FIRST IMPRESSIONS.

3

entered the great harbour on a fine morning with a strong breeze. The yards of the men of war were all manned and the sails were being shaken out; cutters were putting out to sea with ladies and naval officers on board; bands were playing, and men of war boats were swiftly cleaving the waters. In the town, the Highlanders, the Rifles, and the Artillery were parading in front of the governor's palace, and the bands were playing God save the King; a religious ceremony was going on in the great cathedral, and the interior was filled with crowds of pretty Maltese girls in their graceful and coquettish silk hoods, something like the Spanish mantilla, and with fans and prayer books in their hands; naval and military officers in full uniform were standing about, and the gorgeous building glittered with gold and marble, and the whole pavement, composed of the tombs of the ancient knights, was inlaid with bronze and coats of arms; opposite the throne of the bishop was the throne of our king under a canopy of crimson velvet and silk, decorated with the crown and the royal arms worked in gold, and sent from London; a full band of music accompanied the organ, innumerable wax lights glittered in every direction, and clouds of incense perfumed the air. At five o'clock the band of the Rifles played in the great

donia of 120 guns swinging within half pistol shot of the shore. Nor is this natural feeling of pride and admiration diminished as he ascends long flights of steps cut in the rocks, over drawbridges and through gateways guarded by British sentinels to the town above; and passing through the beautiful Strada Reale, or Royal Street, lined on either hand with white stone houses of rich and florid architecture, comes to the great square in front of the Palace of the Grand Master, now the Governor's Palace, and marks the royal arms of Britain, with the inscription:

"MAGNE ET INVICTE BRITANNIE, AMOR MELITENSIUM, ET EUROPE VOX, HAS INSULAS CONFIRMANT."

Valetta, founded by the Grand Master Giovanne La Valetta, in 1566, is one of the finest cities of Europe. The clean, well-kept streets are lined with handsome stone edifices with projecting windows and balconies; they cut one another at right angles, and at the end of almost every one of them, the eye is gratified by the expanse of the Mediterranean or the deep blue waters of one of the harbours.

Our first impressions of Valetta were remarkably vivid we had been becalmed four days in cloudy weather in the canal of Malta, and at last

waters.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS.

3

entered the great harbour on a fine morning with a strong breeze. The yards of the men of war were all manned and the sails were being shaken out; cutters were putting out to sea with ladies and naval officers on board; bands were playing, and men of war boats were swiftly cleaving the In the town, the Highlanders, the Rifles, and the Artillery were parading in front of the governor's palace, and the bands were playing God save the King; a religious ceremony was going on in the great cathedral, and the interior was filled with crowds of pretty Maltese girls in their ful and coquettish silk hoods, something like the graceSpanish mantilla, and with fans and prayer books in their hands; naval and military officers in full uniform were standing about, and the gorgeous building glittered with gold and marble, and the whole pavement, composed of the tombs of the ancient knights, was inlaid with bronze and coats of arms; opposite the throne of the bishop was the throne of our king under a canopy of crimson velvet and silk, decorated with the crown and the royal arms worked in gold, and sent from London; a full band of music accompanied the organ, innumerable wax lights glittered in every direction, and clouds of incense perfumed the air. At five o'clock the band of the Rifles played in the

B 2

great

square, and at sunset as we hung over the ramparts, elevated 100 feet above the water, amid trees overshadowing monuments erected to the memory of some of our bravest officers, we looked down on the decks of the line of battle ships floating below; saw the parading of marines with fixed bayonets, the mustering of the ships' companies, and in a few moments heard the booming of the evening gun from one of the outer batteries followed by a roll of musketry from each ship, the beating of the drum, and the hauling down of the British colours. After the first act of the opera in the evening, the band played God save the King, the house standing; afterwards, Rule Britannia, when the sailors in the gallery cheered and shouted with delight.

A number of sailors from the fleet are allowed on shore every day, and may be seen in coaches, on horses, or on donkeys, distributing liberal largesses to the Maltese beggars with peculiar oaths and a very patronizing air.

The beautiful churches of Malta, the gorgeous cathedral with its interesting associations, the palace of the Grand Master, the library, and the handsome palaces of the Knights, converted into clubs, mess-rooms and barracks, well merit attention; and the inspection of the fortifications, which are

said to possess more than twenty miles of parapet wall, and to mount more than a thousand cannons; and also of the mines and galleries, and the subterranean magazines of corn and powder, with a visit to the country palace and gardens of the Governor, necessarily detain the traveller some days at this interesting spot.

April 21st, 1835.-Left Malta by the Government steamer; we had numerous passengers, but as the incidents of the voyage were much the same as those that occur nearer home, I shall not allude to them further than to say, that we had our share of sea-sickness, storms, and fright; that we saw a British frigate in full sail going to Corfu, and on the 24th in the morning, at ten A.M., made the high land of Cephalonia, and shortly afterward saw Zante.

Five, P.M. Darted past the bold picturesque shores of Zante, and entered the beautiful bay surrounded by mountains and picturesque scenery. On the eminence above, are the castle and barracks of the British garrison, and the shore is lined with strange figures in picturesque red caps.

The stillness of the water, the clearness of the atmosphere, and the rich tints on the mountains from the last rays of the setting sun, present a