Collections : [Yale University -Yale Center for British Art]

Constructed in the mid-18th century, Fort Chambray on the island of Gozo (part of the Maltese Archipelago) rises up from the sea and contains a sizeable barracks. It was briefly occupied by British troops during the Crimean War (1853-56).

Tabarka is a coastal town situated in the northwest of Tunisia.

The "Giant's Tower" refers to the Ġgantija temple complex, thought to be constructed in Malta around 3500 BCE. These megalithic temples are the oldest stone structures of this magnitude, and thought to be dedicated to a fertility cult, by the presence of several thousand statuettes of the "Venus" type (Sorlini 140).

The capital city on the island of Gozo is Rabbato, which was re-named "Victoria" by the British in the late 19th century. The city is dominated by a citadel, Il Castello, the site of fortifications since ancient Phoenicians ruled the island.

Visible in the distance is Victoria Peak, which dominated early views of the city. Settlement soon began to encroach higher as the city expanded, with the most prestigious Western-style settlements on the peak.

This view perhaps records British vessels anchored at Dockyard Creek, Valetta. Porcher would later depart for Benghazi in the HMS Boxer in November 1860.

Visible within Porcher's view is the Aci Castello, a Norman castle built in the eleventh century, and the surrounding town after the castle's namesake. These are at the base of the volcanic Mount Etna, said to be the home of the Cyclops.