The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-06

the sentimental condition Of the latter. Two
very interesting facts developed through
the apparent extraordinary hatred of Eng
hSh rulers by the captain and Tunisal.
ana then seeming equal mutual affection
Tor tile common people OF Malta, the folk
who were its peasantry even before lis DAYS
OF chivalry under the olden Knights of
Malta, whose deeds and fame were the most
luminous in all medieval history. The first
was the passionate love all Maltese have
for their sterile, sun-baked. sir0cco-swept
little hump Of rock to which they cling and
nurture so lovingly that it returns them,
conditions beng considered. the most bonn
teouS and luXuriant rewards OF any equal
area on the face Of the earth. ''Flouer of
the earth" they call the treeless spot. my
country adored they ever name the cassel
or village where they are born. And as
the pargatory" or pelaGce-spot they know
any other land beneath the sun to which
necessity has led them.
1t was curious thing. too. to learn from
the 1unlslan that the peasantry of Malta
were more Berber and Arab races than of
Greek. Italian and Spanish. BY all affini-
ties, save the one OF religion, he claimed
them as brethren to a man. La their Gus
toms, superstitions and many Of their home
side ways, as well as In neatly all methods.
or rather want of method, in agriculture,
they are, he claimed, precisely like the
Berber tribe farmers in the valleys behind
Iunls and Alglers. But more striking than
all else in proof that the Maltese were his
kindred, was his claim, which l have since
I found TO be true, that while nearly all
spoke a sort of English, Italian or Spanish
| patois, every one could at any moment
cross into Northern Africa and converse
with the natives IN a measurably pure
Arabic tongue.
I'VE are at Malta. senior. Would you
| look upon sleeping Naletta from The sea in
| the early morning."
Such was the CHEEKY call CT our captain
| as we approached the NEST famous island
| of the Mediterranean. When | reached the
| deck cur craft lay league distant from
| port. almost imperceptIbly moving toward
| the white island ard whittier city over rip
| pieleSS sea. with sails scarcely filled by the
| falntest Of breeZes, which merely whispered
| of the morning. for the sun seemed to stand
| a tremendous globe Of crimson on the sea
| horizon away over there between Greece
| and Crete.
My eyes never before beheld so tram
| Scendent aud radiant n scene. Tie whole
| bosom OF the sea seemed enyeloped in a
| downy mantle Of pearl, gold and crimson,
| which, lying low upon the water, showed
| countless matches changes of color, and
! possessed the added marvellous effect of lift
| ing all discernble objects to an unwonting
| altitude.
| Our brigantine, with other craft here and
| there about Us, appeared to ride upon an
| opalescent. intangible yet palI able surface
| Of softly flaming cloud Though Sicily lay
| sixty miles to the north, its shore-lne,
| lifted vertically. and not in mirage. showed
strangely near, with the huge cone of Etpa
| like spear-head of silver above.
But where are the words with which to
| paint for anOther's seeing the island and
| its ancient city Of the knights as they rose
| out Of The pulsng, tbrobbing tints of that
glorious morning witchery? Ii one could
dream that the gods had transformed the
sea into a bed Of cameo rose. and, through
cycles OF time, with their most cunning
artlhcers, wrought it into miracles of fill
gree. and then chiseled upon il a white
relief OF the Islands area, whose wondrous
design had eliminated in outlines and de-
| tail of massive grandeur and matrhess
SIMPLICITY where the city of fortresses and
palaces stood, vague mint of this morning
scene could come with the dreaming and
seeming.
And on this morning, as we slowly gil ded
into the eastern of the two ports, and the
ideal gradually resolved into the real, the
mind. following the imagery of the cameo,
It's setting, and those who wrought, loved to
linger on the thought that those who had
built had left their miracle of labor silent
and still, as ghostly and stately housing
for all who came. Utter silence brooded
over the vast bieached battlements Escarp-
ments, terraces. bastions, entablatures and
huge fat roofs were lifeless and still. The
shipping was fiagleSs, apparently crewless,
and still as though craven from onyx into
the picture. Not an oar stirred the Mirror
ing harbor. Not more still or pregnant with
mystery is the Lybian Sphinx than was every
strange object upon which the eye might
rest Not thing having life stirred or was
visible. save when our craft swung around
aud tuggcd gently a her anchor. the rays of
the sun, shooting over Vittofiosa's ramparts,
struck like golden spears upon st. Elmo's
bastions. They routed myriad drowsy
| jackdaws, which rose in focks aud hoarsely
screamed. THIS was our only welcome to
Malta and impregnab!e Valetta.
EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.
CopyTfght 1885.