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[Page 60]
July 1915
[Note in margin:] Malta
16th – Malta in sight at daylight. Tug came up & gave us our orders re entering harbour etc. Entered at 7am and tied to buoy about 7.30 in morning. French cruiser four funnels passed into naval harbour or dockyard. Large town right on shores. Brick & stone buildings mostly. Some very large buildings, military barracks etc, being prominent. Entrance looks well fortified, big guns standing on hills overlooking mouth of harbour. Inner harbour very secure, narrow entrance & breakwater. Guns also commanding same. About half a dozen small steamers including "Dominion". "Inghoor" "Ruic", flying Quarrantine flag, tied up near entrance. All looked deserted. Hospital near beach. Started getting rid of patiens at 9.15 & all except R.M.L.I. away by noon. R.M.L.I. off in afternoon. Folded all blankets, tidied & swilled
16th – out down below & directly after tea all got leave to go ashore. Town of Valletta very picturesque. Three of us engaged a cab for 1½ hrs before dark & saw some of the outlying town. Numerous small gardens which looked like huge conservatories scattered over town, often surrounded by concrete moss covered wall 30 feet high. Holyander trees lining streets, prickly pear also cultivated as a food. cactus Articles very cheap, postcards from 2d a dozen upwards. Cabs for 1/- an hour. Town of Silema not far distant. Motor ambulances plentiful, likewise donkeys. Milb Military band playing & judging by crowd in streets, must have been either a "Friday night" or a "Sunday night" in town. Large number of French people in streets. Maltese are rather a fine race, inclined to be dark but good featured.
[Silema (Malta) – actual name Sliema]