The streets are, some of them, very steep, the houses, built of
limestone, generally three stories in height, with a flat roof that
answers the same purpose as the Spanish or Mexican _azotea_.

Valetta has three city gates, one the Porta Reale, through which our
little tourist group came to reach their present position, leads to the
country; the Porta Marsamuscetto to the general harbor where lie craft
of all nations, while the government harbor is reached by means of the
Marina gate.

Thus they hold to many of the ways of Moorish and Mohammedan countries.

The fortifications of limestone are massive--England has a second
Gibraltar here.

In general, the Maltese speak a language not unlike the Arabic, though
English and Italian are used in trade.

They are a swarthy, robust, fearless people, strong in their loves and
hates, and the vendetta has been known to exist here just as fiercely as
in its native home of Corsica.

Many dress in the costume of the Franks, but the native garb is still
worn by the lower classes, and is a picturesque sight, such as we see
upon the stage.

It consists of a long bag made of wool, and dyed various colors, making
a cap such as is worn by the sailors in stage scenes like the "Pirates
of Penzance."