From Leonard Darwin to Emma Darwin 19 and 20 September [1875]

Dear Mother

Here I am comfortably settled and going to begin the regular swing of work tomorrow. It was a great blessing having some one to meet me on board the ship, as most passengers get unmercifully swindled on landing here. I think that I have told you that we live in a private house, nicknamed the RE house, which the unmarried subs have rented for some years  It is in a part of the town called Florian, that is the base of the Peninsular of which Valletta is the point. We have a pleasant little garden for Malta, but it is not much like a garden anywhere else, as it consists chiefly of stone pavement, stone flights of steps and very commonplace stattues  But it is one of the best in Florian, and contains a little orange grove, with a fair supply of green oranges. In the house there are four of us at present, and our establishment consists of two men servants and a boy who does all the work. It is a pleasant house with two large sitting rooms and two spare bed rooms and our windows look out onto the great harbour. We are about ten minutes walk from Valletta, in which much of our work lies. The RA and RE mess house is there in a great building called the Castile, all the rooms being too large for comfort, considering we are quite a small mess. Our uniform consists here of the blue jacket that we we wear at home, but all turned white and a pith helmet with a brass spike at the top. In this array, all borrowed for the occasion, and not fitting too well, I went down yesterday morning to report myself to Colonel Wray, our chief; He was very civil and pleasant and talked to me about the work he was going to put me to; I shall be what is called ""on a district"" which means doing the commonplace RE work of a garrison town, but as I dont know what that is I cant describe it. There never was such a post here as an officer in charge of the photography and telegraphy, and, although the work I shall be doing will be very dull I know it is probably much the best thing for me, as one cant go on for ever in total ignorance of ones profession. He also said that in about a year's time I should be most likely employed on building some of the forts, of which work there is a good deal going on; at first joining a lieutenant is always put to district work but as others join, and shove him up the list, he gets more interesting work.

Monday

I do not think that I have ever said whether I like this place or not. Perhaps it is rather too early to judge, but it seems to me, that with the amount of work there is to do here, it ought to be very pleasant here when the weather is not too hot. During the three days I have been here, every one has been saying how cool it is, but I cant quite agree with them. It was about 75^0^ in a big cool room yesterday, and when it is 75 in the shade it is still warm in the sun to English ideas. I have not seen anything of Major Harris since the P and O Boat left, and so I suppose he has gone on, very foolishly I think.

This morning I have begun work regularly by having a week of Orderly duty, inspecting every thing in the barracks and that sort of thing. Beside which I have been partly initiated into the mysteries of district work; this seems to consist in looking after all the little repairs alterations that must be necessary in the fortifications from time to time; also for estimating for any new alterations or additions to the barracks and fortifications that it is proposed to ask money for. None of the items are very large, for instance much the largest one for next year is some alteration estimated at £700. I am also on a Sanitary Committee which sounds rather swell, but which has nothing much to do. I have hardly seen anything of the country about yet, and I dont suppose I shall till the cool weather has regularly set in. I have just come across a book on the table here, which they call the History of the RE house. No 105 Strada Miratore—Floriana was built in 1778 at the end of last century it was inhabited by Cavaliere Angelo Emo, supreme admiral of the Republic of Venice, whose bust now disfigures our garden. After which it passed into the hands of some of the knights of Malta, until they were no more and evey since the English rule, it has been rented by some English officer, until the year 1861 when it was taken by RE officers and has remained in their possession ever since. If I dont take care shall write myself dry and that would be awful  Next time I will try to get better ink, better pens, and better paper as the three together have nearly given me a fit.

I have now got to go to a bathing parade of the men which prevents me going to bathe myself I am sorry to say. There is a first rate officers bathing place, got up by subscription where I went and had a delicious bathe yesterday; it is going be shut up soon as it is getting so ""awfully cold."" I believe the mail goes out tomorrow again so goodbye

Your affec son | Leonard Darwin

With regard to leave, there seems to be no difficulty in getting two months leave every year, which means about six weeks in England, so that I am sure to be at home some time next summer though I cant say when as I shall have to suit myself to others. Dewing is away now for two months leave, and there is no one here that I know very well; the two others I dont very much care for, but I daresay we shall get along very well. Valletta is very much like an Italian town I expect, long narrow streets of yellow houses, with no roofs visible, and every now and then a very strong perfume. The entrance to the harbour is wonderfully picturesque, it is a narrow entrance between two strong forts, with the [town] standing up behind; Gib looks like a place naturally strong, but I never saw a place that was more artificially strong than this appears to be. After reporting to Colonel Wray, he took me down to make an official call on the Governour; who seems a pleasant mannered man, and was very civil for the few seconds that I saw him.