MALTA AND SICrLY. 
159 
pigs, and large quantities of imitation 
sugar-plums, made of lime or plaster of 
Paris, and of various colours, were exposed 
for sale. These are used as missiles in 
the harmless warfare, which must, I think, 
be the most amusing part of the proceed¬ 
ings. 
The next day we had a tremendous gale 
of wind from the north-east, accompanied 
with heavy and nearly incessant rain. A 
gale of wind from this quarter is here called 
“ a gregale,” and as it is believed to be 
synonymous with the euroclydon, it was 
quite in character with the day, (February 
10th,) which is kept by the Maltese as the 
anniversary of St. Paul’s shipwreck, though 
it is impossible to determine the exact time 
of the event from the account in the Acts ; 
indeed, it is supposed to have happened in 
the latter end of October. Sugar-plum 
