Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-02-15
Malta and the Maltese

The Maltese Islands, says a Valletta
(Malta) correspondent, are four in num-
ber Malta, Gozzo, Comino and Comi'
Mite, Malta being the largest of the grour.
The axis of the group-twenty-nine miles
in length-runs from northeast to north
west in the same direction as the Appe-
mines. Malta is fifty-five miles from the
most southerly point of Sicily, and 1875
miles from Mount Etna During the last
great eruption of this ten-thousand-feet-
high mountain the glare of its fires was
distinctly seen from here. About two
hundred milos southwest of us Cape Bon
points its finger out into the sea, and the
northeast end of Africa begins at the fin
ger nail. Thus situated, then, midway
between the continents of Europe and
Africa, and directly in the middle of the
great water highway connecting Ameri-
can and European markets with Egypt,
Asia and the Indies, Malta possesses an
importance easily realized. She has been
possessed by all the countries bordering
on the Mediterranean in turn, and has
been bone of contention whenever the
| dogs of war were let loose.
Malta and its officially styled ''depend-
encies, 3" though only fy-specks on the
broad map of the world, now geograph-
ically form part of Europe, though as to
climate and productions they have much
in common with neighboring Africa
The island of Malta itself is seventeen
miles long by nine miles broad. A boat
sailing round it would traverse about
fifty miles. Its principal ports are the
Great and Quarantine harbors of Nalletta,
which are separated by the hogs back
tongue of land called Mount Sceberras,
on which the city is built. Among other
bays on the northern shore is that of St.
Paul, in which 1900 years ago, the Chris
tian orator was driven ashore. Prior to
st. Paul's advent the inhabitants of Malta
worshiped neurological gods. Only
Yesterday l saw n statue of the goddess
Juno, before which the ancient Maltese
have bowed down and sacrificed. Il
: stands under an archway in niche o.
the gate that leads into the old city O.
| Citta Vecchia-the most venerable of thC
Maltese cities. The fine cathedral tina
stands there is several hundred years old
t and is built on the site of the house o
, Publius, who entertained the grea
/ Apostle. There are long, narrow cata
= combs traversing at all angles the under
Q ground of Citta Vecchia, in which tn
early Christians took refuge from perse
, cutors. They are dug through soli'
Q rock, which rock, however, is easil
| worked, cutting more like cheese tha
t granite. The atmosphere Of Cltta Nec
? CHA is hazy with legend and sacred wit
: localities connected with st. PauFs sta
f in the island.
r The highest point of Malta is 75O fee
/ above sea level. There are not man
y trees visible excepting in the walled-in
k gardens of the wealthy Maltese, but /
1 such Enclosures oranges, lemons, tig'
r pomegranates and dry apples flourish
t The potatoes raised in the island are {
h the best, and its string beans, peas an
II beets are not surpassed anywhere. Olive
IS do well here and grow wild. In short,
:, is a climate most favorable for vegetable
It and semi-tropical fruits and flower
The pumpkins are high in color bl
= low in taste. A sawdust pudding woul
be as palatable as Maltese pumpkin pi
l. The "fields" of the Maltese peasants a
,r inclosed in stone walls, and will NJ
,e average more than half an acre eacl
ar Two-thirds of the surface of Malta
rock, and the soil of these fields h
ia mostly been "made." 1t takes man
IS lifetime to change a rock floor into fe
\, tile "farm," but the Maltese are patie
at and industrious. They love their islam
m They affectionately callit Flor del Mond
n or the Glover of the World, but to t
O, naked eye of the traveller the approp
lv ateness of the term is not apparent.