The morning call., 1892-03-27

broad and eight miles long, is thickly in
habited. 1t has six villages or casals. These,
with the outlying farms, for II is very fer
tile island, under the highest degree of cuiti-
vation, are, or were in the old times pro-
tected by an ancient though massive fort
called Rabato. 1t is most picturesQuely sit
uated at great elevation in the center of
the island. From its walls, with a field
glass. have looked upon the splendid pam
Drama OF Malta, with its terraced fields. its
Old walled villages, its massive palaces and
the lar white city Of Valetta; to the north
viewed Sicily. with the glistening cone of
-Etna above its dark and slender thread of
horizon line and seen to the southwest, like
purple dots upon the shimmering Mediter-
ranean blue, the lonely islands of Lnosa
and Lampedusa, half way to the Tunsian
shores of Africa.
The topography of Coco is very beautiful
IL IS char mingy diversified by bill and dale.
Many OF It's sunny valleys are natural and
artificial gardens OF wondrous luXuriance.
/ have nowhere seen their equal, save in
those marvellous garden wales behind beau
tiful Palermo in Sicily. The shores present,
save at very few points, perpendicular
seawalls: and on the western and north
western coast they often rise straight from
the waters edge to a height of over 1000
feet. These abound in caves of great size
and splendor; their sides and brows are
the haunts OF myriad seafowl their heights
here and there show stantei and lonely
palms; and the air above them with the
SKY above is often almost white with mil
lions OF the slowly sailing and eXquiSitely
beautiful little AdrIatic gulls.
L cannot y0uch for the emotions of Others
but as first tramped over the heights Of
i Nasciar, descending into the valley beyond
and saw spread before NE the bay of st.
Paul, sense OF awe, mingled with glorious
citation, came with the stiffness and beauty
CT the spot where the heroic apostle was
shipwrecked. The bay, which Is about two
miles long and one in BREADTH is situated on
the northern coast of Malta and is hardly
distant two hours walk from the city of
Naletta. Countless excursions are made
hither by water from Malta's capital, and
often the roads are filed with all manner of
vehicles conveying pious or curious pill
grims. L preferred coming in the early
morning and alone.
as stood on Nasciar heights the sun
was Just rising above the prom0ntory Of
Ras el Kaura. It's rays fell softly unon
memorial chapel bright and smiling face
They ceepened the shadows on tile eastern
shore. where fishermen were lazly spread
ing thelr nets. They pierced the copses
ana ciiines % the Melliha slopes. disclosing
tEeir nuts and cabins of the lowly folk who
are nearly as naked and quite as listless of
civilization as were their 'barbariauv fore.
fathers. among whom st. Paul was cast
nearly 1000 years ago. They mellowed the
grays OF the MASSIVE walls OF the ancient
Salmona palace. which crowns the Melliha
rocks TO the northwest. And where the
little island OF Gzeier, like bit of the cliffs
tgnlbied into the sea, at the North showed
is saffroDy surface between the blue Of
the bay and the sapphire OF the sea, they
flooded the great statue of the saint with
such transcendent shine ami seeming that
the gnickcned fancy, for an instant at least,
swept across the centuries and basked in
tie very presence Of that far and mighty soul.
Il ainding road skirts the beautiful bay.
an ancient wall half hidden with shrubs
ana flowers formed a boundary with sec
ord peasant roadway behind. The fisher
men VIII their nets. some donkeys grazing
ut she sdge Of he biIl-slopes, seagulls in
coa0elsss numbers, and haif-naked lad
af2Iag agsng herd Of goats with rocks and
pebbles. 1e7s The only living things ip