MALTA AND SICILY. 
203 
houses, we observed a number of square 
paper kites, which had no tails , and as they 
fled remarkably well and steadily, I con¬ 
cluded that they were balanced by weights 
at the lower corners. Late in the evening, 
as our vessel had drifted close to the rocky 
shore, and was unmanageable from want of 
wind, our people were obliged to tow her 
into the harbour of Syracuse. 
Being now quite tired of the San Pietro 
and of her accommodations , and thoroughly 
exhausted by want of sleep, we determined 
to remain a few days in this place, and to 
proceed to Messina by some other convey¬ 
ance. But the quarantine regulations would 
not allow us to land that evening. After a 
fifth miserably wearisome night, about nine 
in the morning, we went on shore with part 
of our luggage, which we rescued from the 
search of the custom-house officers by the 
