Chap, nr, through the State of V E ni c 'E, 67 f 
Tops and Sides of the Mountains, as by an Alem- 
bick-Head, and fo diftilling down arid breaking 
out where they find Ifiue. And in Reafon One would 
think, that generally the deeper one digs in the Earth, 
the colder one fhould find it, fince the Urinators affirm, 
that the deeper they dive in the Seaj the colder ftill they 
find the Water, and yet were there fuch fubterraneous 
Heats, they are not fo great, as that it is likely they 
ffiould elevate Vapours fo high, through fo thick a Coat 
of Earth, which it muft be an intenfe Heat indeed will 
carry them through, which Heat none fay is found 
near the Superficies of the Earth. 
Mr. Hook's^ Account, viz. that Salt-Water being hea- 
vier than freffi, by Reafon of its Preponderancy, it may 
drive up the freffi as high above the Surface of the Sea, 
as are the Tops of Mountains, before it comes to an 
Equilihrium with it, it is very ingenious, and would be 
moft likely, where thefe continued clofe Channels from 
the Bottom of the Sea, to the Tops of Mountains not 
admitting the Air, which I believe will not be found 
in many Places^ What is faid about ebbing and flowing 
Wells, in Confirmation of it adds no Strength^ for none 
of thofe ebbing and flowing Wells, that I have yet feen, 
do at all obferve the Motion of the Sea, but reciprocate 
two or three Times, or oftener, every Hour, excepting 
one on the Coaft of South Wales, in a fandy Ground, 
by the Sea-fide, not a Quarter of a Mile from the Wa- 
ter which obferves the Tides ; but it is no running Wa- 
ter, nor doth it, I believe, arlfe above the Level of the 
Sea. I do therefore ffirewdly fufpedt for fabulous, what- 
ever has been written of Wells remote from the Sea, 
which ’in their ebbing and flowing obferve its Motion. 
But for a Reafon of the ebbing and flowing of thefe 
Wells, I rnufl confefs I am hitherto at a great Lofs, 
Whereas fome fay, that Rain finks not above a Foot 
or two deep into the Earth •, if they underftand it of all 
Earths, it is manifeftly falfe, for that we fee in Coal 
Delphs, and other Mines, in wet Weather the Miners 
are many Times drowned out, (as they phrafe it) though 
no Water run down into the Mouths of their Pits or 
Shafts ; and in fandy and heathy Grounds in the greatefl 
Rains, little Water runs off the Land, as on New- 
market-heath, Gogmagog Hills, Salijbury Plain, &c. and 
therefore it muft needs fink in : And out of the Mouth 
of Pole-Hole, near Buxton, in the Peak of Derby, and 
other Caves in the Sides of Mountains, in rainy Seafons, 
Streams of Water many Times run out, where in dry 
Weather and Summer-time there are none. 
Neither is this Opinion we defend, any more repug- 
nant to the Scripture than the other. For whereas it is 
faid, Ecclef i. 7. All the Rivers run into the Sea, yet the 
Sea is not full j unto the Place from whence the Rivers come 
thither they return again ; we grant it to be moft true, 
nay we think fuch a Circulation abfolutely neceffary to 
the Being of Springs, only we affert it to be performed 
not under Ground, but above, that is, the Clouds take 
np Water out of the Sea, and pour it down again upon 
the Earth, and from Parc thereof falling upon, and 
foaking into the higher Grounds, arife the Springs. 
But to return to Malta, the Haven is very commodi- 
ous and fecure, divided into two by a little Promontory 
or Neck of Land, fome 1500 Canes long, and 380 
broad, upon which the new City is built. Of thefe two, 
that on the Weft fide the City, is called Amply, and 
per Automafiam, Marfa, that is, the Haven, and is 
in Length 180 Canes or Poles, often Palms, the Cane 
Roman Meafure, and is fubdivided into ocher Creeks or 
Sinus’s. That on the Eaft-fide, called Marfa Mofcetto, 
is as large as the other, in a little Ifland, within which 
is the Lazaretto , near it Ships that come from infect- 
ed Places, keep their Quarantine. The new City called 
Valetta is divid'ed into twenty Streets, eight in Length, 
and twelve in Breadth, all ftrait, though they be not 
paved, yet they need it not, the Town being built up- 
on a folid Rock. They want no Uniformity but beino- 
level, which the Place being uneven, up Hill and down 
Hill, will not admit. The Houfes are all Stone, fiat- 
roof’d, and covered with Plaifter, which is fufficient 
here, there falling but little Rain j though they be not 
high, yet are they neat and pleafarit. Upon the Roofi 
of their Houfes in Summer time, the People fee their 
Beds as at Aleppo, and fleep in the open Air. The 
Number of the Inhabitants of all Ages, according to 
a Survey taken in the Year, 1632, was 10744, the 
Number of Houfes, 1891, which Sum is I believe fince 
that Time much increafed. Over the Gate of this City^ 
leading to the Land, called Porta Reale, you have art 
infeription giving an Account of the firft founding and 
building of it. It is fortified with irripregnable Walls 
and Bulwarks, efpecially towards the Land, where one 
vvould think there are too many, and yet they are ftill 
adding more ; within the outmoft Wall, or between the 
two Walls and Outworks, they have enclofed a great 
Space of void Ground, whether v/ith Defign to enlarge 
the CitVj filling that Space with new built Houfes, dr to 
receive the Country People, in Cafe the Enemy fliould 
land upon the Ifland, I know not. All the Walls and 
Bulwarks are mined or vaulted underneath, that fo, in 
Cafe the Befiegers fliould get upon them, they might 
be blown up, and rendred ufelefs. The Charge of all 
thefe Walls, Caftles and Fortifications would be in- 
tolerable had they not Stone at Hand, arid Slaves td 
work. 
This City is well ferved with all Provifioris, there be- 
ing every Morning, a Market plentifully furniffied with, 
Breadj Fleffi, Fiffi, Poultry, Fruits, Herbs, &c. of 
the beft in their feveral Kinds, and to be bought at eafy 
Rates. The moft confiderable Buildings in this City^ 
are, i. The Church of St. John the B apt if. Patron of 
the Order, wherein are many Chapels and Altar-Pieces^ 
richly gilt and adorned. Here lie buried the Grand 
Mafters that have been, fince the Order was tranflated 
hither, in a Vault under Ground, feveral of therri having 
in the Church, Monuments with inferiptions. This 
Church is not yet quite finiflied. 2. The Caftle of St. 
Elmo, which flood here before this City was built, oii 
the utmoft Point of the Promontory, a ftrong Place, 
but of no great Capacity. Here we obferv’d the like 
winding Afcent to the Top, without any Steps or Stairs^ 
as in the Tower of St. Mark, at Venice. 
Upon the Top of this Caftle is conftant Watch and 
Ward kept. When they defery any Veffel coming to- 
ward the Ifland, be it great or fmall, they fet up a Flag 
fuitable to the Bignefs of the Veffel •, if two Veffels, 
two ; if three, three ; and fo on according to their 
Number-, fignifying alfo by the Place, where they fet 
thefe Flags, from what Quarter, Eaft, Weft, North or 
South, fuch Veffel or Veffels come, fo that the City is 
prefently advifed what Veflels, and how many are near 
the Port. In this Caftle are imprifoned fuch Knights 
as have committed any Mifdemeanour, and held in Re- 
ftraint, longer or lefler Time, or further proceeded 
againft, according to the Degree of their Fault. 3. Be- 
fore this Caftle are the Granaries, where the Provifions 
of Corn for the City are kept. Thefe are nothing but 
Caves hewn out of the Rock, in the Form of a Cu- 
pola, or ordinary Bee-hive, having each a narrow 
Mouth above. They are conftantly provided with Corn 
enough beforehand, to ferve the whole City for a Year. 
They have alfo Magazines or Stores of Wine, Oil, and 
all other Neceffaries. 4. The Alherghs or Halls of the 
eight feveral Nations {Lingue they call them) of the 
Order. The Nations are French, Italian, German^ 
Englijh, Provenpal^ Auvergnois, Caflilian, and Arra- 
gonian. 
Thtk Alberghs of them fair Buildings like 
Colleges, and in each of them, is a publick Hallj 
wherein the Knights of each Nation dine and fup as 
many as they pleafe, the others have their Parts or De- 
menfum, fent to their Lodgings, or difpofe otherwife 
of it, as they fee good. The Seignior of each Nation 
is Superior of the Alhergh, Grand Prior of his Nation, 
of the great Crofs, gran Croce they term it, and one of 
the Privy Council to the Great Mafter. Thefe are di- 
ftinguiffied from the reft, by a great white Crofs upon 
their Breafts made of Silk, fewn into their Garments. 
Here is an Albergh^ for the Englifh Nation, or rather a 
Piece of Ground, bclofed with the Foundation of ara 
4lberg% 
