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10 November 1908 — En route to Malta | |
Tuesday. 10th [November 1908]. On waking about 7 a.m. I found we were within sight of Malta so I hurried on my clothes & went on deck to see the entrance to the harbour which is very picturesque– There was a nice looking girl of about 12 also looking out in a state of excitement—she spoke Italian but said she was English & was going to stay with her sister who was employed at the theatre– Every large building we passed she said she was sure must be the theatre—& at last to her joy she recognised the blue dress of the beloved sister on the Quay. She said they had long lived at Milan. We went very slowly up the harbour & at last I saw an Admiralty launch approaching with Myles Ponsonby on board who had come to fetch me. He came on board & exchanged civilities with our Capt who ordered us to be served with coffee of wh I was glad as I had had no tea. In a few minutes the launch conveyed us to the steps of the Police station where the Duke of Connaught’s motor car was waiting to convey us to San Antonio Palace. There we got a little before 9 a.m. & were therefore in time for 9.15 breakfast which was laid out of doors on a round stone balcony out of the dining room window. The party consists of T.R.H. The Duke & Duchess of Connaught, Miss Pelly (lady in waiting), Capt Bulkeley & Myles Ponsonby (ADC). The weather was bright & pleasurably warm. I had a very cordial welcome– The rooms I lodge in are those generally used by Princess Patricia who is still in England. I have a large sitting room out of wh is a bathroom on one on the other a large bedroom. The bed is protected from mosquitos & sandflies by a kind of meat safe—white net stretched on to white wood & is fastened to the wall that there is a room for tables & chairs under it besides the bed. The long corridor out of my room includes the D. & Dss & Miss Pelly’s rooms– I rested after breakfast till lunch at 1.30 & afterwards the Duchess took me out for a drive in the motor car to show me some of the Island—which is most oriental looking—stoney & bare & with small flat roofed houses. The natives must be very industrious as every inch of ground available is cultivated & enclosed by walls formed of the stones they have diligently picked off the fields—but is has rather a dreary appearance as the roads are narrow & the walls so high it is not always easy to see over them. There are sort of small square towers everywhere, where the peasants keep their stores, & tools locked up when they return at night to the villages. The green crops are much behind this year on account of the little rain that has fallen. Prince Louis of Battenberg dined with the Connaughts this evening to take leave as he sails tomorrow to take his new Command of the Atlantic Fleet at Malta as a full Admiral. He has been a long time at Malta & had 3 days notice of his change so had to sell his house & pack & be off in haste. | |
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