veying a good stream of water through it. The fountain of Diana, at a short dis tance, which supplies this stream, still pours forth a copious volume of excellent water; but it is allowed to run and stagnate over the plain, and now adds to the malaria created by the stagnant lake. The surrounding country is wholly uncultivated, and, where not a morass, is covered with underwood, dwarf-palms, and myrtle-bushes of a prodigious growth. For six months in the year Selinunte is a most unhealthy place; and though the stranger may visit it by daytime without much danger of catching the infection, it seems scarcely possible to sleep there in summer and escape the malaria fever in one of its worst forms. Of four English artists who tried the experiment in 1822, not one escaped; and Mr. Harris, a young architect of great promise, died in Sicily from the consequences. These gentlemen made a discovery of some importance: they dug up near one of the temples some sculptured metope with figures in relievo, of a singular, primitive style, which seems to have more affinity with the Egyptian or the Etruscan than with the Greek style of a later age. There are probably few Greek fragments of so ancient a date in so perfect a state of preservation. The government claimed these treasures, and caused them to be transported to Palermo; but Mr. Samuel Angel, an architect, and one of the party, took casts from them, which may now be seen in the "Elgin Marble Gallery" of the British Museum. Selinuntum was taken during the Carthaginian wars in Sicily, and partly destroyed by the great Hannibal; but the city was restored, and was an important place long after that time. From the manner in which the columns and other fragments of the three stupendous temples lie, it is quite evident that they must have been thrown down by an earthquake; but the date of that calamity is not known. The neighboring country is interesting as having been the scene of many of the memorable events recorded by the ancient historians. A few miles to the west of the ruins, on the banks of a little river, that now, unless when swelled by the winter torrents, creeps gently into the sea, was fought, amid thunder, lightning, and rain, one of the most celebrated battles of ancient times, in which the "immortal Timoleon," the liberator of Corinth, and the savior of Syracuse, gained a glorious victory over the Carthaginian invaders. The events are preserved in popular traditions: and the names of Mago, Hamilcar, Hannibal, Agathocles, Dionysius, and Timoleon, are common in the mouths of the country people, though not unfrequently confused with one another, and subjected to the same laughable mutilation as the name of Pollux at Selinunte. CHAPTER XIX.-MALTA. MALTA is an island in the Mediterranean sea. It was originally considered as belonging to Africa, but by an act passed by the parliament of Great Britain Malta was declared part of Europe. The length of this island does not exceed twenty miles, and its greatest breadth is twelve. The coast is rugged and steep, and the only harbors are those called by the natives Marza and Marza Murcet, which are separated by the peninsula on which the principal town, Valetta, is built. Gibraltar has not inaptly been termed the key of the Mediterranean, and following up the simile, Malta may be compared to the spring of the lock, possessing advantages from its strength and situation which can not be too highly appreciated. There is, however, this difference in the two places, that, while the former has had Nature for the chief engineer, the latter is indebted almost entirely to art for its almost equal impregnability. A detailed account of its extensive lines of fortification would exceed our present intention, which is to confine ourselves to those points more immediately connected with the Grand port of Valetta. The approach to Valetta, situated near the eastern point of the island, is highly picturesque and interesting; the fortifications, close to which vessels must pass, seem sufficient to annihilate the most powerful naval force that could be sent against it. There are two harbors, separated from each other by a narrow neck of land; but the northern and smaller of the two is solely appropriated to the purposes of quarantine -a penance which is strictly enforced, as the inhabitants have already had an awful lesson in the dreadful plague with which they were visited in 1813. The southern, or Grand port, is large, safe, and commodious, running up in a southwest direction a mile and three quarters, the breadth at the entrance being less than five hundred yards. It possesses great advantages as a harbor, being free from danger, and the shore everywhere so bold, that a line-of-battle ship may lie close to it and take in a supply of water from pipes laid down in several places, or her provisions, without the aid of boats. The northern shore is but slightly varied from the straight line, but to the southward the coast is deeply indented by three inlets: the first, immediately on passing the point of entrance, called Bighi bay, where the French had commenced a palace for Napoleon, which, after remaining thirty years in an unfinished state, has at last been converted into a naval hospital; secondly, a narrow creek, called Porto della Galera, or Galley port, where the galleys of the knights were laid up; and lastly, Porto della Sanglea. The last two are perfectly land-locked. On the Valetta side the shore is one continued line of wharves, on which stand the pratique-office, the customhouse, the fishmarket, with ranges of storehouses, both public and private; and along these wharves merchant-vessels generally lie to discharge and load their cargoes. The Galley port is principally appropriated to the establishments connected with the naval arsenal, whose storehouses and residences of the officers occupy the greater part of its shores. The dockyard is at the head of the creek, the victualling-office and cooperage along its eastern shore; and although its greatest breadth does not exceed two hundred and fifty yards, the depth of water is sufficient to admit of two-decked ships lying at the dockyard to undergo their necessary repairs: the western side is resorted to by merchant-vessels when making a long stay. The shores of Port Sanglea are chiefly occupied by private yards for building and repairing merchant-vessels, beyond which, up to the head of the harbor, the country is open. The entrance to the harbor is defended by the forts Ricasoli on the east and St. Elmo on the west, whose walls rise almost immediately from the seashore, and by Fort St. Angelo, a quadruple battery, the lowest tier of which is nearly level with the water. This fort stands at the extremity of the tongue which separates the Galley port from Bighi bay, and completely flanks the entrance. The next point, separating the Galley port from Port Sanglea, is also protected by a battery, besides which a line of fortification surrounds the town on both sides the harbor, with bas tions where most conducive to the general defence, and toward the land the utmost ingenuity of art has been lavished to render the town impregnable. The Maltese are an industrious and active, though by no means a fine race of men ; the poverty of their living superinduces diseases, among which ophthalmic complaints are the most prevailing. The streets of Valetta are thronged with a squalid set of the most persecuting beggars, whose supplications for "carità" are as incessant, and more annoying to the ear, even than the ringing of the bells. The boats, which are very numerous, afford a striking and pleasing feature in the general appearance of the place: though seemingly very clumsy, they are rowed with great velocity by the natives, who stand up and push at the oar; they are safe and commodious, always kept remarkably clean, and painted with the gayest colors, having an eye on each side of the stern; they are also provided with a white cotton awning and curtains for fine weather, and a more substantial covering for rain; they are well regulated, and their hire is very moderate. The boatraces, which are fre quent, offer a very lively and animated scene. The water is beautifully clear, and generally crowded with boys bathing, many of whom spend nearly as much time in that element as on shore: the Maltese are universally good swimmers and divers; and the numerous fastdays of the catholic church give employment to many in supplying the market with fish. Malta is very subject to the oppressive and enervating "sirocco," or southeast wind; but the "gregali," or northeast wind, is that which blows with the greatest fury, and blowing directly into the harbor, causes a sea across the entrance that would be dangerous to small vessels, and cuts off the communication across from Valetta to Vittorioso. The surf there beats against the walls of the fortifications with impetuous violence; it has even at times removed the guns from the embrasures of Fort Ricasoli, and the spray has been carried over the top of the palace. The island produces some excellent fruits, among which are the oranges and mel ons for which it is particularly celebrated; but the market is chiefly supplied from Sicily, a number of large boats, called "speroneras," being constantly employed running to and fro. Provisions are cheap and abundant, but butchers' meat is indifferent. There is a lighthouse in Fort St. Elmo, occupying a very advantageous ṣitu ation. Valetta itself is built on the narrow neck of land which divides the two ports, occupying an area of five hundred and sixty acres. The first stone was laid in 1566, by the famous grand-master, John de la Valette, after having, the year before, obliged the Turks to abandon a protracted and vigorous siege against the order, who then inhabited the opposite shores of the island, called Burmola and Isola. The new city, however, soon surpassed the other parts in population, buildings, and commercial importance, and now gives name to the whole, which properly consists of five distinct quarters or towns, viz.: On the north side of the port, Valetta and Floriana, and on the south side, Vittoriosa, Burmola, and Isola, the latter three enclosed in an extensive line of fortification called the Cotonera. The streets are at right angles to each other, and being built on an elevation inclining on either side, most of the transverse streets are necessarily constructed with flights of steps, which Lord Byron has justly anathematized as "cursed streets of stairs," an expression that might be drawn from the most pious while toiling up them on a sultry summer's day. The houses are low-never exceeding a second storybuilt of the stone of the island, and are provided with balconies to most of the windows, and flat, terraced roofs, which, in commanding situations, furnish an agreeable resort in the cool of the day; also to catch the rain, which is conducted by pipes to a cistern, with which every house is provided. There are likewise public fountains, the source of whose supply is in the southern part of the island, and conveyed to the city by means of an aqueduct. The streets are generally wide and well paved, with a broad footpath on each side; but the glare caused by the reflection of the sun on the sandstone is so intolerably distressing to the eyes, as to render walking out during the middle of the day almost impossible. The palace, at present occupied by the governor, was formerly the residence of the grand-master of the order. It is a large and handsome quadrangular building, with a spacious courtyard in the centre; it stands about the middle and highest part of the town, and on it is the signal station. It contains some beautiful specimens of tapestry, and paintings of the grand-masters; and has a very extensive armory attached to it, with curious specimens of armor and weapons. Before this palace is an open |