June 9, 1841: At Syra |
At Syra - just before sun rise this morning the Mahmsudi ceased working her engine, down goes the anchor, we are in the port of Syra - up on deck and not long in going ashore and in quest of my friend Mr. Evangelises the Greek boy as he was called at New York (see 25 and 26th of May) at 6 O' clock he had already left his room to attend his pupils, but afterwards met him in the street, went to the old locanda to breakfast - where we remained most of the hot part of the day -Invited Mr. Evangeles to dine with us and introduced him to Mr. Eaton of Baltimore - the Greek is very warm in the cause of the Cretans and the people of Thessaly and Macedonia who are shortly expected to rise against the turks - referred to the death of his father and the carrying off of his mother and sisters with tears in his eyes - he himself was taken (probably purchased) by Captain Glover from the turks at Smyrna at the age of nine years.
In the evening rowed across the port to the handsome new quarantine buildings where three english gentlemen have just entered on their return from Constantinople - they are acquanitances of our party - they were in their spoglia dresses - a coarse shirt and pantalons just bought at Syra - their trunks and contents were given up to be smoked and aired - by so doing they remain five fays less in quarantine that is min in place of 14 - this is call'd spoglia (from the Italian verb Spogliare - to strip off) - great numbers in quarantine - whole families from Crete - among them pretty black eyes - the different parties are kept distinct - we spoke to them thro a double railing 8 feet apart - afterwards rowed out the port along the rocky shore of the island -
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