Returning the same course as we set out - by eleven o clock this morning we were in the harbour of Corfu - in the evening walked on the esplanade the highland regiment were exercising - called on the Signora Anana Palatiano - a devout prima donna & professor of music - she sang several parts from the Puritani and Gazze Ladra - has a clear voice and very amiable, the Signora is from Ancona, she gives me a letter to Gaetano Acquabuono, courrier etc who is to introduce me & show me all the curiosities of Ancona - -

view pages:
1

On board the ionian steamer at the hour appointed - and by sun rise were under way - Captain Gavazzo is a merry, good humored little Italian - has accompanied his excellence the Lord High Commission in his tour to the islands of the Septinsular republic in passing aions- the shore of the island pointed out the lofty part of the coast that had sunk into the sea, by the earthquake - when his boat is at anchor the shake is announced by the rattlin of the chain - the morning is fine and calm, and fast approaching Cephalonia, with the coast - mountains of Greece to our right - half a mile from the shore of Cephalonia is the Scoglio di Griove (?) Rock of Jupiter - on the top of it a little fraternity of Greek monks have located their convent - by ten o clock we were at Argostoli, breakfasted at the Italian Hotel where we had left our trunks when we went to Ithaca - cabled on our friend Mr. Reynolds to thank him for the facilities afforded in our trip to Ithaca - got an accession of passengers and Count Maxata among the number, to whom I was introduced -

There is also a lean withered old lady in faded black silk dress - called Countess Coraffa - there are several other ladies and about twenty Greek gentlemen - three of whom are magistrates - out of the bay of Argostoli, we dined - the Captain in the finest possible humour, quoting Metastusio's poetry - and some improviso's, in which he displayed considerable talent - never enjoyed myself better than today on board a steamer, a most beautifull day, a facetious Captain and agreeable company of passengers, only one little breeze occurred - my friend the count, said something at which one of the judicial gentlemen took offence after some words the count called him a vido di cazzo at which the gent lifted a pipe stick in his hand to strike - the count collared him and wrenched the stick out of his hand, the little Captain interfered and being as broad as long got tumbled down in the scuffle - the scene was one of the most comical and ridiculous - there is no danger of serious consequences, duelling is quite averse to the Ionian customs, and is besides prohibited by law - at eight o clock we cast anchor at Amiilchi, the daughter of the president of the senate came on board ae passenger accompanied by a number of her friends - my friends Aristotle and Demosthene Valiariti came off in a boat to see me - the kind hearted Aristotle had put up a basket of peaches and poraegranites the produce of their garden, as a presenl during the last week they have been amusing themselves shooting, the quails . and there are some partridges, regret very much I cannot spend a few days with them - - but friends must part left these dear young Ionians - perhaps never to see them again - staid up late conversing with Mr. Foote a british officer, who has lived nine years and married in Upper Canada - has a numerous young family - thinks of returning to America -

view pages:
1

This morning ascended the hill on which the Fortress is situated, the earthquake has even treated this worse than the tcvn, large pieces of the wall have crumbled down, and the aspect is more of a ruin than anything else - there is still a company of British soldiers stationed there - and some 1arge cannon on such of the ramparts as remain perfect - this as well as these other military forts in this part of the world was erected by the Venetian republic, took a ride in the evening across the plain among the vineyards to the foot of the mountain - this is Sunday, and the feast of St. John is celebrated at a church in the country - the road crowded with people going to the feast - large copper dishes were stationed on the road to receive the obeli's contributed by the devout - the windows of the houses at Zante are furnished with screens of lattice work like a turkish town, but different in this respect, for the turkish women are never seen ogling the men at the windows for it is a precept of the Koran that the women shall not excite the passions of the faithfull without satisfying them - but the young ladies of Zante are the greatest coquettes I ever saw - for they fix their eyes on you in the most inviting, languishing manner, turned to speak to them several times but find looks are not considered as authorising one to speak to them - left these hard hearted beauties in despair - say disgust - went to my hotel and chatted with the landlady of the Giglio & her daughters - about the earthquake and so on - took passage for Corfu to leave at five in the morning -

view pages:
1,

The breeze came on again, and by half an hour after midnight we were safe moored among the shipping in the harbour of Zante, but the health office being shut had to pass the night on the deck of the caique, a spread out sail served us for a bed and the hatch for a pillow - rolled up in my blanket capot, passed the night untill break of day in broken slumbers - the town of Zante is of considerable sise - but has only one hotel, and that indifferent - the Giglio by name - to the weary rest is the first enjoyment, therefore remained in my room most of the day - after dinner took a ride in a barouche hack, through a part of the fertile valley for which Zante is celebrated and is called the Fior de Levante, vineyards are on an extensive scale, interspersed with villages and villas - but that dreadfiall scourge the earthquake - has ruined nearly every house both in town and country - and the larger and more valuable the bui1ding the greater the damage - this sad accident took place in October of last year and had done damage that scarce a century will repair.

pages: 1

Our object was, in taking this trip to Ithaca, to see the island and its remains as expeditiously as possible and then leave in a sailing boat for Zante, so as to be there and return to Corfu by the Ionian steamer on the 13th - weary and tired I lay down last night on a mean and humble pallet, sound sleep closed ny eyes until sir this morning, horses were already waiting for us to proceed to mount Aito, on the top of which are remains, called the Castle of Ulysses -

On another part of the island the remains of a house, of remote architecture which some author, calls the school of Homer, supposing from the accuracy of the poets descriptions of Ithaca that he must have resided on the island - arrive at the foot of mount Aito we scrambled up its rugged sides, wondering if the Grecian chief and Penelope had followed the same road to the Kingly palace - arrived on the top we found the remains of several cisterns partly filled with stones and earth - to one of these they have given the name of Penelopes bath - there are the remains of a Cyclopear wall that formerly surrounded the summit of the mountain -

But not in so good a style of architecture as the acropolis at Samos - the castle has afforded the Kingly Ulysses a view of the greater part of his land also of Samos which formed part of his dominions, situated on the opposite coast of Cephalonia - as interesting as the scene was only remained a short half hour - what a charming spot to peruse the Odyssey - returnincr to Vathi - passed the hollow in the cliffs, said to be the grotto of the Naiads, whither Homer represents Ulysses to have been carried by the Phoacian sailors, and laid down while asleep - the people are busy with their vintage, an industrious hardy race - in this ragged but healthful isle people attain a great age, Signor Caravia tells me of one old man of 98 that everyday comes to Vathi and reascends to his mountain habitation - the Signor himself has 8 children and never lost one - while we were taking breakfast a caique to carry us to Zante was dispatched round by the bay to wait for us at the fountain of Arethusa, to which we started on our miagre ponies - taking leave of the kind and hospitable Signor - to his wife we were not introduced, perhaps it is the custom of Ithaca to keep the ladies employed at their domestic affairs - the fountain is under a lofty rock on the sea shore to which we arrived along a precipitous mule path - the Nymph Arethusa fleeing from the embraces of Alpheus, some poets have found her in Ithaca and others in Sicily - which is the true Arethusa I cant tell - the Arethusa at Syracuse was occupied by vulgar washwomen when I saw it in May last, this Arethusa I found surrounded by goats and asses - drank of tha cool if water and waiting the arrival of the caique bathed in the little sandy bay into which the fountain runs - our caique was a little decked vessel with two masts, and worked by four men - the breeze was in our favor so spreading her large sails we were quickly out of the little bay and passing the rocky shores of the Island - by sunset we were opposite Cephalonia, the god of day going down in all his golden array of highly tinged clouds behind the Black mountain, illuminating with his last rays the mountains of Missilonghi and the castle of the Morea that overhangs the tower of Chimenza - the coast of Zante and mount Skopi lay before us in the distance - the breeze had increased, our little boat rolled a good deal - after sunset the wind suddenly ceased and we pitched about in such manner that myself and one of the sailors had to pay our respects to the briny God - so that neither by steam- or wind is there any escape from seasickness -

1, 2, 3

According to the arrangement made for us last night by our friend Mr. Reynolds - the carriage was to be waiting for us by 4 o clock - across the bridge of Taepano that crosses the head of the bay of Argostoli (Cephalonia)- at three we were up a fine moonlight morning - and by the hour appointed had already began to ascend the lower point of the Black mountain - the highest ridge of the mountainous island of Cephalonia - this early in the morning we met numbers of country people some laden with firewood and others with bags of currents the produce of their scanty mountain vineyards, the women appeared to carry the heaviest burthens - by sunrise we were on the ridge - and nature lay before us in all her glory - mountains, and the bays that intersect Cephalonia, on one side the port of Argostoli and on the other the bay of Samos, with the peaks of the Black mountain 4,000 feet above the level of the sea, above us - in a little valley to our right clothed in the brightest green was the Greek convent of St Andrea -nd a little hamlet attached - all beside was bare mountains, rough & rugged -

The roads across the islands made since they are under british protection are excellent & in this respect a century ahead of the rest of Greece - by a gradual descent we came to a few houses scattered along the beautiful bay , and delivered our letter to the Mobile Signore Giovanni Arino Georgio - collector of public duties - and who was by the instructions of Mr. Reynolds his superior, to provide a breakfast at a neighboring convent and conduct us to the Cyclopean remains of the ancient samos, which is mentioned by Homer and was part of the Kingdom of Ullysses - these remains consist of tombs and foundations of walls - on two steep hills - under the guidance of our Mobile Signore we commenced the ascent to explore them - the first hill had a few foundations of walls, but mostly tombs, which have been broken open in search of medals and ornaments, there is nothing curved about these sepuicres of flat stones but their great antiquity - the side of the mountain faced the sun and nothing but the insatiable curiosity of myself and Mr. Wall, my travelling companion could have induced us to the ascent of the other hill - the summit or which was the acropolis of Samos and surrounded with a cyclopean wall, which must have been perfect to resist the arms of the romans four months -

The roman repairs are very visible, being in a very different style of architecture from the original, which consist of immense stones some 12 to l8 feet long accurately fitted together without mortar - the stones are evidently got on the mountain, which is mostly a rock hut the moving end fitting together such immense pieces must have required great labour and skill - Signor Georgio - informs us that Samos once consisted of 1,000 houses (on what authority?) foundations and mosaic pavements are found in the valley below 6 to 10 feet under the present surface - after resting a short half hour among these remains of the Kingdom of Ulysses proceeded to the convent where a breakfast of fish and fowl was awaiting us, for all of which we are indebted to the kindness of Mr. Reynolds of Argostoli, for the monks of which there are only three refused any remuneration - travellors seldom visit these parts so that this hospitality is seldom brought in requisition - this little convent is on a rocky hill overlooking the sea -

The air is healthy which Signor Georgio says is not the case with the vally below - we returned to the village - and embarked in a little boat for Ithaca, a distance of six miles, but unfortunately the wind was contrary, and only by great exertions on the part of the two Samian boatmen that we landed at the little house of a man that acts as collector, by sunset we had coasted along the dugged shore of the island, and now had to cress it, to Vathi the port on the opposite side, my companion put his bag on the shoulder of a man, mine was carried by an Ithacan maid his daughter and off we trudged, the good road shewing that we were still in Eritish territory, the little island is intersected with deep bays and along the shores of which the road lay - the sweetness and freshness of the air scented by the wild thyme growing among the rocks, the reflection of the stars (for it was already night) and dark recesses of the mountain shores, on the calm waters, was pleasing nnd romantic - and tired and weary as I was could not but admire it - bringing to my recollection the journey with my sister to Bantry, among the rocks and bays of Ireland, under similar circumstances, about a year ago - before nine o clock we arrived at the little town of Kathi, and found the collector of the port to whom Mr. Reynolds had furnished us another letter - Signor Caravia - by whose attention we were soon provided with rooms, for Kathi does not afford an inn, so seldom does it receive the visit of the traveller - -

view pages:
1, 2, 3,

Took a boat and went to see Lixouri - the people were busy with their vintage of the husks of the grape which we saw them carrying about - they make corn (?) spirits called Rankie - remained a couple of hours and then returned - there were only two schooners in the port - in the evening took a walk on the hill at the back of Argostoli - over the bay is the Black mountain the Enos of Antiquity - the small vallies and hill sides are covered with olives, vines and ju-rant grounds but the general aspect is rugged - Mr. Reynolds very politely invited us to his house, and Furnished us letters for our intended trip to Ithaca, for which we are to start before daylight in the morning -


view pages:
1