I at once removed into a new lodging in a Greek house, which appeared tolerably clean and comfortable but as usual I found it full of fleas, which tormented me day and night. However, when I went to bed I hit upon a plan to relieve me at least of a good many of them, which fortunately proved successful. I placed a number of large plates filled with oil, having a wick in them; I then lighted the wicks, and the fleas, attracted by this, leaped into the plates, which in the morning were black with them, and by this means I got rid of the greatest part, and at length enjoyed some comfort.

I now determined to study the antiquities more at leisure, and set regularly about it. Every morning, immediately after breakfast, I proceeded to the Acropolis, and employed myself in drawing and measuring the Parthenon, Erechtheum, and other buildings until dinner time; and after, in the evening, I took walks and rides round the adjacent country. Having finished the Acropolis, I then proceeded to the Temples of Theseus and Jupiter Olympus, the Temple of the Winds, and the other antiquities, which occupied me about a month. All these splendid specimens of architecture have been so accurately described in the elaborate works of Stuart, Cockerell, Dodwell, Gell, and others, that it is unnecessary to describe them here. With regard to the Piræus, and the other ports of Athens, I examined them minutely, and for plans and description of them I refer to my work on ‘British and Foreign Harbours.’ I also saw a little of Athenian society. Amongst others, I made the acquaintance of the Maid of Athens (so celebrated by Byron), who was very pretty, ladylike, and agreeable. I was also most kindly received by Mr. Gropeus, the Austrian Consul, Mr. Logotheti, the English Consul, and by the well-known artist, Mr. Luzieri, who had made some fine views of Athens for Lord Elgin.

The Turks treated the Greeks with great contempt and very little ceremony. By way of illustration, I was present at the arrival of a new Governor or Vaivode. His Excellency came mounted on a beautiful white Arabian horse, surrounded by about a hundred well-mounted cavalry, all in the magnificent Turkish costume of the day; next there followed the hareem, in crimson-coloured carriages, each slung between two horses, and escorted on foot by numerous eunuchs and blacks, all splendidly attired; then the baggage, which was carried on the backs of horses, led and guarded by Greeks, mixed with Turkish soldiers on foot. The whole town turned out to witness the sight and welcome their new Governor, who scarcely deigned to look at them; whilst the attendants going before cleared the way with sticks, which they by no means used sparingly, dealing their blows right and left on everyone within reach. A number of Turkish lads amongst the crowd amused themselves by firing off their guns and pistols, which were loaded with ball and shot. They took no care which way they fired; sometimes in the air, sometimes on the ground, and sometimes straight forward amongst the crowd; of course everybody got out of the way, myself amongst the number. I saw one Greek who had his leg broken by a shot from a Turkish lad near me, at which he, the Turk, and the whole of his companions, shouted with joy, and seemed to think it great fun: at this I could not restrain my indignation, and being armed with a good stout stick, I rushed amongst them, striking right and left: some Greeks tried to stop me, but I stuck to them, and had the satisfaction of seeing that no more shots were fired except in the air. Nothing impressed the Turks with so much respect as courage and vigour; the more you humbled yourself, the more they bullied you, being anything but fond of fighting. I found from experience that this was the only way to treat them; for though frequently amongst them, and under the most trying circumstances, I was rarely molested. Afterwards I witnessed the entrance of the Pacha of Negropont, which was in the same style, but upon a more extended scale.

I occasionally visited the convents, inhabited by a few worthy monks, who kindly receive strangers and lodge and board them for a moderate sum. The situation is excellent, being in the higher part of the town, close to the beautiful remains of the Temple of the Winds, with a splendid view. Athens at the time of my visit was a poor miserable place, without an inn worthy of the name. It was surrounded by a crenellated wall, which even the artillery of that day would have demolished with a few rounds of shot. The Ilyssus and Cephisus are trifling streams, which, passing on the south side of the town, discharge their waters into the sea a few miles below. During summer there is scarcely any water, as it is conducted away by different channels for irrigation, so that the beds of these two rivulets are dry.

Having explored Athens sufficiently for my purpose, I determined to make a tour of the Morea, and accordingly hired a small decked vessel of about 30 tons to cross the Ægean Sea, leaving Athens for the Piræus on the 25th of March; and after waiting some time on board in the harbour, at seven on the 25th started, reached Ægina at eight, landed after breakfast, and proceeded on foot to the Temple of Jupiter, on a hill about a mile from the shore. We spent here nearly three hours measuring and examining the remains of this beautiful specimen of Greek architecture, and sketching the surrounding picturesque scenery; then started for the town and port of Ægina, whither I had sent the vessel to meet us, and was told that the distance was only three or four miles, which turned out to be nearly twelve, over a rough path, so that we did not reach Ægina until nearly 6 P.M., very tired and hungry, having had no lunch. The Temple of Jupiter is a fine specimen of the Doric, and is well described in Mr. C. R. Cockerell’s excellent work, to which the reader is referred. The small town of Ægina is situated about the middle of the west side of the island, facing the Morea, from which it is separated by a channel about eight or ten miles wide. The town and island of Ægina were governed by a Vaivode, who had a few Turkish soldiers, and was inhabited chiefly by fishermen and small traders. The surrounding country is hilly, with fertile valleys producing olives, vines, and grain, and beans of several kinds; and there are a few sheep and goats.

The next morning, the 26th March, I rose early and examined the port, which consisted of two artificial harbours, formed by two piers, each carried out from the shore, enclosing a considerable space of water, with a depth of about 10 or 12 feet. This was made by the ancients, and Mr. Cockerell gave me a plan of it, which is inserted in my work on ‘British and Foreign Harbours.’ It was then blowing very hard north-west and contrary; however, soon after noon the wind abated, when we embarked, and arrived at the little port or bay of Pilascro, the ancient Epidauros, on the opposite shore of the Morea, about five o’clock in the afternoon. Here we disembarked, and walked round the place, and could only discover what appeared to be the remains of a bath, and some mutilated figures near it; and a little farther some similar remains, but nothing remarkable; so that it would require considerable time to make anything out of them. In Sir W. Gell’s ‘Itinerary of the Morea’ what is there is well described.

We slept on board. On the 27th we rose at daylight, and found that the baggage horses, Greek servants, and an excellent Arabian horse, which I bought at Athens, and which I sent round by land, had arrived at Epidauros. Having disembarked our baggage and discharged the vessel, we loaded the baggage on the horses, after which we started for Napoli di Romania, a small town situated on the Gulf of Argos, not many miles distant from Epidauros, through an undulating, picturesque, and rich country. On account of the guide taking the wrong road, we were obliged to stop at the village of Tero, where there are a considerable number of Roman and Greek remains.

On Friday, 28th March, we started at half-past six, and at noon reached the picturesque fortress of Napoli di Romania, on the east side of the Gulf of Argos, situated on a lofty hill commanding the entrance to the gulf. The miserable town lay beneath the citadel, which, as well as the town itself, was strongly fortified according to the Venetian system, and was a place of considerable strength, garrisoned by a set of bigoted Turkish troops, imbued with a thorough hatred of Christians, so that I was strongly advised not to stop there. There was, however, no alternative, as there was no other place near. I therefore rode into the town, and took up my quarters at the English Vice-Consul’s, who was a Greek. Immediately after my arrival I went out, and tried to get into the citadel, in order to have a view of the town and surrounding country, which was very fine, but the Turks refused me admittance in the most insolent manner, and told me to get about my business as quickly as possible. I found that it was of no use to attempt to proceed farther, and returned at once to the town, and after having examined it, and found nothing worthy of notice, returned to my lodgings. Here the Vice-Consul came to me in a great fright, and said that the Turks had been much annoyed at my arrival, and that I must depart directly; strongly urging me to do so, as he said that he could not protect me, and if I stayed he would not be responsible for the consequences. I replied that as it was night it was too late to depart then, but that I would do so the next morning at daybreak. To this he consented. I accordingly supped, and went to bed. On the following morning my servant and myself were in the saddle before daybreak, and were at the gates of the fortress waiting for them to be opened. In Turkish fortresses at that day it was the custom to make every foreigner and Greek dismount and walk over the drawbridge. I thought that this was degrading, and determined not to do it. As soon, therefore, as the gates were opened, and the drawbridge let down, I started off at a rapid pace, and told Demetrius to follow me. In passing the Turkish guard, consisting of three or four badly-armed men, they called out to me to stop, which I disregarded, and galloped off as fast as I could. I had scarcely proceeded a couple of hundred yards when, turning round, I saw Demetrius in the hands of the Turks, who were belabouring him with sticks, and trying to pull him off his horse. He kicked and fought with all his might. I immediately rode back with a loaded pistol in each hand, and dashed amongst the Turks, who soon released my man, and spurring our horses we galloped off as hard as possible, never pulling rein for a full mile, and then, finding we were not followed, stopped and joined our men and baggage, whom I had left behind in a small Greek house before I entered Nauplia the preceding evening. Thus I got happily out of this affair, which might have been rather serious; but I always found the best way was to show a bold front to the Turks, and not allow them to insult you. After a little halt we started again, and stopped to examine the ruins of the ancient city of Tiryns, said to have been built by the Cyclopeans. These are very curious and interesting, and are supposed to be the oldest specimens of architecture in Greece. They are constructed of rough, only partially hewn blocks of stone, rudely put together without cement. We have here an attempt to construct a Gothic arch; but the stones are not radiated, the beds being flat, each stone projecting over another until they meet in the centre. These ruins are extensive, covering a surface of several acres. They are well described and represented in Gell’s ‘Itinerary.’

From Tiryns I proceeded to Mycene, about 12 miles farther northward. These ruins are also very extensive, and once formed the capital of Agamemnon, with a small surrounding territory. The chief building worthy of remark is the Hall of Atreus. This, of the kind, is a fine work, constructed of solid masonry, of large blocks of stone well squared, and put together without cement. The hall is circular, and 47 feet 6 inches in diameter in the inside, and 42 feet 6 inches high, the top covered by a single stone, thus forming a Gothic arch inside of squared blocks of stone, the beds being horizontal, and the stones projecting over each other in the inside until they meet in the centre, the angles of the projecting stones in the inside being cut off and dressed smoothly on the face, so that, when viewing it from within, the whole has the appearance of a nicely-constructed dome, lighted from the top by a circular opening. The side walls are 18 feet 6 inches at bottom, diminishing to 18 inches at top. It is a remarkable work, and may be considered as one of the earliest specimens of the arch, and a considerable improvement upon that of Tiryns. The entrance to the hall is by a massive doorway, the sides being formed of single stones well dressed, and the top of another single block equally well prepared; this is surmounted by another large block, upon which is sculptured in bold relief two lions rampant. The approach to the doorway is between two solid walls of masonry, forming a passage open to the air. This being near the summit of a hill, there is a fine view from it over the plain, or rather valley, beneath, backed by the ruins of the ancient city of Argos and its Acropolis, on the Gulf of Nauplia, and on the west by a fine range of mountains, the highest of which towers prominently above the rest, standing far above the level of the Mediterranean.

After having measured the Hall of Atreus, and having made a sketch of the surrounding country, during which my people had managed to cook an excellent dinner in the open air, I dined, and started about 4 P.M., and reached Argos at 5 P.M. The ruins of the ancient city contain little worthy of remark, and the modern one is a miserable village, seated amongst the ruins. The rich country was not half cultivated, merely dotted here and there with a few vineyards and olive woods. Argos is now about a mile from the head of the Gulf of Nauplia, but it is very probable that in former times the sea washed the walls of the ancient city; the intervening space has been filled up by alluvial deposit, and it is now little better than a marsh.

I slept at the caravanserai, and next morning started for the Temple of Jupiter at Nemea, passing through a rich valley with vines, grain, and olives, and the village of Agioz Georgious, near which is a convent on a hill. These convents are not the seats of learning, for the monks are lazy and ignorant; but they form comfortable resting-places for travellers who pay well for their accommodation. The ruins of the Temple of Jupiter, well described by Gell, consist only of three columns of an indifferent style of Doric.

Having returned to Argos to sleep, on Sunday, May 1, I arose early. The morning was wet and stormy, and I was detained by the muleteer demanding extra pay for the horses, which, however, the Bey decided against him. We accordingly started about seven, and soon after began to ascend the Pass through the mountains, having on the left the miserable village Lerna, seated on the swampy shore of the gulf, anciently called Hydra; and hence was derived the Lernean hydra or monster, celebrated by Virgil. This was no doubt nothing more than the malaria fever personified, which prevails severely in this district. In fact, the whole of this country had a wretched, forlorn, deserted appearance. The population was scanty, oppressed by poverty, misery, and tyranny, their countenances for the most part pale and haggard, expressing despair and dejection, to extricate themselves from which appeared hopeless; whilst the surrounding country, naturally fertile, aided by the influence of a genial climate, only required the industry of man to make it yield the richest reward. Nothing was done; all lay dead and desolate. Nature seemed to have done everything for man, while man had in everything neglected nature; a not uncommon occurrence, and one which, as far as my experience goes, has produced more misery than almost anything else.

We began to ascend the Pass over a rude causeway, about eight or ten feet wide, in many places cut up into deep gullies by the torrents; the ascent steep, rugged, and difficult, fit only for mules and pack-horses. The evening was fine, however, the air fresh and invigorating, and the scenery beautiful, which raised my spirits after the melancholy caused by the depressing influence of the sight of so much desolation. Having got to the summit of the Pass, we had a magnificent view on both sides. Looking back, we had the Gulf of Nauplia, with the picturesque fortress at the entrance, the plain of Argos and its ruins, also those of Mycene and Tiryns, backed by a rugged outline of hills; on the west the fertile plain, with its capital Tripolitza, and the ruins of Mantinea, backed by a bold line of hills, with the magnificent Taygetus rising 7000 feet, flanked on both sides by the blue waters of the Mediterranean. We reached Tripolitza just after dark, and, as usual, put up at the best Greek house where we could find admittance; and as I had a good sumpter mule, Demetrius soon prepared a capital supper, which I enjoyed much after a hard-working day of nineteen hours, during which I had been fourteen hours in the saddle. I slept soundly, notwithstanding the attacks of numerous fleas, to which by this time I had become tolerably well accustomed.

Tripolitza, although the capital of the Morea, was but a poor place, with about 4000 inhabitants, and the Turkish garrison of about 300 men. The Governor’s palace was merely an assemblage of some low, insignificant buildings enclosed within a wall. The rest of the town consisted of irregular, crooked, narrow, dirty streets, some of them hardly wide enough for a carriage, for which, indeed, there was no need, and there were none; with a place or square near the centre, surrounded by cafés, where the Turks and better class of natives, such as they were, sat idly smoking their long pipes and nargillas with that stupid indifference and repose which characterized them, perfectly regardless of any but themselves, and quite unconscious and indifferent to the misery around them. There were one or two bazaars, where all the business of the place was transacted; in these cloths, furs, shawls, leather articles, such as saddles, bridles, &c., silks, arms, pipes, tobacco, and provisions of all kinds, were sold, but scarcely any articles of European manufacture. The town was surrounded by a crenellated wall, unfit for artillery, and incapable of resistance to European troops; and there were two or three mosques, with their minarets rising above the mass of insignificant buildings, and a few Greek churches, the interiors of which were decorated with rude and almost grotesque representations of saints. These edifices, towering above the rest, had a picturesque and imposing effect when viewed from a distance, but this vanished the moment you drew near and entered, when little else but dirt and misery met the eye.

The following day after my arrival I walked about the town, amusing myself with the little which was to be seen; and the next day I rode, accompanied by my servant Demetrius, to the ruins of the ancient Mantinea, formerly a city of considerable importance, and well fortified according to the style of that period. It was surrounded by a strong lofty stone wall, about 25 feet high, flanked at intervals by circular turrets, and in front of each entrance there was a kind of lunette or advanced work to protect it, so that an enemy, in endeavouring to enter, was exposed to flank attacks from the garrison. These walls were surrounded by a wide ditch filled with water, and the total surface enclosed by them is considerable. The ruins within consist of the remains of a hippodrome, theatre, and other private and public buildings, concerning which, from their scattered and dilapidated condition, it was difficult to define anything accurately. In the neighbourhood of Tripolitza there are numerous kalavatha, or subterranean conduits for carrying off the water for drainage, irrigation, and supplying the inhabitants. The river flowing through the plain, if such it can be called, is an insignificant stream; it is connected with the subterranean conduits described above. The surrounding country was tolerably cultivated, and produced corn, pulse, oil, and wine, both red and white. This wine was made in a very rough way, and, in order to preserve it, was mixed with a certain quantity of turpentine, which gave it a strong bitter flavour, by no means agreeable at first; and until you become accustomed to it, you cannot drink it with any degree of relish, but by degrees you like it, and it is very wholesome.

Whilst at Tripolitza I became acquainted with the late Mr. Hodgets Foley, afterwards M.P. for Droitwich, a very amiable, good-natured person. As an instance of Turkish civility, Mr. Foley was taking his usual ride in the evening, accompanied by his servant, and on his way met with a party of the delhi, or cavalry, playing at football, a game in which they much delighted. As they passed he civilly pulled up to get out of their way, when two or three of them at once, without the smallest provocation, attacked him, laid hold of his horse, and otherwise maltreated him, and he with some difficulty extricated himself from their hands, and rode back to Tripolitza as quickly as possible, to lay his complaint before our Vice-Consul, who was a Greek. He made his complaint to the Governor, who promised redress, but (Turkish fashion) never gave it. Foley’s mistake was this, that instead of getting out of the way, he should have ridden right into the midst of them, laying about him on both sides with his whip as hard as possible; then they would have feared and respected him, and have never offered him any violence.

After having seen all that was worthy of attention in the town and neighbourhood, I started for Misitra, the site of the ancient Sparta, some miles from Tripolitza, the route to which lay through the plain. We reached Misitra, a miserable village, towards evening, and obtained tolerable quarters in a respectable Greek house, where we were received very kindly, and most hospitably entertained, which of course I paid for by a handsome present. I sat down to supper with the family, consisting of the husband, his handsome wife, daughter, and son, before a low table, placed upon the floor; the dishes consisted of soup, a species of stewed mutton, vegetables, and cakes and fruits. After dinner the servant came round with a basin and ewer, and poured water over our hands, and then presented a napkin to wipe them: we next adjourned to another room, where coffee and pipes were served, and the daughter sung very prettily some Greek airs, accompanied by the mandoline; and thus I passed a very agreeable evening.

The following morning I rose early and proceeded to the ruins of ancient Sparta, some miles distant. Here nothing is to be seen of this ancient celebrated city, but some mounds, fragments of walls and buildings, the extent and designation of which it is extremely difficult to make out. It was in vain, therefore, to attempt more, and so I next determined to prosecute my journey into Maina, said to be inhabited by the descendants of the Spartans. This was considered at that time to be a journey of considerable difficulty and danger, and, indeed, impracticable, on account of the lawlessness of the natives, who were said to be nothing more than a set of pirates and robbers, at war with the whole world and each other. Lord Byron wished to go there, but was dissuaded from it, although no person ever accused his lordship of want of courage. My janissary advised me not to make the journey, and said that he would not accompany me, as we should all be murdered; and added that the Turks, who had frequently endeavoured to conquer the country both by land and by sea, had always failed. The more they tried to dissuade me from going, the more I was determined to do it, being stimulated also by doing that which few persons would attempt; therefore I discharged my janissaries and extra horses and servants, and sent them to meet me at Calamata, the other side of the peninsula, and decided to undertake the journey with Demetrius alone, who was well acquainted with one of the captains or chiefs of the district of Marathonesi, and who was anxious to go himself, and said that the difficulties had been greatly exaggerated, and that we should get through very well. I resolved, therefore, to start on the following morning.

Before proceeding farther I will endeavour to describe the country which we were about to visit. The district of Maina is situated at the southern extremity of the Morea; it is bounded on the north by Mount Taygetus, and its subsidiary range of mountains, and by Cape Matapan on the south, so that it forms a triangle, jutting out into the Mediterranean; and on the east and west sides it is bordered by that sea, so that on all sides, except on the north, it is surrounded by water. As to the aborigines, it is difficult to find any well-authenticated account; it is supposed that they at one time formed part of the Spartan republic. After the conquest of the Greeks by the Romans, and subsequently by the Turks, they took refuge here, and being of a warlike and restless temperament, disdained all subjection to any one chief, but divided themselves into separate communities, and chose their chief for the time, who was the most able and successful warrior amongst them. These communities or tribes were wholly independent, and were frequently at war with each other, but always united to defend themselves against the common enemy, and they drove out the Turks, who frequently, but in vain, attempted to bring them under subjection, and latterly had quite given it up. Such was the state of the country when I visited it. The whole population was considered to be about 20,000, divided into capitanates or beylichs, with a supreme chief, to whom, however, the allegiance was merely nominal, and only accorded when the whole country was invaded by a common enemy. On other occasions, each tribe or community made war upon the others upon the least provocation, or upon the surrounding countries and seas as it suited them; in fact, they were a horde of pirates, at war with all mankind, who treated them accordingly. It was no uncommon event at that day for a British ship of war to bombard its seaports and to land a strong body of men to chastise the natives whenever they could lay hold of them; but as the coast is intersected with numerous creeks, backed by innumerable inaccessible mountain fortresses, to which they escaped when overpowered, it was almost impossible to root them out. Every petty chief had a stronghold or fortress, where he lived with his most intimate followers. In some cases this fortress was surrounded by a strong loop-holed wall, to which no access was given except by a drawbridge or ladder, which could be drawn up when attacked; and the access to the castle within was the same. In others it was a simple square or round tower, with the entrance about 10 feet above the ground, approachable only by a ladder, which could be removed at pleasure, and was always drawn up at night. The country for the most part was uncultivated, and although extremely fertile, capable of producing corn, wine, oil, fruit, and silk in abundance, served little more than to supply the deficiency when booty was scarce. Such was the general state of Maina, which I determined to visit. We accordingly left our heavy baggage behind, and I started early in the morning, accompanied by Demetrius and one baggage horse. Shortly after leaving Misitra we crossed the frontier, came to a wild, desolate country with nothing but brushwood, occasionally mixed with lofty valonia trees, the bark and fruit of which form a valuable article of export.

At midday we halted as usual to give our horses, as well as ourselves, rest and refreshment; and the ever-active Demetrius, in a comparatively short time, provided us with a tolerable dinner, and after a couple of hours’ rest started again on our journey, and passing through the same kind of wild country we reached the sea-shore and the ruins of the ancient Marathonesi, the greatest portion of which had been submerged by an earthquake, and we could distinctly discern the buildings through the clear water. A few miles farther we reached the neat little seaport town, the modern Marathonesi, the capital of the tribe of which Demetrius’s friend was the chief. In the course of our day’s journey we were not a little inspired and gratified that we had not been attacked or even molested, notwithstanding the dismal accounts and forebodings which had been made to us. It is true we met a few rough, straggling, armed fellows on the way, and they looked at us with a fierce, independent scowl, but seeing us well armed and prepared to meet them, passed on without further remark.

We arrived, soon after sunset, at the house of the chief, and were most kindly received by him, and he showed us into some clean comfortable bedrooms, furnished, to my surprise, in the French fashion. The fact is, the chief was a great merchant and trader with the Ionian Islands, Italy, and France, and possessed considerable wealth, and was far more civilized than the rest of his countrymen. He was a fine handsome courteous young man, about twenty-eight, of the middle size, and extremely well-proportioned, sinewy, active, and vigorous. His countenance was oval, of the true Greek form, with dark piercing eyes, black eyebrows and lashes, well-defined nose, small mouth, with compressed lips, and beautiful white teeth; with long moustaches, curling several inches below his chin, and his head covered with a profusion of black hair hanging down in natural ringlets; he wore no beard, his chin being closely shaven; in fact, he was a very dashing personage. He gave us an excellent supper, and entertained us with numerous anecdotes and accounts of the country and its inhabitants; he asked me how I could think of venturing among such a lawless people, whom no stranger ever visited, and strongly recommended me to go back, as after having learned that I proposed to cross the country and return by the opposite coast, he said the journey would be attended with considerable danger, and he feared that he could not protect me. Both Demetrius, who sat at table with us, and myself told him that it would be disgraceful to go back, and if he would furnish us with an escort of some of his followers they should be properly paid, and we had no doubt but that we should get through our journey without difficulty. Finding that we were determined to proceed, he opposed our intentions no more, but said he would do the best he could for us. Being rather tired with our day’s ride, we went to bed and slept soundly until soon after sunrise the next morning, when we were up and stirring. Our friend, the chief, told me that he would provide me with an escort of twenty-five well-armed men, whom I might safely rely upon. We accordingly breakfasted, and went to look over the town, which was the neatest and cleanest I had seen in Greece. There were several vessels taking in and delivering their cargoes; in fact, the little town was bustling with activity and industry. All my escort, consisting of five-and-twenty stout, active, wiry fellows, were mustered outside of the town waiting for me, and a fierce, rough, savage-looking set they were, armed to the teeth with guns, pistols, and yatagans, clad a good deal like Albanians, with kilts, jackets, hose, and red skull-caps, with long moustaches, close-shaven chins, and long hair falling down their shoulders. Most of them had several scars from wounds received in their various fights. Before starting I examined their arms to see if they were properly loaded and flinted, as it frequently happened that they were in bad order and would not go off when they pulled the trigger, and often burst, so that they did more harm to themselves than to their enemies. I found the arms, however, better than I expected, and giving some of them fresh flints and good powder and ball, they were properly loaded. I then said a few words of encouragement, which their chief, who was with me, interpreted, and told them to behave like men, and take care of me, and they would be properly paid. The men answered one and all, that there was no fear but that they would take good care of the English Milord, as they called me, and off we started in high spirits for the opposite side of the peninsula.

The view from Marathonesi was extremely beautiful. On the north the noble Mount Taygetus, with its numerous peaks, deeply-indented gorges, ravines, and its sides covered densely with woods, rose towering above the clouds. At its base there was a torrent running east and west through a valley bordered by precipitous cliffs towards the sea. On the south side of the torrent was a narrow road, and the perpendicular cliff on the south side of the road was full of caverns admirably adapted for the concealment of brigands, pirates, and bad characters of all kinds, of which so many abounded in the country. We had to pass through this gorge, and at the time there was a great number of these vagabonds concealed in the caves, waiting to intercept the merchants going backwards and forwards to and from Marathonesi. I was warned of this, and determined to drive these rascals, if there were any, out of the caverns before we passed. I accordingly told about eight or ten of the most active of my escort to cross the river and climb the base of the hill, and to fire into the caves, whilst I and the main body proceeded along the road; and as we searched each cave as we advanced, if any robbers were concealed in them, they could not escape; and if they attempted to do so, they were exposed to two fires. We were thus proceeding cautiously through the Pass, and had scarcely well entered when my men on the opposite side of the valley commenced firing into the caverns, and at first they were sharply replied to by the concealed bandits. This did not last long, for the robbers, who were not equal to us in numbers, found that they were out-manœuvred, and if they remained in the caves must all be taken, and they expected little mercy from their captors. They therefore left the caves, and fled as fast as possible, upon seeing which my people on both sides of the torrent followed them with equal speed, firing at random whilst they went forward. This rude and desultory mode of fighting was fortunately attended with no slaughter, although several flesh wounds occurred. My party being the stronger, we overtook the brigands, and made three or four prisoners. At this my people were delighted, and at the same time exasperated against them, and wished to shoot them. I at once interposed, but found that my men were so excited with the fight and subsequent pursuit, that it was extremely difficult to control them. However, after a little while I pacified them by saying that it was unmanly and unworthy to kill an enemy after he had surrendered. This did not seem to have much impression on them, as they considered the conquered their lawful prize, and that they might do what they liked with them. I ultimately quieted them by saying that I would pay a good sum per head for each of the four taken, which they willingly accepted, fearing that if they refused I should report them to their chief. I therefore released the captives, who upon their knees thanked me for their lives. Having reached the end of the Pass, and the road being tolerably clear to the end of the day’s journey, I dismissed my escort with about ten shillings each, besides a capital dinner, and a good sum for the captives, with which they were pleased, and left me with many thanks and cheers, expressed very cordially in their peculiar and rough manner.

Having parted with my escort, I rode leisurely forward with Demetrius and the baggage horse, until we reached the castle of a capitano, to whom I had a letter of introduction from my excellent friend the Captain of Marathonesi. On our arrival, which was just as the sun was setting, we found the chief surrounded by numerous followers seated on stone benches fixed to the gate of the outer wall by which the castle was surrounded. The old chief and his attendants were quietly enjoying their pipes and coffee, whilst the cowherds were driving in the cattle for the night, just as described in Homer. The chief and his suite arose to meet me as I advanced and presented my letter of introduction, which he received with much dignity, and welcomed me most kindly to his castle, and certainly a wild, rough place it was. Within the outer wall was placed the keep or castle, consisting of a great square tower massively built, containing a few rough apartments with little or no furniture except a few mattresses and cushions, which were removed during the day. The space between the main tower or residence was filled with numerous outhouses and sheds for the cattle and servants and guards of the chief. After a short conversation we adjourned to the inner castle, and were shown into the principal room, about 30 feet square, with divers rows of low cushions placed all round against the walls. Directly after our arrival, a low table was brought in, and the chief, his attendants, myself, and servant Demetrius, to the number of about a dozen, sat down cross-legged to supper, which was immediately served. This consisted of stewed mutton, with vegetables, roast game, sweets, and fruits, which for the most part we ate with our fingers. Before each guest was placed a bottle full of wine, but there were no glasses on the table, so that one had no alternative but to drink out of the bottle, which was refilled several times with good red wine. After dinner we took to our pipes and coffee, during which we had a good deal of agreeable conversation, which was chiefly devoted to inquiries about England, in which they appeared to take the greatest interest. After having well supped, and having smoked and conversed as long as we felt it agreeable, one by one we dropped off to sleep upon our mattresses, armed, and without undressing, ready for a surprise at any moment. I soon fell asleep, and awoke at daybreak thoroughly refreshed. We all got up, shook ourselves, washed, and took coffee and a pipe, and then strolled about till breakfast. This castle is situated on a fine bay on the sea-shore, near the base of Taygetus. Outside the walls of the castle there is a straggling village. Besides fishing-boats, there were several others of a more suspicious character, being sharply built, and having the appearance of pirates. We got a capital breakfast with the old chief; afterwards rowed in the bay; and then taking a hearty farewell of my worthy host, started for Kitriai, the castle of the Bey, who was the nominal chief of the whole of Maina. We reached Kitriai a little before sunset, and were most kindly received by the Bey, a fine old warrior, about 5 feet 10 inches high, well built, square, and muscular, with an open, well-developed Greek countenance, thick moustache, and flowing white beard. There was something mild and gentlemanlike in his manner, very different to any other we had met. We were shown to our apartments, which were very comfortable, overlooking the sea and surrounding coasts. I spent the next day very agreeably in looking about the adjacent country, which was very pretty, but not so wild and grand as that nearer to Taygetus. Besides the Bey, there were several of his counsellors, his secretary, and one or two Greek priests, all accomplished persons, who spoke the Greek in its purity, much to my gratification and instruction. The town of Kitriai is about the size of Marathonesi, but not nearly so neat and clean, neither had it so much trade.

On the morning after, we started at daybreak, and proceeded along the coast to Calamata. This town ranked about the third in the Morea, and was then doing a good trade; but, like all the towns in the Morea, was miserable and dirty, with narrow streets, low buildings, from one to two stories high, two or three insignificant mosques and Greek churches, and a square near the centre, with several cafés, filled, as usual, with idle Turks and Albanians, smoking their pipes and sipping coffee and sherbet, whilst numerous Greek merchants and Jews were transacting their business. The bazaars were close by, and crowded with purchasers. The harbour was full of vessels and sailors of various kinds—Hydriote Greeks (amongst the best sailors on the Mediterranean), Austrian, French, and a few English vessels, besides a number of boats called caiques, and fishing vessels, altogether a busy scene. I took up my quarters at a Greek house, as rough and dirty as usual, and found my heavy baggage, servants, and janissary whom I had sent from Misitra.

Next day I started at daybreak through a wild, undulating, partially-cultivated country to visit the two Doric temples of Messenia, where Mr. Cockerell discovered the celebrated Phigalian marbles. It is said that these marbles were sent to Malta for sale, of which due notice was given by advertisement, and a certain day fixed for the auction, to which commissioners were sent by the British and other Governments. The sale, however, by some mistake, took place at Athens. The British agent, not being aware of this, remained at Malta. There was therefore no person present to bid on the part of the British Government, and they were knocked down to the Bavarian agent. When this was announced, the British Government refused to deliver up the marbles, upon the plea that the sale ought to have taken place at Malta. The matter remained in abeyance until the Peace of 1814, when the Bavarian sovereign was in England. Certain negotiations then took place, and the British Government ultimately agreed to give the marbles up to Bavaria, upon condition that a complete set of casts was sent to the British Museum. By this unfortunate affair England lost a valuable prize; and this loss was the more annoying, because, having already obtained the Elgin marbles, the Phigalian marbles—which represented an earlier stage of Greek art—would have rendered the English collection the most complete in the world. I spent the greater part of the day at Phigalia in measuring and sketching the temples, which are situated upon a hill commanding a fine view of the picturesque surrounding country.

I took up my quarters in a Greek house, got supper as soon as possible, and went to bed, with the customary annoyance of vermin. The country around was naturally rich and fertile, but left, as usual, almost in a state of nature. Undulating, with clumps of wood scattered about, it resembled a good deal the park-like scenery of England. There were numerous flocks of sheep and goats and a few herds of cattle feeding upon excellent herbage, guarded here and there by wild, shepherds, armed with guns and yatagans. The peasantry appeared very poor and ragged, but, notwithstanding, many of the women had skull-caps made of gold coins strung together, called mahmoudies, about the size of a sovereign. This composed their whole wealth; and it is a curious fact that these head-dresses were respected, and never stolen. The men also, and in some cases the women, had the girdles round their waists fastened together by large discs of silver about the size of a small plate. Thus there was a strange contrast of wealth and poverty exhibited in the same person.

We started early next day, and at noon on the second day reached the Alpheus, the most considerable river in the Morea, and which flows through the famous plain of Olympia. The river Alpheus here was 150 to 200 yards broad, but fortunately the waters were low, although we had some difficulty in crossing without swimming our horses. In the Olympian plain there were scarcely any remains worth noticing, though numerous fragments of marble, brick, and pottery are strewed about. We got some very rough quarters for the night in a village near Olympia, and next day, passing over a similar kind of country, reached Patras before sunset, at which we greatly rejoiced, as we were tolerably tired with our rough journey in the Morea. I succeeded in getting, as I thought, clean, comfortable quarters in a respectable Greek house. I was shown upstairs into a large well-furnished room, with apparently a delicious-looking bed covered with a snow-white counterpane. They gave me an excellent dinner and some good wine, after which, being very tired, I threw myself on the outside of the bed for a nap. I slept most soundly for about five or six hours, and when I awoke it was quite dark; I felt all the torments of the damned, for I was almost devoured by immense bugs. I jumped out of the bed in an instant, rubbing my face, which was covered with blood and bugs, and struck a light, when I found that the bed too was almost covered with them. I very soon caught some dozens, I may almost say hundreds; I undressed, and cleared my clothes of them, then dressed myself, and waited until daylight, being resolved not to trust to a Greek bed again, but to my own mattress.

I spent the next day at Patras quietly, and then started off on my return to Athens, taking the circuitous route by Delphos, Livadia, Eubœa, Negropont, and Marathon. We coasted along the south shore of the Gulf of Lepanto, passed our old friend the ruined convent near Vostizza, and dined at the house of a Greek merchant near, who kindly invited and treated me most hospitably. After dinner, just before I departed, our worthy host said he would show me a curiosity, and without more ado he brought out a large tub full of black snakes each about four feet long; at the word of command all these reptiles leaped out of the tub and began dancing about the table, at which I got considerably alarmed, when my host burst out laughing, and said they would do me no harm unless I irritated them, which of course I had no idea of doing. I therefore looked quietly on, and in a short time he called to them and they quickly leaped back into the tub. He said these snakes abounded in the cornfields which had just been reaped, but they were timorous, and never did any harm unless provoked; their bite was not dangerous, although for a time it occasioned a good deal of inflammation. I parted from my worthy host with many thanks, and then hired a large boat to take myself, servants, horses, and baggage across the gulf to Scalo, on the opposite side. We reached the landing-place about sunset, after a four hours’ voyage, and proceeded to a caravanserai close by for the night. This was a most wretched place, in the middle of a marsh filled with large frogs and mosquitoes innumerable; and what with the loud croaking of the frogs, and the bites of the mosquitoes and bugs, it was impossible to sleep with any degree of comfort. There was a party of Turks and Albanians at the caravanserai who suffered as much as we did; being unable to sleep, they revenged themselves on the kanghè or master of the caravanserai, and belaboured him with their sticks most unmercifully, and left him without paying for anything. The poor fellow complained to me bitterly; but unfortunately I could give him no redress. As soon as it was daylight we started also; I paid him handsomely, although we had scarcely anything from him, but lived on our own provisions. He was very grateful, and hoped to see me again, but I told him that was very improbable.

As we cleared the marsh and got amongst the splendid mountain scenery, in the midst of which the classic Mount Parnassus reared his majestic head, towering above the whole, the fine fresh air completely revived us. We passed Salano, surrounded by olives, and breakfasted under the trees, much to our comfort. A little before noon on the 26th of May we reached the village of Kastri, the site of the celebrated Delphos, situated at the base of Mount Parnassus. Enhanced as it is by classical recollections, the magnificence of the surrounding scenery it is impossible to describe; let it suffice to say I shall never forget it. Of the temple and spring scarcely anything remain, and a good deal must be left to the imagination. I descended into a small plastered well, said to be the ancient Castalian spring, which is situated in a cavern at the base of the mountain; here the oracle was said to have been placed, and although I was not inspired, nevertheless I could not divest myself of the sanctity of the place and of the wonderful influence which the oracle once held over the ancient world. The surrounding scenery, with Parnassus towering above the clouds, added much to my enthusiasm, which was increased by the sight of seven or eight fine eagles soaring over our heads and screaming wildly. I was delighted with the scene, and only regretted that I had not time to ascend to the summit of Olympus.

After a halt of three or four hours, during which I dined, I started in high spirits for Livadia, where we halted for the night. This was a rather large town, with extensive cotton manufactories, seated on the side of a lofty hill overlooking the Lake Copais and the fertile plain of Thebes. We got tolerable quarters here, not forgetting the ever present bugs and mosquitoes. Next day I visited the ancient Orchomenus, the remains of which are very inconsiderable, consisting of the treasury, similar to that of Mycene, but elliptical instead of circular; also of the citadel. I also visited the ancient lion of Chæronæa, which is tolerably perfect, cut out of the solid rock. Returned to Livadia to sleep.

On the 28th May I examined the cave of Trophonius. The weather was very hot, as it was the latter end of the month. I then travelled on until, passing through the miserable modern town of Thiva, for of the ancient celebrated Thebes there are no remains worthy of notice, we took a route to the north-east, and entered a defile, in the centre of which there is the beautiful tranquil Lake of Copais about four miles long, upon which some wild swans and ducks were enjoying themselves.

The next day we were off at daybreak, and on our way examined the kolavothora or outlet at the lower end of Lake Copais, which was a rough, unfinished tunnel cut through the sandstone rock; by means of this tunnel the surplus waters of the lake are discharged into the sea, otherwise the lake would overflow and totally submerge the surrounding plain. This is a considerable work, but is not carried far enough; if it were the whole lake would be laid dry, a large quantity of valuable and fertile soil would be gained, and the surrounding district rendered much more healthy. From there we proceeded through an arid, stony, undulating country to Negropont. Upon reaching the shores of the arm of the sea which divides the island of Negropont from the main, and which is scarcely 200 yards wide at the narrowest point, although very hot, I stopped to make a sketch of the beautiful scene; having done this we proceeded across the bridge which connects the island with the mainland, to the fortified town of Negropont. The town is surrounded by a strong wall with circular towers at the angles; these towers mount some heavy guns, particularly towards the sea front, where there is a casemated battery, incapable, however, of resisting the broadside of a heavy frigate. This town at the time of my visit was garrisoned by fierce, bigoted Turks, who had the utmost contempt for Christians, nevertheless with a certain respect for Europeans, particularly the English. The chief inhabitants were Greeks, whom the Turks kept in the most perfect subjection. The interior of the town consisted of narrow streets with low, mean houses, and a few mosques, Greek churches, bazaars, cafés, &c. There was very little trade, although the place is well adapted for it, as the island is rich and fertile. We got into a Greek house and made ourselves as comfortable as we could, and one of my Greek servants for greater protection requested one of my old hats, which I gave him, and of which he was very proud, although it contrasted strangely with his picturesque Greek costume.

There was nothing to be seen in the town, and as we did not appear to be welcome guests, the sooner we left the better, so the next day I started for Marathon, having sent the heavy baggage down to Athens, which I expected to reach the same evening. This renowned battle-field interested me exceedingly; it is about two miles wide, and is bounded by the sea on the east, and the ranges of Mounts Hymettus and Pentelicus on the west. I fancied in my enthusiasm that I could discover the positions of the different commanders, their manœuvres, and in fact the whole battle from beginning to end. I remained there several hours, until near sunset, and then left with Demetrius at a hand-gallop, expecting to reach Athens in the course of a couple of hours or so. We had no guide, and thought that our most direct course lay through the wood on our right, where there was a convent, which would serve as a halting-place if necessary. Off we started, and were soon in the wood, which became thicker and thicker as we advanced; the road, which at the first was only a horse-track, now became fainter and fainter; and at last we lost it altogether. The sun had now set, and the short twilight had disappeared. After floundering about the wood for some time, our horses came to a dead stop, and neither whip nor spur would make them budge an inch farther, but they backed, snorting violently, and rearing occasionally so as almost to unseat us. We could see nothing, it being quite dark, and could not imagine why our horses had come to such a dead stand; we therefore threw the reins on their necks and allowed them to have their own way; and most fortunately we did so, for they had more sense than their masters. When left to themselves they immediately turned round and went back for some distance, then turned to the left and commenced a very rapid descent, occasionally sliding for a considerable distance; sometimes losing their footing, then slipping and sliding again, so that we could hardly keep our seats. At last we came to the bottom, cleared the wood, and reached a grass plain. It was now about midnight; we did not know where we were or where the convent was; in fact, we were lost, so that there was no alternative but to picket our horses and lie down on the grass till morning. Although very tired and hungry we had nothing to eat; we accordingly wrapped ourselves in our cloaks and lay down and slept until sunrise. When we woke we found ourselves at the bottom of a perpendicular cliff above 80 feet high; we now saw the cause of our horses’ halt the night before; we were doing all we could to force them over this precipice, but by a merciful Providence their instinct saved us. We were sincerely grateful for our escape, and shuddered to think how narrowly we had missed a terrible catastrophe. We then looked for our horses, but they were nowhere to be seen; we at once concluded that they must have been stolen by robbers, who were said to be numerous in the neighbourhood. After searching everywhere for about a mile round, we at last observed them quietly feeding under a hill, and had very little difficulty in catching and mounting them. We rode to the convent which was close by, and which for the darkness we could not find the previous night. Here we got a capital breakfast, and rested, and the good monks having heard our story, congratulated us on our escape, not only from the precipice but from the robbers. We dined here also, and rode to Athens in the cool of the evening, where I took up my old quarters. Before leaving the convent I went out and took a sketch of Athens, which is about four miles distant, and the surrounding country. The view is extremely beautiful; in the front you have Athens, with its Acropolis, rising out of the plain, backed by the island of Ægina in the midst of the Ægean Sea, and beyond that by the mountains of the Morea; whilst as a foreground there is Mount Hymettus, with the convent rising out of the woods, and Pentelicus on the right. This I think is the best view of Athens.

Being again settled in Athens, I set about finishing my studies of the antiquities, and taking sketches of the neighbourhood; as the weather was very hot, being now the middle of June, I started off one morning before sunrise with Demetrius to take a sketch of the Isthmus of Corinth and the surrounding scenery, and found an excellent position which commanded the whole, near a marsh with a small lake in front. I was so absorbed in my sketch that I did not think of the malaria, which was very fatal in that place. The sketch occupied about three hours, and although I had taken some breakfast in the open air, and Demetrius the same, we both felt very ill and returned to Athens, and sent directly for the doctor, when I found that I had the malaria fever in the form of an ague. Demetrius was much worse, and towards night he became delirious, and remained so for some time. I rallied in three or four days, but remained very weak. Demetrius was confined to the house for above a fortnight. Although I could go about, still the fever clung to me more or less, and I could do very little. At this time, a singular person, a Mr. Scott, a friend of Lord Byron’s, called upon me and offered every attention; he was a shy, kind, and well-informed man, living quite shut up by himself, seldom stirring out till dusk, when he was to be seen galloping round the walls of Athens quite alone. There were also at Athens, Mr. Hodgetts Foley, Mr. Beaumont, Mr. Waddington (the late) Dean of Durham, and the Rev. Mr. Hanbury. The latter was a tall, fine-looking man, of fair complexion, with long light brown hair hanging over his shoulders, and a long beard, altogether a very striking figure; he was perpetually thinking of firearms; so that it might well be said, that instead of being a man of peace, he was a man of war.

I was now introduced to the Maid of Athens, so celebrated by Lord Byron; she certainly was a handsome and elegant young woman, about twenty, with a very pleasing manner and lively and intelligent in conversation. She had a younger sister, a very agreeable person also, but not so handsome. They lived with their parents, who made their house a very pleasant resort for strangers. By this time, the beginning of July, I was a great deal better, and was recommended to take a sea voyage for change of air. The above-named gentlemen had hired an Hydriote brig to take a month’s cruise amongst the islands, and I agreed to join them. We accordingly started about the end of the first week in July, the weather still very hot. We left the Piræus in the morning, and as there was very little wind we were becalmed off Cape Colonna, which forms the eastern promontory of the Gulf of Athens. Here we cast anchor, lowered a boat, and went on shore to visit the celebrated temple.

As we landed we were much struck by the appearance of the beautiful ruin, perched upon the summit of the promontory in solitary grandeur, and overlooking the surrounding coasts and islands, altogether forming a very imposing and charming scene.

Whilst in the midst of silent admiration at this beautiful temple, all of a sudden Hanbury cried out, “There goes an old hawk,” and fired at it immediately. This dispelled the charm, and we all burst out laughing. Having finished our exploration, we returned on board our vessel to dinner. A light breeze soon afterwards sprang up; we lay-to for a short time off the island of Syra, and the following morning got under way for Paros, a fine land-locked port, which we reached early in the day, and landed after breakfast. We then proceeded to explore the quarries from which the celebrated marble was extracted.

These quarries are situated near the top of a hill, about a mile distant from the port, with a steep broken road for an approach. The ancients, instead of opening out a good face, so that the quarries might be worked to any extent with advantage, excavated caverns in the side of the hill, and having arrived at the good sound rock, cut it out by wedges and picks in such masses as they required, so that the inside of the quarry presented a long gallery from whence the stone had been taken, worked in a very regular manner in steps one above the other, without any appearance of waste; in fact, the rock is so solid that when worked by pick and wedge no blasting is necessary; indeed, if blasting were adopted, it would entail considerable waste. At the same time, it appeared to me that if the solid rock was bared from the surface and a good length of face opened out, the pick-and-wedge system might be worked to almost any extent, with much greater advantage; and if inclined planes with railways were made to the port, and a proper embarking jetty, with cranes, carried out into deep water, so as to enable large vessels to come alongside at all times to receive their cargoes, this fine marble might be quarried and exported at a very moderate cost, infinitely below the price now charged for Carrara marble. As the Parian marble is of a beautiful white cream-colour, almost free from veins, and of an even, close texture, the sale would be immense and yield an excellent profit; and considering the enormous price of fine marble adapted for sculpture, amounting to one and two guineas and upwards per foot cube, according to the size of the block and fineness of the quality, it is astonishing that the value of these quarries has not been recognized before, and that capital has not been forthcoming to work them. The harbour is spacious, with ample depth, and well protected against all winds.

The following day we devoted to the examination of the celebrated stalactite caverns of Antiparos, a small island on the north-west of Paros, and only separated from it by a narrow strait. We accordingly went there after breakfast, and being accompanied by a sufficient number of guides with torches and wax lights, commenced the exploration. We entered by a lofty arch, and after proceeding some distance came to a magnificent chamber, from the roof of which depended the most magnificent stalactites, many of them eight and ten feet long, reflecting the light of our torches like so many diamonds. From this hall issued several galleries, some of which had not then been explored; we pursued our way through all which had been investigated, and returned, after a fatiguing walk, to the surface. This island, like that of Paros, is composed of fine, close marble, which might be developed in the same manner with considerable profit. We next set sail for Naxos; and here the whole party started in a native open boat to visit some ruins, which turned out to be not in the least worth seeing. We were first becalmed for many hours, and on our return were overtaken by a violent storm, and only escaped, as the entire coast was one wall of almost perpendicular rock, by one of the sailors accidentally remembering the vicinity of a small creek, into which the captain, a brave and skilful man, managed to steer us through the breakers. We ultimately returned to Naxos, after an absence of thirty-nine hours, by far the greater part of which we passed without food, as the ruins being only eight miles from Naxos, it was considered a mere morning’s sail. The day after our return we invited the English Consul, a Greek, and several of the principal inhabitants to dinner, and had a jovial party, for the Greeks like good cheer, and are certainly not water drinkers. The wine of Naxos, of which a considerable quantity is made, both for home and foreign consumption, is excellent; it is chiefly white wine, resembling a good deal brown sherry, and if well made is equally good. Besides wine they export Velança bark, wool, figs, currants, and other articles.

Having nothing further to see, we set sail from Naxos, with a lively and lasting recollection of our visit to the celebrated antiquities, and then steered for Scio, the ancient Chios, passing amongst numerous islands, many of them very beautiful; some were covered with woods and verdure to the water’s edge, others consisted of bold barren rocks rising perpendicularly from the water to a great height, and terminating in lofty peaks. The scene was ever changing, and we enjoyed views of wood, water, plain, and mountain, combined in the most charming manner, and of endless variety.

It was amusing also to see how well the Greek sailors managed our ship. At this time of the year strong northerly winds prevail during the day, against which we had to heat. In tacking about and manœuvring the vessel they showed considerable skill and activity.

Mitylene, where we next arrived, is a poor little place, surrounded by steep, lofty hills covered with wood almost to their summits. There is some trade of wine and oil, and wood and bark. I was much amused by a fight between my man Demetrius and a Turk who insulted him; fortunately they had neither firearms nor knives, but they used their hands in the most clumsy manner possible, and after a little time I parted them before they had done any mischief.

We spent about three days in the island, which is well worthy of a visit on account of its rich and beautiful scenery, and then returned to Scio, where our party separated.

I took lodgings, and rested a few days, for I was still very weak, and liable to attacks occasionally from the malaria fever. I had several enjoyable rides about this island. A ridge of lofty hills, extending from north to south, added greatly to the picturesqueness of the scenery. The soil is extremely rich and fertile, and a large quantity of excellent wine, besides oil, silk, fruits, grain, wood, &c., is produced. A great trade is carried on with different parts of the Mediterranean, particularly Constantinople and Smyrna. Perhaps, with the exception of Sicily, it is the richest island in the Mediterranean, and has a great number of wealthy merchants and proprietors. The port, which is formed by a small creek, defended by two stone piers, contained numerous vessels, some of considerable size, and bearing the flags of most European nations. The town was better and more substantially built than any I had hitherto seen, and there were some good bazaars, rich with the wares of the East and with European articles. The square in the centre was surrounded by handsome cafés and houses, and also one or two large mosques and Greek churches. The island was governed by a Turkish officer of rank, with a small body of janissaries and cavalry. The following year, 1821, this island suffered terribly during the Greek revolution, when the inhabitants attempted to overcome the Turks, who were too strong for them, and showed them no mercy; many were massacred, and the island was devastated. Having taken a sketch of the port, and seen everything of interest, I hired a Greek open boat, and embarked with Demetrius and all our baggage for Smyrna, where I got tolerably comfortable lodgings in a Greek house.

Smyrna is situated at the south-eastern extremity of the gulf of that name, and extends northward along the coast for about a mile and a half. The shore of the bay in front of the city is lined with a quay-wall, formed partly of wood and partly of stone, with small wooden jetties projecting from it at irregular intervals. Between this quay-wall and the houses is a road, which runs nearly along the whole sea-front. From this road innumerable narrow, crooked streets lead to the different parts of the town; many of these are so narrow that two horses can scarcely go abreast. The buildings for the most part consist of two and three stories. The bazaars were numerous, extensive, and rich, filled with all the commodities of the East, such as rick silks, plain and brocaded, shawls, jewellery, arms, leather articles, and pipes of all kinds, rough iron and pottery ware, besides tobacco, fruit, and provisions. All these bazaars were laid out in different sections, with a particular trade assigned to each, and were kept in tolerable order; the Jews and Armenians were the bankers, and had their counters or stalls, with offices behind, where they transacted business to a large amount. All the Consuls’ houses were in front of the quay, and were substantial stone buildings of considerable extent, and, with the flags of the respective nations which they represented, had a very imposing appearance. In front of the quay were moored at times several hundreds of vessels of all nations, and the immense number of boats and barges passing continually between them and the shore, formed a most busy and lively scene. There were several fine and extensive mosques, which no Christian was ever permitted to enter; also many Greek churches, with their gorgeously-bedaubed paintings representing innumerable saints. I attended the Greek service at different times, but generally came away anything but satisfied; their strong nasal tone in saying prayers, and their indifferent music and singing, greatly disappointed me. Towards the land the city was surrounded by a high wall, and at each gate was a strong guard. At the south end there was a kind of citadel on a hill, in which the Governor resided, and about half a mile from the city were the cemeteries, deeply embosomed in cypress trees. Many of the tombs were very pretty, of white, well-sculptured marble, with inscriptions from the Koran engraved upon them, and they were tastefully ornamented with garlands of flowers.

The exports from Smyrna are various, and its trade with Europe is very extensive. The articles of export are figs, raisins, silk, oil, bark, grain, &c.; figs and raisins, however, are the chief, and these are exported to a vast amount, and certainly they are the finest in the world. There are two crops, those which are ripe about the end of July, which are mostly consumed in the country and neighbourhood; they are most delicious, and extremely wholesome. The second crop is ripe about the end of September. These are gathered, dipped in water, then carefully packed in boxes and exported, chiefly to England, France, and the north of Europe, and by the time of their arrival they are covered with a rich coating of crystallized sugar, and are fit for use. At the season of shipping the figs, which I witnessed, the greatest activity is visible everywhere—the producers selling, the merchants buying, the packing-case makers splitting the wood and making up the boxes—the packers carefully stowing the figs—the men loading them into lighters, by which they are transported to the fast-sailing vessels waiting for them, which are generally clipper schooners of about 120 to 170 tons—the Consuls’ offices besieged with numerous applicants for their clearance papers—the whole combined to form a most active and industrious scene, not omitting the numberless dinners and social parties at the different hotels and coffee-houses, which are thronged with natives of all nations. I walked about and witnessed this busy scene with much delight and satisfaction. I must not omit the melons, both sweet and water, and the grapes, which were the most delicious I ever tasted. The finest raisins are those called sultanas grown at Scala Nova, a small port to the south-west of Smyrna, which I visited. The grapes from which they are made are especially delicious. The town is a poor place as regards the buildings; but, notwithstanding, there is a considerable amount of wealth. When I was there the town had recently been visited by a severe attack of plague, and many of the houses were shut up, all the inmates having died, and, having no heirs, the property belonged to the Government.

Whilst I was at Smyrna the British Consul was Mr. Werry, a fine old gentleman of about sixty-five, with considerable vigour and talent, just the man for the place. All British subjects were under his protection, amongst whom were a considerable number from the Ionian Islands, who were the most troublesome and daring vagabonds, committing all Sorts of crimes, and mixed up with every row in the place; these rows daily occurred, and bloodshed and murder not unfrequently was the consequence. Old Werry was the arbiter, and delivered his judgments with great impartiality and justice. The Turks also were very troublesome, and frequently attempted acts of great barbarity. Werry, however, was equal to the occasion, and at such times went direct to the Governor and claimed an audience; he was at once admitted and seated at the head of the divan; then he claimed protection for his British subjects; and whenever the Governor demurred, Werry drew his sword, threw his hat down on the floor, and threatened him with a British frigate to blow up the town before his eyes. The Governor would try to pacify him by offering pipes and coffee, and soothing words, which Werry treated with contempt, and nothing would do but releasing the prisoners, which was soon effected. Then Werry strode off in triumph, scarcely condescending to return the Governor’s salute. The Turks looked upon him as a madman; but they have always entertained the greatest respect for him, and allowed him to have his way, invariably calling him the mad Consul. Nevertheless, he was a most kind and worthy man, greatly respected and liked by his countrymen, the other consuls, and by the whole population. He received me with the greatest kindness and hospitality. I was a frequent visitor at his house, both in town and at his country seat, Bridjar, about nine miles distant to the south-east.

Whilst at Smyrna I made acquaintance with my countryman, Mr. (afterwards Professor) Donaldson, a M. Parke, and another French architect, who had just returned to Smyrna after a very successful exploration of some of the most remarkable ruins of the ancient cities of Asia Minor, and their portfolios were filled with drawings of these most interesting relics of antiquity. I passed several happy days in their company, and Donaldson most kindly made out for me a map by which I might be enabled to visit these remarkable ruins; I therefore determined to follow it out as nearly as possible without delay, and took leave of them with many thanks.

On the next day, having obtained the usual firman, I started, in company with my faithful servant Demetrius, to explore some of the ruins of Ionia, with a Turkish surgee, or guide, a janissary, and a couple of baggage horses, leaving my heavy baggage at Smyrna. After passing through a wild, rich, and almost uncultivated country, we reached Aiasolok, on the Meander, near the ruins of Ephesus, in the evening, and took up our quarters in a Turkish caravanserai. Demetrius soon prepared a good supper, laid our mattresses, and we both slept soundly until the morning. Every inmate was up transacting his business soon after daybreak, and I at once sallied forth to examine the ruins of Ephesus. This celebrated city was situated on the left bank of the Meander, at the base of an elevated ridge of hills. The only remains which we could distinctly make out was the amphitheatre, of the rest little could be discovered; but numerous fragments of columns, cornices, blocks of masonry, pottery, brickwork, &c., lay scattered about. I made a sketch of the whole from the best place I could find. The ruins of Ephesus formed the foreground, with the Meander and its numerous windings and the marshy valley flanked by the mountains on each side, whilst in the background was the miserable town of Aiasolok, with its fortress and mosque on a conical hill above it, backed by a wild range of mountains of considerable elevation, which completed the view. The scene was most picturesque, replete with solitary grandeur and desolation. The stillness was something remarkable; nothing was seen moving, except at rare intervals a long line of camels laden with merchandise, led by their guide, smoking his pipe, and mounted on a donkey; or here and there a solitary heron fishing amongst the reeds of the Meander, and flocks of wild ducks, which took to flight at the slightest disturbance. It was singular and melancholy to remark the ruins of the three most celebrated of the Churches of the world before me, namely, those of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Christians, dominated over by the Mahometan mosque. I remained alone lost in contemplating this solemn and desolate scene for two or three hours, reflecting upon the vicissitudes and instability of human grandeur, and walked slowly back to the caravanserai at Aiasolok, where I took my breakfast, and then started on my journey. We slowly wound our way through the Pass between the mountains at the back of Aiasolok, and descended into the plain of the ancient Magnesia, the site of one of the seven Churches, through which two streams flow sluggishly to the sea, and reached the ruins about a couple of hours before sunset. I picketed my horse here whilst I examined the ruins, and sent Demetrius forward with the other horses and baggage to a village, where I proposed to pass the night, ordering Demetrius to have supper ready by my arrival.