112 
LETTERS FROM 
four are in the boat, they must pay two¬ 
pence between them. When the water is 
smooth enough to allow of a landing, we may 
cross over for half the above sum by walking 
to the point at Fort Tigne. But though 
these are the established fares, the boatmen 
are frequently in the habit of demanding a 
great deal more when they think their pas¬ 
sengers are strangers. We thought our¬ 
selves rather clever in engaging a boat for a 
shilling, the first time we crossed over to 
Sliema. 
Though this neighbourhood is rather more 
pleasant than any part of Malta we have 
hitherto visited, the land-views present a 
most desolate appearance to the eyes of 
those who have been accustomed to the re¬ 
freshing verdure of our own island. The 
country is everywhere divided by rough, 
disfiguring, mortarless stone-walls, into small 
