gth of
this island runs the chain of White Mountains, so called on account
of their snow coverings. The island abounds with cattle, sheep,
swine, poultry, and game, all excellent; and the wine made there is
balmy and delicious. The people of Candia were formerly celebrated
for their want of veracity; St. Paul alludes to their evil habits in
the first chapter of his epistle to Titus, where he says, 'The
Cretians are always liars.' There are some remarkably ugly dogs in
Candia, which seem to be a race between the wolf and the fox.

"Cyprus contains the renowned Paphos: it is not quite so long an
island as Candia, but it is ten miles broader.

"Rhodes is fifty miles long, and twenty-five broad. At the north of
the harbor stood the celebrated colossus of brass, once reckoned one
of the wonders of the world. It was placed with a foot on either
side of the harbor, so that ships in full sail passed between its
legs. This enormous statue was 130 feet high; it was thrown down by
an earthquake, and afterwards destroyed, and taken to pieces in the
year A.D. 653.

"Of Majorca I have little to say: its chief town is Majorca.

"Port Mahon is the capital of Minorca; and Iviza is the principal
town in the island of that name.

"Malta--"

[Illustration: VALETTE.]

GEORGE. "Excuse me for interrupting you, dear mamma; but I wish
Grandy to tell me if Malta is the same island as the Melita
mentioned in the 28th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, where St.
Paul was shipwrecked?"

GRANDY. "Yes, my dear; it is commonly supposed to be the same. It is
a very rocky island, inhabited by a people whom most modern
travellers describe as very selfish, very insincere, and very
superstitious. The population amounts to upwards of 63,000. In the
days of St. Paul, the inhabitants were, without doubt, an
uncivilized race, for he calls them a barbarous people! 'And the
barbarous people showed us no little kindness: for they kindled a
fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and
because of the cold.' Here it was that from the circumstance of St.
Paul experiencing no evil effects from the viper clinging to his
hand, that the people concluded him to be a god; here too he was
allowed to perform many mighty works, such as healing the sick, &c.,
which caused him to be 'honored with many honors;' and 'when they
departed, they were laden with the bounty of the people.' Can any
one of you young folks tell me the name of the chief t