Tuesday 29th March 1853

"Malta"
 Image copyright of P&O Heritage

This morning the wind had considerably abated and the sea was much quieter. About 8 o’clock we found ourselves opposite Goza, one of the Maltese group  of islands and coasting along this, passing this still smaller island Cuneiro ,we arrived at, Valetta, the capital of Malta about 10 o’clock forenoon...

...I had undertaken the charge of two ladies, and along with another gentleman and his wife, we went ashore by means of a small boat, many of which were at the ship’s side waiting for the passengers. On reaching the shore we ascended a considerable way by means of stairs till we reached the town and then up narrow steep streets towards the principal squares of the town. There we proceeded first to some shops where some of our party wished to make purchases. A jewellers shop was the first of them in which we found some trinkets for which I believe Malta is celebrated, made of coral and lava. Of the coral are formed small articles such as keys, anchors crosses, shoes, horse-shoes etc called charms usually strung together in bunches of 6 or more, and worn attached to the watch chain, believed by the Italians, I was told,, to have a protecting influence over the wearer.Of the lava, white, greenish gray, or light greenish brown colours are made brooches with figures cut on them in relief. Of both materials I saw bracelets of various forms, some composed of links of fanciful form fastening over the wrist with a clasp, or of beads strung upon a thin band of vulcanised indian rubber. The most novel of these however were the serpents composed of joints adapted neatly to one another, strung upon a spring forming two coils on a spiral, which could be opened out sufficiently to enable it to be passed over the hand clasping the wrist comfortably when in its place a carved head projected from one end of the spiral which terminated in a neat tail at the other.Some of these serpents were also formed of shell such as cameos are sometimes made of. Another class of articles was composed of silver filigree work such as brooches, card cases etc very beautiful. A basket was shown us of this kind of manufacture which had been exhibited at the Great Exhibition in London, 1851, and for which the artist had obtained a prize medal and a certificate both of which were displayed in the shop.In another shop which we visited some articles of French manufacture were to be found cheap- articles of ladies dress and kid gloves, with some of the last of which I supplied myself.
The streets were in general narrow, some very much so, and some worthy of being called broad. The architecture was peculiar, the most noticeable features being the prevalence of large windows projecting above the ground story, overhanging the street. There were several fine squares in the town, some public buildings of modern architecture, but more of them ancient- old churches or large residences of Italian appearance some of them formerly tenanted by the Knights of Malta
From our elevated spot we had a view of the principal harbour containing a great many vessels of different countries among them a considerable number of large ships of war. All around the harbour were the fortifications which I did not inspect, but which are said to be almost as strong as those of Gibraltar. We then visited St John’s Church...

...We next visited the English protestant church erected by the late Queen Dowager Adelaide, a very handsome building externally and equally chaste and handsome in its interior: the simplicity being a great relief from the overpowering gorgeousness of the building we had just left. Thence we proceeded to the Governor’s residence in which we had a view of the dining room, a fine room with portraits of some of the old Grand Masters...

...After having posted some letters and seen two of the ladies of our party on board, I returned to the other lady and gentleman (a young married couple) at a hotel where we had luncheon. We then hired a one horse car and set off, with the intention of proceeding to Civita Vecchia (the old city) some 6 mile distant where there are extensive catacombs, and a cave, called St Pauls cave in which it is stated the Apostle resided for 3 months when shipwrecked. The car in which we rode is worthy of notice a it was in the general style of these vehicles in Malta. The body was of the ordinary form of an English car, but the axle tree was far back, as far as the back of the body, instead of being below its middle...

...One of the most characteristic features of the town is the number of priests on the streets, generally dressed in black with  breeches and stockings, black cloaks, and great broad brimmed hats turned up to some extent like the three cornered cocked hat. Some we also saw walking to and from the churches in white robes. Men in Moorish and Oriental costumes we also saw on the street, though not in greater proportion than in Gibraltar. Instead of the graceful Spanish costume of the ladies, the Maltese fashion is a kind of hood held over the head, something like the petticoat drawn up over the head: most of the females however we saw in this dress were of the poorer class, those of higher rank being almost all in English dress and apparently English people. A few of the girls, apparently natives, were rather pretty, though personal beauty did not appear to be very characteristic of the population...

..Many of the passengers went to the Italian Opera, which is open every alternate evening, but we returned to the vessel about 9oclock, the Sultan carrying mail and passengers from Marseilles, arrived in the harbour, passing us in the dark. A few gentlemen of her company came aboard our vessel shortly afterwards, and later in the evening, the greater part of our own passengers came on board also.


The full journal will be published by Annet House Museum, Linlithgow in May. Waldie's journey to India will form a key feature of the museum's Waldie exhibition which will open to the public on 18 May.

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