Journal Of A Visit To Constantinople And Some Of The Greek Islands In The Spring And Summer Of 1833 Part 7

"Certainly."

"Are they pretty?"

Each father expatiated on the superior beauty of his own child; and the papa added that his was angelic,--"[Greek: Kale kale]." "Then,"

continued Madame, "I am desired to say, the Prince is very much obliged to you for your visit, and requests that you will immediately send the prettiest maiden of the whole to bear him company on board." Perfectly thunderstruck at this extraordinary address, the papa and his brethren looked first at each other, then at Madame and the Prince; and, making a hurried bow to the German Pasha, they jostled one another down the ladder, and into their boat, with a rapidity that amused as well as surprised us all; for, at the time, we were unacquainted with the nature of this audacious reply. They probably took him for a _vardoulacha_, or vampire, and thought to themselves, "If this Prince is such a curiosity, what must little Otho be!"

Well, of course his Royal Highness demanded the meaning of their abrupt and sudden flight, and wished to know what Madame had said to scare the holy fathers thus? "Was the reply complimentary? if so, it had produced a most extraordinary effect: they could not be pleased, that was evident."

"Oh yes," answered she, with a satirical smile; "I said you were delighted to see them, and that, knowing they had plenty of handsome daughters, you desired them to send the prettiest on board to bear your Highness company."

His Highness looked somewhat foolish: he did not know what to say; and appeared little less chagrined himself, than the Greek papas of the Isle of Marmora. We afterwards understood that the Prince had made some reductions in her bill while he occupied her house at Smyrna; and, by way of retaliation, she thus insolently attempted to injure his character among her countrymen; and, I have no doubt, completely succeeded, as far as the Greeks of this island are concerned.

[Sidenote: PLEASANT DORMITORY.] _Monday, 24th._--Myself and four companions in misery have pa.s.sed a horrible night in a cabin worse than the Black Hole of Calcutta. The offensive odour from the chicken-coop, which stands just at the side of the only aperture where fresh air can find an entrance; the heat of the confined chamber; the myriads of insects, that devoured my body with ravenous appet.i.te, after having endured a fortnight's starvation; kept me in such a fever, that I vowed never to enter the cabin again. [Sidenote: EXTRAORDINARY TRANSFORMATION.] When I looked out, my fellow-pa.s.sengers burst into a laugh; and Barrow, taking an observation, as my phiz came to the meridian above them, exclaimed, "Who has been painting your face? it is as yellow as a canary-bird!" "Nonsense!" I exclaimed; and, jumping upon deck, I seized my gla.s.s, and saw myself indeed as yellow as our good King's face on a sovereign. Not my face only, but, by all that's startling! hands, arms, legs, body, were in the same condition, as though I had been plunged into a curry-pot. I beheld myself with jaundiced eyes! It was wholly inexplicable; for I had not suffered a moment's illness, since I arrived in Stamboul; neither have I felt any symptoms of approaching disease; yet, in one night, my skin has been gilded over like a counterfeit sovereign,--

"Suffering a _yellow_ change Into something rich and strange."

Nevertheless, I am afraid, unlike the false coinage, the gilt will not very easily rub off. On my first appearance, I observed the French doctor, who seemed to possess a hawk's eye for business, vanish from the quarter deck, and descend hastily below; in a few minutes he reappeared, bearing in his hand an ample supply of his _rob_; but I declined his services, as a medical officer from Corfu undertook to give me the necessary advice. We had also an English physician, and the Prince's body-surgeon.

[Sidenote: BRITISH FLEET.] At the Dardanelles we learned the very interesting news that the English fleet had arrived in Basike Bay; and in swinging round "old Sigaeum," we beheld the Admiral's s.h.i.+p at anchor, and several other large vessels sailing towards the harbour. At mid-day we were alongside the Britannia; and a boat came off from her, to ask intelligence from Constantinople. As I was anxious to renew my acquaintance with Sir Pulteney Malcolm, and as many of the pa.s.sengers wished to see the s.h.i.+p, the boat took as many as could get into her, and in a few minutes we stood on the deck of the largest of those majestic floating castles which, I trust, are destined, ere long, to teach the Russian that all "Old England's wooden walls" have not got the dry rot in them. It is some years since I had the pleasure of seeing the Admiral before; and though the march of time has imprinted on his n.o.ble figure a few slight traces of its progress, yet he appears to be as active, enterprising, and determined as ever. He accompanied us over the s.h.i.+p; and was very anxious that we should inspect his improved kitchen, cattle-pen, and newly invented gun-screws for elevating the breech of the cannon. After a hearty luncheon, during which I forgot all my jaundice, we took leave, and on entering the Captain's gig the Francesco hoisted the British colours, and saluted. The compliment was immediately returned, and the thunder of the cannon re-echoed from Tenedos, and spread itself over the Plain of Troy, with a report loud enough to rouse Achilles, Ajax, and Hector, from their graves,--

"That with the hurly, death itself might wake."

It was a beautiful, no less than a proud and gratifying sight to behold the Malabar, the St. Vincent, and the Alfred, all sailing in with every st.i.tch of canva.s.s set; telegraphing the Britannia, and with the utmost precision taking up their positions as the Admiral announced them. At that moment there could not have been a soul on board the Francesco who did not acknowledge the superiority of Britain on the seas.

[Sidenote: GULF OF SMYRNA.] Pa.s.sing Mitylene and the opposite ruins of a.s.sos, we entered the Gulf of Smyrna as it was growing dark. As I was by no means comfortable from a slight fever which enervated me, I determined to sleep below no longer, and therefore brought my mattress on deck. I laid it out near the cabin skylight, and there courted sleep, rolled in my _Greco_. Thank Heaven and a clear sky for most delicious repose!

Towards morning, I was awakened by a sensation of damp and cold; and found myself and mattress soaking wet, and exhaling the odour of rose-water. I found that a stream of this rich perfume had inundated me; it was flowing from a large jar belonging to one of the pa.s.sengers, which, standing too near the tiller of the helm, had been broken by it during the night.

[Sidenote: FRENCH SQUADRON.] _Tuesday, 25th._--This morning we saw the French fleet lying at Vourla. The four combatants on these seas have thus pa.s.sed in review before us; and I cannot suppose England and France have sent their fleets here on a pleasure trip; but that they actually mean to do something effective. Of these four, the Russian is the weakest, and the Turk the next in inferiority: report says, also, that the French fleet is not in the most perfect order; but, at all events, it is equal, if not superior, to the two former united. As soon as we came in sight of the Madagascar, which was lying in the harbour or roadstead of Smyrna, a boat put off from it towards the steam-vessel, and in a few moments the King of Greece was in the arms of his brother.

The usual bustle incident to the transfer of luggage from one vessel to another, at sea, followed; and the Prince, with all his suite, left us, to accompany the King in his cruise on board the Madagascar.

[Sidenote: SMYRNA.] We established our quarters at a wretched little inn, close to the water-side, kept by a negro, who had been cook on board some English man-of-war. Unpromising as was its external appearance, the house was clean notwithstanding; and, having all to ourselves, except the billiard-room, we got on famously; particularly as the dinners were wholesome, and of good, plain, English cookery. We had plenty of soda-water, porter, and ale, which were kept constantly flowing; for the heat was excessive. In the evening, I strolled about this celebrated sea-port for a short time, and was much struck with the beautiful appearance of the houses of the merchants, which, however, are situated in narrow dirty streets. The bazars are much inferior to those of Constantinople; and I did not see a single Smyrniote woman who had any pretensions to beauty. In the course of the day the King landed _incog._, and went through the town; and towards night, the Madagascar sailed away for Syra.

[Sidenote: DEPARTURE FOR SYRA.] _Thursday, 27th._--Hotter by several degrees than yesterday: I wish to heaven we could get away from this broiling place. Not a breath of air stirs to relieve me, or mitigate the weakness and fainting with which I am oppressed. I am incapable of exertion, and, indeed, there is no inducement to walk out: it is too much labour to play at billiards; and smoking sickens and disgusts me: I have but one pleasure, if such it can be called; namely, that of lying on the sofa, in a state of stupor. This afternoon the American corvette John Adams sailed away in fine style.

_Friday, 28th._--Another oppressive day: a storm of thunder and rain, during the night, has had no effect in cooling the air. I walked out on the Marina in the evening; and having ascertained that they produce ices in great perfection at Smyrna, I have fully availed myself of the discovery, and the day was spent in cooling one's interior, as no means could be found to do the same for the outward man.

_Sat.u.r.day, 29th._--This morning the Rover, a very pretty and wicked-looking sloop, came in from the West, and sailed again soon after. I was occupied this entire day in making blue and white lights to burn in the grotto of Antiparos. By midnight all the pa.s.sengers and crew were in their places on board the steamer; and the ladders were hauled up, the cook's a.s.sistant being the only individual missing. Our object was, to get a day off the quarantine, by having every one on board before midnight, and making that day count as one, as we might be said to have nominally left Smyrna on it. The Spaniards returned to the vessel, accompanied by a band, and three boat-loads of ladies, who continued sailing round and round the vessel until a very early hour, so unwilling were they to say farewell.

[Sidenote: FORTUNATE ESCAPE.] One of the young gallants, in leaning over the bows of the boat, overbalanced himself, and dropped into the water, from whence he was quickly rescued by these fair damsels, who thus became the guardian Naiads of the place; for without their a.s.sistance he most probably would have been drowned.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HOUSES IN SCIO.]

_Sunday, 30th._--At five this morning we bade adieu to Smyrna; and never did I send aloft a more sincere prayer than when pet.i.tioning to see it no more. By the forenoon, we were off the Island of Scio, the coast of which presented much beautiful and picturesque scenery. The wind now gradually increased to a stiff breeze, and the weather became threatening; so that the first symptoms of turning in made their appearance among the pa.s.sengers. The night following was black and stormy, and we had reason to antic.i.p.ate an Archipelago gale: fortunately, however, it cleared up, much to the satisfaction of the captain and myself; for never did a boat traverse these seas with less of the seaman in the composition of its crew, from the said captain down to the slop-boy.

[Sidenote: QUARANTINE.] _Monday, July 1st._--The Island of Tinos was in sight at daylight this morning; and, pa.s.sing through the channel between it and Andros, we approached Syra, the quarantine station of the new Greek kingdom for all vessels coming from Smyrna or the plague countries. The situation of Syra is very beautiful; the houses rising gradually in a succession of terraces, built upon the slope of a steep mountain, situated at the bottom of an extensive bay, in which we found the Madagascar lying at anchor.

[Sidenote: KING OF GREECE.] Shortly after our arrival, the officers of health came alongside, and informed us we were destined to seven days'

quarantine. Of these, the day we left Smyrna counted as one, that pa.s.sed at sea as another, and the one on which we got _pratique_ as a third; so we had, in reality, only four days to remain in _durance vile_. To console us for the unwelcome detention, the inhabitants brought off quant.i.ties of delicious fruit, honey, and meat to regale our appet.i.tes; while, in the evening, our eyes were gratified with the brilliant spectacle afforded by the illumination of the Madagascar and the town.

The presence of the King seemed to have transported the good people of the island beyond themselves: such firing of guns and blazing of bonfires, such screaming and hallooing, probably never before disturbed the quiet precincts of Syra. His Majesty gets _pratique_ to-morrow, and there is to be a dinner and ball ash.o.r.e. We could plainly discern them making preparations, and decorating the governor's house, but had no prospect of partaking of these festivities.

It was very late before I could get asleep, owing to the gambling going forward on deck until two o'clock in the morning. There was a _rouge et noir_ table, and a whist party, by both of which very high stakes were played, much to the annoyance of the better disposed pa.s.sengers, who wished for rest and quietness.

[Sidenote: s.h.i.+P LAUNCH.] _Tuesday, 2d._--At nine o'clock, after dressing the s.h.i.+p in her colours, and receiving a salute from the sh.o.r.e, the King left the Madagascar in the captain's gig. A deputation of the princ.i.p.al inhabitants awaited his arrival, and the keys of the town, according to "ancient and approved usage," were delivered to him under a triumphal arch. The governor then addressed him in a Greek speech, to which his Majesty replied; but in what language the court newsman has not thought fit to inform us. After parading through the town, the procession arrived at the governor's, where the King held a levee. In the afternoon, he returned to the vessel, on board of which a dinner was given to the princ.i.p.al inhabitants; and again the poor Greeks illumined their houses and burnt bonfires.

The English in the steamer set up a singing-party this evening, in opposition to the hazard-players; and we kept it up until there was a dissolution of the card table; it being impossible either to gain or lose money with any satisfaction while the jovial chorus disturbed their calculations.

[Sidenote: INHABITANTS OF SYRA.] _Wednesday, 3d._--Great preparations were made for a s.h.i.+p-launch; and again the King went in state to the governor's residence, and proceeded thence to the dockyard, where he performed the ceremony of naming a small vessel; which glided beautifully into the ocean amid salvos of artillery, volleys of small-arms, and the cheers of the surrounding spectators. The grand festival and ball took place on sh.o.r.e in the evening; when they kept it up till past midnight; and the moment the King and his party returned on board, the Madagascar set sail, and "left us alone in our glory." It seems rather extraordinary that the Prince of Bavaria had not the inclination, as he certainly had the power, to put off these _fetes_ until the pa.s.sengers of the Francesco, with whom he had sailed for two months, and to whom he was now under some obligation, could have partic.i.p.ated in them. There was no reason for hurry; there existed no necessity for the King's immediate return to Nauplia; in short, no excuse can be found to palliate such paltry, ungenerous, unfeeling conduct: certainly unfeeling, when it is considered that his fellow-travellers were witnesses of these festivities, without the possibility of joining in them.

_Friday, 5th._--By the first boat which came alongside to-day, many of the more restless part of our crew hurried ash.o.r.e. I remained on board till the evening; and amused myself, during the interval, in watching the numerous boats, crowded with the inhabitants, which came off to visit the steamer. I did not notice a single Greek woman who maintained the reputation of her countrywomen for any thing but ugliness; and none of the men were of that fine race of beings whom I expected to see.

There was nothing national in their costume; the women being mostly dressed in imitation of the Parisian mode; and, apparently, many of the men took their cut from Bond Street. Over a cabinet in the billiard-room, I afterwards observed several plates from the "Courrier des Dames;" and as Syra is destined to be the princ.i.p.al port of the Greek islands, I presume its inhabitants wish also to show themselves leaders in the march of improvement. Of course, the ladies will prefer stiff stays, gigot sleeves, and s.p.a.cious bustle, to the loose jacket, short petticoat, and coloured stockings of their grandmothers.

[Sidenote: GRAND FESTA.] There is to be a grand _festa_ this evening, to-day being the eve of the [Greek: genethlion tou prodromou], or birth of St. John the Baptist. There was an incessant firing of muskets and petards; which proved that the gunpowder had not been all expended upon King Otho. Towards night, every one lighted a large bonfire before his house, and the favourite amus.e.m.e.nt seemed to be, who would run the oftenest through it when the blaze was at the fiercest. Shouts of laughter burst from the crowd, as each unlucky wight issued, scorched and singed, from the fiery trial; while the applause was proportionate towards those who ventured bravely, and escaped uninjured.

Many of us joined in the sport, leaping through the ma.s.s of newly kindled flame, and, among others, I had the satisfaction of presenting myself on the other side, _minus_ a good portion of whiskers, and with eyelashes singed into little tufts, close to the lid.

[Sidenote: SYRA.] Syra, like many of the Greek towns, is best seen at a distance; for it is, in reality, but an insignificant place, and there is not a respectable street in it. The houses, too, are low and dirty; and a disagreeable smell of dried fish and bad olives salutes one in every quarter. However, the inhabitants appear to be wealthy and enterprising; and at some future period it may become a large, populous, flouris.h.i.+ng city.

_Sat.u.r.day, 6th._--We started at midnight, and in the morning were off St. Nicolo, in the island of Tinos. The town is very pretty; and the house of the bishop, near the church, is a very favourable specimen of Greek domestic architecture.

[Sidenote: LADIES OF MYCONE.] After remaining here a short time, we proceeded on our course to Mycone. Several boat-loads of the natives put off to see the vessel; and on being received on board, they expressed the greatest surprise and admiration at the size and beauty of the steamer's cabin and deck. On our part, we were no less gratified with the graceful, varied costume, worn by our island visitors; one of whom, a female, was dressed in a most superb style; and being also exceedingly pretty, she set off her decorations to great advantage. Dark eyelashes overshadowed a pair of eyes, blue, soft, and beautiful as the heaven of her native clime. A shawl of parti-coloured silk was so disposed upon her head as to cover its upper part, and form a bow on the right side; while the ends hung over each ear, allowing the rich tresses of her glossy auburn hair to flow from under them unconfined. A plain loose jacket of light blue cloth covered a deep-red bodice laced close to the form; and a petticoat of the same colour, descending in ample folds to the knee, was fastened round the waist by a narrow black silk shawl. Her stockings were black, and the garters vermilion. Another lady of the party, a dark beauty, also wore a dress of rich and elegant fas.h.i.+on. Her hair, black as jet, was closely bound round her head, and fastened in a knot upon the crown, as one sees it arranged on the Greek statues. A thin gauze veil, ornamented at the two extremities with flowers and gold embroidery, was thrown carelessly over this elegant _coiffure_, heightening and adding new graces to a beauty it was intended to conceal. Her jacket was of green velvet braided with gold, and lined with white silk. The remainder of her dress consisted of rose-coloured silk; and a magnificent shawl, of that brilliant red and yellow pattern so common among the Greeks, encircled her waist. I believe she was the wife of the Neapolitan consul, who also fulfilled the duties of that office for half a dozen countries besides.

[Sidenote: VULGAR TOURISTS.] Proceeding next to Delos, we anch.o.r.ed opposite Mount Cynthus, and went on sh.o.r.e immediately, to visit the ruins of the theatre, and of some vast temple, built upon the ascent of that hill. Thence we pa.s.sed to the Thermae, and to the ruins of the great Temple of Apollo, which cover an immense extent of ground, where capitals, columns, architraves, friezes, and cornices, lie mingled in undistinguished confusion; and from their size and number they had more the appearance of the fragments of some fallen mountain, than the remains of man's handiwork. While engaged in contemplating these stupendous ruins, the rest of the party wandered about, and saw many things which necessarily escaped my observation. But four hours only were granted us to examine one of the most interesting of the places marked down in the itinerary; and it was necessary to hurry over the scene. It really seemed, that the feelings of the generality of our tourists must be of a very low and vulgar description, thus to visit any spot consecrated by history or fable, as it were for an instant, merely to gratify the empty vanity of being able to say "Oh! _I_ have been there;" and then to hurry on towards the next object with the same heartless indifference. How different is their conduct on arriving at the busy haunts of men, which promise b.a.l.l.s, dinners, or festas! Then, hours and days are not sufficient for the gratification of their favourite enjoyments, and every stratagem is put in practice to create delay.

Hardly one third of the pa.s.sengers landed at Delos, yet five days were absolutely lost in Smyrna. The same parties who grumbled, and grudged four short hours at this isle, would have detained us as many days over the number specified in the city of figs, had they been permitted. Nor was the cool morning, or evening, freshened by the never-failing breeze, selected for going ash.o.r.e; but the very hottest time of day, when on this treeless, barren, granite island, the reflection of light and heat is almost insupportable: when Apollo darts his fiercest rays on those who wander to seek his fane, and Diana was unable to offer them any cool, shady retreat which, at such an hour, she would herself have loved so well. Yonder, under the soot-imbued awning of the Francesco, sits many a listless cold-hearted being gazing without emotion,--

----"on the sacred place, Where once stood shrines and G.o.ds;"

and with no enviable feelings putting the question to him, who, with his imagination rapt on the thoughts of other days, hastens to the cla.s.sic sh.o.r.e:--"_What is the use of running out in the sun; cannot you see those piles of stones from the deck?_"--Senseless, unfeeling, sordid, and degraded! what can have induced you to approach this consecrated land?

[Sidenote: A MODERN ANTIQUE.]There was one of our party who thought he had made a grand discovery and capture. With great labour and exertion, we carried for him to the water's edge a large block of marble, resembling a portion of a basin or font. He at once decided, that it had been some receptacle for water belonging to the temple, and resolved on carrying it to Palermo. Unfortunately, however, it was shortly afterwards recognised to be nothing more than a Turkish mortar for pounding the sulphur, nitre, and charcoal used in the manufacture of gunpowder; and on examination, there was no doubt of its being perfectly modern. "Never mind," said its proprietor; "it shall go to my palace; and there being no reason to explain what it really is only _whence_ it came, the Sicilians will admire and venerate it as a relic from Delos!"

[Sidenote: BEAUTIFUL ANCHORAGE.] _Sunday, 7th._--In the middle of the night we started for Naxos, bidding adieu to Delos over a cup "mantling with rosy wine," and with the song of sociality; thus wors.h.i.+pping the glorious G.o.ds of the table, as, leaving the temple of the one, we approached the spot hallowed by the wors.h.i.+p of the other. Where, indeed, should the chorus sound more joyously than in the waters of Delos, or the sparkling wine flow faster than in the sight of Naxos?

It was a beautiful night; the moon shone with resplendent l.u.s.tre, and the sea, calm and unruffled as a mountain lake, reflected all its beams, until each rippling wave became like molten silver.

Crossing from Naxos to Paros, and coasting along the latter mountainous isle, we stopped opposite the town of the same name, to discover the most convenient anchorage, for visiting the celebrated grotto. While waiting for the necessary information, several of the pa.s.sengers went in search of the quarries which supplied the ancients with marble; but as, without interpreters, they could not make themselves understood, they returned unsuccessful. We, however, were fortunate in meeting with a rich proprietor, who lived opposite the grotto and village of Antiparos, and who promised to have men and torches ready for us by daylight. We then started again, and at length dropt anchor in a beautiful strait between the two islands. The greatest caution is requisite in getting to this position; the pa.s.sage being extremely narrow, and the water shallow: the latter was so beautifully transparent, that each pebble on the yellow sand appeared distinctly visible, and myriads of sportive fish were seen darting in every direction from the clamorous hissing monster that invaded their quiet abode.

[Ill.u.s.tration: [Drawn &] Etched by G[eorge]. C[ruikshank], from a Sketch by the Author.

Grotto Antiparos.

Published by Longman & Co. April, 1835.]

[Sidenote: VISIT TO ANTIPAROS.] _Monday, 8th._--The expedition to Antiparos seemed to suit the general taste, and all were ready by the appointed hour. At four o'clock we embarked in two large country boats, and proceeding through the strait, we landed in a little bay, and found an a.s.semblage of donkeys and guides awaiting our arrival. The distance, as we were informed, was two hours, and all being mounted, away we started on this grotto chase at a double quick step; so that in a short time many began to show symptoms of fatigue. For the first half hour the country appeared almost dest.i.tute of trees, but arriving at length

[Sidenote: MARINE PROSPECT.] on the brow of a hill, after a long and gradual ascent, a richly cultivated and finely wooded hollow, surrounded by mountains, opened upon our view. As the abrupt faces of these eminences form an insurmountable barrier on three sides of the basin just alluded to, we fancied that the grotto must be there. But no! we had to descend, cross it, and mount again towards the south, by a steep path that wound up the least precipitous side of this punchbowl.

Hitherto the rock had been primitive limestone lying on gneiss, but we now came upon a thick stratum of pure limestone.