cent slope, covered with gardens from the water's edge. Trees bending with fruit; the citron, the orange, the lemon, the mulberry, and the lentiscus, or mastic tree, are seen forming extensive groves; and in the midst of these appears the town of Scio. Upon first entering the straits, small objects interfere not with the stupendous grandeur of the view. Mountains, high, undulating, sweeping precipitous, inclose the sea on all sides, so as to give it the appearance of a vast lake surrounded by that sort of Alpine territory, where the eye, from the immensity of objects, roams with facility over the sides and summits it beholds; surveying valleys, precipices, chasms, crags, and bays; and, losing all attention to minuter features, is occupied only in viewing the bolder outlines of nature. As we advanced, however, and drew near to Chios, the gorgeous picture presented by that beautiful island drew all our attention, and engrossed it, from daylight until noon. It is the paradise of modern Greece; more productive than any other island, and yielding to none in grandeur. We passed close beneath the town, sailing pleasant 1 Kings iv. 28. Homer may be consulted, Il. E. 195.; and Juvenal, Sat. viii. (jumentis ordea lassis). Niehbubr says; he saw no oats in Arabia. I did not observe tobac co so much cultivated as corn and cotton. The tobacco plantations require much attention; but are very productive. After gathering the leaves, the stalks stand and rot, and, by the salt which they contain, fructify the earth. The crop from a tobacco plantation is esteemed worth twice as much as the product of the same land sown with corn. An acre of moderately good ground is said to yield about two hundred okes of cotton; an oke is two pounds and three quarters; and the cotton may be worth nearly two piastres an oke. "The olive tree flourishes in a chalky soil. In summer, a hollow is dug round the tree, to receive water; the fruit is beaten off with long sticks, and not gathered. The olivepresses, which I saw, consist of a circular basin, of twelve feet in diameter; and from the centre rises a tall strong piece of wood, to which a large stone, like a millstone, is attached. A horse goes round the basin, and, as he moves, the perpendicular piece of wood receives a rotatory motion; this is communicated to the stone. Locusts are called by the Greeks naτápa (a curse). They had laid waste the country about Adramyttium and Pergamus. Proceeding in a straight line, and stopped by no impediment, they devoured every kind of vegetation: all means used to destroy them were fruitless; if some part were killed by smoke and fire, kindled expressly, still, however, multitudes escape. In July, the Archipelago was covered for some distance with swarms, which the wind had driven into the sea. They were larger than grasshoppers; with legs and body of a yellow colour; their wings were brown, and spotted. The Turks have not learned to eat them; but with the Arabs, the locust is boiled or roasted, and eaten with salt. Europeans are surprised at this; as the Arabs are, when they hear that we eat crabs, oysters, and lobsters. "The storks, while I was in the Troad, were building their nests on the houses at Bournabashi. The veneration paid to these birds by the Mahometans is well known. The Thessalians (says Plutarch, de Iside et Osiride) esteem them, because they destroyed serpents. The noise made by the upper and under parts of their bill (crepitante ciconia rostro,' Ovid. ) is well compared, by Shaw, to that of a pair of castanets. "On the great roads near Smyrna, which lead to the interior, are to be met frequent caravans of camels; these are preceded by an ass; and round their necks are strings of beads, with a bell. I mention this, because the same ornament is seen on the camels sculptured at Persepolis. The camel of the northern part of Asiatic Turkey is a stronger animal than that of the south; the latter carries not more than five hundred pounds weight; but the former from eight to nine hundred. Near Moolah I meta caravan laden with iron ore. Walpole's MS. Journal. ly along its vineyards and plantations, and inhaling spicy odours, wafted from cliffs and groves. The houses being all white, with flat roofs, presented a lively contrast to the evergreens which overshadowed them; seening like little palaces in the midst of bowers of citron, lime, olive, and pomegranate trees. This chosen spot was for many years the residence of an Englishman of the name of Baimbridge, who had searched all Europe for a healthy place wherein to end his days; and although his arm was fractured at the advanced age of seventy-four, lived in Scio until he was ninety-three. The captain of our vessel well remembered him, when he was himself only the mate of a merchantman, and his master's ship was laid up in the island during a twelvemonth. He pointed out the house where he lived, and the tree beneath which he was buried; and spoke of his residence in Scio as the happiest remembrance of his life. Indeed, the praises of this favoured island are universal in the country; and its delights constitute the burtheu of many a tale, and many a song, among the modern Greeks.* Its produce is chiefly silk and mastic. From the abundance of the latter article, the Turks call Chios by the name of sackees, which signifies mastic. The sale of a single ounce of this substance, before the grand signior's tributary portion of it has been collected, is punished with death. This the cady annually receives in great pomp, attended by music and other demonstrations of joy. The inhabitants of Chios amount to about sixty thousand, of * Egmont and Heyman published the best account I have seen of this island, not even excepting that of Tournefort; and to their travels I would refer the reader for further statistical information. To repeat what has already been so fully communieated, would hardly be deemed justifiable. I am indebted to their work for the following eulogy of Chios, as taken from the writings of the celebrated Neapolitan poet} Parthenius. "Et me grata Chios, cum Nereus obstrepit undis Invisam; O, qui me ventus felicibus oris Nauticorum, lib. iv. p. 108. For every information concerning the mastic tree, and the use made of its gum, see Tournefort, tom. ii. p. 66. In Turkey, the ladies of the country amuse themselves by chewing mastic; ascribing to it, at the same time, many virtues. The Turks, however, according to Egmont and Heyman, only get the refuse of the mastic; the best being sold to foreigners. which number twenty thousand reside in the town of Scio.* It contains forty-two villages. Its minerals merit a more particular regard than they have hitherto obtained. Jasper and marble are said to be found there in considerable quantity and beauty, and a kind of green earth, resembling verdigris,§ of which I was not able to procure a sight, called " earth of Scio" by the Turks. The pavement of the church of Neamony, a convent two hours distant from the town, consists of marble and jasper, with inlaid work of other curious stones, dug from quarries in the island. Several Greek manuscripts were preserved in the library of this convent, when Egmont and Heyman visited the place. The ancient medals of Chios, even the silver, are obtained without difficulty in various parts of the Levant; and perhaps with more facility than upon the island itself.** Its "To the south of the town of Scio, which stands on the eastern side of the island nearly in the centre, is a beautiful plain, of five miles in extent, by the sea side it is A species of filled with lemon, orange, fig, pomegranate, almond, and olive trees. lentiscus, from which the mastic gum is procured, grows in great abundance there. No other mastic but that of Scio is mention by travellers in the Levant; but in Galen we find a reference to Egyptian mastic, paorixe Alyvuπría, lib. ii. c. 6. ad Glauconem. "The fine climate of the island, the mild government of the Turks in it, the natural disposition of the inhabitants, all contribute to form that liveliness and gayety of temper which characterize the Sciots, and have given rise to the proverb, that it is easier to find a green horse (ãλoyo mpaσivo,) than a sober minded Sciot' (Xira ppóvipov.) The features of the women are beautiful; but are covered with a paint, in which mercury is an ingredient, and by this their teeth and breath are affected. "Beside cargoes of oranges and lemons, sent to Constantinople and the Black Sea, the island exports many bales of silk, damask, and velvet, to Barbary, and to Egypt. The population of the capital is 30,000; of the whole island, 80,000. Corn and provisions in general come over from the continent of Asia, as the island is mountainous, and cannot produce sufficient for the inhabitants. To the north, and to the west of the town, are seen lofty rocks of granite. Many of the mountains of Chios contain various sorts of marble, with which the church of the convent of Neamone in particular is ornamented The head of this convent (youuevos, as he is called) showed me the library, which consisted of some volumes of the Greek Fathers. The street in which I lived in the town was inhabited by Catholic f-milies, only separated from the other Greeks by religious schism. In a house in that street, I copied a very interesting Greek inscription, in verse; I shall here give part of it, in a more correct manner than has been lately published in a periodical work. Σοὶ λάμπει μὲν δόξα, καλοῖς δ ̓ ἐσθλὰν χάριν ἔργοις Εἰκόνα ἀναστήσασα σέθεν, μορφᾶς τύπον ἔμπνου, Walpole's MS. Journal. It is in honour of Megacles, the son of Theogiton." t. Egmont and Heyman's Travels, vol. i. p. 236. If there be any truth in the adage prevalent in Scio, concerning the original for mation of the island, the geologist would have ample scope for his researches. Its inhabitants relate, that, at the creation of the world, God threw all the rocks of the continent into the sea, and of these the island of Scio was formed." Ibid. p. 237. Ibid. p. 249. Ibid. p. 261. **They all have reference to the Chian wine, which still maintains its pristine ce * inhabitants anciently possessed a reputation for virtue, still maintained among them. According to Plutarch, there was no instance of adultery in Chios during the space of seven hundred years. Having cleared the chain, or Erythræan Straits, we sailed, along the Ionian coast, for the channel which separates the stupendous heights of Samos from the lower land of Icaria. This marine pass is at present generally known in these seas by the appellation of the Samian Boccaze. It presents a bold and fearful strait, in the mouth of which is the small island of Fourmi, or Isle of Ants. A very heavy sea rolls continually through this channel, so that, with contrary wind, even a frigate can scarcely effect the passage. Whether it were owing to my having travelled so long in the level plains of Russia, or to the reality of the scene, I know not, but Samos appeared to me, on its northern side, the most tremendous and precipitous mountain I had ever beheld. Its summit was concealed by a thick covering of clouds, although all the rest of the Archipelago appeared clear and serene. We were told that the heights of Samos are rarely unveiled; a circumstance which might give rise to those superstitious notions entertained in earlier ages, when its aërial solitudes were believed to be the abode of deities; whence the Father of gods and men, enveloped by mysterious darkness, hurled his thunder on the passing mariner. The most enlightened seamen of the present day, among whom might be included the master of our vessel, maintain, with testimony which it is difficult to dispute, that in stormy weather they have observed a lambent flame playing upon the face of the precipice of Samos, about two thirds of its height from the surface of the water. Many, say they, are the vessels this natural phanur has. rescued from destruction, by the guidance it affords during the thick fogs of the winter season. They further allege, that the natives of Samos have frequently goue up the mountain, in dark tempestuous weather, to seek this fire, but have never been able to discover whence it issues. For my own part, I do not doubt the fact. It is probably one of those exhalations of ignited hydrogen gas, found in many parts of the world, and always most conspicuous in hazy and rainy weather; as in the instance of the burning vapour at Pietra Mala in Tuscany, and many other in lebrity; and represent, in front, a sphinx, with a bunch of grapes; for the reverse, an amphora, with other symbols of the island's fertility. Plut. De Vert Mulierum. different parts of Persia. That of Samos, perhaps, from its inaccessible situation, rendered still more difficult of approach ia stormy weather, might escape the search of the natives, and yet be visible from a considerable distance at sea.* Approaching the yawning chasm nature in one of her awful convulsions has here opened to the waves, a mountainous surge rolled after our little bark. Prosperous winds, however, carried us along, and we presently left the Boccase in our stern; passing the isle of Fourmi, aud steering into the broad surface of the waters, with all the southern islands of the Archipelago in view. It is not possible for any power of language adequately to describe the appearance, presented at the rising, or setting of the sun, in the Ægean Sea. Whether in dim perspective, through gray and silvery mists, or amidst hues of liveliest purple, the isles and continents of Greece present their varied features, nor pen, nor pencil, can pourtray the scenery. Whatsoever, in the warmest fancies of my youth, imagination had represented of this gifted country, was afterward not only realized, but surpassed. Let the reader picture to his conception an evening sun, behind the towering cliffs of Patmos, gilding the battlements of the monastery of the Apocalypse with its parting rays; the consecrated island, surrounded by inexpressible brightness, seeming to float upon an abyss of fire;† while the moon, in milder splendor, is rising full over the opposite expanse. Such a scene I actually witnessed, with feelings naturally excited by all the circumstances of local solemnity; for such, indeed, might have been the face of nature, when the inspiration of an apostle, kindling in its contemplation, uttered the alleluias of that mighty voice,‡ telling of SALVATION, AND GLORY, AND HONOUR, AND POWER. How very different were the reflections caused, upon leaving the deck, by observing a sailor with a lighted match in bis hand, and our captain busied in appointing an extraordinary watch for the night, as a precaution against the pirates, who swarm in these seas. Those wretches, dastardly, as well An anecdote, very characteristic of the Turks, relating to an occurrence a short time previous to our travels in Turkey, proves that lights are sometimes exposed, by the Samians themselves, to guide vessels in these straits. A Turkish frigate, during her passage through the Boccase of Samos, was wrecked upon the rocks of that island. The Turkish admiral insisted upon being paid the value of the frigate by the inhabitants; and when these, regretting that they had not gone up with lights, maintained their innocence, as to the loss of the frigate, the Mahometan exclaimed," You will admit one argument! Would the wreck have happened, if your island had not been in the way?" And I saw, as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire." Rev. xv. 2 † Rev. xix. 1. |