The Ship-Dwellers: A Story of a Happy CruisePaine, Albert Bigelow
General
The Ship-Dwellers: A Story of a Happy Cruise
Paine, Albert Bigelow
Middle East -- Description and travel
Our crowd was waiting admission outside the chapel and we did not need
our guide any more. But that didn't matter--he needed us. He accepted
his salary to date, but he did not accept his discharge. We went into
the Chapel of Bones, which is a rather grewsome place, with a lot of
decorations made out of bleached human remnants--not a pleasant spot in
which to linger--and when we came out again there was our guide, ready
to take us in hand. We resisted feebly, but surrendered. We didn't care
for the regular programme and wanted to wander away, anyhow. He
suggested that we go to the Governor's palace and armory, so we went
there.
The armory was worth while. It was full of armor of the departed knights
and of old arms of every sort. We think breech-loading guns are modern,
but we saw them there from the sixteenth century--long, deadly-looking
weapons--and there were rope guns; also little mortars not more than
three or four inches deep--mere toys--a stout man with a pile of rocks
would be more effective, I should think.
We saw the trumpet, too, that led La Valette to victory in 1565, and
some precious documents--among them the Grant of Malta made by Charles
V. to the knights, 1530. These were interesting things and we lingered
there until within a minute of noon, when we went out into the grounds
to see the great bronze clock on the Governor's palace strike twelve.
And all the rest of our party had collected in the grounds of the
Governor's palace, and pretty soon the Governor came out and made us a
little speech of welcome and invited us to luncheon on the lawn, with
cold chicken and ices and nice fizzy drinks. No, that was not what
happened--not exactly. Our crowd was not there, and we did not see the
Governor and we were not invited to picnic on the lawn. Otherwise the
statement is correct. We did go out into the grounds, and we did see the
clock strike. The other things are what we thought should happen, and
they would have happened if we had received our just deserts.
Well, then, those things did not materialize, but our guide did. He
would always materialize, so long as we stayed in Malta. So we
re-engaged him and signified that we wanted food. He led us away to what
seemed to be a hotel, but the clerk, who did not speak English, regarded
us doubtfully. Then the landlord came. He had a supply of English but no
food. No one is fed at a hotel in Malta who has not ordered in advance.
At least, that is what he said, and we went away, sorrowing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account