This morning the wind abated - we were rounding into a. narrow bay on the southern end of Cephalonia - which brought us to the port of Argostoli - the capital of the island the former capital, Lixouri, in the time of the Venetians, is in another part of the Bay - Argostoli is a well built, lively little city - we found our way to the principal street - where is situated the Italian Hotel, good comfortable rooms and a very civil landlord - on arrival we were introduced to Mr. Reynolds the collector of the port, who politely offered us his services, these circumstances have us a very favorable idea of Argostoli - took a walk round the town before dinner - in the evening hired a carriage and went toward the head of the Bay passing the fortress of St. George on an eminence - and the cyclopean remains of Krani one of the four ancient cities of the island - many pretty villas are situated on the road, one of these near the village of Metaxita was occupied by Lord Byron previous to his visiting Etolia - also stopped to see a cavern in the rocks on the sea shore thro which rushes the sea - apparently into the bowels of the earth never to return - this surprising natural curiosity is turned to good account by a man who has built a mill on the spot and works it by the stream flowing into the cavern -

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Before the boat started this morning took a walk about the town, many of the shops are not open untill late in the morning, for it is the custom in Corfu to remain up very late, to enjoy the cool serene evenings which are delightfull at this season of the year - so the streets are full of people untill 12 o clock at night and later - oposite my room window is a greek young lady, with romantic eyes, dark glossy hear, neck and bosom of snowey whiteness- between one and two o clock the other morning hearing a whispering under my window got up - a young man was in the street, and her casement open - she observing me at the window - interrupted the dolce parlare (?) - the casement closed and since if she sees me, she turns away - untill 1ast night she was more gracious - if I mistake not the far gone in love, but her mother keeps a watch full eye upon her - this morning I bade her adieu from my window - which was answered with a smile - on arriving on board the steamer, found the passengers mostly assembled, my friends the Valiaritis who introduced me to his father - were going to Leucadia (Sta Maura) their native island - there were a number of Ladies - and among them Lady Petrezzopulo, and daughter - going also to Leucadia - and gentlemen, some English, going to the other Islands, Mr. Barker who has lived in the islands 25 years accompanied by his daughter is going to Cefalonia -

He married early and has a grown up family, his wife is greek, but his children are protestants and speak English - the young lady speaks greek, Italian and English - but rain and high wind coming on soon after we left the harbour, the ladies were for the most part confined in the cabin, seasick, except Lady Petrezzopulo, who proved a good sailor - had a sight of that electrical phenomeno called a waterspout, which passad at a distance of quarter of a mile from us agitating violently the water within its vortex - a gentleman on board explained it as caused by the two kinds of electrical fluid - negative and positive, the captain appeared afraid of it, but it past at a respectfull distance - from its appearance I should say a small boat would be destroyed by it, but a steamer I think might escape with the loos perhaps of masts and smoke pipe - the storm cleared away partially - with occasional showers the rest of the day - the green hills and coast of Corfu were beautifull in the showny (?) sunshine - took a few passengers from Paxo, a small adjoining island whe there is a small garrison of british troops - soon after Parga on the coast of Albania was in sight - towards evening the weather was clear, and we distinctly, saw the entrance into the Gulf f of Arta (Sinus Ambracies), Preresa within the entrance of the gulf could only just be distinguished - the point of land, on which Actium, so celebrated for the battle between Augustus and Anthony (?) was pointed out to me by Mr, Barker - as also the plain on which are the ruins of the Roman city of Nicopolis -

The Ambracian Gulf must be of limited dimensions as the mountains surrounding it were plainly visible - Amaxachi the principal town and port of Leucadia - is accessible by a causeway constructed thro - shallow lake (formerly the port) the steamer remained outside and near a large and strong fort constructed by the Venetians - which is surrounded on all sides by water - it was nearly dark when 1 got to the town, the houses of which are of wood and mostly one story on account oc the earthquakes to which the island is constantly subject - it was too late of course to visit the remains of the Cyclopean wall, therefore bade adieu to Mesr. Aristotle & Demosthene Valiariti and returned to the steamer - these amiable young men I shall in all probability never see again - at ten our steamer got under way to proceed to Cephalonia - when we got outside the island we hid the full force of the wind and a cross sea - which made the vessel roll - we left a number of passengers at Leucadia but still the cabin was full, numbers were sick - I lay down and kept well untill one o clock when the heat of the cabin and increased rolling at last overcame me, put on blanket - coat & went on deck - after an hours vomiting, & during which we passed near Sappo's Leap - the fresh air relieved me - undressed and lay down again, the vessel rolled with such violence that some horses on deck were nearly thrown over, and kept up a violent stamping

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The island of Vido is in the bay about a mile from the citadel - and has recently been strongly fortified by modern works - went over in a boat, with the written permission of Adjt General Dawkins - some of the old Venetian cannon lay about the island - and large bomb, mortars with the Lion of St. Mark holding a sword in one paw & the cross in the other marked BRGAMI-MDCLXXX - this is Sunday and a Greek feast - one street was illuminated in the evening and two or three rockets were sent up - the esplanade crowded with gay company - the band of the highland regiment played some indifferent music - took passage to start by the Ionian steamer to make the tour of the Islands -


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In my walks before breakfast - go round by the fruit and vegetable market - and to the Quay were the oil is shipped constituting the small and only commerce of Corfu - the quantity shipped is about 4,000 large casks of 250 gallons each per annum - it is sent mostly to Italy and Trieste - the present value about 371 St g per gallon - currents is the only article of export from the Ionian islands to England so that these islands can be of but small importance to England in a commercial point of view - excursion to the Pass of Garuna - this is to complete our excursions in the the interior of the islands - the view from the pass of Garuna commands the southern part of the island and is about 12 miles from the city - above the road and towards the summit of the Garuna is a Greek village to which we walked thro scanty woods of olive trees - under the shade of a tree in front of a cottage we sat down and were soon surrounded by the villagers - some of whom spoke a little Italian - they are a poor and frugal race of people - living on the scanty produce of the rocky mountain - this Village of forty families is called Fiano Garuna - on the ornosite is Cato Garuna, another village of the same sise - some boys wanted (for the sake of the obolis as the reward) to guide us to the top of the mountain - but the sun was too hot to venture out of the shade of the olive trees - so we contented ourselves with the half way view -

Septimo the southern district of the island is visible from this point - as also the sea shore with its Romantic precipices, verdant with the arbutus and dwarf honly - we talked an hour or two with the villagers, their food we learn is mostly fruit and vegetables, sometimes bread, with goats milk, meat rarely, if ever - wages for a man are l8 oboli per day say 18 cents - they take an ass load of wood or roots to Corfu 12 miles which sells for 10 oboli only - ona young fellow with more pretentions than the others told us he could read and write - and was employed by the papa to chant in the church for 20 Dollars per annum -he was barefooted but had several large silver buttons on his patched coat - a young woman brot her baby to us which appeared unwell - to enquire if we were doctors - when we declined to prescribe for it - she then asked for obolis for it, which her husband hearing, seemed to reprove her for - so that in manners these poor people appear to be rural & simple - distributing a few obolis among the children we took our leave of the villagers of Garuna - and descended to the road where our carriage was waiting for us - with a large crowd at our heels - so that tho the poor peasantry of Corfu live poorly, they do not seem to work very hard - - -

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Excursion to Paleocastrizza - Corfu has good accomodations for these excursions which the fineness of the roads renders so agreable - after breakfast this morning took a very neat barouche - for which we had to pay 4 dollars rather higher than usual on account of a number of picknick parties going out, officers of the garrison -and others, the road to Paleocastrizza crosses the island, running round the bay of Govina - as in the other direction the vallies are one continued grove of olive trees - with vines on the sides of the hills, there are also on some fertile spots little fields of Indian corn and tobacco - half way there is a house where we ordered dinner for our return, the road still winding along the vallies - we kept to the left of the pass of Pantaleone the highest point in the road which crosses the mountain chain that divides the island from east to west - a little farther on the blue waters of the adriatic on the west side of the island broke on our sight, and the view was completed by the convent now the hospital of Paleocastrizza, situated on the lofty summit of a precipitous rock, the foot of which is washed by the foaming waves - leaving our carriage we ascended to the top - the hospital is used occasionally by the convalescent troops of the garrison, we found an english sergeant and his family the only occupants - except a greek papa who officiates in the little chapel, but whose only audience is one poor man, still the papa rings the bell at break of day and goes thro the ceremonies of the greek mass - standing on the margin of the rock you have cape Saint Angelo with the ruined Venetian castle on the top at a distance of few miles - the little bays of clear azure blue water were below us, in one of which some noisy fisherman lay in their boats repairing their nets -

3 retired village 1ay on the side of the adjoining mountain with cottages and ruins on -ill the hillsides - after enjoying the view for an hour or two descended but not without first having made every effort with with my glass to descry the opposite coast of Italy, but a slight haze in the atmosphere prevented - in going down we met a picksnick party or officers and ladies - all english apparently - ascending we found a nook in the rocks, with a clean sandy shore, were we enjoyed the luxury of a sun bath, in the clearest and most transparent water 1 ever saw - returned to the house where we had ordered dinner, which tho plain enough, a good appetite gave us a hearty relish under the shade of a tree in front of the house - the evening was cool and pleasant - stooped at the ruins of the old Venetian - port of Govino - walls of fortresses - arches of arsenals and roofless houses, remain to attest the instability of human affairs - over a gateway I saw a lion of saint Mark - with the competitive modern date of 1770 - entered the gate of Corfu at 7 o clock guarded by british soldiers in highland costume - took a turn in the esplanade, well satisfied with our days excursion - -

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The weather warm and the less exposure to the heat the better at this season of the year, as the air of these fertile islands is not as pure as the islands of the Grecian archipelago - enjoyed the promenade on the esplanade untill late hour - met my travelling greek companion Valiariti who presented me , large number of copper and silver coins - found on his native Island - Leucadia - they are going there in a few devs by the little Ionian steamer, intending to enjoy themselves in shooting and fish(?) also concluded myself to make the tour of the islands, as the boat returns to Corfu the day before the austrian boat leaves for Trieste

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Went this morning and left our cards at the palace, the Lord High Commissioner - Sir Stewart Mackenzie is lately appointed and at this moment absent en a visit of inspection at Zante and the other islands of the Septniserlar republic - crossing the esplanade and a wooden bridge, went to the citadel, situated on a rock with a double peak in front of the city, and separated fro, the rain land by a narrow channel of the lea, and over which is thrown the bridge - this rock has no doubt been the acropolis of the ancient Corcyra, the ruins of which are formed about a mile fro, the walls of the modern city -

The citadel is strong by nature and art, both the peaks are crowned with batteries, on the one we asce-ded is the lighthouse and the british fleg floating on the loftiest point - we met with a serpent - very civil men who went round with us, pointing out to us the different points that the various batteries command in the extensive fortifications - on parts of which on the 1and side numbers of men are at this time employed in extending and repairing - the - the other peak of the citadel has powder magazines cut into the rook - the large guns mostly 36 pounders are on elevated traversing (?) carriages, and very few are visible from the see - the troops suffer some-hat from the climate and are pale and sickly -

One highland regiment lately arrived has fared the worst - dined at 5 o clock - at four took, carriage and rode out - the roads are beautifull equal to those of England and quite a luxury after being in countries like Turkey and Greece where the roads are nothing more than mule paths - passed for five or six miles thro groves of olive trees and vines loaded with their purple fruit to a point on the sea shore, wherewe had a view of the city and adjoining coast - the road winding romantically up the sides ot the lofty Garona - to which we intend to pay a visit in a day or two - -

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