1805.] 
of filth into the fea, and another by which 
are conduéted intoeach houfe, the waterg 
that are brought from the country, by 
means of an aqueduét well-deferving the 
notice of travellers, 
It is one of the ftrongeft cities in the 
world, being built on a very high rock, 
and fo fortified by nature as not to require 
the affillance of art; the ditches are ex. 
tremely large, and have been dug in the 
folid rock. It is not concealed, or buried 
under the fortifications, like the greateit 
number of fortified cities ; the houfes are 
fully expofed to view, and the air every’ 
where circulatesfreely ; the ramparts afford 
a delightful, pro{peét, as they command a 
view both of the fea and the country. 
The works proceed from the fide of the 
country inclofing La Florianna, a {mall 
village that may with propriety be termed 
the fuburbs of Malta; its ftreets are well 
lighted, and on- the whole it is extremely 
falubrious. 
The Eaftern city forms a very inclined 
plane, from the eaft to the weft ; it is far 
trom poffeffing the fame falubrity as the 
weftern city ; the houfes are more concealed 
by the ramparts, the Areets are narrow, 
ill paved, and ill lighted, and few of them 
are fupplied with any water but what is 
colleéted in cifterns. 
The great number of gardens fcattered 
through Malta, particularly in Florianna 
-and towards the eaft, not only greatly 
adds to its beauty, but tends to preferve 
the airin a ftate of falubrity. 
The greateft part. of the country is 
planted with cotton, which is protected 
from the viciffitudes of the weather, by 
walls of about five or fix feet high, placed 
at a fmall diftance from each other. The 
grain produced on the ifland is fearcely 
juffcient to fubfift the inhabitants during 
three months; but there is in the city of 
Valette an eftablifhment, called the Uni- 
verfity, on which they depend fora fupply, 
and from which they are obliged to pur- 
chafe it. The grain which is imported is 
Jaid up in pits hollowed out of the rock, in 
the form of truncated cones hermetically 
clofed, where it can be preferved feveral 
years; and there is ufually contained in 
thefe ftores a fufficient quantity for one 
year’s confumption. The foil, which has 
been moftly brought from Sicily, is very 
fertile during the {pring and autumn, but 
in fummer it becomes dry, arid, and fterile. 
The French foldiers, however, during the 
blockade, afforded a proof to the natives, 
what may be done on fuch a foil by per- 
fevering culture, and the judicious appli- 
cation of water ; as even during the great- 
MontTuiy Mac, No. 123. 
Defeription of the Ifland and city of Malta. 
489 
eft heats of fummer, they raifed every {pe- 
cies of leguminous plants and other vege- 
tables, 
Thefe artificial gardens produce the 
fame fruits and vegetables as thofe of the 
country ; we found in them abundance of 
collyflower, water-melons, and every f{pe- 
cies of grape, but not in a fufficient quan. 
tity to be converted into wine. The moft 
common trees are the orange, the citron, 
the fig, the pomegranate, the peach, and 
apricot ; we alfo fometimes oblerved pears 
apple, cherry, and walnut trees. The 
fruits of all thefe trees are of the very belt 
qualities, There are alfo, principally inthe 
Cotonnere, fome fields fown with wheat, 
barley, and cotton. 
The Botanical Garden might eafily be 
rendered very valuable in Malta, as 
nothing more is neceflary in order to na- 
turalize the different plants, which grow in 
the four quarters of the globe, but to ex- 
pofe fuch as flourifh under the line to the 
moft intenfe heat of the fun, and carefully 
to protect from its influence thofe that 
are indigenous in colder countries. 
In this inclofure they already cultivate 
moft of the plants ufed in medicine, and 
among others {quill, and the fumgus me- 
litenfis of fuch boalted efficacy in hemorr- 
hages. 
_ The hog is the moft common animal 
in this city, and alfo the dog, a great 
number of which the traveller encounters 
in every fireet; hence the Italian proverb, 
4! mezzo del giorno non fi vede nelle ffrade 
che Francefi, cani, 0 porci: At mid-day 
nothing is to be fcen in the ftreets but 
Frenchmen, dogs and hogs. Horfes are 
very rare in this ifland ; as beafts of bur- 
den, affes or mules are moftly employed 
which are exceedingly hardy and of a very 
large fize; goats are alfo numerous, but 
there are few black cattle; the ox is 
brought either from Barbary or Sicily, and 
is fattened with the feed of the cotton ° 
which renders the flefh delicate. The 
poultry confifts moftly of hens, and a 
great abundance of pigeons; game is 
exquifite and very plentiful, particularly at 
the time of their pafiage; rabbits alfo 
abound in the ifland. 
Malta is well fupplied with a great vas 
riety of fith. The infects are numerous, and 
the ants and mofquitoes prove extremely 
troublefome during the fummer. Lizards 
are obferved in great numbers, but they 
are perteétly harmlefs ; and the venomous 
reptiles, fuch as the ferpent, are ‘eldom 
found in the ifland. : ; 
The influence produced by the ftate og 
the atmofphere on the life, the health, 
S 
3 Ur 
