96 
LETTERS FROM 
in the latter pursuit the sportsman, carrying 
with him an apparatus which has, perhaps, 
cost him fifty or sixty pounds, and accom¬ 
panied by his dogs and gamekeeper, after a 
whole day spent in wandering over moors 
and swamps, till, as the ancient angling book 
says, “lie is weete sliode unto his t ay lie” 
will frequently return in the evening, having 
accomplished nothing but the destruction of 
two or three little fluttering jack-snipes, half- 
a dozen of which would barely suffice for his 
supper. 
A few days ago we visited several of the 
public institutions in Valetta. We were ac¬ 
companied by our Maltese friend, Mr. N-, 
a gentleman from whom we have received 
great kindness and attention. We first 
visited the House of Industry at Floriana, 
which institution was founded about one 
hundred years ago by the grand master, 
