136 CONSTANTINOPLE. 
CHAP, can have formed any adequate ideas '. A single 
/ _• example, to which the author was an eye- 
witness, may serve to afford some conception 
of the disorders occasioned by the climate. 
Soon after our arrival, upon the anniversary of 
our Queen's birth-day, the liberation of the 
Maltese slaves took place. It had been acceded 
to by the Turkish Government, owing principally, 
as it was beheved, to a forlorn hope of the 
Capudan Pasha, that he should thereby be able 
to obliterate the evil impression caused by the 
atrocious murder of the Beys in Egypt ; of which 
all Europe then rang from side to side. At all 
events, it was said to be a business concerted 
between him and our ambassador ; and, if due 
to the exertions of the latter, nothing can be 
more worthy of praise. We were at the palace 
where the ambassador resided, when these poor 
men came to offer their thanks to the British 
(l) " Le Tramontane, che in Napoli et in Roma son cosi salubrij qui 
son di mala qualita : perche portano dal mar nero mold vapori grossi, 
che esala quel mare, per esser fangoso, e per lo concorso di tanti fiumi 
grandi che vi entrano, e della palude INIeotide." ( Viaggi di Pietro Delia 
Valle,p.90. Soma, 1650.) The author then proceeds to describe an 
effect, or rather a sign of MaVaria, which oo other writer has noticed. 
" Tutti i tetti, fatti con tegole e canali, come quelli di Roma, si vedono 
sempre coperti m quella ruggine gialia, 6 come la vogliamo chiamare, 
che in Italia I'hau emo per isdiiio di Mal'abia." Ibid, 
