of a national religion, yet surely there are other ways in which they may be secured. The remark is not made in the spirit of complaint, or disrespect, but from a desire of seeing our countrymen practise "whatsoever things are lovely, and whatsoever things are of good report."

CHAPTER III.

GIBRALTAR TO MALTA.

Lipari Islands-Straits of Sicily-Messina-Violent squall— Apostolic recollections-Approach to Malta--Quarantine harbor.

MY DEAR M.

Messina, Nov. 6.

AFTER spending but four days at Gibraltar, we sailed thence on the 26th, in the American brig Rook, Capt. Atwood, bound to Malta, and this place.* At first we kept near the Spanish coast, until by a change of wind, we were compelled to run over to the opposite side. On the morning of the 29th, we saw Al

*An incident which occurred to our obliging and friendly captain while he was lying at Gibraltar, is, perhaps worthy of record. Several nights in succession, he had private interviews with a Spaniard of high rank, to whom he had been introduced by a friend. A revolution, he was assured, had been completely organized, and he was solicited to convey some of the leaders to a certain town, the wealth of whose churches was then to be seized, and entrusted to him for sale at a specified port. In this manner, the means of sustaining the insurrection were to be obtained in the first instance. Capt. A. declined the undertaking, but left in confident expectation of soon hearing that the revolution was begun, both on the coast,and in the north of Spain.

giers, with its white castle, at a distance, and for some days continued in view of the African shores. Another change of the wind prevented our reaching Malta by the southern side of Sicily, so that after vainly attempting to double Mount "Eryx, and the Ægates" isl ands, at the western extremity, we coasted along the northern shore. Palermo, the ancient Panormus, still the capital of the island, was concealed from our view in a winding bay. When we drew near the Lipari islands, we encountered a violent squall, with much lightning and thunder during the night. This was succeeded by fine weather on the following day, and we had a delightful prospect of Ustica, which is at a distance from the group, and then, of Alicudi, Felicudi, Salina, Lipari, Vulcano, Pinaria and Stromboli. All these, with the numerous surrounding islets, we left on the north. They presented the usual appearance of volcanic regions,-deep ravines, and irregular surface. Our eyes were feasted, however, with the sight of the green grass which clothed the deep valleys, and the groves of olive and orange trees, that adorned the hills. At night, Stromboli rolled up its volumes of smoke, but Etna was concealed from our view by clouds.

It was not until night-fall that we doubled the Faro light, on the head land, at the entrance to the straits of Messina. Of course, we could but just discover the "rock of Scylla," on the Italian side. The current is very rapid, and a loud roar is constantly heard from the breakers on the opposite shore. It is not, however, precisely agreed where to look for Charybdis. At the entrance of the straits, we were met by a number of pilots, all hoping to take advantage of the fears and the ignorance of strangers. Our captain, who

At

had passed through before, dashed boldly forward, as if intending to dispense with their assistance. length, after repeatedly taking in vain the name of the Saviour, the emblem of whose cross was suspended about their necks, they were glad, for a reasonable compensation, to conduct us to our anchoring place, on the evening of November 4th. Besides the watch lights on the shore, a brilliant spectacle was exhibited by the torches of hundreds of fishing boats through which we made our way into the harbor.

Yesterday, when the morning dawned, we found that we were in a land which had "forgotten her Sabbaths." Being summoned on shore to exhibit ourselves before the health officer, we saw multitudes following the ordinary and unnecessary calls of business, or yielding to the solicitations of curiosity or pleasure. If christianity be a system of faith which purifies and restrains, how little, alas, do these countries deserve the name of christian! Our guardiano, an old man, who had seen his wife and children swallowed up in the great earthquake of 1783, is an affecting instance of depravity, while himself just ready to sink into the grave. But I forbear remark, remembering what might be the first impressions of a stranger, on visiting the seats of commerce on our own more favored shores.

Though Messina has suffered much from earthquakes and the plague, it still continues a populous city.

From the place where we now lie, near the Lazaretto, its appearance is one of surpassing beauty. The town is built at the foot, and on the acclivity of a range of high and broken hills, that run parallel with the shore. Two buildings have been pointed out, as worthy of notice. One, called "the mother church," is a vast

pile covering several acres, and was quite uninjured by the great earthquake that destroyed nearly the whole city. The other, is the remains of a turret, in which Richard 2d of England lodged, when, like ourselves, on his way (though, as we trust, with different weapons,) to the Holy Land.

Malta Harbor, Nov. 16.

Our captain did not wait to finish the three weeks quarantine, which was required of him at Messina, but sailed thence on the 7th Nov. For a few hours, we glided pleasantly through the straits, gazing on the rich scenery of orange groves* and olive yards, intersected by the deep dry channels of mountain torrents. Besides the classical interest which is attached to these shores, and their natural beauty, so often celebrated by travellers, we remembered that we were passing by lands that had been coasted by the first great missionary voyager. Scarcely, however, had we "fetched a compass and come to Rhegium," still a considerable town on the Italian side, when a violent thunder storm swept down upon us from Etna. This drove us so far to the east, that we had not even a sight of "Syracuse." Then it was, that "neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay upon us."

We had, during our passage from Gibraltar to Malta, a number of these sudden and terrific blasts. What a scene is presented on board, in the first moments of their coming! The vessel lies over on its side, so that its masts seem almost to touch the water. Every sail

* The "Sicily" oranges, which are sent in such quantities to America, come mostly, we are told, from the main land.

is let go, and vain attempts are made to furl them. The master stands near the helmsman, to whom he continually repeats some word of caution. His hoarse, loud voice echoes from the trumpet, and mingles with the wild roar of the wind. The waves increase each moment, and come sweeping the deck. If to this be added, a drenching rain, the constant peals of thunder, and incessant flashes of lightning, a scene more grand and awful can then scarcely be conceived.

But we did not remain tempest tossed as long as the Apostle; for, when only the fourth "night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria, about midnight, the shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country, and sounded, and found it" forty "fathoms; and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it" thirty" fathoms. Then, fearing lest they should have fallen upon rocks," they stood away from the land, and "wished for day." Being awakened by the change in the vessel's sailing, Mr. G. and myself arose, and read from our Greek Testaments, with an interest never before felt, the narrative of Paul's shipwreck and voyage to Rome. And when it was day, we knew the land, that it was the island once called Melita, and discovered, not "a certain creek with a shore," but a harbor, "into the which they were minded if possible to thrust in the ship." Yet a longer trial of patience awaited us. For while we were congratulating ourselves on speedily experiencing the kindness of our brethren, and anticipating how grateful would be the kindling of a fire, "because of the present rain, and because of the cold," a land breeze and strong southerly current drove us off again to sea, and it was not until three days after, on the evening