54 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



fori. In fact, between the island of Sicily and 

 that of Malta, the depth of water is generally 

 from twenty-five to thirty fathoms ; and in the 

 very middle of the channel, where the depth is 

 greatest, we do not find it above a hundred. On 

 the other hand, between the isle of Malta and 

 cape Bon, in Africa, there is still less water, for 

 the soundings do not give above twenty- five or 

 thirty fathoms, through the whole breadth of the 

 channel which separates land from land. 



A breeze from the east wafted us upon Saint- 

 Vitto, a lofty promontory cut perpendicularly. The 

 coast all the way from Palermo to this cape, is steep 

 and intersected by vallies, whose soil, loaded with 

 all the richness of cultivation, forms an agreeable 

 contrast with the aridityof the mountains which en- 

 close them. There is a considerable depth of water 

 along this shore, and vessels run no risk in com- 

 ing very nigh the land We soon passed between 

 Maritime and Favoyamw, two small islands belong- 

 ing to the king of Naples, and used as a place of 

 confinement for his state prisoners. In steering 

 our course for Malta we could perceive a long ex- 

 tent of the low-lying coasts of Sicily, between cape 

 Mdrsalh and cape Passat o, on the extremity of 

 which a fort has been constructed. In the hori- 

 zon we descried a chain of lofty mountains parallel 

 to the coast. The weather was fine, the sky clear, 



the 



