degree of excitement, in which I believe all my companions participated,
that I heard the order given to advance, when the whole party trod
closely on the footsteps of the guides, who preceded us with torches.
Our speed, however, soon received a check; for by the time we had
advanced fifteen or twenty paces, the light of day entirely failed us.
All now became enveloped in utter darkness, except a small space in
front, where the tapers of our conductors, nearly extinguished by the
damp and unwholesome atmosphere, emitted a pale and livid blaze, which,
failing to reveal the extent and termination of this frightful cavern,
produced a "darkness visible," and magnified every danger. It was a
long, narrow, winding chasm, gradually increasing in the abruptness of
the descent as we advanced; and the floor, that consisted of carbonate
of lime, was rendered slippery as ice by the damp and the friction of
the feet of those who, for the last three thousand years, have visited
this extraordinary place from motives similar to our own. A single cable
of no very satisfactory appearance was all we had to depend upon for
support, and it chafed against the sharp, rugged, angular projections of
the rocks in a fearful manner, when violently dragged from side to side
by the united action of the forty individuals who clung to it. The
feelings of insecurity to which this naturally gave rise were not at all
diminished by the shrieks and exclamations of terror proceeding from
such as lost their footing upon the polished floor, and lay struggling
in ineffectual efforts to get up, without letting go the rope. My own
personal safety did not so wholly occupy my attention as to prevent me
from being affected with wonder and admiration at the exceeding beauty
of some portions of this subterranean corridor, which glittered in the
torch-light with a splendour no language can describe; for the
innumerable minute crystals scattered over its surface, glowed at one
moment with a deep blood-red, and at another exhibited all the different
hues of the most brilliant rainbow.
[Sidenote: MELODRAMATIC SCENE.] It is hardly possible to conceive a more
extraordinary spectacle than that in which I was now an actor: it was
perfectly melodramatic, and would make the fortune of any minor theatre
in London, though the pen of a Dante is alone equal to its description.
First and foremost, were seen the Greek guides exciting us to persevere,
and
[Sidenote: STRIFE OF TONGUES.] beckoning us onwards by waving the
flaming torches high above their heads; and when the light flashed upon
their savage countenances, wild streaming locks, and picturesque
garments, as well as over the pale, stumbling, struggling crowd which
followed, it required no great stretch of fancy to imagine that I saw
the attendant demons of some mighty sorcerer, the inhabitant of this
rocky den, deluding us onwards to destruction. The laughter, screams,
and hallooing, which accompanied our efforts to maintain a hold upon the
cable, our only hope of safety, united to the smoke and stench of the
flambeaux, rendered the whole scene no unapt representation of
Pandemonium. The Greeks shouted forth oaths, warnings, entreaties, and
directions, in their native tongue: with these were intermingled, in
indescribable confusion, the English "d--n," the French "sacre," the
German "mein Got," the Italian "corpo di Bacco," and the gentler
exclamations of certain of the fair sex who, strange to say, accompanied
us in this hazardous expedition.
[Sidenote: SYMPTOMS OF ALARM.] On reaching the brink of a most frightful
precipice, we were instructed to crawl down by means of some rude steps
cut in the surface of a sloping buttress or inclined plane of rock,
which appeared to extend to the bottom. The sight of this horrible den
acted as a "pretty considerable" sedative to our enthusiasm. Each
exclaimed to himself, (at least I did for one) "Can I venture?"--as he
contemplated the dismal, and, to all appearance, bottomless gulf, where
nothing was visible but the strange figures of our guides at a
prodigious distance beneath us, clinging to the wall with one hand,
while they brandished their torches with the other. However, there was
little space for reflection; and though, by this time, I shrewdly
suspect most of the party had pretty well "satisfied the sentiment," as
Sterne says, none were heard to say so; and after a short delay we
pushed on again, apparently regardless of danger. Our progress, however,
became every moment more and more difficult and discouraging; for this
rude and imperfect staircase, also slippery as ice, was covered with
loose stones, that came rattling down on our devoted heads at every
false step of those above; and many who had eagerly contested at the
outset for the distinction of leading the party, would now have gladly
made an inglorious retreat rearward, to escape the contusions, or
something worse, with which they were momentarily threatened; convinced,
with Falstaff, that "honour hath no skill in surgery."
[Sidenote: PETRIFIED GARDEN.] After remaining for a few minutes
suspended from the cord, like a cluster of bees in the act of swarming,
we again found ourselves on _terra firma_; and a passage behind some
masses of projecting rock brought me to a platform, in front of which
rose a stalagmite, admirably adapted by its position for the display of
my fireworks. Accordingly I let off a blue-light, which illuminated the
grotto beneath, the arches of which were of immense size; and their vast
ribs, protruding from the rock, and extending to a great height, formed
a magnificent dome, from which hung innumerable concretions of pointed
form. Masses of crystallised limestone grew from the floor in every
shape that fancy could picture. There were trees, teeth, flowers,
houses, men, &c.: in short, imagination never could exhaust itself in
pointing out resemblances between these phenomena, and the ordinary
productions of nature and art.
The predominance of the figures of trees, plants, and flowers among
these fantastical creations, gives to the whole grotto the appearance of
a petrified garden; but it was no slight drawback on our gratification
to find these objects covered with slime and mud, obscuring the
brilliant ever-changing hues of the myriads of crystals with which they
are studded, and which former travellers have alluded to in terms of
admiration. It was only when the blue flame shed its beautiful light
upon the scene, that it at all realised my preconceived ideas of this
"Palace of the genii, the most beautiful of fairy land," as it has been
frequently styled.
By a ladder fastened to the stalagmite, we descended into another
frightful cavern, where on one side several dismal-looking pits, like
the entrances to coal mines, and black pools of dirty, stagnant water,
menaced us with death under a twofold aspect, until we reached the
uneven and shelving floor of the grotto. There were several chambers,
more or less resembling each other, being separated from the grand nave
of this magnificent temple by the accumulation of the crystallising mass
for ages.
[Sidenote: DESCRIPTION BY A NAVAL OFFICER.] It is a scene that ought to
be visited by a few congenial spirits, quietly and leisurely. On the
present occasion the effect and the illusion were dissipated by the
glare of the torch lights, the hallooing and screaming of those present,
and the thumping of hammers and blocks of stone to get fragments of the
crystal. This part of the grotto is certainly the heaven, the paradise;
though, of a truth, the descent into it is through purgatory; an opinion
in which I am by no means singular; and in confirmation I shall beg
leave to introduce a portion of the narrative of a gallant officer
belonging to one of our vessels cruising in the Levant, who saw the
grotto under more favourable auspices than we did; though, like the poor
Frenchman, whom I shall have occasion to mention hereafter, he
acknowledges that he purchased the gratification at the cost of some
mortal terror.
[Sidenote: MAGNIFICENT PASSAGE.] Speaking of the deepest and most gloomy
of the caverns into which we had penetrated, he says:--"I was quite
disheartened at this horrible prospect, and declared I would go back,
but our guides assured us there was no danger, and the rest of the
company resolving to see the bottom after having come so far, I would
not leave them: so we went to a corner where was placed an old slippery
rotten ladder, which hung down close to the wall, and down this, one
after another, we at length descended. When we reached the bottom we
found ourselves at the entrance of another passage, which was indeed
horrible enough; but in this there was not wanting something of beauty.
It was a wide and gradual descent, at the entrance of which one of our
guides seated himself, and began to slide down, telling us we must do
the same. We could discover by the light of his torch that this passage
was one of the noblest in the world. It was about nine feet high, seven
wide, and had for its bottom a fine green glossy marble. The walls and
arch of the roof, being in many places as smooth as if wrought with art,
and made of a fine glittering red and white granite, supported here and
there with columns of a deep blood red shining porphyry, made with the
reflection of the lights an appearance not to be conceived. Our guides
could here keep on each side of us; and what with the prodigious beauty
and grandeur of the place, our easy travelling through it, and the
diversion of now and then running over one another whether we would or
not, made this the pleasantest part of the journey.
[Sidenote: EXCESSIVE TERROR.] "When we had passed about two hundred
yards, we found ourselves on the brink of another very terrible
precipice; but this our guides assured us was the last, and there being
a very good ladder to go down by, we readily ventured. After about forty
yards' walking, we were again presented by our guides with ropes, which
we fastened around our waists, though not to be swung by; but only for
fear of danger, as there are lakes and deep wells all the way hence on
the left hand. With this precaution, we entered the last alley; and
horrible work, indeed, it was to get through it. The sides and roof of
the passage were of black stone, and the rocks in our way were in some
places so steep, that we were forced to lie all along on our backs and
slide down; and so rough, that they cut our clothes and bruised us in
passing. Over our heads there were nothing but rugged black rocks, some
of them looking as if they were every moment ready to fall on us; and on
the left hand the light of our torches showed us continually the
surfaces of dirty and miserable-looking lakes of water.
[Sidenote: DISAPPEARANCE OF THE GUIDES.] "If I heartily repented my
expedition before, here I was in a cold perspiration, and fairly gave
myself up for lost, heartily cursing all the travellers that had written
of the place, because they had described it so as to tempt people to
visit it, without telling them of the horrors they must encounter in the
way. In the midst of these reflections, and in the very dismallest part
of the cavern, on a sudden we lost four of our six guides. What was my
horror on this occasion! The place was a thousand times more dark and
terrible for the want of their torches; and I expected no other but
every moment to follow them into one or the other of these lakes, into
which I doubted not they had fallen. The remaining two guides said all
they could to cheer us up, and told us we should see the other four
again soon, and that we were near the end of our journey. I do not know
what effect this might have had on my companions, but I believed no part
of their speech but the last, which I expected very soon to find
fulfilled in some pond or precipice: in that sense, indeed, we were near
our journey's end!
[Sidenote: SPLENDID TRANSITION.] "While engaged in meditating on the
perils that environed me, I suddenly heard a little hissing noise, and
found myself in utter and indescribable darkness. Our guides, indeed,
called cheerfully to us, and told us they had accidentally dropped their
torches into a puddle of water, but that they should soon reach their
companions, when they would light them again, and we had nothing to do
but crawl forward. I cannot say but that I was amazed at the courage of
these people in a place where I thought four of their number had already
perished, and from whence none of us could ever escape; and I determined
to lie down and die where I was.
"One of our guides, perceiving that I did not advance, came up to me,
and, clapping his fingers over my eyes, dragged me a few paces forward.
While I was in this strange condition, expecting every moment death in a
thousand shapes, and trembling to think what the fellow meant by this
rough proceeding, he lifted me at once over a great stone, set me down
upon my feet, and took his hand from before my eyes. What words can
describe my astonishment and transport at that instant! Instead of
darkness and despair, all was splendour and magnificence around me; the
place was illumined with fifty torches; and our guides, who all
reappeared about us, with a loud shout welcomed us to the Grotto of
Antiparos! The four that were first missing, I now found, had only given
us the slip to get the torches lighted up before we came; and the other
two had put out their lights on purpose, to make us enter out of utter
darkness into this pavilion of splendour and glory.
[Sidenote: DIMENSIONS OF THE GROTTO.] "The grotto is a cavern of about
120 yards wide, 113 long, and seems about 60 yards high in most places.
Imagine, then, an immense arch like this, almost entirely lined with
fine bright white marble, and the mind will then acquire some faint idea
of the place I had the pleasure to spend three hours in: this, however,
is but a very insufficient description of its beauties. The roof, which
consists of a fine vaulted arch, is hung all over with icicles of fine
white marble, some of them ten feet long, and as thick as one's middle
at the root; and among these there hung a thousand festoons of leaves
and flowers of the same substance, but so very glittering that there was
no bearing to look at them. All the sides of the arch are planted with
the representations of trees of the same white crystal, rising in rows
one above the other. From these trees were also hung festoons, tied, as
it were, from one to another, in vast quantities; and in some places
among them are seen rivers of marble flowing in a thousand meanders. All
these things have been produced, during a long series of years, by the
dropping of water, but really look like petrified trees and brooks. Our
guides had tied torches two or three to a pillar, and kept continually
beating them to make them burn bright: imagine, then, what a glare of
splendour and beauty must be the effect of this illumination among such
rocks and columns of marble. All around the lower part of the sides of
the arch are a thousand white masses of crystal, in the shape of oak
trees, which are in many places large enough for a bedchamber. One of
these chambers has a fine white curtain, whiter than satin, of the same
marble, stretching all over the front of it. In this we cut our names
and the date of the year."
[Sidenote: TERRIFIED FRENCHMAN.] I shall not dwell upon our return,
though it was, if possible, more laborious and difficult than the
descent. Just as I had got upon the first ladder and my white light was
extinguished, there arose the most shrill and piercing shriek I ever
remember to have heard, followed by loud exclamations of "Sauvez moi!
sauvez moi! je suis perdu!" It immediately occurred to me that some
unfortunate creature had fallen into the abyss; and, lowering my torch,
I beheld a figure convulsively grasping the rock with one hand and the
ladder with the other; while a Greek, who stood underneath, was
endeavouring to force him onwards. There he hung, in perfect safety,
though unable to assist himself; trembling like an aspen leaf, pale as
death, and crying like a child. After we had drawn him up, he sat down
for some time, to recover his scattered senses; and, positively, I could
hardly refrain from laughing as he made his piteous complaint. It seems,
without reflecting that the man did not understand a word of French, he
had charged the Greek, who followed him, not to get upon the ladder
until he was off. Just, however, as his hand was on the last step, he
felt some one climbing after him. The poor Frenchman's terror was then
at its height: he fancied the ladder slipping from under his feet, and,
grasping the wood still more tightly, in doing so he got his finger
pinched against the rock. In the exertion of releasing it, he nearly
overbalanced himself in reality, and again he screamed out with terror
and dismay! All this occurred in a brief instant; though, between his
tears and his heart throbbing, many minutes were consumed in the
narration.
[Sidenote: A HINT FOR THE LADIES.] I am not a little surprised that the
two ladies who accompanied the party had courage to descend into such a
place. In my opinion, excursions like these are by no means adapted to
either the mental or corporeal delicacy of the fair sex; and, however
disagreeable the position might have momentarily proved to them, it was
impossible to witness the tall slender figure of one of them, grasped in
the arms of a bearded swarthy Greek, now squeezed against the wall, now
almost astride upon his shoulders, without indulging in the laughter
such a spectacle was well calculated to inspire.
Thanks to the kind influence of the guardian genii of the cave, who
preserved us from falling victims to the perils of the way, we all got
safely out; and as each, begrimed with dirt, and black as a
chimney-sweep, emerged into upper air, enveloped in smoke, which now
issued in huge volumes from the cavern's mouth, he was received by his
companions with shouts of mirth that made the old vault echo again.
Verily, we could be likened to nothing but the devils in the opera of
Don Giovanni.
We now turned our steps again towards the village of Antiparos, and,
under the influence of those potent stimulants, hunger and thirst, got
over the ground more rapidly than might have been anticipated,
considering how exhausted the whole party felt previously to starting.
The time passed rapidly enough in the interchange of a good deal of
lively and amusing raillery on the truly laughable appearance which
every individual presented, with clothes rent almost to tatters, and
visage bedaubed with oil and soot; besides, each of us became the "hero
of his little tale," and could narrate a hundred perilous incidents and
hairbreadth escapes which he had encountered during his descent and
ascent from the "antres vast" of this extraordinary place.
It was eleven o'clock before we got on board, where all did ample homage
to the breakfast that awaited us.
[Sidenote: PORT OF MILO.] In the meantime the boat quitted the island,
and after sailing between Serpho and Siphanto, and coasting along the
Argentiera, all volcanic islands, she came in sight of the port of Milo.
By properly fortifying the entrance of this harbour, it might be
rendered perfectly impregnable. In shape it resembles a horse-shoe much
contracted at the two extremities; and consists of the crater of an
extinct volcano, the cone of which remains on three sides, but more or
less in a state of degradation. The town is built on the top of the
cone, and the whole island appears to be volcanic. In our passage here,
we sailed by the Pelican sloop of war, bound to Malta, on her voyage
home.
[Sidenote: WARLIKE MOUNTAINEERS.] _Tuesday, 9th._--Early this morning,
the Madagascar came in, in fine style, with every sail set, and anchored
close to us. After bathing in the sea with the midshipmen, by leaping
off the vessel's chains, the King of Greece landed, to go up to the
town. The Greek soldiers and sailors, most of whom were pirates
formerly, hailed his disembarkation on an old Turkey carpet, with shouts
and acclamations, followed by a discharge of their long guns loaded with
ball; several of which plunged into the water within a few feet of the
steam-boat.
When all was quiet we went ashore also, and landed on the snow-white
beach, formed of pumice stone, which sparkled in the sun's rays like
myriads of diamonds, and in which several large masses of grey lava,
exceedingly fragile, lay deeply imbedded.
[Sidenote: ANECDOTE.] In the paltry collection of wine-shops, here
dignified with the name of _village_, we saw a number of Greeks waiting
the return of Otho: each wore a gaily coloured kerchief on the head; an
embroidered jacket; a shawl encircling the waist; red greaves; a dirk;
and a long gun, ornamented with gold, slung over the shoulder. Their
wild fearless demeanour struck me as more characteristic of the
freebooter, than the soldier of a regular government. Yet seldom have I
seen more elegant graceful figures than were possessed by these mountain
robbers, whose robust symmetry rendered each one of them a perfect model
for the sculptor's art.
I went on board the Madagascar in the evening, and enjoyed a pleasant
_confab_ with the officers. There is a striking difference in the
tempers and dispositions of the two royal brothers; the one being
greatly beloved, while the other is disliked by every person in the
ship. The King is very kind and affable, giving no unnecessary trouble,
and mixing freely with the midshipmen and sailors: many a luncheon has
he partaken of in the _den_ of the former. His brother, on the contrary,
is all fuss and superciliousness; and the very first morning after he
embarked, the captain was compelled to read him a practical lecture on
the necessity of complying with the established regulations. He had been
told that, as punctuality was a most indispensable maxim on board a
man-of-war, where every thing depended on the example afforded to the
sailors by their officers and superiors, he would be expected at
breakfast by eight o'clock every morning.
[Sidenote: PARTING OF THE ROYAL BROTHERS.] On the following day, at the
hour prescribed, the King was seated at the cabin table, and, after
waiting a quarter of an hour, as the Prince came not, breakfast was
finished. About half past nine his Royal Highness made his _debut_, and
expressed some surprise at seeing the table cleared; however, the
Captain told him he was sorry he had lost his breakfast, particularly as
it was a long time to dinner; and the regulations of the ship precluded
his having any meal served before that was ready. The Prince frowned and
looked marvellously discomfited; but, pocketing his lecture, he made an
apology, and went sulkily on deck.
The moment of parting between the royal brothers had now arrived, and
they came on board the steamer together at a late hour. The anchor was
already up:--"Give way!" cried the captain: the heir of Bavaria and the
hope of Greece fell into each other's arms; and, after a short embrace
and a kissing of each cheek, the latter hurried down the ladder; the
Prince hastened to his cabin; and in a few minutes more we were merrily
ploughing our way through the rippling waves of the calm and beautiful
harbour of Milo.
_Wednesday, 10th._--Cerigo was in sight this morning; and, after
coasting along its almost uninhabited shore, and rounding Cape Matapan,
we entered the Gulf of Coron,--the scene of one of the most beautiful
spirit-stirring poems that ever proceeded from the heaven-inspired pen
of Byron. We sailed slowly along its wild and wooded coast, anxious to
reach the town[21] of the same name in the evening; for, by going on
shore there, we might probably avoid some days' quarantine at Zante.
When off the island, a boat was sent ashore, and on its return we
started again, and, passing between the Isle of Venetico and the main
land, and rounding the point of Modon, we kept the high and barren coast
of Arcadia in sight.
[Sidenote: ZANTE.] _Thursday, 11th._--This morning Zante appeared in the
distance, and about mid-day we entered the harbour of this fine island.
The interior is a beautiful plain, rich in pastures, well wooded, and
cultivated with the greatest assiduity. The town looked clean and
cheerful: but we were not permitted to land; for it turned out that our
quarantine had been of no use. Seven additional days' purification being
required, we decided on starting again immediately. Several barge loads
of coal, therefore, were brought alongside, and, their crews having
quitted them (for they fled as if the plague had been actually on
board), our men got to work, and we soon had our quantum of fuel for the
voyage to Malta.
_Friday, 12th._--We landed ten passengers to-day; four of them British
officers belonging to the garrison of Corfu; and the other six,
disgusted with the boat, and with the prospect of twenty days' detention
at Malta, had resolved to await the steamer expected in six days from
the former place, and bound to Ancona, where they understood the
quarantine was limited to five days.
[Sidenote: SEA SICKNESS.] The swell becoming unpleasant towards evening,
one by one the passengers went below; and the Prince, turning gradually
pale, showed unequivocal symptoms of being affected by a malady which,
like death, is no respecter of persons, but fastens indifferently on the
sceptred monarch and the shoeless cowherd, when either ventures to go
"ploughing the billows of the faithless deep."