Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 57]
One third is bare rock but remainder being very fertile with irrigation much is accomplished by cultivation of orange, grapes, figs, peaches etc. The Maltese are hardy & industrious & are noted for their keen bargaining proclivities. The peasantry lived extremely plainly & seen to subsist & rear families on very little Their dwellings are small & flatroofed of stone & are huddled together. Shoeless & in rags the dwellers of the villages bargain for their food in the early morning, which consists of coarse bread & slice of gourd & this lasts the day. There is always a church mostly large & the priests hold complete sway. Cigars are sold at 10d for 100 English coinage is in use but a copper coin of old date is also used, value 10 to a penny. The boatmen show wonderful skill mostly standing up in their boats or Dghaisas to scull. These boats are built on graceful lines with the keel continuing above the gunwale at each end to a height of about 3 or 4 feet. Valletta & Floriana a suburb occupy the promontory between the harbour of Marsamuscetto & the Grand Harbour with Fort St Elmo n its extremity. About 1/6 of the total population is congregated here , which is about 190000. The streets are narrow & hilly, the chief of which Strada Reale possesses the most important buildings. The Church of St. John built 1573 for the Order of St John is magnificent inside & ranked at one time as one of the richest in Europe