82 
LETTERS FROM 
with a long bag hanging down behind; in 
other respects their dress has nothing singular 
in it, and the women differ very little in theirs 
from English women of the same class, ex¬ 
cept that out of doors they wear a black silk 
cloak, called a “ faldetto,” over their heads, 
without any other head-dress. The faldetto 
is also often worn by the more respectable 
class of Maltese women, though many of 
these are now beginning to conform to the 
English custom of wearing bonnets. 
The beggars in Valetta are certainly a very 
great annoyance, and are most importunate 
in their petitions, in which the words “ Ca- 
rita, miserable,” and “ nix mangi,” are fre¬ 
quently repeated. We might be charitable 
here at a very small cost, for a single gran a , 
a little copper coin, of which twelve are 
equal in value to a penny, is all the poor 
unfortunates ask for; but our friends have 
