cen pirates. Up to the
beginning of the present century, the special advantage of the group for
the promotion of illegitimate commerce has been its curse. Malta was the
synonym of piracy from the earliest times,--a reputation which, as we
have seen, the Knights of St. John did nothing to improve. Speaking in
plain terms, they were the most pronounced and successful corsairs who
ever sailed these waters, and were unmolested by the Western Powers
because their piracy was conducted under the pretense of fighting only
the infidels, and in behalf of Christianity. In our day we invade
Central Africa under pretense of suppressing the slave trade; but in the
days of this warlike order, its principal source of income was derived
from the capture of Asiatics, whom the Knights sold into slavery, or
retained in that condition.

There is said to be ample evidence that the numerous caves of Comino
were formerly improved as domestic dwelling-places by the primitive
inhabitants. Their partial inaccessibility probably caused them to be
used as safe retreats when the group was invaded by a foreign enemy.
Where natural caves existed in the early days of our race upon this
earth, they were nearly always utilized as shelter for human beings, and
doubtless artificial ones were created, it being the readiest mode of
obtaining a domestic shelter. The Spanish gipsies of Granada follow this
plan even to-day, on the banks of the swift-flowing Darro, not to speak
in detail of the numerous cliff-dwellers of Behring Strait, where Asia
and America come so nearly together.

There is a cave between Comino and Cominetto, the entrance to which is
accomplished by boat, not without considerable difficulty. When once
within, however, and the eyes become accustomed to the gloom which
pervades the place, the cave is found to open out into proportions of
considerable magnitude. At the further extremity nature has formed a
beautiful little gravelly beach, on which the lazy waves ebb and flow
gracefully and softly. Geologists visit this cavern with much interest,
as the sides teem with the remains of marine creatures which lived and
died in the waters when these islands were gradually undergoing the
process of formation. There are scores of smaller caves on Cominetto,
and also on Comino. It was in the cavernous formations of the south side
of the main island of the Maltese group that Dr. Adams found the
interesting animal remains about which he has written so a