Lear's third visit to Malta, from December 1865 until April 1866, was a disappointing one as three of the friends on whose presence he had counted were away, Sir Henry Starks, Evelyn Baring and J. Strachan. As he wrote to Chichester Fortescue on 13 April 1866, he drew whatever he could find 'more because I happened to be there, and some work had to be done - than for any good it is likely to do me' (Lady Strachey, ed., Later Letters of Edward Lear, 1911, p.77). While in Malta Lear only sold #25 worth of drawings. Selmun Palace is in the north of Malta, near Melliema, and was built in the 18th Century by Domenico Cachio. Lear visited the palace on a short excursion from Valetta, where he did drawings on both the 9th and 11th March