
The haziness of the atmosphere this morning prevented our seeing anything of the island of Zante or Zacyrithus (?) of the ancients - in the night we had passed the mouth of the river Alpheus which traversing the celebrated vale of Olympia flows into the Adriatic opposite the southern end of Zante - Chiarenza (?) is a town on the coast of Peloponesus opposite the northern extremity of the same island - the heiress of one of the hereditary dukes of Chiarenza marrying into the royal famlly of England in the reign of Edward 3rd was the origin of the title of Duke of Clarence -
At ten o clock we had rounded Cape Papa promontory of the ancient Achaia as our boat stops a few hours at Patrass in the straits of the Gulf of Sepanto - a little struggling city - beautifully situated Qn rising ground at the foot of the lofty mount Voihdia - the haze had in a measure cleared away by 12 o clock - affording a fine view of the approaching port and surrounding mountains - we landed at the quay, among a somewhat- wild looking set of Greeks -
The town is just rising out of its former ruins the result of the greek revolution - its unpaved streets are regularly laid out - there are a few good houses, but the greater part are rude constructions of sunburnt brick in the port or rather roadstead - there are two or three small english brigs taking in currents - which people on the warf were busy packing - the fruit is put in a large casks in which men get in and trample dovn with their bare feet - anything but a cleanly process - after seeing the process of packing currants or uva di Corinto - from whence they originally came - proceeded to the castle overlooking the town - a fortress constructed by the Venetians on the site of the acroeolis of the ancient Patra - walked round the walls, in which are the large stones of the ancient walls- as also - parts of columns and Scraps of marble - remains of the temple of Diana Sarhia, which was standing in the acropolis - at the time Pausanius visited Patra - the ruins of which have been thus employed by the Venitians in the building of the Fortress which is very large and strong, now neglected and in its turn going to ruins - little use in modern warfare being commanded by some high ground a Quarter or half a mile to the east of it - thro a field of the currant grape - the vines of which are similar to the other grares - arrived at the eminance, ami from the top had an extensive view the straits and receding shores of the gulf of Sepanto (?) - on which at a distance ten miles could just distinguish the city of Sepanto the ancient Neaupactus on the declivity of the mountains of (space here) Missilonghi is not visib1e being in a vlley between two ridges of bold and lofty mountains- - that is the place where Lord Byron ended his career - and where the brave Marco Botzans was killed in courageously attacking the turkish camp -
At my feet was the town of Patrass bounded by a rich and productive plain covered with the current vine, the source of the little trade and prosperity, the city is possessed of - left Patrass at 4 o clock in the afternoon - remained on deck late in the night - which was a calm serene moonlight - at midnight sailed past the mountainous island of Ithaca which in the moonlight looked dreary and forbidding - and which Homer describes as
"Honed with cliffs, our meagre land allows
This heroaage for the mountain boat to browse" -
We passed to the east of Ithaca, therefore the island of Cephalonia was intercepted from view except a cape extending out to the north - we were fast approaching another of the Ionian islands - Sta Maura - Seucadia of the ancients on the nearest extremity of which is the precipice hanging over the sea called Sappho's leap - but being near one o clock in the morning retired to my cabin - so terminating a long and interesting days travel
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