ton-shrub are as common as potato-fields in my
own country. The stems of these shrubs are not higher than potato-
plants, and are here cultivated exactly in the same way. I was told
that they had been stunted this year by the excessive drought, but
that in general they grew a foot higher.

The peasants were every where neatly dressed, and live in commodious
well-built houses, universally constructed of stone, and furnished
with terraces in lieu of roofs.

CIVITA VECCHIA

is a town of splendid houses and very elegant country-seats. Many
inhabitants of Lavalette spend the summer here, in the highest
portion of the island.

The church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a spacious building, with a
simple interior. The floor is covered merely with stone slabs; the
walls are white-washed to the ceiling, but the upper portion is
richly ornamented with arabesques. A beautiful picture hanging
behind the high altar represents a storm at sea. The view from the
hall of the convent is magnificent; we can overlook almost the
entire island, and beyond our gaze loses itself in the boundless
expanse of ocean.

Near the church stands a chapel, beneath which is St. Paul's grotto,
divided into two parts: in the first of these divisions we find a
splendid statue of St. Paul in white marble; the second was the
dungeon of the apostle.

Not far from this chapel, at the extremity of the town, are the
catacombs, which resemble those at Rome, Naples, and other towns.

During our drive back we made a little detour to see the gorgeous
summer-palace and garden of the governor.

The whole excursion occupied about seven hours. During my residence
in Malta the heat varied from 20 to 25 degrees Reaumur in the sun.

CHAPTER XVIII.

The steamer Hercules--Syracuse--Neapolis--Ruins--Catanea--Convent of
St. Nicholas--Messina--The Duke of Calabria--Palermo--The royal
palace--Church of St. Theresa--St. Ignazio--Catacombs of the
Augustine convent--Skeletons--Olivuzza --Royal villa "Favorite"--St.
Rosalia--Brutality of the Italian mob--Luxuriant vegetation--Arrival
at Naples.

October 4th.

At eight o'clock in the evening I embarked on board the Sicilian
steamer Hercules, of 260-horse power, the largest and finest vessel
I had yet seen. The officers here were not nearly so haughty and
disobliging as those on board the Eurotas. Even now I cannot think
without a smile of the airs the captain of the latter vessel gave
himself. He ap