ith the soft chimes from the Church
of St. John. It must have been some fete-day in Malta, as other bells
joined in the chorus, which floated with mellow cadence on the
atmosphere. We had observed the Maltese women in church costume, making
them look like a bevy of nuns, hastening through the streets during the
day, and doubtless it was some special occasion which drew them, with
their prayer-books, to the several altars. Is it not noticeable
everywhere that it is the women who respond to these church
requirements, while the men coolly smoke their cigars, or gossip about
business on the Exchange?

From our lofty perch on the battlements of Fort St. Angelo, we saw the
signal for sailing displayed by the Rome, and knew that it was time for
us to hasten on board, and so turned our faces towards the
landing-place. For a few shillings, flowers enough to beautify our
cabins were purchased on the way, forming a floral display as pleasing
to the eye as it was grateful by its perfume. Flowers, "the air-woven
children of light," are always beautiful, but especially so at sea,--no
greater contrast being possible than that between these winsome blossoms
and the cold, fretful element which surrounds the ocean-bound ship.

CHAPTER X.

Voyage through the Mediterranean.--Gibraltar on Sunday.--Beautiful
Alameda.--Visit to the Famous Fortress.--Wild Monkeys.--Cannon and
Flowers.--Tangier.--Morocco.--Straits of Gibraltar.--A Moorish City
of To-day.--Local Scenes.--A Private Museum--The Governor's
Palace.--Rusty Keys.--The Typical Moor.--The Slave
Market.--Oriental Tableaux.--Visit to Washington Mount.--A Cup of
Moorish Coffee.--From Gibraltar to Malaga.--Spain.--The City of
Raisins and Sweet Wine.

The sonorous puff of the steam-winch told us that the anchor had already
parted from its hold of the land, the ship glided slowly through the
deep waters like a huge sea-monster, the tremulous vibration of the hull
caused by the regular plunge of the screw was resumed, and we laid our
course once more westward. A gale of wind welcomed us back to the sea,
and the heavy weather forced the ship on a southerly course. In our
passage from Malta to Gibraltar, a distance of about a thousand miles,
we sighted the shores of Africa, the headlands of Tripoli, and the coast
of Morocco, reaching our port of destination at last, prepared to
testify to the treacherous and restless nature of this great inland