bay called Marsa
Scirocco, lying on the lee side of the island, and to our great
astonishment found ourselves firmly enmeshed in a gigantic net, parts of
it entangling our screw propeller. Indeed, the ship could not be
released until we had almost cut the net to pieces; for which our
Government had to pay some hundreds of pounds sterling to the
proprietors of the fish-preserve.

Vast quantities of mackerel and other fish are also caught, dried, and
exported to the various adjacent Roman Catholic countries; but, I
believe, excepting perhaps shellfish--prawns, lobsters, crabs,
etc.--there is little or no fresh fish worth eating.

Maltese society is very proud and exclusive, and dreadfully reserved and
jealous of the English community; indeed, little or no sympathy exists
between them, which is much to be regretted. The nobility, so-called,
are seemingly content to live almost to themselves, as it were in the
past, amongst their ancient ancestry (putting one in mind of Mr. and
Mrs. German Reed's entertainment of "Ages Ago") rather than in the
present and with the people surrounding them. They are reputed to be
excessively mean and close, but perhaps they have but a scanty allowance
to support their nobility, and therefore, by necessity, it is half
starved. A friend who has resided at Malta many years, related to me a
little incident of his own experience. For once breaking through their
usual reserve, an Englishman was invited to the funeral of one of the
Maltese nobility; when, in accordance with the usual rites, a candle or
taper is provided by the mourners, which is generally carried home by
each as a memento, and perhaps as possessing some virtue from the
priestly blessing. But the day after the funeral, much to his surprise
and disgust, having simply taken it as a mark of respect to the family,
he was requested to return the said candle, "_which had only been lent
to him_."

There is, however, apart from the Maltese element, plenty of society at
Malta, amongst the English community, governor, and Naval and Military
officers. Indeed, in the season it is rather a gay place. There is, or
used to be, a very good little opera-house, where some of the most
eminent _prima donnas_ (Spamezi and Pareppa, etc.) made their _debut_;
for the society at Malta is supposed to constitute rather a critical
audience; and if an _artiste_ once succeeds in winning its approval, she
may go to England without fear and trembling.

Malta i