had been prevented from taking their usual allowance-as is often the case in modern times under similar circumstances-to recruit their sinking spirits with a hearty meal. He stood up in the midst, took bread, and giving thanks to God, himself set the example, which was followed by the two hundred and seventysix persons on board, who afterwards awaited the catastrophe with cheerful confidence in the Divine mercy. As the vessel was labouring heavily at her anchors, they lightened her by throwing overboard the remainder of their cargo. The day now broke, and disclosed a shore unknown to them; but they perceived an opening in the iron-bound coast, and determined to run the ship into it. They cut their cables, hoisted their artemon, or foresail, and with mingled feelings of hope and apprehension, committed themselves to the Divine guidance.

The controversy that has so long been maintained respecting the identity of that "Melita" upon which the Apostle was wrecked, would have been easily settled had the details of his course been scanned with the eye of a seaman as well as those of a scholar, when the assumption that it was the "Meleda" of the Adriatic Sea would have plainly appeared to be utterly inconsistent with the whole course so indicated, both before and subsequent to the shipwreck. This scientific examination of the subject has recently been made by Mr. Smith of Jordan-hill, to whose work we are indebted for the brief outline which will there be found completely filled up. His researches tend to confirm in the strongest manner the popular tradition, that the spot at Malta called "St. Paul's Bay," is really that where the Apostle was driven ashore.

Having in another work given a particular description of St. Paul's Bay, as well as of the island of Malta, but a brief notice of it can properly be given in this place. Suffice it to say, then, there is every ground for believing that tradition-in so many instances doubtful or obscure-is here in exact conformity with the requirements of the Scripture narrative. The bay, on

the shore of which the ship is believed to have grounded, is on the south-east side of the island, precisely in the line of her drift from the western shore of Crete. At its mouth is a bold rocky island called Salmoon, upon which has lately been erected a colossal statue of St. Paul. Between one end of this island and the mainland is a narrow inlet, through which the sea would force its way from without, thus crossing the main current setting in through the mouth of the bay. There, it is presumed, is the spot where the two seas met, and where the vessel, running head foremost upon the mud, stuck fast, while the hinder part being exposed to the heavy seas, was broken to pieces. The bay is studded round with objects recalling the tradition. Here

is the "Fountain of the Apostle," of which he first drank after going ashore, and a small chapel and fort bearing his name. About two miles inland is a grotto, where he is said to have retired; while at Citta Vecchia, which in the Apostle's day was the capital of the island and the residence of the governor, are further memorials of his abiding there; and although some of these sites are probably fanciful, the main fact of the shipwreck may now be considered as fully established. After remaining

three months in the island of Malta, Paul and his companions departed for Puteoli in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the isle.

The first place where he landed was Syracuse, on the eastern coast of Sicily, where he remained three days. This city, founded by a Corinthian colony, had attained a state of great magnificence. It is memorable in history for its two great sieges, the first by the Greeks, and the second by the Romans. During a war with the people of Leontini, the latter implored the assistance of the Athenians, who availing themselves of this pretext to besiege Syracuse, as the first step towards the conquest of the whole of Sicily, assembled accordingly a large fleet at Corcyra (Corfu), and thence repaired to Rhegion (Reggio). Having been disappointed of the succours promised by the other Sicilian cities hostile to Syracuse, the Athenians were compelled to undertake the siege of this great city by themselves. The original seat of the Corinthian colony was the island of Ortygia, at the mouth of one of the finest harbours in the world. This island, surrounded by fortifications, was afterwards joined to the peninsula forming its northern angle, which received the name of Acradina, and was defended by a second wall. As the city continued to increase, two suburbs were thrown out and enclosed within additional defences. Still further inland they extended along a boldly rising ground as far as the Labdalon and Euryalus, while on the opposite side of the harbour was the fort of the Olympeion.

The famous siege of Syracuse by the Athenians would, of itself, fill a chapter; suffice it to say here, that after a long and desperate struggle, both by land and sea, the great harbour having become the scene of several sea-fights, the Athenians were at length decisively beaten, and compelled to abandon their ships, and attempt escaping by land towards Calonia, but were overtaken by Gylippus, and forced to surrender at discretion.

Syracuse continued to increase in extent and splendour until it

was besieged by the Romans under Marcellus. The whole of the high ground extending to the Labdalon, had by this time been enclosed with a wall; the new quarter of Neapolis, also fortified, had arisen, so that there may be said to have been five cities now united together. Its different walls are said to have extended twenty-two miles in length, and to have contained upwards of a million of inhabitants. Archimedes, the greatest mechanist of the age, was among the defenders of the city, and by his stupendous machinery, completely defeated the utmost efforts of the Romans. Vast beams of wood, with grappling hooks at the end, were made to descend upon their vessels, and, raising them out of the water, to dash them with their crews upon the shore, or sink them; while others were set on fire by burningglasses. The paralysed besiegers declared that they were fighting against the gods, and Marcellus was compelled to turn the siege into a blockade; nor was it until, taking advantage of a festival of Diana, when the people incautiously gave themselves up to revelry, that he succeeded in making himself master of the Epipolæ. The island still held out, and it was only by the treachery of the mercenary troops, that the city was at length compelled to surrender, and was reluctantly given up to pillage by the Roman general.

During the attack, Archimedes, it is said, was deeply engaged over a problem, when a soldier broke in, and killed him by mistake, to the great concern of Marcellus, who had offered a large reward to any one who would bring him alive into his presence. The city was then rifled of its innumerable objects of art, which were borne away to Rome, where they contributed greatly to form. that taste for art which afterwards prevailed among the people.

Notwithstanding this declension from its original splendour, Syracuse was still a great and magnificent city when St. Paul and his vessel entered its harbour, and probably conveyed to its inhabitants the first tidings of Christianity which had ever been heard in Sicily. Whether he made any converts is not, however,

222

SUPERSTITION OF THE SICILIANS.

recorded. From this period, the city, like the Roman Empire itself, gradually declined, and after suffering from Arabian inroads and domestic feuds, has dwindled down to an insignificant modern town, confined exclusively to that portion originally settled by its founders, namely, the island of Ortygia.

66

"At the present moment," says the judicious Mrs. Starke, Syracuse is chiefly famed for its excellent hotel Il Sole, the Sun," and those who may think such an announcement too trivial for notice, would form a different opinion if they knew the filth and starvation of Sicilian inns in general. It was therefore with feelings of lively satisfaction that, as we ascended the rugged ground of Acradina, and saw the ancient island of Ortygia and the town of Syracuse, surrounded by the strong walls built by Charles V., we looked forward to somewhat better quarters than at the wretched hovel of Lentini, in which necessity had obliged us to take refuge the preceding night. We found "Il Sole" fully bearing out its reputation, a perfect oasis of comfort in the surrounding desert of misery, and were the more surprised at it, since it is not now on a line of high road, and the travellers who visit it are comparatively few and far between.

On sallying forth from this delectable hostelry into the streets of Syracuse, everything bears an air of decay and misery. A squalid population vegetate in a state of moral and industrial torpor, although under a sky of cloudless serenity, and in one of the most fertile islands of the world. Such is the superstition of the Sicilians, that even the Neapolitans cry out against them. One of the latter assured me that instead of contenting themselves with the wooden effigies of our Saviour commonly made use of in Italy, they have been known to hire a poor wretch to submit to be fastened up in the painful attitude of crucifixion, in order to stimulate more powerfully the feelings of the devout. Their ferocity is in proportion to their superstition. I was assured by the vice-consul that, on the appearance of the cholera, which they ignorantly attributed to some machinations of the