ATHENS, GREECE, _Nov. 28, 1841_.
When I wrote you last, from Trieste, I was on the point of embarking
by one of the Austrian steamers for this city, with the additional
advantage of stopping at three ports on the route, which gives the
passenger an opportunity of seeing some interesting sights. Soon after
leaving Trieste we were visited with one of those violent gales of
wind which so frequently occur on the Adriatic, against which the
steamer struggled with difficulty, and all the passengers, except one,
experiencing the horrors of sea-sickness, were snugly stowed away in
their berths. This man solitary and alone, I noticed in his enviable
position, seated at the supper table, whilst the sea was making a
complete breach over the deck of the steamer, and the chairs and plates
were secured by straps and braces. Within twenty-four hours we made
the harbor of Ancona, the principal commercial port of the Pope of
Rome, whose dominions extend from the Mediterranean on the west to
the Adriatic on the east, and where we remained nearly a day, giving
us an opportunity of seeing all that was most remarkable in the town.
We next departed for Corfu, one of the most important of the Ionian
islands, and the seat of government, and where we arrived after two
days. The approach to the island is beautiful, with a fine harbor or
bay for vessels. The opposite coast of Albania, the fortifications of
the island of Vido, and the citadel of Corfu, built on two precipitous
rocks running out into the sea, with the town and the mountains in the
distance, form a splendid panoramic view.
The island is in the possession of the British, who have many troops
stationed here. Its circumference is said to be one hundred and twelve
miles, and the population sixty thousand, that of the city being twenty
thousand. We have found the weather delightfully warm and pleasant, and
observed many plants and fruits peculiar to the West India climate. On
landing I was struck with the gay and picturesque costume of the male
population, who mostly wear the Albanian dress, which is the gayest,
and in some cases the most fantastic, of any I have seen in Europe.
It consists of a red cap of beautiful material, of the form of a hat
without the rim, with a large tassel of blue silk suspended from the
top; a round jacket and vest, of cloth of various colors, beautifully
embroidered with cord, and sometimes with gold and silver lace, which
fits to the figure; from the waist is suspended a white frock with
heavy folds which hang gracefully, barely covering the knees, with
leggings of the same colored cloth as the jacket, embroidered in the
same manner, and covering the shoes. The waist is encircled with a
sash of red or blue silk, the ends hanging negligently by the side.
We remained at Corfu only one day, but long enough to give us time
to visit the villa of the governor, beautifully situated on a cliff
overhanging the sea; also to visit the esplanade or parade ground, and
some of the Greek churches, in one of which rest the remains of Capo
d’Istria, the late governor of Greece, who was assassinated in Nauplia.
After leaving Corfu we proceeded to Patras, in Greece, passing the
island of Santa Maura, where Sappho made her famous leap, and next the
island of Ithaca, the birthplace of Ulysses, which is only eighteen
miles long, and presents an air of ruggedness and barrenness, but is
said to produce fruit, wine, and honey, of good quality. On arriving at
Patras, where we remained part of a day, we found it had the appearance
of a new town, and to my surprise I learned that during the last
revolution every house was demolished by the Turks, as well as the
orange groves, the woods of olives and vineyards; in fact everything
was laid waste by fire and sword. There are not many remains of
antiquity here. The new streets are well laid out, but the houses are
mostly one story high, the country being subject to earthquakes.
On the opposite side of the gulf lies Missolonghi, celebrated for its
battles with the Turks, as also for being the spot where Marco Bozzaris
fell during an engagement in 1823. It was also the place where Lord
Byron ended his career.
On leaving Patras we coasted along with the islands of Cephalonia and
Zante in view, afterwards passing Navarino, so memorable for the battle
of the allied forces against the Turks in 1827, which in its effects
ended the war in Greece. After passing Cape Matapan, the most southern
point of Greece, nothing occurred of interest until we arrived at the
Piræus the morning of the eighth day from Trieste.
In order to convey an idea of the variety of character one meets on a
voyage in this part of the world, I will mention that we had in the
main saloon of the steamer sixteen persons, and that the ordinary
conversation at table was in six different languages. Among the number
a Turk from Smyrna, who had been interpreter to the English embassy in
the East, conversed in eight languages. He was dressed in full costume,
and wore his turban at meals and on all occasions. His long rich robes
of satin, and yellow morocco slippers, presented a novel appearance,
his favorite position being a seated one with his legs crossed.
On entering the harbor of the Piræus the remains of the tomb of
Themistocles were pointed out, looking down on the Gulf of Salamis, the
scene of his glory. The modern town has been entirely built up since
1834. The distance to Athens is five or six miles. We took a carriage,
and in approaching that celebrated city the ruins of the Parthenon
struck our view, rising in all its majesty, one of the finest edifices
formerly, and on one of the finest sites in the world.
During the last revolution Athens was entirely destroyed by the
Turks, but it has again risen, and now has the appearance of a new
city, with a population of twenty thousand. Since it became the seat
of government, and king Otho made his public entry in 1834, it is
said to have advanced rapidly. Although many houses are of very rude
construction, and in some sections of one story high, with tile roofs,
still in general the style of building is very good and substantial,
and I am only surprised that in such a short space of time they
could have advanced so far. Many of the public buildings are well
constructed. The palace of the king, now in progress of erection, is
of white Pentelic marble, three hundred feet long and two hundred and
eighty feet in depth. It will cost an immense sum of money, which might
have been better employed in other improvements than in building a
palace, while the new government is in its infancy.
As soon as I had located myself at a hotel, I procured a guide
to obtain a permission to mount the Acropolis and visit all the
antiquities of the city. It is necessary to apply to one of the
officers of the city for this, and to pay a small sum, to ascend this
celebrated Cecropian Rock, which has been a fortress from the earliest
ages down to the last day of the war. The walls form a circuit of two
thousand five hundred and thirty yards, and are built on the edge
of the perpendicular rock, which rises one hundred and fifty feet
above the plain in which stands the city. The area inclosed is about
fifteen hundred feet long, and the greatest breadth five hundred feet.
On entering the only gate, after winding round the hill, the first
subject is the ruins of the Propylæa, which was built during the most
brilliant days of Athens. There is little remaining except six fluted
marble columns in front, and six in the rear, of the Doric order,
with frieze, entablature, &c.; to the right is a high tower, rudely
constructed. The Temple of Victory is the next ruin presented to view,
with some fine Ionic fluted columns still standing, and quite perfect.
Next comes the Parthenon, which stands in the centre of the Acropolis.
When perfect the length was two hundred and twenty feet, the breadth
one hundred. The front and rear are still standing, and many of the
columns on the sides (in all thirty-two) still remain. The columns are
sixty-four feet in diameter at the base, and thirty-four feet high,
standing on a pavement to which there was an ascent of three steps. The
height of the temple was sixty-five feet; parts of the frieze on the
exterior still remain; they represent the procession to the Parthenon
at one of the grand festivals. The Parthenon was constructed of white
Pentelic marble. Within the Acropolis is an immense collection of
ruins and antiquities too numerous to detail. The Temple of Theseus,
not far distant from the Acropolis, is quite perfect, and the interior
is occupied as a museum--all the fragments of marble which have been
discovered by the government being placed there. It was built four
hundred and sixty-five years before Christ. Thirty-four Doric columns,
with the walls, remain entire, all of Pentelic marble.
On ascending the Areopagus, or Hill of Mars, where the council of the
Areopagus sat, one finds sixteen steps cut in the rock; above the
steps, on the level of the hill, is a bench of stone excavated in the
rock. It was here that the judges sat, in the open air and in the dark,
that they might not be influenced by seeing and knowing the accuser
or the accused. It was here that St. Paul preached, that Orestes was
tried for matricide, and Socrates for theism. The prisons of Socrates
are four dungeons, cut in the rock at the base of a hill, and there
he drank the poisoned cup. The temple of Jupiter Olympus was the
largest in Athens. It was begun five hundred and thirty years before
Christ, and completed by the emperor Hadrian, A.D. one hundred
and forty-five. The only remains of that immense edifice are sixteen
Corinthian columns, six and a half feet diameter and sixty feet high.
It is supposed the entire circuit was two thousand three hundred feet;
the length being three hundred and fifty-four feet, and breadth one
hundred and seventy-one; the whole number of columns was one hundred
and twenty.
Since I have been in Athens I have made acquaintance with Mr.
Perdicaris, the American consul, Mr. King and Mr. Benjamin, the
American missionaries stationed here, as also Mrs. Hill, whose husband
is now absent in America. The judgment, talent, and perseverance of
this lady and her husband have contributed much to the advancement of
the children of Athens. The gentlemen named have been very polite and
communicative, and from them I have derived much valuable information
in reference to Greece. I had an opportunity of seeing the young king
Otho and his queen at a concert soon after my arrival. He was clad in
rich Albanian costume, such as I have described as being worn at Corfu,
and which is in general use here also. I judge he is about twenty-five
years of age. The queen is young and beautiful; she was handsomely clad
in Frank costume.
After having finished the sights at Athens I shall make a tour in
the interior, in company with one of the American missionaries from
the southern parts of Greece, who desires to visit Nauplia, Argos,
ancient Tergus, Mycenæ, &c.; but in addition I desire to see Corinth,
where St. Paul lived one year and a half, and wrote his Epistle to the
Corinthians. The weather being delightfully warm, and my companion
speaking modern Greek perfectly, I anticipate great pleasure in making
an excursion of six or eight days.