which is a seaport, and when I arrived there, lo! I found
him not, but his son was there, and men said unto me that to speak
unto the son was to speak unto the king, even Muley Abderrahman; so
I went in unto the king's son, and I kneeled before him, and I
lifted up my voice and I said unto him what I had to say, and he
looked courteously upon me and said, 'Truly thy tale is a sorrowful
one, and it maketh me sad; and what thou asketh, that will I grant,
and thy father's death shall be avenged and the spoilers shall be
despoiled; and I will write thee a letter with my own hand unto the
Pasha, even the Pasha of Tafilaltz, and I will enjoin him to make
inquiry into thy matter, and that letter thou shalt thyself carry
and deliver unto him.' And when I heard these words, my heart died
within my bosom for very fear, and I replied, 'Not so, my lord; it
is good that thou write a letter unto the Pasha, even unto the
Pasha of Tafilaltz, but that letter will I not take, neither will I
go to Tafilaltz, for no sooner should I arrive there, and my errand
be known, than the Moors would arise and put me to death, either
privily or publicly, for are not the murderers of my father Moors;
and am I aught but a Jew, though I be a Polish man?' And he looked
benignantly, and he said, 'Truly, thou speakest wisely; I will
write the letter, but thou shalt not take it, for I will send it by
other hands; therefore set thy heart at rest, and doubt not that,
if thy tale be true, thy father's death shall be avenged, and the
treasure, or the value thereof, be recovered and given up to thee;
tell me, therefore, where wilt thou abide till then?' And I said
unto him, 'My lord, I will go into the land of Suz and will tarry
there.' And he replied: 'Do so, and thou shalt hear speedily from
me.' So I arose and departed and went into the land of Suz, even
unto Sweerah, which the Nazarenes call Mogadore; and waited with a
troubled heart for intelligence from the son of the Moorish king,
but no intelligence came, and never since that day have I heard
from him, and it is now three years since I was in his presence.
And I sat me down at Mogadore, and I married a wife, a daughter of
our nation, and I wrote to my mother, even to Jerusalem, and she
sent me money, and with that I entered into commerce, even as my
father had done, and I speculated, and I was not successful in my
speculations, and I speedily lost all I had. And now I am come to
Gibraltar to speculate on the account of another, a merchant of
Mogadore, but I like not my occupation, he has deceived me; I am
going back, when I shall again seek the presence of the Moorish
king and demand that the treasure of my father be taken from the
spoilers and delivered up to me, even to me his son."

I listened with mute attention to the singular tale of this
singular man, and when he had concluded I remained a considerable
time without saying a word; at last he inquired what had brought me
to Gibraltar. I told him that I was merely a passer through on my
way to Tangier, for which place I expected to sail the following
morning. Whereupon he observed, that in the course of a week or
two he expected to be there also, when he hoped that we should
meet, as he had much more to tell me. "And peradventure," he
added, "you can afford me counsel which will be profitable, for you
are a person of experience, versed in the ways of many nations; and
when I look in your countenance, heaven seems to open to me, for I
think I see the countenance of a friend, even of a brother." He
then bade me farewell, and departed; the strange bearded man, who
during our conversation had remained patiently waiting at the door,
following him. I remarked that there was less wildness in his look
than on the former occasion, but at the same time, more melancholy,
and his features were wrinkled like those of an aged man, though he
had not yet passed the prime of youth.

CHAPTER LIII

Genoese Mariners--St. Michael's Cave--Midnight Abysses--Young
American--A Slave Proprietor--The Fairy Man--Infidelity.

Throughout the whole of that night it blew very hard, but as the
wind was in the Levant quarter, I had no apprehension of being
detained longer at Gibraltar on that account. I went on board the
vessel at an early hour, when I found the crew engaged in hauling
the anchor close, and making other preparations for sailing. They
informed me that we should probably start in an hour. That time
however passed, and we still remained where we were, and the
captain continued on shore. We formed one of a small flotilla of
Genoese barks, the crews of which seemed in their leisure moments
to have no better means of amusing themselves than the exchange of
abusive language; a furious fusillade of this kind presently
commenced, in which the mate of our vessel particularly
distinguished himself; he was a grey-haired Genoese of sixty.
Though not able to speak their patois, I understood much of what
was said; it was truly shocking, and as they shouted it forth,
judging from their violent gestures and distorted features, you
would have concluded them to be bitter enemies; they were, however,
nothing of the kind, but excellent friends all the time, and indeed
very good-humoured fellows at bottom. Oh, the infirmities of human
nature! When will man learn to become truly Christian?

I am upon the whole very fond of the Genoese; they have, it is
true, much ribaldry and many vices, but they are a brave and
chivalrous people, and have ever been so, and from them I have
never experienced aught but kindness and hospitality.

After the lapse of another two hours, the Jew secretary arrived and
said something to the old mate, who grumbled much; then coming up
to me, he took off his hat and informed me that we were not to
start that day, saying at the same time that it was a shame to lose
such a noble wind, which would carry us to Tangier in three hours.
"Patience," said I, and went on shore.

I now strolled towards Saint Michael's cave, in company with the
Jewish lad whom I have before mentioned.

The way thither does not lie in the same direction as that which
leads to the excavations; these confront Spain, whilst the cave
yawns in the face of Africa. It lies nearly at the top of the
mountain, several hundred yards above the sea. We passed by the
public walks, where there are noble trees, and also by many small
houses, situated delightfully in gardens, and occupied by the
officers of the garrison. It is wrong to suppose Gibraltar a mere
naked barren rock; it is not without its beautiful spots--spots
such as these, looking cool and refreshing, with bright green
foliage. The path soon became very steep, and we left behind us
the dwellings of man. The gale of the preceding night had entirely
ceased, and not a breath of air was stirring; the midday sun shone
in all its fierce glory, and the crags up which we clambered were
not unfrequently watered with the perspiration drops which rained
from our temples: at length we arrived at the cavern.

The mouth is a yawning cleft in the side of the mountain, about
twelve feet high and as many wide; within there is a very rapid
precipitous descent for some fifty yards, where the cavern
terminates in an abyss which leads to unknown depths. The most
remarkable object is a natural column, which rises up something
like the trunk of an enormous oak, as if for the purpose of
supporting the roof; it stands at a short distance from the
entrance, and gives a certain air of wildness and singularity to
that part of the cavern which is visible, which it would otherwise
not possess. The floor is exceedingly slippery, consisting of soil
which the continual drippings from the roof have saturated, so that
no slight precaution is necessary for him who treads it. It is
very dangerous to enter this place without a guide well acquainted
with it, as, besides the black pit at the extremity, holes which
have never been fathomed present themselves here and there, falling
into which the adventurer would be dashed to pieces. Whatever men
may please to say of this cave, one thing it seems to tell to all
who approach it, namely, that the hand of man has never been busy
about it; there is many a cave of nature's forming, old as the
earth on which we exist, which nevertheless exhibits indications
that man has turned it to some account, and that it has been
subjected more or less to his modifying power; not so this cave of
Gibraltar, for, judging from its appearance, there is not the
slightest reason for supposing that it ever served for aught else
than a den for foul night birds, reptiles, and beasts of prey. It
has been stated by some to have been used in the days of paganism
as a temple to the god Hercules, who, according to the ancient
tradition, raised the singular mass of crags now called Gibraltar,
and the mountain which confronts it on the African shores, as
columns which should say to all succeeding times that he had been
there, and had advanced no farther. Sufficient to observe, that
there is nothing within the cave which would authorize the adoption
of such an opinion, not even a platform on which an altar could
have stood, whilst a narrow path passes before it, leading to the
summit of the mountain. As I have myself never penetrated into its
depths, I can of course not pretend to describe them. Numerous
have been the individuals who, instigated by curiosity, have
ventured down to immense depths, hoping to discover an end, and
indeed scarcely a week passes without similar attempts being made
either by the officers or soldiers of the garrison, all of which
have proved perfectly abortive. No termination has ever been
reached, nor any discoveries made to repay the labour and frightful
danger incurred; precipice succeeds precipice, and abyss succeeds
abyss, in apparently endless succession, with ledges at intervals,
which afford the adventurers opportunities for resting themselves
and affixing their rope-ladders for the purpose of descending yet
farther. What is, however, most mortifying and perplexing is to
observe that these abysses are not only before, but behind you, and
on every side; indeed, close within the entrance of the cave, on
the right, there is a gulf almost equally dark and full as
threatening as that which exists at the nether end, and perhaps
contains within itself as many gulfs and horrid caverns branching
off in all directions. Indeed, from what I have heard, I have come
to the opinion, that the whole hill of Gibraltar is honeycombed,
and I have little doubt that, were it cleft asunder, its interior
would be found full of such abysses of Erebus as those to which
Saint Michael's cave conducts. Many valuable lives are lost every
year in these horrible places; and only a few weeks before my
visit, two sergeants, brothers, had perished in the gulf on the
right hand side of the cave, having, when at a great depth, slipped
down a precipice. The body of one of these adventurous men is even
now rotting in the bowels of the mountain, preyed upon by its blind
and noisome worms; that of his brother was extricated. Immediately
after this horrible accident, a gate was placed before the mouth of
the cave, to prevent individuals, and especially the reckless
soldiers, from indulging in their extravagant curiosity. The lock,
however, was speedily forced, and at the period of my arrival the
gate swung idly upon its hinges.