Tumulus of Esyetes, and Naval Station of the Greeks.

CHAP. III.

FROM CONSTANTINOPLE TO THE PLAIN OF TROY.

Arrival of an American Frigate-Departure from ConstantinopleDardanelles-Situation of Sestus-Dismissal of the Corvette-Visit to the Pacha-Voyage down the Hellespont-Appearance caused by the Waters of the Mender-Udjek Tape-Koum-kale'.

THE arrival of an American frigate, for the first time, at Constantinople, caused considerable sensation, not only among the Turks, but also throughout the whole diplomatic corps stationed in Pera. This ship, commanded by Captain Baimbridge, came from Algiers, with a letter and presents from the Dey to the Sultan and Capudan Pacha. The presents consisted of tigers and other animals, sent with a

view

CHAP. III.

Arrival of an

American

Frigate.

CHAP. III.

view to conciliate the Turkish Government, whom the Dey
had offended. When she came to an anchor, and a message
went to the Porte that an American frigate was in the har-
bour, the Turks were altogether unable to comprehend
where the country was situated whose flag they were to
salute. A great deal of time was therefore lost in settling
this important point, and in considering how to receive
the stranger.
In the mean time we went on board, to
visit the captain; and were sitting with him in his cabin,
when a messenger came from the Turkish Government, to ask
whether America were not otherwise called the New World;
and, being answered in the affirmative, assured the captain
that he was welcome, and would be treated with the utmost
cordiality and respect. The messengers from the Dey were
then ordered on board the Capudan Pacha's ship; who, re-
ceiving the letter from their sovereign with great rage, first
spat, and then stamped upon it; telling them to go back to
their master, and inform him, that he would be served after
the same manner, whenever the Turkish admiral met him.
Captain Baimbridge was however received with every mark
of attention, and rewarded with magnificent presents. The
fine order of his ship, and the healthy state of her crew,
became topics of general conversation in Pera; and the
different ministers strove who should first receive him in
their palaces. We accompanied him in his long-boat to the
Black Sea, as he was desirous of hoisting there, for the first
time, the American flag; and, upon his return, were amused
by a very singular entertainment at his table during dinner.
Upon the four corners were as many decanters, containing

fresh

fresh water from the four quarters of the globe.

The

natives of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, sat down together to the same table, and were regaled with flesh, fruit, bread, and other viands; while, of every article, a sample from each quarter of the globe was presented at the same time. The means of accomplishing this are easily explained, by his having touched at Algiers, in his passage from America, and being at anchor so near the shores both of Europe and Asia.

Soon after, news came to Constantinople of the expedition to Egypt, under General Sir Ralph Abercrombie; and intelligence of the safe arrival of the British fleet, with our army, in the Bay of Marmorice. The Capudan Pacha, on board whose magnificent ship, the Sultan Selim, we had been with our ambassador, previous to the sailing of the Turkish squadron for Egypt, ordered a corvette to be left for us to follow him; having heard that my brother, Captain George Clarke, of the Braakel, was with the fleet in Marmorice, to whom he expressed a desire of being afterwards introduced. Nothing could exceed the liberality of the Turkish admiral upon this occasion. He sent for the captain of the corvette, and, in our presence, gave orders to have it stored with all sorts of provisions, and even with wines; adding also, that knives, forks, chairs, and other conveniences, which Turks do not use, would be found on board.

We sailed in this vessel on the second of March; and, saluting the Seraglio as we passed with twenty-one guns, the shock broke all the glass in our cabin windows. Our Turkish crew, quite ignorant of marine affairs, ran back

at

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Departure

from Con

stantinople.

CHAP. III.

at the report of their own cannon; trusting entirely to a few Greeks and some French prisoners, to manage all the concerns of the vessel. We were not sorry to get away from the unwholesome place in which we had lived, and to view the mosques and minarets of Constantinople, disappearing in the mists of the Sea of Marmora, as we steered with a fair wind for the Hellespont'. Towards evening, the wind strengthening, the crew lowered all the sails, and lay to all night. In the morning, having again hoisted them, I found, at nine o'clock A. M. that we had left Marmora, a high mountain, far behind us. The Isle of Princes appeared, through

(1) "I quitted Constantinople at the end of autumn, 1806, for the purpose of visiting the Troad a second time, and examining it with more accuracy than in the spring of the year. The Greek vessel in which I embarked was bound to Tricchiri, a little town on the coast of Thessaly. The Greek vessels are in general filled with great numbers of Greeks, all of whom have a share, large or small, in the ship, and its merchandise. The vast profits which the Greeks reaped about ten years past, when they carried corn to the ports of France and Spain, from the Black Sea and Greece, particularly Thessaly, and from Caramania, excited a spirit of adventure and enterprise, which soon shewed itself in the building of many hundred vessels, belonging chiefly to the two barren islands of Spezzia and Hydra, situated on the eastern side of the Morea. Vessels are to be seen navigated by Greeks, carrying twenty-two guns: one of this size I met in the Archipelago, off Andros, in con.pany with other smaller ships; all sailing before the wind, with large extended sails of white cotton, forming a beautiful appearance. The Greeks on board the Tricchiriote vessel were not very numerous. My fellow companions were three Turks: one was going to Euboea; another to a village near Thermopyla; and the third was a Tartar, who profited by the northerly wind that was blowing, and was going to the Morea. At sun-set, the Greeks sat on the deck, round their supper of olives, anchovies, and biscuits, with wine; and in the cabin, a lamp was lighted to a tutelar saint, who was to give us favourable weather. The wind that bore us along was from the N.E, to which, as well as the East, the name of the Levanter is given. This wind is generally very strong; and the epithet applied by Virgil, violentior Eurus,' is strictly appropriate. After a little more than a day's sailing, we found

ourselves

I

through a telescope, to consist wholly of limestone. wished much to have visited the ruins of Cyzicum, but had not opportunity. The small isthmus, near which they are situated, is said to have accumulated in consequence of the ruins of two antient bridges, which formerly connected an island with the main land. Recently, above a thousand coins had been found on the site of Parium in Mysia, and sold by the peasants to the master of an English merchant vessel: I saw the greater part of them; they were much injured, and of no remote date, being all of bronze, and chiefly of the late emperors. Between Marmora and the Dardanelles,

and

CHAP. III.

ourselves opposite to a village on the European coast of the Sea of Marmora, called Peristasis. The distance from Constantinople we computed to be about forty leagues. I was informed that a Greek church at this place was dedicated to St. George. This explains the reason why that part of the Propontis, which is now called the Bay and Strait of Gallipoli, was formerly designated by the appellation of St. George's Channel. At the distance of eighteen or twenty miles to the south of Gallipoli, are the remains of a fort, Xoipidixaσтpo (Pig's-fort), which a Turkish vessel, as it tacked near us, saluted; for here, it is said, the Turks first landed, when they came under Soliman into Europe.

"The ship anchored off the castle of the Dardanelles, on the Asiatic side, according to the custom enforced by the Turks on all ships, excepting those of war, which pass southward. At this time, and ever since the Mamlûks had shewn dispositions hostile to the Ottoman government established in Egypt, under Mahomed Ali, the actual viceroy, all ships and vessels, particularly Greek, which might be supposed to be the means of conveying supplies of Circassians to the Mamlûks, to increase their numbers, were strictly searched.

"The population of the town, Chanak kalesi, on the Hellespont, where I landed, consists of Mahometans, Jews, and a few Greeks; amounting, in all, to about 3000. It derives its name from a manufactory of earthenware; chanak signifying a plate or dish. The houses are mean, and built chiefly of wood. From this place I took a boat, and sailed down the Hellespont, to Koum-kalé (the Sand-castle), situated between the mouth of the Simoïs and the Sigean promontory." Walpole's MS. Journal.