James Guidney

“ When it arrived there, the Portuguese authorities resolved in a council of war to prevent its landing; they therefore sailed on to Gibraltar, and remained there in garrison about five years, which gave James Guidney a good opportunity of seeing every thing connected with that place.
Gibraltar is a town situated at the extreme south of Andalusia, in Spain, on a narrow neck of land running into the sea. It is built at the foot of a rock of the same name, and is strongly fortified both by nature and art. ”

“ While the Forty-eighth Regiment was stationed at Malta General Abercrombe [1] landed on the island, with an army of sixty thousand men, on his way to Egypt. Having reviewed the troops then lying in Malta, he chose the Forty-eighth Regiment to accompany him on his expedition; but altering his mind after they had embarked, he left them on the other side Malta, at Fort Angelo, and proceeded without them. Here James Guidney lost an eye from ophthalmia. ”

“ At day break every morning this gun is fired, and then the drummer of each guard beats the réveille, which is the signal for the guards to turn out. At the close of the réveille, which lasts a quarter of an hour, all the guards turn in again, except the sentries, who remain on sentry till relieved by others, which is done every two hours. ”

“ After a four months' siege they surrendered, and were allowed to return to France. The English then took possession of the citadel.
James Guidney having had a good opportunity of viewing the island, during a stay of nearly three years, thinks that a short description will not be out of place here. Malta is an island in the Mediterranean, lying between Africa and Sicily; it is twenty miles long, twelve broad, and contains about eighty thousand inhabitants. Grapes, figs, oranges, lemons, and cotton are the principal objects of cultivation. ”