France — The Mediterranean — Malta — Alexandria

The last leaves had fallen when I left home, and were rustling under foot to the frosty wind. When I returned every branch was budding, and the May breeze, coming freshly down the river, brought good news of sunshine and summer. It seemed as if a wdnter had been cut out of the year, and that I had scarcely plucked the latest apple when I saw the trees again in blossom.

The journey occupied about iive months in all, — five pleasant months, not soon to be forgotten.

Hastening up to London in a sharp December morning, I there joined the companions of my route, the Rev. Th«mas Wright of Swinton, and two English friends, Mr Poynder and Mr Beddome. Our fellowship throughout was one of unbroken harmony and comfort. Scotland and England, Presbytery and Episcopacy, represented by those who knew how to agree as well as how to differ, held for months kind and agreeable companionship together on sea and land, — in Egypt, in Arabia, and in Syria,

We embarked at Dover on a wintry dawn, under a misty sky, upon a dull green sea. England soon disappears in the haze and Frraico comes slowly into ight, shewing a long low coast stretching to the right. Calais soon makes itself known with its light-house, town-hall, and old church. We come ashore in small boats, and are met on the pier by half-a-dozen of blue-coated soldiers, who politely escort u-^ to the customdiouse, where we prodv.ce cwr passjiorts, tell our ages, professions, destinations, and submit quietly to be treated as criminals, OT nt least as conspirators come to overturn the throne. We grumble at the annoyance, but congratulate ourselves on the difference between this country and our own. Here everybody that lands is handed over to a guard and dealt with as a villain, till he has cleared his character and disprovetl the suspicions by means of his passport. In Britain each stranger that comes, of whatever nation, is bidden welcome, and is treated as honest and good, till his own deeds shall prove the contrary.

We soon start for Paris, which we reach in about eight hours. We linger a day there amid sights of beauty and wonder. Certainly man has spared no pains to make his world fair. With scenes like these before us. it is but too easy to forget that earth is a ruin, that

LYONS. a

sin has eaten into its core, that death and sorrow lie all around, and that we need a “new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.” (2 Peter iii. 13.)

Dec. 18. 1855. — We left Paris at half-past eight in the evening. The frost was intense; nor could the large bottles of hot water with which we were liberally supplied, keep out the biting cold. We reached Lyons at half-past seven next morning. The day was clear and sunny, but the air was keen, and the ground hard with frost. We would fain have lingered here for a little; but our faces were towards the East, so we pressed on. It was but a glimpse that we could catch of the strange old city, with its tall gloomy houses, its rocks, its quays, its churches, its avenues, its squares. Yet it was something even for an hour here to look upon the “arrowy” Khone with its three bridges, and the more sluggish Saone with its seven. It was to the second century, however, with its rich martyr-memories, that our thoughts went back. Here the aged Pothinus sufiered for Christ; here, too, Irenseus wrote, and taught, and died.

At half-past twelve we started for Marseilles, which we reached late in the evening. As we sailed out next morning we had a fine view of this noble city, with its wide harbour, its yellow rocks, its old forts, its six thousand villas spreading out over the valley. We were now on the waters of the Mediterranean; but the breeze whiich met us as we sailed out of the Gulf of Lyons, proved too fresh for some of us, so that we were driven to our cabins, and kept there during the greater part of our voyage. Yet next day (21st), we erjoyed the sight ot Corsica, with its rugged mountains, streaked with snow. On we went, through the Straits of Bonifacio; then pushing southward, over a somewhat rough sea, and skirting the coasts of Sicily, we “sighted” Malta. It was a calm Sabbath evening when we entered the harbour. The sun had gone down; but the moonlight threw its unclouded silver upon the yellow rocks and the fair blue deep. It seemed a night of summer softness to us who had just come from the land of the cloud and snow. The mingling colours of sea, sky, rock, and moonshine, — azure, gold, and silver, — gave to the scene a rich clear beauty such as one seldom sees....

Valeita, Dec. 24. 1855. — What a fair sunny sprt this little island is! It rises up out of the sea, like some 3’ellow water-lily, S2:)reading out its leaves to the sun; or perhaps, it might better be called the golden clasp that knits together the two continents of the south and north, — Africa and Europe. In language, manners, aspect, buildings, it is partly European, partly Oriental, only with much more of the East than of the West about it. Its language is nearly Arabic, its boats are Egj’ptian, its churches are all after the model of Moslem tombs, and its costumes are Arabian, especially the female; for the Maltese faldette is merely the Eastern head-dress loosened and brought over the shoulders, so as to become an ornament for the person, instead of a veil to hide the face. Walked about the town for an hour or two. Statues of “saints” frown over your head in every street

Priests meet yon at every turn, round and well-fed, — idly sauntering about from morning till night, as unlike ministers of Christ, or successors of the apostles, as can be conceived. It is said they are 2000 in number! As Malta contains about 140,000 inhabitants, there is a priest to every seventy of the people. Through the great kindness of Lady Pirie, we were enabled to see a good deal of the island; and in the company of our brethren Mr Wisely and Mr Tait, we surveyed place after place. ...

St Paul’s Bay, Dec. 2G. 18.55: — I have just been bathing in these calm tideless waters! The patch of white sand which I chose for my bathing-place was nearly opposite the spot where Paul was cast ashore. We climbed the slope above; and while Mr Wright was photographing we wandered about, gazing down on the placid bay. We read the last two chapters of the Acts of the Apostles, and tlioi tried to note the scene in its different parts. Yonder the vessel came drifting onwards from Clauda, seeking some place of refuge. See, they are lightening the ship by casting out its freight. What despair is fixed in their faces as they look up to that sunless, starless sky! Mark how they are listening to the apostle as he exhorts them to be of good cheer. See, as they near yon small promoutoiy on the right, they begin to take soundings, for they have heard the roar of the breakers. Then down go the four anchors to keep them from the dreaded rocks. Day breaks, and they descry an unknown country, where there is a creek or bay “with a slioro.”* Uy) go the aaellor:^, ami the vessel drifts before the gale to the laud. Yundur to the left, there seems a small island where two seas meet, — there the vessel touches the ground and goes to pieces. The sea is covered with the fragments, and on tlicso, the two hundred and seventy-six human beings find their way to land, — all safe! See (we may add) the apostle gathers them round him on yon slope, and there kneeling down he gives thanks for deliverance to “the Ood and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Having so done, he kindles the fire, shakes off the viper, warms and dries himself, and then, turning his steps to Citta Yecchia, he is received by Publius, heals his father, and for three months preaches throughout the island the glad tidings of God’s free love in the gift and death of His beloved Son... As we sat gazing on the blue waters, several of the natives gathered round us. Children brought us heath, lilies, carnations, of great beauty A woman came with water from St Paul’s well. It was in an earthen jug, dirty, and smelling with tobacco; but we drank of it, and found it good. The well was about a quarter of a mile below us, on the road side. We visited it, and found a neat little building over it, with this inscription in Latin: — “AD te vexient omxes nationes ET TE glorificabunt” — (Ps. lxxxvi. 9) “All nations shall come and glorify thee.” An excellent inscrip-

* One of the company asks, “Has not every bay a shore 1” No. A shore or uiyixXis is a shelving beach or level strand. — See Mat. xiii. 2, 48; John xxi. 4; Acts xxi. 5.

tiou, if meant for Jehovah and not for Paul; but why in Latin? “Why not in the native tongue, that all might read it? The priesthood seem to think it no business of theirs to translate the word of God. On the spot where Paul is said to have kindled the fire there is a small church built, which, however, we merely looked at from the distance. It was the scene itself and not man’s poor attempts to adorn it that fixed our eye. As we left, we turned round again and again to gaze upon a spot so beautiful in itself, and so rich in holy memories. But when shall Paul’s “good news” be preached again here to all the inhabitants of an island, where every villaoje and street and church contains some tradition of his visit and some memorial of his name?

Down from the well, and nearer the sea, is a small palm-tree, one of the few which Malta possesses; and in this neighbourhood grow the finest water-melons in the island. The chirp of the grasshoppers came up pleasantly from the short grass under our feet; and the little grey lizards darting from crevice to crevice, up and down the walls, gave life to the still scene. Here and there we saw the caper-plant growing out of the walls, and in different places the pepyer-tree. We pulled some of the wild herbs that grew around, but on tasting them found thcni very acrid, leaving for a considerable time a disagreeable prickly sensation upon the tongue. The natives shook their heads on seeing us put them to our lips, and tried to stop us, crying non bono, “not good.” I believe they are poisonous as well as unpleasant.

We drove slowly to Valetta, enjoying the mild sun-Bhine of a December afternoon in Malta. It reminded us of July at home. Blue skies, soft air, green trees, gay flowers! How could we call this winter?

Thursday, Dec 27. 1855. — We drove to Citta Vecchia, the old capital of the island, — said to be its centre. It stands finely on a height, and the lnew from the roof of the gi’eat church is splendid. No mountains indeed, no cliffs, no forests, no streams; but an endless succession of sunny slopes and hollows, — villages without number, churches, terraces, — rocks and green fields, with the prickly pear and the Karub-tree, shooting up at intervals, — more rarely the olive, and yet more rarely the stunted palm. We visited the catacombs and the cave of St Paul; not finding however much to interest us in these, to which we were lighted by a dirty monk, with a pair of yellow candles in his hands. The names of the streets through which we passed reminded us of the persons and the events with which this old city is associated. It was not unpleasant to read upon the corner of the.se streets such names as “Strada Paolo” or “Strada Puhlio,” for it was here that the apostle had healed the governor’s father, — it was here that so many miracles were wrought upon the sick, — it was here that Paul and his friends tarried three mouths, and when departing, were loaded with honours by the grateful people. Here the good news of God’s free love were preached and received eighteen Imndred years ago. These glad tidings are the same as ever; but who in this ancient city preaches

TEL-MACLUBA. 9 j them or receives them now? Rome’s message to the! people is not the same as Paul’s; it is not of a work j done by the Son of God, but solely of works to be done by the sons of men.

On our way home we visited Tel-Macluha, a curious square hollow of considerable dimensions, the sides and ’ bottom of which were covered with shrubs of various kinds. It is deep, and the descent to it is on one side, by a rude flight of steps cut in a romantic chasm or ravine. Its name means the “overturned hill,” and the tradition is that it was formed by a sudden sinking of the ground. It looks like a quarry, and yet in some respects it is very peculiar. No trace of the hand or tool of man is to be found on any part of it.

Friday, Dec. 28. 1855. — I strolled out to one of the forts and enjoyed the brilliance of a southern sun. Close under us lay the great harbour, — before us the blue: ocean, without a wave to vex it or a shadow to darken i it, all golden with the glow of noon. Far in the dis- I tance, seen but as a speck, lay Sicily, — a land not unknown in fable, or in history, or in Scripture. For; here dwelt the Cyclops; here Ceres taught men how to plough and sow; here Aristaeus taught the rear-; ing of bees and the cultivation of the olive; here Hercules struck down robbery and built up law and govern- ment. Here had fought the armies of Carthage, of j Greece, of Rome. We would fain have seen Etna, but even its eleven thousand feet had vanished in the distance. Still more gladly should we have got a glimpse of Syracuse, not only because there Archimedes lived and died, but because it was there that the “ship of Alexandria, whose sign was Castor and Pollux,” first touched after leaving Malta (Acts xxviii. 11. 12); and it was there that Paul landed and “tarried three days” on his way to Rome.

In the afternoon I went to the public library, and found there some rare and many excellent books, most of them patristic and Romish, — with not a few commentaries on Scripture. There was Walton’s Polyglott Bible, — the works of Warburton and Tillotson, — AVhitefield’s Sermons, — and, what seemed rather curious, the Acts of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. In the adjoining museum there stood some stone idols taken out of the old Phoenician temple. They are small and unshapely, somewhat like the gods of India. They represent different ideas from the statues of Mary or Paul, which are to be found in the Romish churches; but they exhibit the worshipper in precisely the same position. It is in both cases, man at the foot of a stone-image, — to which he bows because of the divinity which he fancies to dwell within. Such was Israel on the plain of Er-Rahah before the golden calf Such is the Hindoo before his piece of brass. Such is the Romanist before his wafer or his crucifix. None of them really worship the metal or the stone; yet God calls it idolatry (Exod. xx. 4; xxxii. 8).

Saturday, Dec. 29. 1855. — We drove this forenoon lo the Phoenician temple, about seven miles from Valetta.

It is called Jebel Kheim, or the Old Hill. A vast massive ruin! It is not a mere circle of separate stones like Stonehenge, or such British remains of ancient worship. It is a regularly built temple, whose walls, gates, altars, are still visible, — composed of enormous blocks, without cement, some standing, some fallen, some wholp, some broken, some in their original place, some tossed aside; — all of them well hewn and firmly set, and some of a peculiar comjDosition, giving forth a shrill ringing sound when struck, not unlike a bell.* Close by the entrance is a small enclosure containing a curious collection of bones and skulls, said to belong to the original temple. The skeleton of a “giant” is reported to have been found here. The idols have been carried off to the museum at Valetta. Hard by is another structure of a similar kind. It is circular and built like the other, but of smaller size. Probably it was an outer court or jDorch to the former. There were no altars in it as in the other. These are by far the most ancient ruins in the island, and tell of the tiuiio when, in ages before Christ, the Phoenicians dwelt here, — carrying on at once their trade and their idolatry. Since they first held it, into how many hands has Malta passed! It was then under the rule of the great merchant-nation of antiquity; it is now in the

Tlicse musical stones are not uncommon. There is a place called the Singing Valley, about three miles from Pottstown, in the United States, where there is a large number of misshapen stones, which look as if flung together by some great upheaval. The stones emit, when struck, all manner of tones; and it is said that the chimes of the finest bells cannot surpass in variety the sounds thus produced.

possession of the great merchant-nation of modern clays. There is only this difference, Phoenicia was in earnest both as to her religion and her trade; and she gave the former as well as the latter to her colony. Britain, intent on trade and heedless of religion, leaves the latter behind her, — nay, through her governors and generals, tries to hinder all efforts for giving the Bible and the gospel to the Romanists of her dominions. Under the pretext of liberality, she wrongs both the Protestant faith and the British name. An Englishman and a Protestant has small chance of justice in Malta. The Presbyterian governor of the island caresses the priesthood in a way such as his Romanist predecessor did not, and receives, no doubt, in requital, their flattery and their contempt. By his urgent advice, though without his countenance or presence, the foundation-stone of the new Scottish Church was laid at night, by torch-light, through fear of raffling the temper of the priesthood.

The temple commands a noble sea-view; and, standing on the top of one of these old pillars, we gazed on the ]Iediterranean. Lying beneath us in the sunshine, close at hand, was the small island of Filfia, — little more than a bare rock, — but standing out finely in the midst of the calm blue.

Monday, Dec. 31. 1855. — We left Valetta this morning about half-past eight, and were soon on board the A lina for Alexandria, with a c/regcde wind and a rough sea. We were loath to. leave so hospitable and bright

THE MEDITEllRAXEAN. 13

a spot; but we had to press on. Often did the words occur to us,” the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness’’ — (Acts xxviii. 2). Farewell, sunny Malta!

The following sentence from a letter written on board ship contains all that is needful concerning the voyage: —” Wednesday night, on board the Alma. — Here I am, on the wide sea, where we have now been for about three days. I am trying to write a letter, but fear that it may not be quite legible, as the table shakes somewhat, even in this noble saloon. ... I have been enjoying the quiet breeze on deck. Sea, sky, clouds, — all splendid; yet I have seen the like in old Scotland, Sunset was fine; — a whole quiver-full of sunbeams seemed to shoot up and pierce a mass of overhanging clouds; — then, amidst the radiance which he had thus thrown round himself, the sun went down, telling us to be content with an allowance of half an hour’s twilight. Up sprang the silent stars, most of them old familiar faces, though not exactly in their old places. The Pleiades twinkled right above us, as if suspended like a silver crown upon our topmast. Orion took up his position in front, and our bow seemed to cut his belt asunder. The horizon had a girdle of clouds, but all above was clear. Several songs were sung by the passengers and officers; and it was pleasant to hear these words, with their cheerful but solemn music, in such a scene, —

What arc the wild waves saying,
Sister, the whole day long,

14i EGYPT.

That ever amid our playing,

I hear but their low lone song?
Not by the sea-side only,

There it sounds wild and free,
But at night, when ’tis dark and lonelj.

In dreams it is still with me.

No, it is something greater,

That speaks to the heart alone — The voice of the great Creator

Dwells in that mighty tone.”

On Thursday evening we got sight of the light-house

of Alexaudria; but we had to “He to” all night, as

tliu haiL»(Air can only be entered by daylight. Next

moiiiiiig, with the first streak of dawn, -vve made for

iLc port. The sunrise was fine. I had risen about

fivi:; and as I went on deck the moon was just coming

u[.,- in her last quarter. Not a cloud or mist (liiumod

the kky. In a short time a pale whiteness spread over

the eastern horizon —

“The stars o’er the lighthouse set faintly and few, And the wave’s level blackness was trembling to blue.”

Then there seemed to rise up in the east a wall of dusky red. Gradually this grew brighter, till, like a solid sphere of flame, the sun came up in his strength, behind the low, broad land of Egypt. We had seen suns as bright, perhaps, and mornings as calm; but it was our first morning in the East, and that sun brought with it the memory of other suns, long set, — the suns of ages past, that had risen over the same level sands, and iiglited up the same blue sea. Sand, sea, sun, and sky vN’ere all the same as in the Jays of the Pharaohs. One age had gone and another had come, but the land had altered little. The old race had passed away and a new one risen, — but here was Egypt still!

The pilotage is in the possession of one family, in which there are several brothers, who are said to exercise their monopoly in the way most convenient and easy, — refusing to obey signals from vessels till they have quielly finished their breakfast, however urgent the case may be. It is said, however, that death is the penalty when any vessel is WTecked in their hands. In Phoenician days, the office of pilot seems to have been one of honour, — “Thy wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots” (Ezek. xxvii. 8),- — “the suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots” (Ih. xxvii. 28).

We moved slowly into the harbour, with the old Pharos to the left, and shipping all round; steamers and vessels of every kind from every land. It was a goodly sight. All was Eastern. Our pilot, with his red tm’ban, long robe, and white stockings; — custom-house officers superl)ly dressed in Oriental fashion; — boats with lateen sails, — and smaller skiffs, whose boatmen rise mth every stroke of the oar; a boatful of Arab beggars; the Pasha’s palace, — all these told us how truly we were in the” land of Egypt’’