MALTA AND SICILY, 
15 
him to come on board; or, rather, if he had 
come on board he would have been shut up 
for two or three weeks’ purification in a 
lazaret. His knowledge of the English lan¬ 
guage appeared to consist solely of the three 
words, “starboard,” “port,” and “steady;” 
and when he wanted us to start our engines 
he signified his wishes by a very expressive 
revolutionary motion of his hands. Soon 
after our arrival in the harbour, a boat came 
alongside with the English consul, and an 
important personage called the “ Pratique 
Master,” an officer having the general ma- 
nagement of quarantine affairs. In this boat 
were about twenty other gentlemen, some of 
them consuls of various nations. We also 
received a formal visit from the captain of 
the port, who came alongside in a clumsy 
old boat, rowed by no less than fourteen 
oars, and with a great deal of ceremony 
