Chapter I: Havana, 1 (4)

During the time we tarried at Amsterdam, we made an excursion to Broeck, celebrated as the cleanest village in the world. It has a population of eight hundred persons. In making this excursion we passed through a part of the great ship canal, which is one hundred and twenty-five feet wide, twenty-one feet deep, and fifty miles long. Two ships can enter side by side. After leaving this we took a conveyance which runs by the side of a lateral canal, on which are seen men and women, harnessed like horses, trailing the canal boats to market. On arriving at this extraordinary village our carriage was left outside, as neither horse nor wheel is permitted within the precincts. Our valet leading the way, we proceeded, in pattens, through the various passages or lanes, which are paved with brick or little stones, the paths being composed of shells. I had formed an idea of the extraordinary neatness of the place from the accounts I had heard of it, but the fantastical arrangement and construction of the houses exceeded my expectation. The houses are mostly wood with tile roofs, painted and varnished, which glitter in the sun. The buildings are most scrupulously painted with different colors, many representing different temples, and all sorts of architecture. We were taken to the garden of the rich clergyman of the village, and the guide-book describes it as surpassing all the others in its absurdities, and in the miscellaneous nature of its contents, beating the “groves of Blarney” all to nothing. Here are pavilions, arbors, summer-houses, pagodas, temples, bridges, &c., the small canals running through the garden, and indeed through every part of the village. Most of the front doors are closed during the week until the housewife opens the door, takes down the shutters, dusts the china and the furniture, and arranges everything, then closes it for another week, unless in case of a marriage, a funeral, or christening. The residents are mostly retired merchants, landed proprietors, stockbrokers, or other persons who have made fortunes. In one part of the village are made many Dutch cheeses. We went into the apartments of the cows in one house, the animals being absent from home in the fields. The pavement was of Dutch tiles, the walls and partitions of boards, scrubbed as clean as a dining table. We were permitted to enter the front door of one of the sanctums after having placed our feet in list slippers to avoid soiling the floor, and it is said that the Emperor Alexander, on visiting Broeck, was compelled to comply with this usage!

Having finished our excursion, we next went to Saardam, a place with a population of nine thousand, and remarkable for its four hundred windmills, which are applied to all uses. Some of them are of immense size, with wings eighty feet in diameter, and have houses attached to them. One street of windmills is five miles in length. The next remarkable object for a stranger is the hut of Peter the Great, in which he lived while working as a ship-carpenter, in 1696. The building is of rough plank, and consists of two rooms; in one is a cupboard, used as his sleeping-place, above a loft entered by a ladder. The property was bought by the sister of the Emperor Alexander, and is now inclosed in a case of brick-work, with shutters to close in bad weather. Here you find registers filled with names, and the walls of the hut are so completely covered that it is almost impossible to register another name.

On quitting Amsterdam we took the railroad to Haarlem, which route is accomplished in thirty minutes. It has a population of twenty-four thousand, and its environs are very pretty. The main attraction here is the great organ, which is celebrated over the world. Its size is immense, filling up the whole end of the Cathedral; it has five thousand pipes, the largest fifteen inches in diameter; two of them are thirty-two feet, and eight sixteen feet long. Its power is wonderful when played on by the organist in private, with all the variety of mutations which it is capable of. The charge for a private performance is thirteen guilders, for one person or a party, equal to five dollars and fifty cents. An English gentleman had just employed the organist and finished when our party applied for his services. The imitation of the flute, fife, and piano, followed by the loud charge of the trumpet, was an admirable performance; after which came the tinkling of bells, which one could scarce believe came from the pipes, and then came “the storm,” grand and terrific beyond description, the mimic thunder roared frightfully, and the walls of the building fairly seemed to tremble. The great diapason produced a sound like the whizzing of the machinery of a cotton factory. All these efforts are to show the strength and power of the instrument. An ordinary performance is of the most rich and melodious character.

Our next city to visit on the route was Leyden, celebrated in the annals of Holland as having resisted the siege of the Spanish army in 1573–4 for four months, and displayed the most resolute patriotism. At a period of extreme exhaustion, when bread had not been seen for seven weeks, and pestilence had followed famine and carried off six thousand inhabitants, and when the people were subsisting on horses, dogs, cats, and other foul animals, then it was they came to the resolution to open the dykes and inundate their country to overwhelm the cruel enemy, sooner than submit. History records that the expedient had not an immediate effect, but as if Providence soon and directly interfered, the wind suddenly changed and brought in the sea to the walls of the city, drowning thousands of the Spaniards; and when that was accomplished, veered as suddenly about and carried most of the flood back again so as to enable them to repair the dykes. Among all the collections of Dutch paintings are some portraying the horrors of that dreadful siege.

Leyden has a population of thirty-five thousand, and differs but little from other Dutch cities, being intersected by canals in every direction, most of them bordered by rows of trees; the suburbs are beautiful, with many pretty villas and flower gardens. There are several collections of Chinese and Japanese articles, as the Dutch carry on a great trade with the East. I cannot enumerate the objects of interest further in Leyden, as I must bear in mind the Hague, the next city which we visited, and which is the residence of the Court.

The population of the Hague is about fifty-five thousand. It is situated about three miles from the sea-shore, intersected by canals in every direction, the waters of which present less activity that those of any other city in Holland. We visited Scheveningen, a small fishing town near the sea shore, riding through an avenue of fine shade trees. The bathing establishments are much resorted to by the nobility and persons of distinction on the Continent, who take up their residence here during the summer. The “Dunes,” so called here, are immense banks of sand, thrown up by the wind, and forming a natural barrier against the encroachments of the sea. The sand being very light is scattered by the wind, but in order to preserve the ridges or embankments from injury they are secured by being planted with rushes, or matted over with straw and reeds. Here are also windmills which pump up the water from the ocean, which runs down the Hague, and displaces the stagnant water from the canals, forcing it into another canal which leads it to the river Meuse. The Hague possesses the finest picture gallery in Holland, and the Royal Cabinet is highly interesting and instructive. The Japanese collection is the largest in Europe. Among a thousand other relics I saw the armor of Admiral Von Tromp, bearing marks of several bullets. He was engaged in no less than thirty-two sea fights, conquered the English under Blake in 1652, and afterwards sailed through the British Channel with a broom at his masthead, signifying that he would sweep the ocean of all foes.

Since our arrival at the Hague we have made an excursion to Schiedam, famous for its fine gin, of which there are one hundred and seventy-two distilleries in that small town. Thirty thousand pigs are fed on the refuse grain. It is a neat, pretty village, surrounded by comfort and cheerfulness. Throughout Holland I find the people are more moral, cleanly, temperate, industrious, and strict in their observance of the Sabbath, than in any other part of the Continent that I have visited. It is a country of comfort and extortion--the latter because the taxes are high and the necessaries of life dear.

XXII.

MILAN, ITALY, _Nov. 7, 1841_.

The mail post, the mode of conveyance from Paris to Strasburg, is the most rapid in France. The number of passengers is limited to three persons, with a stipulated allowance of baggage. The horses are changed frequently and with expedition, scarcely giving the passengers time for refreshment on the road. But on this route, where there is little of interest to be seen, it is far more agreeable than the Diligence. The distance is nearly three hundred miles, which were accomplished in thirty-six hours and a half.

Strasburg, the frontier fortress of France, is situated very near the banks of the Rhine, and contains a population of sixty thousand, and a garrison of six thousand men in time of peace. It is the strongest fortification in France. It has the appearance of a German city, and that language is much spoken, and altogether it appears quite unlike France. The principal curiosity here is the cathedral, one of the noblest Gothic edifices in Europe, and celebrated for its spire, which is the highest in the world: it is four hundred and seventy-four feet above the pavement. The cathedral was commenced in the eleventh century. It is the most remarkable piece of open airy stonework imaginable. It was not finished until the fifteenth century, over four hundred years after it was commenced. To ascend the steeple it is now necessary to apply to the magistrates of the city for permission, as several persons have fallen or thrown themselves off the top. There is no difficulty for one with firm nerves to make the ascent, but the stonework of the steeple is so completely open, and the pillars which support it so wide apart, and cut so thin, that they nearly resemble bars of iron or wood, so that at such a height one might imagine himself suspended in a cage over the city, and if the foot were to slip the body might easily drop through the open fretwork. At the same time the elaborate work, and the shapings of the angles and ornaments, are proofs of the skill of the architect and the excellent materials he had chosen. The interior of the building is rich, but what strikes the eye most is one window of painted glass, of a circumference of fifty feet diameter, and rising to the height of two hundred and fifty feet, at the west end of the nave.

After leaving Strasburg I took the railroad which connects that city with Basle in Switzerland, running through an interesting country, nearly one hundred miles. Railroad travel is rather a novelty for the French and Swiss, being quite a new enterprise with them.

From Basle I proceeded to Berne, a city with a population of twenty thousand, beautifully situated and much resorted to during the summer by strangers. The scenery of this part of Switzerland is not so grand and majestic as the mountain views, but the country is undulating and productive. The varied costumes of the peasantry in the different Swiss cantons (of which there are twenty-four comprising the Republic), strike the eye of the stranger as being singular and beautiful.

From Berne I took diligence for Friburg, which, in addition to its magnificent and lofty situation, is celebrated for its suspension iron bridges; the length of the two over which our diligence passed is nine hundred and three feet, their height one hundred and sixty-three feet above the river. It appears frightful in the extreme the first time you pass the bridge, but it is considered perfectly safe. The other bridge, over which I passed subsequently, while examining the work, is seven hundred feet long and two hundred and eighty-five feet above the valley over which it is suspended. During heavy gales they are said to vibrate considerably.

The route from Friburg to Vevay, situated upon the lake of Geneva, is very beautiful, passing through immense vineyards loaded with fruit, and the peasantry, male and female, are busily employed in gathering and pressing the juice of the grape; nothing can exceed the beauty of the snow-capped mountains in the distance, while the blue and limpid Lake of Geneva bathes the shore of Vevay. From Vevay I took the steamer on the lake, visiting Lausanne, a city of some importance, and beautifully situated on an eminence commanding extensive views of the country around. I next took the steamer and traversed the extent of the lake to Geneva, which is the principal and largest city in Switzerland. Here are generally to be found strangers from all quarters, good hotels, reading rooms, and all the comforts and necessaries of life for those who choose to make it a residence. It is the resort of many wealthy English. The situation upon the lake at the outlet--the beautiful and magnificent scenery--its public promenades--its interesting suburbs and adjacent country--altogether lend many charms to Geneva for a permanent residence.

About six miles from Geneva is the château and villa of Voltaire, to which most strangers pay a visit. Here are shown many relics--his garments, cane, books, correspondence, &c.; also the room in which he lodged, which contains his bed, furniture, pictures, &c. Among the latter I discovered a portrait of Dr. Franklin, who once paid Voltaire a visit.

On quitting Geneva for Milan, to pass over the Simplon, which traverses the Alps, ten thousand feet above the level of the sea, I was compelled to take the diligence, the only conveyance which left, just towards night, and on entering Savoy, in the middle of the night, was obliged to submit to the abominable practice of police authority, the examination of luggage and delivery of passport, and in the entire route to Milan had my baggage examined four times. After riding all night and the following day, passing through the most wild and romantic scenery imaginable, with occasional cascades from the mountains, we arrived at a little village called Brieg. In order to appropriate an entire day to the passage of the Simplon, travellers usually sleep at Brieg and set out with the dawn next morning. The journey across the mountain is about forty miles, and generally occupies about twelve hours. We started at three o’clock in the morning in the ascent. The weather, which in the valley was warm and agreeable, began to change sensibly; as we proceeded the cold increased; finally we found snow, and much to my surprise, at length were compelled to leave the diligence and take wooden sledges, upon which was lashed the luggage, while the passengers rode upon rudely constructed sledges with wooden runners. We soon found the cold intense, and the snow from two to four feet deep. Fortunately for me, when we arrived at the foot of the mountain, we were told that the mountain was almost impassable; the passengers had been detained five days, the roads being blocked up, a thing almost unprecedented even on the Simplon in the month of October. We provided ourselves with the requisite comforts and clothing for the passage. This passage of the Alps, planned by Napoleon in 1801, was finished in 1805 by the governments of France and Italy. Its breadth is twenty feet; the number of the bridges thrown across the rocks is fifty, and the number of grottoes hewn through the solid rocks is six. There are placed several rude buildings of stone, at different intervals, for the shelter of the traveller when threatened by the avalanches, with the marks “Refuge” No. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. On the summit of the pass stands the new hospice, a good establishment for the passengers, begun by Napoleon, but only recently completed. It is occupied by the hospitable monks of St. Bernard, who showed us their famous dogs for dragging benighted travellers out of the snow. At the point where vegetation ceases, and where the avalanche has swept everything before it, is a dreary tunnel about one hundred and fifty feet long, through which we passed, which is cut through the rock over which the avalanches tumble. After emerging you pass along the brink of a precipice of immense depth. We started early in order to avoid the avalanches which commence about mid-day. We were forced in some places to pass over beds of snow twenty feet deep, the avalanches having blocked up the road. A large number of the hardy pioneers of the mountain were employed with their shovels in clearing the way. At about three P.M. we arrived over the side of the mountain at the little village of Simplon, where we were able to take wagons, as the snow was melting fast, and when we had got down in the valley, or gorge of the rocks, another grand scene presented itself. The snow melting rapidly formed cascades in every direction, which were coursing down the ragged and perpendicular rocks, sometimes exhibiting all the colors of the rainbow, and at others foaming in torrents. Altogether the passage of the Simplon, under the circumstances in which I crossed it, is one of the most wild, frightful, and yet grand and majestic scenes I have witnessed. In the early part of the evening we found ourselves at Domo d’Osola, where we lodged, and the next day went to Bavano, upon the Lago Maggiore, where we stopped to visit the beautiful and enchanting islands called Isola Bella and Isola Madre, which I will speak of in my next.

XXIII.

TRIESTE, AUSTRIA, _Nov. 16, 1841_.

In my last communication from Milan, I promised to speak of the charming lake called in Italian Lago Maggiore, and of the enchanting islands, Isola Madre and Isola Bella. The lake is about forty or fifty miles in length, and from four to six in breadth. Its shores are lined with forest trees, olives, and vineyards, and here and there are scattered villages and hamlets, some of which are remarkable for elegance of construction. The two islands above named contain palaces and gardens belonging to the family of San Carlo Boromeo. On visiting the Isola Madre, which is about one and a half miles from the shore, we were delighted on seeing, on the south side, four gardens, or rather terraces, rising one above the other, embellished with luxuriant flowers, shrubs, forest trees, all the tropical fruits, &c., in great abundance, and crowned with a palace. But we were still more gratified on visiting Isola Bella, about a mile distant, which is certainly the most remarkable work of the kind I ever saw--it being a small island, occupied entirely with gardens and the palace. It is said a great proportion of the earth was originally carried there. The southern exposure consists of eight terraces, rising one above the other, carpeted with flowers, oranges, lemons, and other fruits in profusion, and adorned with an immense number of statues. This great work is supported by stone arches, which, together with the basement or lower story of an immense palace, front a series of grottoes tastefully fitted up, and for a summer abode delightful. The palace in itself is magnificent, and loaded with all the valuables that wealth can bestow, in sculpture, paintings, &c. The king of Sardinia has passed some time at this agreeable spot. What is most remarkable is in the position of the island, for during the winter, while the mountains in the vicinity are covered with snow, here may be found all the tropical fruits and rare plants from all parts of the world.

After leaving Lago Maggiore, we proceeded by diligence to Milan, which is the capital of Lombardy, and the largest city in northern Italy, its population being one hundred and fifty thousand. There are many attractions in it calculated to detain a traveller, among the principal of which is the Duomo, or cathedral, which is the largest in Italy, excepting St. Peter’s at Rome. It is four hundred and forty-nine feet long, two hundred and seventy-five broad, and the height two hundred and thirty-six feet to the top of the cupola. It is divided into five parts by one hundred and sixty columns of marble, and paved with the same material. Under the cathedral is a sumptuously decorated chapel, which was open while I was there, it being an anniversary, and thousands during the day passed into the subterranean chapel to see the remains of San Carlo Boromeo, which are inclosed in a crystal sarcophagus, adorned with gold and silver gilt. His figure is encased with superb robes, while his crosier and mitre rest by his side. His countenance, with the exception of the nose, is pretty well preserved. The interior of the chapel is also covered with marble, and gold and silver gilding, extremely rich. In order to appreciate this immense Gothic edifice, it is necessary to mount to the top of the cathedral, four hundred and sixty-eight steps, where you can view the spires, turrets, and exterior decorations, in white marble.

The triumphal arch of Napoleon, at the termination of the grand Simplon road, is another great ornament to Milan. It is an immense work, and crowned with a car, bearing the figure of Victory, drawn by six colossal horses in bronze; there are also four other horses, of the same material, standing on the four corners.

During the time I remained at Milan I made an excursion to the lake of Como. At the village of Como I took a small steamer, which plies upon the lake, and had an opportunity of seeing the beautiful gardens, pleasure grounds, and orangeries which line the shores. Nothing can be more delightful to the lover of fine scenery than an excursion upon this lake.

While in Rome, last spring, I saw an original cast in plaster, ordered by Napoleon, from the great sculptor Canova. It represented the triumph of Alexander the Great, and was said to have been purchased at a sum equal to fourteen thousand dollars, and was in a village upon the lake of Como. I landed at the villa Sonimorira, and visited the grounds and interior of this villa, or more properly speaking, palace, where I had an opportunity of seeing this admirable piece of sculpture in bas-relief, in white marble. It is attached to the wall. I made another excursion to Monza, about twelve miles from Milan, which contains a royal residence, well worth visiting; also a cathedral, where is deposited the crown of the Lombard kings, called the “Iron Crown,” because it is lined with an iron hoop, but of small size, and, as the story goes, is composed of the nails with which our Saviour was fastened to the cross. The outside of the crown of gold is studded with precious stones. Charlemagne was crowned king of Lombardy with it in the cathedral where it is deposited. The sacristy also abounds with ornaments of gold, silver, diamonds, and other precious stones, belonging to the church. There was an unusual degree of form and ceremony before we could get to see this celebrated relic. After we had obtained permission from the highest functionary, I was not a little surprised to find that this relic was placed in the wall behind the altar, making it necessary to ascend by ladder to unlock the double doors, one of which was a part of the front of the altar; after which many candles were lighted and two priests put on their robes and made a short service, when an enormous cross of gold was produced, in the centre of which was inclosed in crystal the crown already described; for all of which our party paid five francs. I was rather credulous in the belief of the story that the interior of the crown was made from the nails of the cross, as I have already seen, in different parts of Europe, more relics of the kind than were necessary for the crucifixion of our Saviour.

After I left Milan I came to Verona, on the route to Venice, where I tarried one day. Verona has its objects of curiosity, but not sufficient to detain one who has seen the cities of southern Italy. The ancient amphitheatre here is one of the most remarkable; it is more perfect than any other in Italy. It accommodated twenty-three thousand four hundred and eighty-four persons seated, according to report, and is composed of large blocks of marble without cement. It is of an oval form, four hundred and sixty-seven feet long and three hundred and sixty-seven feet wide. The arena is two hundred and twenty-five feet in length, and one hundred and thirty-three feet wide. There are forty-five rows of seats encircling the arena. The exterior wall is destroyed, but the other parts of this immense work of antiquity are quite perfect. In the suburbs of Verona, in a building near the former cemetery of a Franciscan convent, is a sarcophagus called the tomb of Juliet, and made of Verona marble, with a place for her head, a socket for a candle, and two holes for the admission of air. This sarcophagus is nothing in itself, but associated with Shakespeare, and the history of Romeo and Juliet, it is full of interest.

On arriving at Venice, I visited the palace of the Doges, the Basilica of San Marco, the Bridge of Sighs, the Giant Stairs, the Rialto, and several other parts of the city. Venice is about seven miles in circumference, with a population of one hundred thousand. It is situated in the midst of shallows called Lagunes, and stands mostly on piles. It is entered in all directions by canals, which amount to some hundreds, and bridges of stone without number. The streets are narrow, frequently not exceeding six feet in width, but having shops on each side, and then again many passages not exceeding four feet wide. There are, however, many squares, but they are not generally large. The Place of St. Mark, upon which is situated many of the principal buildings, is magnificent, and presents a lively scene. The only conveyance is in gondolas, which traverse all parts of the city, and are a necessary appendage to every family. One is induced to pronounce it a singular and beautiful city, because no other is like it.

It is surprising that the city should be supplied with all the necessaries, comforts, and luxuries of life without any apparent difficulty. Here are to be found thousands of persons who never saw the bubbling of a fountain or the growth of the vegetables upon which they subsist, who know not the use of a horse, and never saw such an animal, who perhaps have never seen a tree.

On approaching Venice in a gondola it has the appearance of a city submerged, while the steeples in the distance resemble the masts of vessels. The silence is profound, and at first it appears dull. The canals in general being the streets, the only noise to disturb the tranquillity is that made by the oars and the cries of the gondoliers. On leaving Venice I took the steamer for Trieste, the passage being accomplished across the head of the Adriatic in from ten to twelve hours ordinarily. As I depart to-morrow for Greece you may not expect to hear from me again until after my arrival at Patras, or the Ionian Islands.

XXIV.

ATHENS, GREECE, _Nov. 28, 1841_.

When I wrote you last, from Trieste, I was on the point of embarking by one of the Austrian steamers for this city, with the additional advantage of stopping at three ports on the route, which gives the passenger an opportunity of seeing some interesting sights. Soon after leaving Trieste we were visited with one of those violent gales of wind which so frequently occur on the Adriatic, against which the steamer struggled with difficulty, and all the passengers, except one, experiencing the horrors of sea-sickness, were snugly stowed away in their berths. This man solitary and alone, I noticed in his enviable position, seated at the supper table, whilst the sea was making a complete breach over the deck of the steamer, and the chairs and plates were secured by straps and braces. Within twenty-four hours we made the harbor of Ancona, the principal commercial port of the Pope of Rome, whose dominions extend from the Mediterranean on the west to the Adriatic on the east, and where we remained nearly a day, giving us an opportunity of seeing all that was most remarkable in the town. We next departed for Corfu, one of the most important of the Ionian islands, and the seat of government, and where we arrived after two days. The approach to the island is beautiful, with a fine harbor or bay for vessels. The opposite coast of Albania, the fortifications of the island of Vido, and the citadel of Corfu, built on two precipitous rocks running out into the sea, with the town and the mountains in the distance, form a splendid panoramic view.

The island is in the possession of the British, who have many troops stationed here. Its circumference is said to be one hundred and twelve miles, and the population sixty thousand, that of the city being twenty thousand. We have found the weather delightfully warm and pleasant, and observed many plants and fruits peculiar to the West India climate. On landing I was struck with the gay and picturesque costume of the male population, who mostly wear the Albanian dress, which is the gayest, and in some cases the most fantastic, of any I have seen in Europe. It consists of a red cap of beautiful material, of the form of a hat without the rim, with a large tassel of blue silk suspended from the top; a round jacket and vest, of cloth of various colors, beautifully embroidered with cord, and sometimes with gold and silver lace, which fits to the figure; from the waist is suspended a white frock with heavy folds which hang gracefully, barely covering the knees, with leggings of the same colored cloth as the jacket, embroidered in the same manner, and covering the shoes. The waist is encircled with a sash of red or blue silk, the ends hanging negligently by the side. We remained at Corfu only one day, but long enough to give us time to visit the villa of the governor, beautifully situated on a cliff overhanging the sea; also to visit the esplanade or parade ground, and some of the Greek churches, in one of which rest the remains of Capo d’Istria, the late governor of Greece, who was assassinated in Nauplia.

After leaving Corfu we proceeded to Patras, in Greece, passing the island of Santa Maura, where Sappho made her famous leap, and next the island of Ithaca, the birthplace of Ulysses, which is only eighteen miles long, and presents an air of ruggedness and barrenness, but is said to produce fruit, wine, and honey, of good quality. On arriving at Patras, where we remained part of a day, we found it had the appearance of a new town, and to my surprise I learned that during the last revolution every house was demolished by the Turks, as well as the orange groves, the woods of olives and vineyards; in fact everything was laid waste by fire and sword. There are not many remains of antiquity here. The new streets are well laid out, but the houses are mostly one story high, the country being subject to earthquakes.

On the opposite side of the gulf lies Missolonghi, celebrated for its battles with the Turks, as also for being the spot where Marco Bozzaris fell during an engagement in 1823. It was also the place where Lord Byron ended his career.

On leaving Patras we coasted along with the islands of Cephalonia and Zante in view, afterwards passing Navarino, so memorable for the battle of the allied forces against the Turks in 1827, which in its effects ended the war in Greece. After passing Cape Matapan, the most southern point of Greece, nothing occurred of interest until we arrived at the Piræus the morning of the eighth day from Trieste.

In order to convey an idea of the variety of character one meets on a voyage in this part of the world, I will mention that we had in the main saloon of the steamer sixteen persons, and that the ordinary conversation at table was in six different languages. Among the number a Turk from Smyrna, who had been interpreter to the English embassy in the East, conversed in eight languages. He was dressed in full costume, and wore his turban at meals and on all occasions. His long rich robes of satin, and yellow morocco slippers, presented a novel appearance, his favorite position being a seated one with his legs crossed. On entering the harbor of the Piræus the remains of the tomb of Themistocles were pointed out, looking down on the Gulf of Salamis, the scene of his glory. The modern town has been entirely built up since 1834. The distance to Athens is five or six miles. We took a carriage, and in approaching that celebrated city the ruins of the Parthenon struck our view, rising in all its majesty, one of the finest edifices formerly, and on one of the finest sites in the world.

During the last revolution Athens was entirely destroyed by the Turks, but it has again risen, and now has the appearance of a new city, with a population of twenty thousand. Since it became the seat of government, and king Otho made his public entry in 1834, it is said to have advanced rapidly. Although many houses are of very rude construction, and in some sections of one story high, with tile roofs, still in general the style of building is very good and substantial, and I am only surprised that in such a short space of time they could have advanced so far. Many of the public buildings are well constructed. The palace of the king, now in progress of erection, is of white Pentelic marble, three hundred feet long and two hundred and eighty feet in depth. It will cost an immense sum of money, which might have been better employed in other improvements than in building a palace, while the new government is in its infancy.

As soon as I had located myself at a hotel, I procured a guide to obtain a permission to mount the Acropolis and visit all the antiquities of the city. It is necessary to apply to one of the officers of the city for this, and to pay a small sum, to ascend this celebrated Cecropian Rock, which has been a fortress from the earliest ages down to the last day of the war. The walls form a circuit of two thousand five hundred and thirty yards, and are built on the edge of the perpendicular rock, which rises one hundred and fifty feet above the plain in which stands the city. The area inclosed is about fifteen hundred feet long, and the greatest breadth five hundred feet. On entering the only gate, after winding round the hill, the first subject is the ruins of the Propylæa, which was built during the most brilliant days of Athens. There is little remaining except six fluted marble columns in front, and six in the rear, of the Doric order, with frieze, entablature, &c.; to the right is a high tower, rudely constructed. The Temple of Victory is the next ruin presented to view, with some fine Ionic fluted columns still standing, and quite perfect. Next comes the Parthenon, which stands in the centre of the Acropolis. When perfect the length was two hundred and twenty feet, the breadth one hundred. The front and rear are still standing, and many of the columns on the sides (in all thirty-two) still remain. The columns are sixty-four feet in diameter at the base, and thirty-four feet high, standing on a pavement to which there was an ascent of three steps. The height of the temple was sixty-five feet; parts of the frieze on the exterior still remain; they represent the procession to the Parthenon at one of the grand festivals. The Parthenon was constructed of white Pentelic marble. Within the Acropolis is an immense collection of ruins and antiquities too numerous to detail. The Temple of Theseus, not far distant from the Acropolis, is quite perfect, and the interior is occupied as a museum--all the fragments of marble which have been discovered by the government being placed there. It was built four hundred and sixty-five years before Christ. Thirty-four Doric columns, with the walls, remain entire, all of Pentelic marble.

On ascending the Areopagus, or Hill of Mars, where the council of the Areopagus sat, one finds sixteen steps cut in the rock; above the steps, on the level of the hill, is a bench of stone excavated in the rock. It was here that the judges sat, in the open air and in the dark, that they might not be influenced by seeing and knowing the accuser or the accused. It was here that St. Paul preached, that Orestes was tried for matricide, and Socrates for theism. The prisons of Socrates are four dungeons, cut in the rock at the base of a hill, and there he drank the poisoned cup. The temple of Jupiter Olympus was the largest in Athens. It was begun five hundred and thirty years before Christ, and completed by the emperor Hadrian, A.D. one hundred and forty-five. The only remains of that immense edifice are sixteen Corinthian columns, six and a half feet diameter and sixty feet high. It is supposed the entire circuit was two thousand three hundred feet; the length being three hundred and fifty-four feet, and breadth one hundred and seventy-one; the whole number of columns was one hundred and twenty.

Since I have been in Athens I have made acquaintance with Mr. Perdicaris, the American consul, Mr. King and Mr. Benjamin, the American missionaries stationed here, as also Mrs. Hill, whose husband is now absent in America. The judgment, talent, and perseverance of this lady and her husband have contributed much to the advancement of the children of Athens. The gentlemen named have been very polite and communicative, and from them I have derived much valuable information in reference to Greece. I had an opportunity of seeing the young king Otho and his queen at a concert soon after my arrival. He was clad in rich Albanian costume, such as I have described as being worn at Corfu, and which is in general use here also. I judge he is about twenty-five years of age. The queen is young and beautiful; she was handsomely clad in Frank costume.

After having finished the sights at Athens I shall make a tour in the interior, in company with one of the American missionaries from the southern parts of Greece, who desires to visit Nauplia, Argos, ancient Tergus, Mycenæ, &c.; but in addition I desire to see Corinth, where St. Paul lived one year and a half, and wrote his Epistle to the Corinthians. The weather being delightfully warm, and my companion speaking modern Greek perfectly, I anticipate great pleasure in making an excursion of six or eight days.

XXV.

ATHENS, _December 7, 1841_.

I have just returned from my tour, after an absence of seven days, during which time we were favored with delightful weather, but our journey was attended with all the fatigue and want of comfort appertaining to travelling on horseback in the interior of Greece. But we were more than fully compensated with the incidents of travel and the remarkable objects of antiquity and curiosity presented to our view. I must first inform you that there are only six or eight carriage roads in Greece, and those only for a short distance. All travel is performed on mules or horses, and all manner of burdens carried in the same manner. In the interior hotels are almost unknown, there being but few guests to encourage them, as during the desolating wars with the Turks almost all the towns and cities were laid waste, and the Greeks sought refuge in the mountains.

The first object of my missionary companion and myself was to procure a Greek servant, a supply of provisions, with bed and bedding, when we started for the Piræus, a distance of five miles, in search of a boat to carry us to Epidaurus, upon the Gulf of Salamis, where our land travel commenced. On arriving, at five o’clock in the afternoon, we were fortunate in finding a caique ready for departure. There is an immense number of these vessels employed along the coast; they are from twenty to thirty feet in length, the only shelter being in the hold, the flooring of which is pebble-stones. The passengers numbered about twenty, who were stretched upon the deck, or on the gravelly floor, with nothing but a Greek coat, or a blanket under them, my companion among the group. By special favor I had the cabin to myself, for the reason that there was only room for one person. It was a small partition astern, with a board floor, say three feet broad, and scarcely long enough to lie at full length. Here I spread my bed and passed a tolerable night. The next morning we passed the island of Egina, and at noon arrived at Epidaurus, a place which formerly sent eight hundred fighting men to battle, now a miserable village of eighty inhabitants. But the town has recently acquired a celebrity from having given its name to the Greek constitution, adopted by the Greek Congress of Deputies from all parts of the nation, on the 15th of January, 1832.

We procured horses and a guide for Nauplia, making a _detour_ of two hours to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Yero. Part of the road was through a fertile plain, producing tobacco and corn; then passing through a romantic defile by the side of a rocky hill, with a mountain torrent tumbling beneath. The path in some places is a mere shelf, only broad enough for one to pass, with a steep precipice above and below; while in others it winds through beautiful shrubbery where the myrtle and arbutus joined over our heads in festoons, and scarcely permitted the horse and rider to pass. The most remarkable remains of antiquity in this sequestered region are the ruins of a theatre. It was of white marble, and thirty-two rows of seats still appear above ground. The orchestra was ninety feet long, and the theatre, when entire, three hundred and seventy feet in diameter, and capable of containing twelve thousand spectators. There are also remains of several temples.

Night overtook us at Lygouno, where we found a Khan to spread our beds, and fire to cook our provisions. The next morning we made Nauplia, a distance of five hours (which is the only mode of reckoning in Greece, not being able to calculate by miles, as the roads are mostly paths winding in different directions). The city, with a population of nine thousand, was once the seat of government, and is a commercial place, with a magnificent harbor. It is strongly fortified. The fortress of the Palamedi, on the summit of a lofty and precipitous rock, seven hundred and twenty feet above the sea, is almost inaccessible, and has been called the Gibraltar of Greece. The view of the country and the Gulf of Nauplia from the summit is beautiful. I noticed many brass cannons of 1650, 1662, with the Venetian stamp, the lion of St. Mark. There are cisterns hewn in the top of the rock, large enough to hold rain water to supply the garrison three years. In visiting one of the Greek churches here, we were shown the spot where Capo d’Istria, the governor of Greece, was assassinated when leaving the church. We remained here one day, and proceeded for Argos, seven miles from Nauplia, an ancient city, which contains some antiquities--a ruined Acropolis upon the summit of a rocky hill. In 1825 the modern town was entirely destroyed by the Turks, but is partly rebuilt. The plains are productive with good cultivation, but the manner of cultivation in this country is quite primitive.

On our way to Argos we turned aside to visit the ancient city of Tiryns, built thirteen hundred and seventy-nine years before Christ. The Cyclopean walls of the fortress, which was one-third of a mile in circumference, are immense, and in remarkable preservation; some are twenty-five feet thick. The city was destroyed four hundred and sixty-six years before Christ, and it is most remarkable that some of the galleries, in the form of a Gothic arch, still exist, almost perfect. It was the birthplace and frequently the residence of Hercules. The Lernean lake, not far distant, is the spot celebrated for being the place where Hercules destroyed the Lernean hydra.

At Argos, there were no accommodations to be had, and we were thrown upon the hospitality of an English gentleman, a friend of my compagnon de voyage. We were informed here that it would not be safe to travel without a guard across the country, as two travellers had recently been robbed. We accordingly applied to the authorities, and procured a mounted horseman, armed to the teeth with musket, sword, and pistols. Altogether, our party presented a novel appearance. Our guard in full regimentals, our guide in Greek costume, running or walking beside the horses, making a distance of thirty or forty miles a day without fatigue, but singing gaily even till night approached; our servant, with the Hydriote costume, which differs from the Albanian--the pantaloons being not unlike a great sack secured to the waist, and below the knees of a blue color--with his red sash and cap, mounted on a pack-horse carrying supplies and bedding, with our horses in advance; altogether we formed a novel and formidable appearance. There is a law in Greece prohibiting the carrying of fire-arms without license. We met several suspicious characters with pistols and muskets, in the mountain passes, who were interrogated by our guide, and compelled to produce their permits; but it is not difficult to obtain a permit, under pretence of protecting the flocks of sheep and goats. On the route to Corinth, we passed through a wild and mountainous country, sometimes winding along a narrow path on the brink of a precipice, and then again following the course of a ravine. We visited the ancient city of Mycenæ, built by Perseus one thousand three hundred years before Christ. It was built on a rugged height, situated in a recess between two commanding mountains, of the range which bounds the Argolic plain. The entire circuit of the citadel still exists, and is very large. The gate of the lions is quite perfect; upon it are represented two lions, standing upon their hind legs, on either side of a pillar, or altar, on which they rest their fore paws. The tomb of Agamemnon is still perfect, as it was, perhaps, when the city was destroyed, four hundred and sixty-six years before Christ. The entrance is twenty feet broad; the diameter of the dome is forty-seven feet, and the height fifty feet. In the middle of the great doorway the holes for the bolts and hinges of the door are observed. We visited, also, the ancient city of Nemæa, which has only three columns standing of the temple of Jupiter, some remains of the Nemæan theatre, and in the vicinity, several caves, supposed to be those of the Nemæan lion. It was situated on a beautiful plain; and where once existed a large population, now nothing is heard but the cry of the shepherd, or the barking of his dog.

In some sections of the country, we would travel many miles without discovering a habitation of any kind, occasionally meeting a solitary Greek, with his heavily laden mule or donkey, going to market; or, perhaps, upon the mountain’s ridge, would find a regular encampment of itinerant shepherds, with their flocks of goats and sheep. It was an amusing and novel sight, to see these people emigrating to another section of the country, or taking up their winter quarters in the valleys. I observed several of these parties, composed of three or four families together. They not only have considerable flocks, but raise horses for sale. On making a move, their tents are lashed on pack-saddles, with all their supplies of clothing, cooking utensils, &c. The small children are lashed upon the backs of the horses in the same manner, while the girls and boys, in their picturesque costumes, are leading and driving the horses and colts, sometimes to the number of seventy or eighty. The men are employed in driving the flocks of sheep and goats, while the women are driving the horses which carry different kinds of poultry on their backs, and, at the same time, are engaged in spinning cotton with a portable distaff, which they carry in one hand, and twist the thread upon a spool with the other, with great dexterity.

On arriving at Corinth, situated on the gulf of Lepanto, we visited the remaining antiquities of that city, which once ranked first among the states of Greece. During the last revolution it was reduced to ashes. It is now being rebuilt, but in a very different manner. Seven Doric columns of a temple still exist, amidst modern desolation. There are also the remains of an amphitheatre, and excavated in the rock, at one end, is seen a subterranean entrance for the wild beasts and gladiators. In this city St. Paul resided and wrote his Epistles to the Corinthians. Back of the city rises a mountain, upon the summit of which, one thousand eight hundred feet high, stands an immense fortress, considered the strongest in Greece, next to Nauplia. A steep ascent, winding through rocks, leads up to the gate, which requires an hour’s walk, and where one of the most magnificent views imaginable is to be seen, comprising six of the most celebrated states of ancient Greece.

On leaving Corinth, we crossed the Isthmus and struck Cenchrea, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as the spot whence St. Paul departed for Syria. We arrived at Megara the same night, and our guide conducted us to the only house of entertainment in the town, which contains a population of one thousand persons. But this modern village is in a ruinous state. We found the landlord had only one room, and that was occupied. Accordingly, our gend’arme conducted us to the house of the Demarch, or mayor of the town, where we had an opportunity of partaking of Greek hospitalities, which is not unusual for strangers to accept in the interior. Suffice it to say, we were made very comfortable, and felt ourselves under many obligations for comforts that money could not procure.

Soon after leaving Megara we dispensed with the services of our gend’arme, as we struck upon the road to Eleusis, which is considerably frequented. In passing along the coast of the Saronic Gulf we had the island of Salamis in full view, half a mile distant, where three hundred and eighty Greek ships defeated two thousand ships of Xerxes. At Eleusis are many antiquities about the modern town, and the piece of ground is here pointed out where, according to tradition, the first corn was sown.

On the way to Athens may be seen the old causeway, called Via Sacra, along which the ancient processions moved to that city. During our last day’s march we found the sun’s rays rather oppressive, and I was rejoiced when we entered the olive groves of the academy, which afforded a fine shade in our approach to Athens.

XXVI.

CONSTANTINOPLE, _Dec. 22, 1841_.

I took the steamer for this city, stopping at the island of Syra, which is the concentrating point for passengers changing steamers for Egypt, Constantinople, Malta, &c. The town is built upon the summit of a lofty hill, so remarkable for its conical form that it may be compared to a vast sugar-loaf covered with houses. In the distance it looks well enough, but in the interior everything is dirty and filthy.

From Syra we came to Smyrna, which is prettily situated upon the Asiatic shore, and on entering the city were struck with the Oriental costume of Turks, Armenians, Jews, and Greeks; the women, with their faces covered with a sort of white veil, disclosing only their sparkling black eyes, appeared singular enough. The streets are ranges of houses constructed of wood, mostly one story high, and without chimneys. The population is about one hundred and fifty thousand. The bazaars are crowded with buyers and sellers, while trains of camels with loads upon their backs are passing through the narrow streets, scarcely admitting the foot passenger to pass.