The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-27
VAKEMANS WANDERINCS
MALTA AND THE MALTESE.
trom Palma TO Malta on n Maltese Brig
an,ine--A Typical Tunisian Merchant
and His Views - Marvellous Morning
sccoe in the Harbor OF valetta-

copyright. lS92, by Edgar l.. Wakeman.l
VNrrTA, Malta. Feb. 9.-The Latin
,sces dwelling to the north Of the Mcditer-
,.oear and all those Of oriental extraction
- ,he south and east look upon the Eng
r.b occupation Of the island of Malta and
,he two contiguous lesser islands Of Comino
.,1 Gozo in much the same spirit as they
card the occupation of Gibraltar by the
English.
That is in an evil and vcngcful spirit. The
tact could hsve had no clearer illustration
nsn IN the sentiments expressed by the
csnta.n Of The coaster upon which made
nv way from Majorca to Malta, and by
,le only other passenger besides myself
mon the odd little brigantine upon which
We sailed
SIS companion passenger came aboard at
Tun.s. where we touched to land Majorcan
vine. making up our part cargo Of wine
s,- Malta with TuniSian hides and wheat
ir curious little brown sacks which were
t.l in the middle and slowed away in the
hold crisscross, "a you would lay dumb
h.u, each upon the other.
oar crew comprised six half naked and
hsraiooted Maltese sailors with cotton trou-
slr,. crimson scarfs certainly thirty feet
laac wound about their waists, ugly sheath
knives in these, and no other clothing
whatever save tiny tasseled caps resting
muntiy upon the crisp and curly hair of
their hard little heads. They were little,
why fellows, the best sailors in the world,
Sc IS said, with swapping, bcady eyes, sharp,
short noses, thick lips, splendid teeth, and
stocethcr rs merry and sunny natured a
lot a, ysu could find sailing upon any sea
The captain was Of Spanish extraction
and Maltese birth He had been n fisher
man of Valetta. had saved his money, had
cot am education at the free English schools
o Malta. and from the vocation Of port
raot had come 20 own the craft which he
commanded. In his little cabin were many
good books. both in Spanish and English,
and his surroundings in his tiny sea home
we're as pleasant, and certainly more evil
dent Of education, refinement and good
taste than you viii often find in the cabins
Of the most pretentious American sailing
vessels.
His wife, Teresa, and nine children, she
latter grading in size from an infant in
arms TO q lad Of eleven as regularly as
set Of tenpins and nearly as naked, cooked
for and waited upon us, lending q hand at
light seamen's duties whenever required
With wonderful agility, adding pleasantly
70 the picturesqueness Of the everyday life
Of the tiny vessel. and providing those
blessedest Of all sounds at sea, the voice of
woman and the prattle Of children, cease
less. tuneful and winsome as ever make
melodic the sunniest home of city. hamlet
or vale.
Not the least picturesque object on board
our brigantine was our other passenger,
who with the dried hides, which he re-
sembled in visage, had been taken on at
Tunis. He was a Tunisian merchant trad
ing between Tunis and Malta. We all
treated him with much consideration be-
cause his flowing robes and white bur-
moose, which took up good deal of room,
gave this otherwise measly looking man
most important appearance, and uncon-
sciously, presume, because he owned the
hides and wheat. Then, too, he was very
bland and agreeable, a popularity of all
Moslems when they are found one mile
away from home
In the long, languOrous days and glow
hg evenings of our lazy sailing they were ,
both. the Maltese captain and the Tunls-
ian merchant, more TO me than weeks OF
desultory meetings of their kind in their
own lands They were both intelligent,
companionable, and both spoke English
duentlv. Their true feelings aud opinions
came gradually and surely out of the
confidential companionship sea voyages
universally impel. They represented, IN
hereditv. education and feeling, the I'M
placable and endless religious and race
war between the people Of the Crescent
and the Cross.
But all race and religious hatred was
blent in a common hatred OF the English
masters Of Malta.
To reach the sentimental reason Of this l
constantly espoused the English cause. To
the Maltese captain l pointed out his own
successful career, and reminded him deli
catelv that he would have remained an
ignorant and impoverished fisherman but
forthis very English rule which he resented.
"Si 81. senor," ne would sadly reply;
but | would not have had the devil OF
greed set 10 work in my heart. L am now
more hungry for a great ship than was
81 first for little felucca."
But has not the condition OF your $780,
0O fellow countrymen of the islands been
vastly improved"
NV fellow cOuntrymen grieve over the
passing away of the old things they loved
A little higher wall to ones patch of
ground. another room or two added TO ones
home. a little more finery in ones ears or
On ones back or a little more coin climbing
between the fingers do not make peasant
folk better or happier. They cannot be-
come Ike their masters. They learn only
70 envy them and 10 be ashamed Of them
selves and each other / would give my
brgantine and all, but-but Teresa and
the ninas (children)," the captain would
conclude with an indescribabiy pathetic
and loving gesture of protective tondness,
which included all the romping curly heads
on shipboard, ito live in hut by the shore
and see the red coats no more forever~
The grief Of my Tunisian fellow passen-
ger was Of a different sort, though IL was
hone the less real and poignant; but IL was
m.tigated also by the fanaticai Delef that
some time the Mussulman faith and toik
Will prevail and rule all lands
Christian pillage and despoilation," he
would feelinoly say, "have been the real
motive Of every so called holy crusade and
expedition against us whom you call Inn
dels. but who alone worship the one true
God. The English have prohted greatest
by conquest under cover of pious pretense"
/ called his attention TO the fact that'
No.