Part 1. Travels into the h^v ant. 271 
CHAP. LXXXVIII. 
Of Lampedofa and Pantalaria. Of feveral Corfairs 
we met ivith^ and our Arrival before Goletta. 
LAmfedofa is a little Ifle, or Rock of fmall Circumferencej about an hun- Lmpdofa, 
dred Miles diftant from Malta. It is an Ifland that produces nothing, 
and is only inhabited by Coneys j but becaufe there is good Water upon it^and a • 
good Harbour, Ships put in there for Frefli-water, In that Ifle there is a little 
Chappel, wherein there is an Image of the Blefled Virgin, which is much Re- 
verenced both by Chriftians and infidels, that put alhoar there ; and every 
VelFel always leaves feme prefent upon it. Some Money, others Bisket, Oyl, 
Wine, Gun-powder, Bullets, Swords, Mufquets, and in (hort, all things that 
can be ufeful even to little cafes ^ and when any one Hands in need of any of 
tliefe things, he takes it, and leaves Money or fomewhat elfe in place thereof. 
The Turks oblervc this praélice as well as the Chriftians, and leave Prefents 
there. As for the Money no body meddles with that, and the Galleys of Malta 
go thither once a year, and take the Money they find upon the Altar, which 
they carry to our Lady of Trap.no in Sicily. I was told that fix Chriftian Ships 
having fome time fince put into that Port, and that when they had watered, the 
Wind offering fair, they all failed out of the Port, except one, which having 
fet fail with the reft, could not get out \ at which the Mafter was ftrangely 
furprifed. However, taking patience, he waited for another more favourable 
Wind, which offering, he attempted to get out again, but as yet he could not, 
which feemed very ftrange to him ; and therefore he refolved to make a fearch 
in his Ship, whereby he found that one of his Soidiers had ftollen Ibmething 
in that place \ which being carried back again, he made fail, and got eafily 
out of the Harbour. Many Miracles are wrought in that place, at the inter- 
ceffion of our Blelfed Lady, which are not fo much as doubted of, neither by 
Chriftians nor Turks. We paft that Ifland then, with the fame Wind, which 
lafted till Friday the eight and twentieth of February., when we were becalm- 
ed about three a Clock in the morning, the Wind leaving us pretty near 
■ Tant alar ia. 
Fantdaria is a little Ifland, about twelve or fourteen Miles in Circuit ; it 
is diftant from Malta about an hundred and thirty Miles, and is fruitful in 
Wine, Fruits, and Gotten. It belongs to the King of S^ain., who keeps a 
Spanifh Governour in it, that lives in the Caftle ^ which ( as the Turks told 
me ) is fo ftrong, that two hundred Galleys could not take it. About two a 
Clock in the Afternoon, we had a Gale at North-north-eaft, and we ftood 
away Weft. About three in the Afternoon, we made two Ships to the Wind- 
w^ard, which bore down upon us with full fail ; they were got already fo near us, 
that we wondred we had not made them fooner. We made ready to receive 
them the beft way we could, in the fhort times warning we had. Immediately 
we launched our two Boats, then cleared the Gun-Deck, of Chefts, Hamocks, 
and of all incumberances, that our Guns might have freedom to play, fo that 
in a trice, the Deck look'd like a great Hall % all the Goods and Baggage were 
laid aloft on the Poop, and upon the upper Deck, but betwixt the Mafts, that 
they might not hinder the execution of cur Guns, Sco^a Coperta. The Main- 
yard was chained to the Main-maft, all the great Guns loaded, every one took 
his Mufquet and Bandileers, and all with fo much expedition, that by that 
tune they were got within Cannon fhot of us, we were ready. The headraoft 
Ship put out Red Colours, and then all took them for Spaniards, becaufe we 
were fo near Sicily. For though we perceived the Turkilh Colours, yet we 
knew that Corfairs have all forts of Colours on board, and put out many 
times falfe ones, that they may the more eafily furprife. We put out Englifh 
Colours, which they faluted with a Gun without fliot, and we anfwered the 
like. 
