MALTA AND SICILY. 
151 
would have exchanged salutes, but not a 
gun was fired on either side. 
A few days after their arrival I had the 
pleasure of half-an-hour’s conversation with 
B-at the Porlatorio, on the other side 
of the Grand Harbour; for as the ships came 
from an unhealthy country, they had to per¬ 
form a fortnight’s quarantine ; and on the 
day they received pratique , I spent a very 
pleasant morning on board the Britannia, 
over which I was kindly conducted by 
Lieutenant B-. Nothing could exceed 
the beautiful order and cleanliness of every 
part of this immense floating battery; and I 
was particularly pleased with the kindness of 
my friend’s manner, when he had occasion to 
reprove one or two of the men for some 
slight neglect of their duty. Indeed, I be¬ 
lieve it is principally owing to his good 
government, in which the greatest firmness 
