ABBALTAR,

Gibraltar, 1. Nev 1836. A trip was made by a party _ 1838.
of five of us on horseback to a convent fifteen miles off. Zr. 82
The road lies through sa cork wood, and it is a favourite
exenrsion from the garrison. It was delightful, after seeing
nothing but barren rocks, and being confined to the limits
of this fortress—which js seven miles in circumference—to
find ourselves galloping thrcogh woods where hundreds of
pathways allowed one ."" nited range, and where thousands
of beautiful trees an? ints poouliar to this part arrested
our attention. Th dcctur’ was in a botanical mood ab
once, and we ail gathered about to learn from him the
names and properties of such plante as were to us new
acquaintances. After filling our pockets with seeds and
specimens, we pursued our Journey to the convent, which is
a dilapidated building, in which we found only one solitary
monk. A Jarge courtyard, in which were two or three
gaunt-looking dogs, who from their manners appeared
unused to receive visitors ; extensive stables, in which we
found only the foals of an ass, in place uf a score of horses ;
a belfry without ropes; vast kitchens, but no fire; and
spacious corridors, dormitor:-3, and refectories, in which I
could not discover g vestige | £, uisure, revealed a picture
of desolation and loneliness. 7 v.alked into the gardens
and found oranges ripening, and the fig-tree, pomegranate,
Sago palm, olives, ang grape-vines flourishing amidst weeds
that were almost impervious to our feet. The country
around was wild, and harmonized with the ruined and abandoned
 fortunes of the couvent. After partaking of some
brown bread, ©g8s, und chestnots, from the hands of the
monk, and after enlivening his solitary cloisters with
the unwonted echoes of our merriment, in which we
found our poor ojg host willing to indulge, we left him,

* Dr. Wilson, his travelling companion, whose soquaintance he had fiat
made in his Yoyare home from the United Statea.