that it was in many parts below the level of the sea, for which reason he at once abandoned the idea of working on either of the original drains, and determined on endeavouring to force the water to the sea through another channel. He accordingly threw up an embankment across the basin into which the waters fall from the springs, at a little distance from the source, and thereby turned the course of the water from the direction of the swamp into a canal which he has cut eastward of it. This canal extends of course to the sea, and the water now descends through it, over a sandy bottom, in a rapid and comparatively pure stream. Its channel is from twelve to fourteen feet broad, and four or five feet deep. The banks are formed as yet only of the soil that has been thrown up from the canal, but they could soon be consolidated, by bringing materials, which are plentiful at a short distance, and which one would imagine Ibrahim Pasha will immediately cause to be done, before the winter rains set in, and destroy them. The canal had only been completed fourteen days previous to our arrival, yet the effect it will have in drying up the swamp was already evident, by our having walked dryly over places that had been covered ankledeep with water three weeks before. This was particularly the case near the town. It may be necessary to fill up the former drains, before the swamp can be thoroughly dried, or its land made fit for cultivation. A wall will also be required at the mouth of the canal, to prevent the sea rushing in. The inhabitants have already derived great benefit from having the comparatively pure water to drink which this stream affords; and, since the canal has been opened, Mr. M. assures me, there has been much less sickness in the town. The ships may likewise procure this water, and hence, probably, one of the main causes of mortality among their crews has been removed. That the atmosphere of Iskenderoon is not so deleterious as it has been represented, may perhaps be inferred from the circumstance, that the marble monuments in the churchyard, exposed to the air, bearing the dates from 1682 to 1744, are free from the least collection of vegetable matter, and as pure in colour as when first erected. Mr. Martinelli submitted his original plans to Ibrahim Pasha, who, having highly approved of them, directed the governor to furnish him with any number of persons he might require to carry them into execution. A body of four or five hundred labourers were accordingly placed at his disposal, and in three weeks, he having previously determined his levels, the canal was opened at the sea. But, as these labourers have not received any payment, Mr. M. has discontinued to employ them, though he has made Ibrahim Pasha fully acquainted with the present state of the canal, and what is yet required to be done. Mr. Martinelli was formerly in the military service of the former Pasha of Bagdad, and had NO. 35.-VOL. JV. E travelled through most parts of Mesopotamia, in Persia, and in Syria, and is a person of considerable attainments and intelligence. If Iskenderoon, by the above-mentioned means, can be rendered a comparatively healthy spot, as it is acknowledged to be the safest bay for ships on the coast of Syria, it will probably again become the place at which the merchandise of Aleppo will be landed and shipped. The town should be rebuilt on the plain near the sources of the springs, a mile from the beach, where the air is pure, and the magazines and storehouses only be built by the water side. The bay of Iskenderoon has not been altogether deserted by merchant-vessels since Mr. Martinelli has resided here. Seven English vessels from London and Liverpool, and two French from Marseilles, have discharged their cargoes. The imported goods are forwarded to Aleppo and Bagdad on camels. A caravan of seventy camels was dispatched with English merchandise while we were at Iskenderoon, which had been purchased by fourteen merchants of Aleppo, who intended sending the greater part of it as far as Bagdad. Mr. M. had sent off two hundred camels, also laden with British goods, about three weeks before; and, within the time of his residence, (fourteen months,) he had dispatched one thousand laden camels into the interior. The caravan takes five days to reach Aleppo, which is about thirty-six hours of a travellers ordinary rate of going. The British vessels bring manufactured goods, copperas, indigo, cochineal, and pepper, and receive in return, cotton, wool, gallnuts, dyes, and spices, and occasionally a considerable quantity of gold and silver, the gold in bars, and silver in masses. The last English vessel, Mr. Martinelli informed me, received specie on board to the amount of 800,000 francs. The present number of residents at Iskenderoon is about two hundred persons. The town of Iskenderoon is now a mass of ruins. Though we saw plenty of cattle grazing near the town, we could only procure two small bullocks, and those with some difficulty. The people said their stock had been too much reduced of late, by having to supply the large bodies of soldiers who had passed by the town. A few fowls were purchased at a dear rate. The vegetables we obtained were onions, pumpkins, and brinjoes. No fruit was offered for sail, and we did not see any gardens near the town. The longitude of our anchorage was 35° 12′ 38′′ E., and the difference in time shewn by our chronometers, between this spot and the Arab's tower, Rhodes, long. 0° 31′ 55.5"; variation by amplitude, 8° 40′ W. Antwerp or English Ft. TABLE X. For reducing Antwerp feet to English, and English to 35 32.794 37.354 72 67.463 26 24-362 27.749 63 67.237 100 93.699 106.725 200 187-397 213-450 69.371 300 281-096 320.176 70.439 400 374-794 426.901 500 468-493 533.626 2000 1873-9712134.504 VI. THE RENEGADE.* OF all the little unhappy prejudices which in different parts of the globe it has been my fortune, or rather misfortune, to witness, I nowhere remember to have met with a deeper-rooted hatred, or a more implacable animosity, than existed, some twenty or thirty years ago, in the hearts of the Maltese towards the Turks. In all warm glowing latitudes, human passions, good, as well as bad, may be said to stand at least at that degree which on Fahrenheit's scale would be denoted "fever heat;" and steam itself can hardly be more different from ice; the Bengal tiger springing on his prey, cannot form a greater contrast to that half-frozen fisherman, the white bear, as he sits on his iceberg sucking his paws; than are the passions of hot countries, when compared with the cold torpid feelings of the inhabitants of the northern regions of the globe. In all parts of the Mediterranean, I found passions of all sorts very violent, but, without any exception, that which, at the period I refer to, stood uppermost in the scale, was bigotry. Besides the eager character which belonged to their latitude, one might naturally expect that the Maltese, from being islanders, would be rather more ignorant and prejudiced than their continental neighbours; however, in addition to these causes, when I was among them, they really had good reason to dislike the Turks, who, during the time of the knights, had been ex officio their constant and most bitter enemies. Whether these fine valiant knights of Jerusalem conquered the Turks, or were defeated, the Maltese on board their galleys (like the dwarf who fought with the giant) always suffered besides this, their own little trading-vessels were constantly captured by the said Turks, the crews being not only maltreated and tortured, but often in cold blood cruelly massacred; in short, if there was any bad feeling in the heart of a Maltese, which the history of his island, as well as every bitter recollection of his life, seemed naturally to nourish, it was an implacable hatred for the Turks; and, that this sad theory was most fully supported by the fact, became evident the instant one observed a Maltese, on the commonest subject, utter that hated, accursed word, "Turco," or Turk. The sort of petty convulsion of the mind with which this dissyllable was delivered, was really very remarkable, and the roll and flash of the eye-the little bullying shake of the head-the slight stamp of the left foot-and the twitch in the fingers of the right hand, reminded one for the moment of the manner in which a French dragoon, when describing an action, mentions that his regiment came on "sabre à la main!" words which, if you were to give him the universe, he could not pronounce without grinding his teeth, much From a delightful little work, noticed in our last volume, entitled, "Bubbles from the Brunnens of Nassau," published by Murray. less with that cold-hearted simplicity with which one of our soldiers would calmly say, "sword in hand." This hatred of the Maltese towards the Turks was a sort of cat and dog picture which always attracted my notice; however, I witnessed one example of it, on which occasion I felt very strongly it was carried altogether beyond a joke. In One lovely morning, I remember it as if it were yesterday, there had been a great religious festival in the island, which, as usual, had caused a good deal of excitement, noise, and fever; and, as a nation seldom allays its thirst without quarrelling, as soon as the hot sun set, a great many still hotter disturbances took place. one of these rows, a party of Turks, justly or unjustly, became offended with the inhabitants; an affray occurred, and a Mahometan having stabbed a Maltese, he was of course thrown into prison; and, in process of time, surrounded by a strong guard, he was led into the Maltese court to be tried (Anglice, condemned) for the offence. As he threaded his way through the crowd which had assembled in those dirty passages and dark chambers that led to the tribunal, the women shrunk back as the "Turco" passed them, as if his very breath would have infected them with the plague; while, in the countenances of the men, as they leant forwards, arresting him in his progress, and almost touching him with their brown faces, it was evident that they were all animated with but one feeling, and one desire, that is to say, hatred and revenge: however, nothing was heard but a very slight murmur, or groan, and the prisoner was soon seen a little raised above the crowd, trembling at the bar. He was a diminutive, mean-looking, illfavoured little fellow, dressed in the loose Turkish costume, with a very small dirty white turban, the folds of which were deemed more odious to the Christian eye than if they had been formed by the wreathing body of the serpent. While the crowd were shouldering each other, head peeping over head, and before the shuffling of moving feet could be silenced, avvocati, or clerks, who sat in the small space between the prisoner and the bench, were seen eagerly mending their pens, and they had already dipped them into ink, and the coarse, dirty, rough-edged paper on which they were to write was folded, and placed in the front of them, before it was possible to commence the trial. The court was insufferably hot, and there was such a stench of garlic, and of clothing impregnated with the stale fumes of tobacco, that one longed almost as much as the prisoner to escape into the open air, while the sallow faces of the avvocati, clerks, and every one connected with the duties of the court, shewed how unhealthy, as well as offensive, was the atmosphere which they breathed. On the bench sat what one must call the judges, but to an English mind such a title but ill belonged to those who had only lately been forced, most reluctantly, to expel torture from their code. Just |