The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-05-01

Though such extraordinary pains and
labor are expended TO protect the land
against the ravages Of the occasional win
ter downpours Of rain, equal care and pro
vision are required 90 preserve the water,
so precious in the long and burning sum-
mer months. Every stealing is provided
with immense tanks or cisterns cut in the
solid rock. Tiny springs are frequent,
and not drop from these il allowed 70 90
10 waste. Where the spring happens to
be located conveniently, little stone troughs
are laid so as to irrigate, at pleasure, every
square foot of the soil and every particle
of the overflow is conducted by other tiny
troughs to the cisterns. Spouts lead from
the dixie walls and the fat roofs, and from
every other possible projection or level,
until the entire island is a network Of rude
appliances for complete irrigation.
But The results are wonderful. Two and
often three crops are raised every year, and
from May until October. when the untitled
surface of the island is as white as a bak-
er's oven and quivering with heat. within
these pleasant homes and these walled
fields, where the outward aspect is so hard
aud forbidding, there are endless vim
plings OF water, marvellous upleaping Of
vegetables, fruit and grain, and the match
less melodies OF birds
All Of these Maltese farm homes are very
interesting and many are unique and pic
turesque They are all matchlessly clean,
and are given unusual freshness and sweet
ness by the constant application by the
housewives Of a preparation OF the pun
iced stone, Of pale ecru color, of the con-
sistency Of whitewash, to the stone floors,
walls and ceilings The granary pens for
animals and housing for fowls are all
part of the abode, usually, at convenience,
in the first story, the family sleeping ia the
apartments above; but such extraordinary
care is universal among the peasant farm
ers. that every such apartment l CHANGED
10 enter was at least as sweet ana cleanly
as a gentlewoman' S boudoir.
Many Of the walls leading from the rear
of the court are covered with MOSES and
vines. Often the old Moorish nora or
waterwheel stands silently or creaks dis
mally near the abode. Here and there
near the home will be found the ancient
treadmill Of the Bible times on which all
the wheat and barley OF the island is trod
out by oxen or COWS Against the walls
will hang tremendous gourds, quaint old
farming implements or huge selves with
rawhide instead of wire screens, as all the
grain is removed from the chaff in this
primitive way.
Owing to the scarcity Of wood upon the
island hardly a wooden implement OF
article Of furniture can be seen. Settles of
stone are common. In many farm homes 1
found stone slabs utilized as tables. and in
Others the same set securely into the walls
Of rooms for hunks or beds Window paucs
are few. as the light from the SKY through
the open courts and the tiny and inire-
quent windows a foot square are all suhi-
cient
Perhaps the most curious objects TO
be found in these Maltese peasant homes
is what may be termed their stoves. The
Maltese literally have no firesides They
require no artificial heat, and all their
cooking - which is restricted TO bread
made Of wheat and barley meal, some
thing Of the consistency Of a Scotch bah
mock, fish which is plentiful and cheap,
and certain vegetable stews in which are
stirred scant shreds Of cured fish or scantei
bits of bacon for seasoning-is done upon
portable stone stove shaped like a jar, and re
sembling in everything but color timers
ordinary hand furnace in which his solder
ing irons are heated.
The home and neighborhood life Of these
folk is not as cOlorful rs that Of the Italian
aud Spanish peasantry. They are docile,
calm, contented, ambitious only TO thrive,
and wtha burning desire amounting often
TO "A passion TO be better tenants than
their predecessors. They rise and 90 to
bed with the sun. If belated at night no
friendly evening candle light will guide
the wanderer 20 a firesde
The music of the guitar and mandolin
alone would disclose tho presence of this
half Arab home For a little time after
the night has fallen and the stars shine
out the husbandman may sit and Groom hs
weird, strange chants. The wife sits by
him with folded hands and closed eyes, DC.
casionally venturing a minor note. The
lads and the lasses thrum the stringed I'M
struments. But they are only those there
who belong IN that one home
There is no rustic courtship in Malta
save Of the sheepeyes sort along the Sab
bath and saints days lanes, as they all re-
pair together for mass at the casals or vii
lagos. Then the women wear the taldetta
or black cloaklike scarf The hereditary
custom is TO cover the face with this But
they DO not until after they are wed and
are mothers, which is often at thirteen and
fourteen years of age
There are no curious conditions here pre-
ceding marriage except that the Lover
must be able to rent a bit Of ground and
purchase donkey and two goats or sheep,
D.. mil .f ka fLIa IL IL
the latter animals, and he must solcmuly
pledge that he will never deprive his be-
trothed the life right of attendance at the
festivals Of ST peter-Pauls, St. John and
St Gregory which are respectively cele
brated at Citta Neccha, Naletta and Casal
Zeituu And this is not much TO ask by a
pretty woman who never wears shoes, IS
never from home on any other OCCASION
who holds her picturesque household brave
~ together. anu who. before she IS forty
years Of age and often a grandmother will
bear her husband all the way from dozen
10 two score happy, helpful progeny
One feature Of Maltese rustic life will al
WAYS remain with me as "a strange but
pleasant memory. This is their Arab
chants. These have been handed down
from the Berber and Moorish invaders Of
many centuries ago. and, like the Glp-y
language, are preserved yOcally. But
countless chants are improvised, and the
hesitant and then outburstIng character
Of these adds impressiyely % their weird
effect. Men. women and children chant
under all Circumstances and conditions
have heard it 10 that extent from SUR
rounding workers in fields, invisible b.