ENPages
11
[Image - sketch of 'Map of Malta', signed Alfd Ram]
Sunday 4th I went over to the Town of Valletta & went into a Splended Cathedral Called St Jhons whear Nepoliann the 1st Took the Golden Gates from & Silver Ones is in thear place the Church is a Very Grand Sight the painting & the flooring is the Grandis Sight I Ever See which represents the Arms of Malta of Diffrent Knights & all Diffrent Coloured Marble & thear are a Great Meney Such Churches as theas with Splended Paintings in them the Natives is Very Dark the Young Girls & Women wares large black silk Vails over thear Head they are a Short Race of Pepol compared with the English but they are Very Kind to the English for thay are
12
very frighten of the English the fish & meat market is a large Square but Very Dirty Wine & Brandeys is very cheap & good at the Groc[ery] Shops thay Give the Cigars away like thay Give Short pipes in England Spent a Merry Day Left Valletta to our quaters in a Boat at 11.p.m.
Monday 5th Very fine day & walk roned our Ileland of Lazettre to see what was going on & fell in with some Maltee Carpenters Building some Huts for Drafts of Diffrent Rigments from England bound for the East. thay only gets 1/6 to 2/0 a day & Bread 6d per 1½lb loaf Bathed in the Harbour
Tuesday 6th Crossed the Bay to Valletta & walk round the Forts & Crossed to the Grand Harbour Stairs called Sally Point & Spent a Very Plesent Day in the Eaveing in our return home see a Crowd round a Shop the corner of Strada Real which proved to be the first Gas used in Valletta or Malta & went to the Royal Theatere in the Eaving & see a Opera Proformed which was Very Grand
13
Wednesday 7th Fine & warm day & Visited a french Grave [yard] Near Our Quarters thay Buried thear Dead without Coffen or Eny think to Cover the[m] this is the french fasion in Malta
Thursday 8th Fine & warm day & Bathed in the Bay
Friday 9th Fine wether till 4.p.m when a frightful Thunder Storm Came on which lasted for some time the Lighten Very Strong
Saturday 10th 5th Week A Very Hevey Thunder Storm & the lighten Struck a Hut near our Quaters & Split it all to peases. the sea Very rough in the Bay & Harbour & all Sea all day So that the Maltee would not take moor tha[n] 4 men across the Bay in the Boat at a time & after Gun fire would not go at all from being frighten
Sunday 11th Went across the Bay to the Town & Crossed to the Grand Harbour or Sally Point went into the Dock Yard & Dry Dock whear the Azof was in. Went all over the Diffrent Forts & Barracks & went all over the place this wside the town & had Dinner off Pigs Chidglins & Potatoes
14
Monday 12th Fine wether & warm & rec~d 2/6 for washing &c Strolling again from our Quaters to Fort Manule & had a Barth in the Bay near the Wasp
Tuesday 13th Fine wether & warm & a deal of lighten at night.
Wednesday 14th Went into the Country 6 of us Chaps we walk about 3½ English Miles when we took a Cab 4 Inside & 2 as foot-men & the Driver running by the Side thay took us to a Tower Called the Citta Notabile & went into a Cathedral Called St. Pauls which was a Splented Sight the Painting was Grand the Preist took us about 200 Yard to a Iron Door & a Boy lit 6 Candles & Gave us 1 Each & we went down under Ground a Great Deepth into a Large Square Vault & then up some steps & walked about this Place which was the Remains of the Dead of which Coffens was Rotted Away &c this Place was Formed by an Earthquake but now called Vicolli Catacombs. See the Race Corses & Had a Good View of St. Pauls Bay on our Return home Called at the Goveneurs Garden & had some Oranges &c Got to the wall which the surrounded the Citta Notabile to keep Invaders Out thear is a gate on the road very grand it is
15
Arrived at Valleta at 5.p.m. on a C[ ] Truck Very bad riding
Thursday 15th Crossed over to Valleta to a Grand Review Near the Florian Barracks got Drinken in the Tow[ ] & did not see it the E. K. Millita is stationed hear
Friday 16th Wether fine & warm at 6.p.m. Heavy rain.
Saturday 17th 6th Week Fine day & went to the English Stors which is under Ground 7 Years Store is Kept.
Sunday 18th Very hot & went to the English Church in Valleta which is a fine Church with Spire
Monday 19th This day the Azof of came out of Dry Dock for the 2nd time & was deemed quite Sea Worthy thow only Patch up the Hole in her Bows was 4ft [feet] by 10 ft [feet] & 6 feet of her Keal Knock away at 10.a.m. the Azof Steamed into the Qurintine Bay to take in Coals & take us on Board which we was Ordered to that Afect at 4.p.m. Small Boats Come & took us on board with our luggege. as soon as the Men & Everything was on baurd she weighed & at once Steamed out of the Harbour of Malta