The Republican journal., 1901-09-19
.,IrA AND ITS DEPENDENCIES,
COCO, Comino and Cominotto.

-uJ1
..,ocjned than a summer cruise on the
Isditerranean, with congenial party
- a private yacht. Think of being
,,,ocether unhampered by considera-
Ann. Of time, business or expense-no
,raigs to make, no mails to meet, no
,o,utient passengers to put ashore
rmding in and out among picturesque
stands. eoves and bays, guided only by
,1- faacies of the hour! just such was
nr euyiable experience during one
ap,sed Week-thanks to the American
car,lI who kindly made us acquainted
nira some of the English officials in
u4I-a whose families are killing" the
--ss ut their exile in most luxurious
tnlou
IRIS impossible to convey in words a
u,get- Impression of these charming
.,.ue,- the shining brightness of the
..,. Jiuer sea running far into the
'eaVu and yellow land, the tall cliffs
.rnnsd with forts and watch-towers,
t-IaIk foliage of kharoub trees, con-
r-4>tI.- oddly with pale green masses
a ui.ckly pear: the soft air heavy with
Jlcs dors, birds of brilliant plumage,
AMI where the gorgeous roses for
r.tU Malta has been famous since
sr5tst times. Don't you remember
0.r-, account of Nerre's fragrant
ca,.iyIs. all stuffed with Maltese roses?
rs Ia of these islands is similar to
tar ST Africa, though you distinguish
, r -1ell rather than by sight. In
as,e regions the great enemy to trees
s. ,.t wind, and nothing successfully
js,+,t- it but the kharoubs, which sell
D TOW more than twelve feet high,
rt oj much greater diameter spread
-- ut on all sides like a huge green
5.u- the twisted branches touching
.- gound, Many of these kharoubs
.t CENTURIES old and bear enormous
nI> II beans, which feed the cattle.
Ia uutect the crops and fruit trees
from lighting winds, Maltese farms
1 gardenS are laid out in small
r-taes, each patch surrounded by a
r from seven to ten feet high. so
-t.t viewed from a little distance, the
-.l. look like a succession of stone
a.r1es. almost devoid of verdure. But
Jer1ul bloom and fruitage are hid
.-hind those walls. So, too, you
At- irayel from one end of Malta to
orarr and never see an orange tree;
growihere in such profusion
-- the finest varieties sell for % and
oHr> a bushel, and are used as COM
NOE y as Michigan farmers use apples.
{ - are plenty of other fruits-not
uy lOplcal figs, lines, pomegranateS,
ge,ches, pears, plums, apricots and
viz deuizens of the temperate zone.
-r .r'es are kept low by constant
-um-ng, SO that they may be safely
al behind the walls.
sting first around the main island,
ad the great portion of its shores
'r- y sheer cliffs, rising straight up
or i tile water three or four hundred
i- 'asel Dingle, the highest point,
elevation of about a thousand
nd close under its shadow nestles
nent capital, now known as Citta
.a-ltalian for "Old City" La
'.a the present capital of Malta,
Is $ northeastern edge, where sew
-l title bays indent the land. SO
-a,'W IS the entrance to its harbor
'st lily one vessel can pass in at
,4p JetWeen two grim forts, whose
.n'ra.lng cannon is seen bidding def
o intruders. Forts and batteries
.-04 very side, above, below, crown
MI the hills and covering every
a at shows itself above the water;
-l are fairly sWarmed with British
,4.eis. their scarlet coats making
Ht slowing in the glare of tropical
'a,.ue. The city, perched high on its
'l ridges, slopes steeply down to
'- arbor, surrounded by lofty walls.
E'Ae base of this wall, on the shore
'a sjde, runs wide stone walk, at
d. tines crowded with pedestrians and
e small donkeys Of the island, drag
Sig heir two-wheeled carts. Down
-of all is noise, hustle and confu-
'e4 4ut the city proper on it's hilltop
Is Mapped in dignitied repose.
Togo. the second island in size, has an
1ra Of hardly twenty square miles.
LSatl y in the middle of it rises clus-
UT VT hills, whose sharp cones remind
Pile + the pigmy volcanoes of San Sal
Aor IN Central America. On top of
,teepeSt cone lies Ratabo, the CAPT
and principal city Of the island.
lew Countries in the world are more
7l>e'y populated than this group of
Q'hs in the middle of the Mediterra-
I-al, which boasts of over two thous
td Inhabitants to the square mile.
4aita-only seventeen miles long by
-l" vide, contains twenty-six towns
'-1 gillages, the insignificant Coca has
'Tl-some of them large and prosper
os. others merely group of stone
NtItges around the inevitable church
aud English board" school. One mar