——— 
eS 
1805.] 
nir in the prefervation of health, or the 
produétion of difeafe. That of Malta 
enjoys confiderable reputation, and the 
failors who navigate the Mediterianean, 
never fail to take in a large fuyply at that 
port, as it may be preferved very long 
fweet and without the leat alteration. 
Valetta is {applied with fountain water, 
which is brought. from the neighoouring 
/ mountains at the diflance of two leagues 
from the city, by means of an aqueduct, 
conftru@ed at a confiderable expence. 
This water is pure and limpid, hke dif 
tilled water, and boils leguminous vege- 
tables very rapidly. 
As during a fiege the enemy never fails 
to cut the aqueduct, there are large pub- 
lic cifterns erected in different parts of the 
city, as well as one or two imeach houfe. 
The rain which falls on the terraces, that 
are kept in a proper {tate to receive it, is 
alfo conducted'to thefe ciferns. In Flo- 
rianna, and the Baftern city, where they 
have no fountain water, that contained ig 
thefe cifterns is applicd to every domeftic 
purpofe, 
The Maltefe are a fober people; their 
food confifts chiefly of vegetables and fith ; 
they eat very little fiefh. The inhabi- 
tants of the country, as well as thole of 
the city itfelf, employ only pork: They 
kill no oxen but for the ule of the fick, 
and for the tables of a few of the rich; a 
geat many evenof the latter prefer mutton, 
Thefe iflanders are fond of coffee and 
chocolate, they alfo drink wine ina confi- 
derable quantity. which is imported from 
Sicily, and is excellent of its kind, but 
they are extremely temperate in the ufe 
of ardent fpirits. 
Although in warm countries the ap- 
petite for food is in general iefs than in 
colder regions, yet this is not altogether 
~ the cafe at Malta ; mott of the inhabitants 
dine at noon, and fup late; they indulge 
in repofe after each meal, retiring always 
from table to bed; but they fit up toa 
lare hour at night, and rife early in the 
morning. . 
On the Sunday, and during their holi. 
days, the Maltefe amufe themfelves with 
ative exercifes ; they are fond of dancing, 
and horfe races ; formerly they played 
much at palle maille*, the alley for tis 
purpofe remains at the preient day in the 
midit of Floriana. 
The drefs of thefe iflanders appears 
well adapted to the climate; it conflts of 
a rw Bo ih toe: 
| *® A game where around bowl is fruck 
with a mallet through a high arch of iron 
landing at either end of an alley. 
Defeription of the [ftand and City of Malta. 
Ag1 
a large woollen cap, a veft, and long 
breeches, and a flrort coat faftened by a 
red fath feveral times folded round the 
waift ; the feet are either wholly bare, or » 
only covered with fandals ; they wear 
whifkers, but have the hair of the head cut 
fhort. The more civilized part of the in- 
habitants dre{s afier the manner of the 
French. 
The drefs of the women is extremely 
convenient and economic ; they wear no 
head-drefs, but in public or in the churches 
appear moffled up in a faldetta, or kind 
of black mantle, which covers the head 
and fhoulders, and likewife a black petti- 
coat. 
«Tt is climate, (fays Montefquieu), 
that determines the flature, the vigour, 
and the duration of the life of man, his 
character, manners, habits, and paffions. 
Government and religion are frequent- 
ly even fubordinate to its influence.’” 
After what has been faid of their climate, 
we may naturally expeét the Maltefe to 
be of a bilious temperament. They are 
lean, and about the middle fize, but ex- 
tremely vigorous and mufcular; their 
bones are large, the fkin dry, and of a 
brown colour, partly covered with black 
hairs; their veins are large and promi- 
nent. The inhabitants of the country 
are remarkably {trong and robuft; they 
frequently fleep in the opén air, expofed 
to the extreme heat of a burning fun. The 
women are ufually of the middle fiature, 
the colour of thofe who live in the country 
is uniformly dark brown; but in the city, 
where a great number of ttrangers have 
been long fettled, you meet with feveral 
who are of a fair complexion. The Mal- 
tefe women are extremely prolific—the 
births each year greatly exceed the 
deaths, ‘They are marriageable at the 
age of twelve, and about this period ex- 
hibit’ a great deal of frefhnefs and even 
beauty ; but they begin to ftoop and ap- 
pear old at a very early age; indeed we 
never hear of a female being married after 
fhe has attained the age of thirty. The 
men likewife enter into the matrimonial 
fiate when very young. Notwithflanding 
the appearance of premature old age, there 
is no place where the inhabitants live to 
a greater age, or. where more healthy cld 
men are to be met with, than in Maita > 
the women alfo, after they have pafled a 
certain age, feem to live longer than in 
any other country. The Maltefe appear 
to be naturally irafcible ; and when under 
the influence of fanaticifm, or ftimulated 
by the abufe of autiority, they become: 
brutal, ferocious, revengeful, and fan- 
3.5 2 guinary’s 
