themselves into the sea first, while the rest, some on spars, and some on broken pieces of the ship, made their way to land; and thus, as the Apostle had said, the whole company escaped safely (Acts xxvii. 44). CHAPTER II. _THE RECEPTION AT MALTA, AND ARRIVAL AT ROME._ A.D. 60, 61. THUS flung upon the shore, the exhausted voyagers ascertained that the island was none other than Melita[1140], at that time much uncultivated and overrun with wood, and inhabited by a population of Phœnician origin, who not being of Greek or Roman descent were designated _barbarians_ (Acts xxviii. 2). But the reception they gave to the shipwrecked crew proved that they were no savages, for hurrying down to the beach, they eagerly afforded all possible relief to their wants. The rain was falling in torrents, and the weather was extremely cold. Lighting a fire therefore on the shore, they welcomed them all to its genial warmth. Foremost amongst those gathering the sticks to increase the much-needed blaze was the Apostle himself, and as he did so, a viper came out of the heat and fastened on his hand. The incident did not escape the notice of the islanders. _This man_, said they, _must be a murderer: he has escaped from the sea, but vengeance suffereth him not to live_. But the Apostle no sooner flung off the creature without suffering any injury, than their feelings underwent an instant change[1141], and they said that he was a god. Near the place where the vessel had been lost, Publius, the Roman governor[1142] of the island, had some possessions. For three days he entertained the shipwrecked strangers with much hospitality, and the Apostle was enabled to requite his attentions by miraculously healing his father, who lay afflicted with fever and dysentery (Acts xxviii. 8). The fame of this cure soon spread abroad, and others afflicted with disease repaired to the Apostle and experienced similar healing effects.