CHAP. XI.

P. 440.

THESSALONICA.

Hospitality and kindness of the English Consul-Visit paid to another Merchant-Account of the Plague-Walls of the City -its antient splendour-Citadel -Torso-Propylæum of the Hippodrome -Caryatides-Rotunda - Situation of the Hippodrome-St. Sophia- Mosque of St. Demetrius — Temple of the Therméan Venus-Shooting Excursion-Triumphal Arch of Augustus-Arch of Constantine-SoroiMedals-Mines of Macedonia-Population of Salonîca, and of all Greece-Commerce of Salonica-Plan of Macedonia -Cotton-Tobacco-Wool-Imports of Salonica—Government-Game found in the Environs-Prices of Provisions— Malaria-Antient and Modern Jews-Comment upon St. Paul-Want of communication with the Bazars-Splendid Prospect of the Olympian Chain of Mountains-Valedictory Retrospect of all GREECE.

Manners of the Athenians - Description of a Ball— Mode of Dancing practised by the Women-Superstitions-Funeral Rites of the Albanians-Departure from Athens-Kakuvies-Course of the Antient RoadKevisia-Stamata-Village of MARATHON-Charadrus -View of the PLAIN OF MARATHON-Bey-Sepheri— Mountains of Croton and Agherlichi BRAURON Antiquities in the Plain of Marathon-Tomb of the Athenians-Arrow-heads - Monument of MiltiadesSepulchre of the Plateans-Nature of the Soil-Other Marathonian Relics Fountain of Macaria - Marathonian Lake Mount Stauro Koraki Shuli

VOL. VII.

B

Marathonian

Marathonian Defile-Importance of the Pass-Return to Marathon Village.

CHAP. UPON our return to ATHENS from ELEUSIS,

1.

Lusieri, (who had expressed, upon former occasions, considerable doubt respecting the possibility of removing the Statue of Ceres, even with the means which he possessed, as the agent of our Ambassador,) jocularly inquired, whether we had abandoned the undertaking. But as soon as we informed him, that we had not only carried off the Goddess, but that she was "under weigh" and upon her voyage to Smyrna, to secure a passage to England, he expressed so much astonishment, that, with uplifted hands, he exclaimed, in his mother-tongue, "Affè! se anche pensate di rimovere l'Agropoli, non avrete mai il mio permesso'." We remained a week in Athens after this event; and during that short period we saw more of the manners of the Athenians. inhabitants than we had before done. At the

Manners of the

Governor's, it is true, our observations were restricted to the gravity of his countenance, the fumes of his pipe, and the flavour of his coffee: but Lusieri introduced us to some Greek families

(1) Faith! if you also think of removing the Acropolis, you shall not have my permission."

of his acquaintance; and our Consul invited us to a ball, given in honour of a couple betrothed to each other. Many of the Athenian ladies are very handsome. Until the period of their marriage, the greatest care is used in adorning their persons, and in preserving the beauty of their complexions: but they are almost as much secluded from common view as the incarcerated virgins of the Turkish charems. Every house belonging to a Greek of any consideration has its Gynæcéum; and unless a stranger be intimate enough with the master of a family to penetrate to the retirement set apart for its female relatives, he may come and go without meeting any one of them. It has been believed that this custom among the Athenians, of shutting up their women, is an imitation of the manners of their Turkish lords; but, in fact, it was the original practice of the antient inhabitants of the city, and it has continued among their descendants until the present day. When any one of the Athenian ladies ventures into the streets, either upon the occasion of a public festival, or in her way to and from a public bath, she makes her appearance veiled, and so wrapped up, that it is impossible to judge either of her person or of her age: and

CHAP.

I.