1839 July 25 Friday 26

...Ceylon, Powerful & Daphne.     Having been employed navigating the ship (the master being in the list) & attending to my own duties, I have not now time to spare for some days than would allow of my making the preceding brief remarks; however having cleared up the topsails this morning I went ashore to obtain an idea of the City of Valletta, the harbour & fortifications of which are the most magnificent in the known world. I find on referring to the different histories which mention Malta that it is recorded to have been in the possession of the Phaenicians as early as 1500 years before the birth of our saviour. - This the Hypecia of Homer who mentions it in the Odessey but its name was subsequently changed to Ogygia & it was while learning the name that the Phaenicians were vanquished by the Greeks & driven from the