Part 35

We left the road of _Gallipoli_ on the right, and came to _Rodesto_, the old _Perinthus_, from thence we left _Heraclea_ on the left, and past _Selibria_, a days journey distant from _Constantinople_. The honey of _Heraclea_ is said to be pernicious, perhaps because the country abounds with the _Chamæleon niger_ (a sort of _Carlina_) to whose root adheres a very venomous excrescence called _Ixia_, which may affect the Bees that feed on that plant.

I found hereabouts a milky plant (perhaps an _Apocynum_) with the leaves and flower of a _Nerion_, or the purple _Lysimachia_.

_Thrace_ is an open country without trees, like _Picardy_; the great plains are divided here and there with ridges and little hills: About three miles before we came to _Constantinople_, we pass’d two long wooden bridges that run over the salt marshes, upon which are many boats and mills, with eight wings or arms: On these lakes there is a great fishery, as also on the _Propontis_, for the Oriental People (as other nations of old) are more delighted with the fish diet than with that of quadrupeds or birds. This may be one reason why the books of the ancients treat more of fish than of fowl, or any other animals.

CHAP. IV.

_The ways of fishing on the ~Propontis~, the ~Bosphorus~, and ~Hellespont~; as also of the fishes taken. By M. ~Belon~._

These seas abound extremely with fish that pass between the _Euxine_ and _Mediterranean_, into which abundance of great fresh rivers empty themselves. The streights and shoars are full of little wood cottages (wherein the Fishermen watch and observe the several shoals) and great variety of nets, both loose and fastened to poles, of several figures, for the taking both of great and small frys: There is also the hook and bait-fishing up and down with long lines; the train and hand-nets, _&c._

Besides all these ways, they practise another manner of fishing by lighted torches in dark calm nights, whereby they find the great fishes asleep, and strike them very silently with sharp tridents and hooked engines: This they find the most convenient for taking the greater sorts of fish, which often break their nets and lines.

The common fishes of these _Streights_ are, the Tunny, and the Pelamis, Mackrel, Scads, Giltheads, Mullets, Gurnards, Sheath-fish, Sword-fish, the Dolphin, different from our Porpess, the Wolf-fish, Lampreys, the Muræna, Sphyrena, Melanurus, Salpa, Sargus, Mena, Atherina, Exocætus which serve for baits to catch Congers, Celerinus, Sardina, Polypus, Loligo, Erythrinus, _&c._

The Garus, so common in the shops of _Constantinople_, is prepared here only out of the sanies, or, ichor of the salted intestines of the Mackrel and Scads. The red Cavear is not made of the eggs or roe of the Sturgeon, but out of the _Cyprinus_. (Q. _Whether the author means the Bream or Carp._)

CHAP. V.

_Of some Beasts and mechanic trades at ~Constantinople~._

Near the _Hippodromus_ at _Constantinople_, I observed some rare animals, which the _Turkish_ Emperors are much delighted with, as the _Onager_, the _Hystrix_, the _Lupus Cervarius_, the _Lynx_, the _Ponticus Mus_, or _Ermine_, many rare Weasils and odd Cats.

The _Turks_ not using the Printing Trade, they levigate and polish their writing paper in box frames, by rubbing it with the _Chalcedony_ and Jaspar-stones, put at the end of sticks. They damask their cymeters with a blewish colour, by macerating _Sal Armoniac_ and Verdigrease in vinegar, and steeping the blades in this mixture, often pouring fresh upon them, this acts upon the steel, and renders it of that colour upon polishing. They granulate leather for scabbards. In the Cutlers shops one sees great variety of Horns, Teeth, _&c._ as of Bufalo’s, Gazels, Morse-teeth, and other Tusks. They colour their linnen with great variety, and with many figures, which they cut in wood and there paint, afterwards stamp and press it upon the linnen, or silk, as in printing upon paper, they first polish their linnen or cottons with pastes of fine flower. The inhabitants on these _Streights_, gather abundance of a broad leaved _Alga_, which they mix with a fat earth, and so cover their houses with it: The current running so strong, casts out great variety of marine productions, as _Alcyonium_, or _Arkeilli_, _Antipathos_ (a sort of Coralline.)

_Mr ~Francis Vernon~’s Letter, written to Mr ~Oldenburg~, ~Jan. 10. 1675/6~, giving a short account of some of his Observations in his travels from ~Venice~ through ~Istria~, ~Dalmatia~, ~Greece~, and the ~Archipelago~, to ~Smyrna~, where this letter was written._

_SIR_,

I must beg your excuse for not having written to you in so long a space: The little rest I have had, and the great unsettledness of my condition is the reason. Neither have I now any great curiosities to impart to you; only some small circumstances of my journey I will run over.

From _Venice_ I set out with those gallies which carried their Embassador that went for the _Porte_. We touch’d at most of the considerable towns of _Istria_ and _Dalmatia_ by the way. In _Istria_ we saw _Pola_, an ancient Repuplic. There remains yet an amphitheatre entire; it is of two orders of _Tuscan_ pillars, placed one over another, and the lower pillars stand on pedestals, which is not ordinary; for, commonly they have nothing but their bases to support them. There is, besides a temple dedicated to _Rome_ and _Augustus_, a triumphal arch, built by a lady of the family of the _Sergii_, in honour of some of her kindred, which commanded in these countries; besides several inscriptions and ancient monuments, which are in divers parts of the town.

In _Dalmatia_ I saw _Zahara_, which is now the metropolis of the country. It was anciently called _Jadera_. It is now very well fortified, being encompassed on three sides with the sea, and that part which is toward the land extremely advantaged by all the contrivances of art, having a castle and a rampart of very lofty bastions to guard it. I found here several ancient inscriptions, by me copied, which will not find room in the compass of a letter. We pass’d in sight of _Zebenico_, and saw three forts, which belong to the town, St _Nicolo_, St _Gioanni_, and _la fortezza Vecchia_; but we went not ashore. That which is most worth seeing in _Dalmatia_, is _Spalatro_, where is _Dioclesian_’s palace, a vast and stupendious fabric, in which he made his residence when he retreated from the empire; it is as big as the whole town, for the whole town indeed is patch’d up out of it’s ruins, and is said by some to take it’s name from it. The building is massive; there is within it an entire temple of _Jupiter_, eight square, with noble porphyry pillars, and cornish, worth any body’s admiration. There is a court before it, adorned with _Ægyptian_ pillars of that stone called _Pyropoicilos_, and a temple under it, now dedicated to St _Lucia_; and up and down the town several fragments of antiquity, with inscriptions and other things worth taking notice of.

Four miles from _Spalatro_ is _Salona_, which shews the ruins of a great town. About as much farther from _Salona_, stands _Clissa_, upon a rocky hill, an eminent fortress of the _Venetians_, which is here the frontier against the _Turk_, from whence they repulsed him in their late wars with great honour. I was at _Lesina_, where is nothing very remarkable; but _Blondi_, that hath written our _English History_, was of it. _Trau_ is ancient, and hath good marks of it’s being so. Here I spoke with Dr _Stasileo_, who put out that fragment of _Petronius Arbiter_, and I saw his manuscript.

I was in the Harbour of _Ragusi_, but not in the town, because we made no stay there. From hence we pass’d the gulph of _Budua_, and saw the mountains of _Antivari_, the plain of _Durazzo_ and _Apollonia_, and came to _Sassino_ a small island, from whence we could see the town of _Valona_, and the mountains _Acroceraunii_, which are very near, and are now called mountains of _Chimæra_.

I staid a fortnight in _Corfu_, and had time to view all that was considerable in the island, particularly the gardens of _Alcinous_, that is, the place where they are supposed to have been, now called _Chrysida_, a most delicious situation: The ancient port, now called Νεκροθάλατσα and several foundations of ancient fabrics. In _Zante_ I was likewise a fortnight, where I saw but little of Antiquity: What is modern is very flourishing, and the island rich and plentiful.

I went from _Zante_ to _Patras_, a town in _Achaja_, of good note among the ancients. Near it is a great mountain, mentioned by _Homer_, by the name of _Petra Olenia_. In the town are several massive ruins, which few there know how to give any account of. There are the remains of a large church, dedicated to St _Andrea_, who, they say, was martyr’d there. This is the first town I saw on the continent of _Greece_. The plain about it is very fruitful, full of springs and rivulets; finely wooded with Olive-trees, Cypresses, Orange and Lemon-trees. The Citrons here are counted among the best of the _Turkish_ empire, and are sent for presents to _Constantinople_. So are all their fruits in very good esteem.

In _Athens_ I have spent two months. Next to _Rome_ I judge it most worthy to be seen for antiquities of any I have yet been at. The temple of _Minerva_ is as entire as the _Rotunda_. I was three times in it, and took all the dimentions with what exactness I could; but it is difficult, because the castle of _Athens_, in which it stands, is a garrison, and the _Turks_ are jealous, and brutishly barbarous, if they take notice that any measures it. The length of the _cella_ or body of the temple without side,

is 168 } Feet _English_. The breadth 71 }

The _portico_ of the _Doric_ order, which runs round it, hath eight pillars in front, seventeen on the sides; the length of the _portico_ is 230 feet _English_. I have taken all the dimensions within, with those of the προναὸς and _porticos_; but they are too long for a letter. The _fuste_ or shaft of the pillars is 19½ feet in circumference: The _intercolumnium_ 1¼ of the diameter of the pillars. These measures you may rely on as exact to half a foot.

The temple of _Theseus_ is likewise entire, but it is much less, though built after the same model. The length of it’s _cella_ is but 73 feet, the breadth 26. The whole length of the _portico_, which goes round it 123 feet. ’Tis a _Doric_ building, as is that of _Minerva_. Both of them are of white marble.

About the cornish on the outside of the temple of _Minerva_ is a _basso relievo_ of men on horseback, others in chariots, and a whole procession of people going to a sacrifice, of very curious sculpture. On the front is the history of the birth of _Minerva_.

In the temple of _Theseus_, on the front within side the _portico_, at the west end, is the battel of the _Centauri_, and at the east end seems to be a continuation of that history: But there are several figures of women, which seem to be _Pirithous_’s bride, and those other ladies which were at the wedding. On the outside the _portico_, in the spaces between the _Triglyphi_, are several of the prowesses of _Theseus_, most in wrestling with several persons, in which he excelled: All his postures and looks are expressed with great art. Others are monsters, which he is made encountering with, as the bull of _Marathon_, the bear of _Calydon_, _&c._

There is a temple of _Hercules_, a round fabric, only six feet diameter, but neat Architecture. The pillars are of the _Corinthian_ order, which support an _urchitrave_ and _frise_, wherein are done in _relievo_ the labours of _Hercules_. The top is but one stone, wrought like a shield, with a flower on the outside, which riseth like a plume of feathers.

There is yet standing the tower of _Andronicus Cirrhestes_, which is an octogon, with the figures of eight winds, which are large, and of good workmanship; and the names of the winds remain legible in fair _Greek_ characters, where a house, which is built against it on one side, does not hinder, as ἁπηλίωτης, ευρος, βορεας, σκιρων, ζεφυρος· Each wind placed against it’s quarter in the heavens: And the roof is made of little planks of marble, broad at bottom, and which meet all in a point at top, and make an obtuse parymid of 32 or 36 sides.

There is a delicate temple of the _Conic_ order in the castle, whether of _Pandrosus_, or whom, I cannot tell, but the work was most fine, and all the ornaments most accurately engraven:

The length of this temple was 67 } The breadth 38 } feet.

These pillars, which remain of a portico of the Emperor _Adrian_, are very stately and noble: They are of the _Corinthian_ order, and above 52 feet in height, and 19½ in circumference: They are cannellate, and there are now standing seventeen of them, which part of their cornish on the top. The building to which they belonged, I measured the area of, as near as I could conjecture, and found it near a thousand feet in length, and about six hundred and eighty in breadth.

Without the town, the bridge over the _Elissus_ hath three arches of solid stone work; the middlemost is near 20 feet broad. There is the _stadium_ yet to be seen, whose length I measured, and found it 630 feet, near to what the precise measure of a _stadium_ ought to be, _viz._ 625.

Towards the southern wall of the castle, there are the remains of the theatre of _Bacchus_, with the portico of _Eumenes_, which is near it; the semi-diameter, which is the right sine of the demi-circle which makes the theatre, is about 150 feet, the whole body of the scene 256. Monsieur _de la Guilliotiere_, in that book he hath written of _Athens_ hath made a cut of a theatre, which he calls that of _Bacchus_, which is a meer fancy and invention of his own, nothing like the natural one, which by the plan he has drawn of the town, I judge he did not know. I give you this one hint, that you may not be deceived by that book, which is wide from truth, as will appear to any body who sees the reality, though to one who hath not seen it, it seems plausibly written. I have dwelt long on _Athens_, but yet have said nothing. This town alone deserves a whole book to discourse of it well, which now I have neither time nor room to do; but I have memorials by me of all I saw, which one day, if it please God, I may shew you.

_Thebes_ is a large town, but I found few antiquities in it, excepting some inscriptions and fragments of the old wall, and one gate, which, they say, was left by _Alexander_, when he demolish’d the rest. It is about fifty miles distant from _Athens_, as I judge.

_Corinth_ is two days journey distant; the castle, or Ἀκροκόρινθος, is standing, which is very large. The main of the town is demolished, and the houses, which now are scatter’d, and a great distance from one another. So is _Argos_, which to go round would be about four or five miles, as the houses now stand; but if they stood together, they would scarce exceed a good village. _Napolo della Rumilia_ is a large town, and full of inhabitants, and the Bashaw of the _Morea_ resides there: It is but very few leagues distant from _Argos_.

_Sparta_ is quite forsaken, and _Mestra_ is the town which is inhabited, four miles distant from it: But one sees great ruins thereabout; almost all the walls, several towers and foundations of temples with pillars and chapiters demolished: A theatre pretty entire. It might have been anciently nigh five miles in compass, and about a quarter of a mile distant from the river _Eurotus_. The plain of _Sparta_ and of _Laconia_ is very fruitful; and long, and well watered. It will be about eighty miles in length, as I judge. The mountains on the west side of it very high, the highest I have yet seen in _Greece_; the _Maniotes_ inhabit them. But the plain of _Calamatta_, which anciently was that of _Messene_, seems rather richer. _Corone_ is very abundant in Olives. _Navarrino_, which is esteemed the ancient _Pylos_, hath a very strong castle, fortified by the _Turks_, and is the best port in all the _Morea_. _Alpheus_ is much the best river, and the deepest, and with great reason extolled by all the ancient Poets, and chosen for the seat of the _Olympic_ games, for it is very pleasant. The plains of _Elis_ are very fine and large, fit for to breathe horses in, and for hunting, but not so fruitful as that of _Argos_ and _Messene_, which are all riches. The best woods I saw in _Peloponnesus_, are those of _Achaia_, abounding with Pines and wild Pear, the _Ilex_ and _Esculus_-trees, and, where there runs water with Plane-trees.

_Arcadia_ is a champain fine country, and full of cattle, but is all encompass’d with hills, which are very rough and unhewn. _Lepanto_ is very pleasantly seated on the Gulph, which runs up as far as _Corinth_; and without the town, is one of the finest fountains I saw in _Greece_, very rich in veins of water, and shaded with huge Plane-trees, not inferior in any thing to the spring of _Castalia_ on mount _Parnassus_, which runs through _Delphos_, except in this, that one was chosen by the Muses, and the other not; and poetical fancies have given immortality to the one, and never mentioned the other.

_Delphos_ itself is very strangely situated on a rugged hill, to which you have an ascent of about two or three leagues, and yet that is not a quarter of the way to come up to the pique of _Parnassus_, on the side of which hill it stands: It seems very barren to the eye, but the fruits are very good, where there are any. The wines are excellent, and the plants and simples, which are found there, very fragrant, and of great efficacy.

About _Lebadia_, and all through _Bæotia_, the plains are very fertile, and make amends for the barrenness of the hills which encompass them: But in winter they are apt to be overflown for that reason, and to be turn’d into lakes, which renders the _Bæotian_ air very thick, and so were their skulls too, if the ancients may be believed concerning them; though _Pindar_, who was one that sublimated poetry to it’s highest exaltation, and is much fancied and imitated in our age, as he was admired in his own, was born there: And _Amphion_, who was said to be so divine in his music, that he ravished the very stones, had skill enough to entice them to make up the walls of _Thebes_: So that not every thing that is born in a dull air is dull. These vales I found much planted with Cotton, _Sesamum_ and _Cummin_, of which they make great profit, and a great trade at _Thebes_ and _Lebadia_.

I went from _Thebes_ into the island of _Eubæa_, or _Negropont_, and saw the _Euripus_, which ebbs and flows much after the nature of our tides, only the Moon, and sometimes Winds, make it irregular. The channel, which runs between the town and a castle which stands in an island over against it, is about fifty feet broad; and there are three mills on it, which shew all the changes and varieties that happen in the current. Near the _Euripus_, and opposite to the town, they shew a port, which they say was _Aulis_, and it is not improbable, for it must be thereabouts, Between _Negropont_ and _Athens_, is a high hill, called Ἀγιομακοῦρι, formerly very dangerous, but now guarded by _Albaneses_. It is part of mount _Parnasse_, and near it, on the left hand, lies mount _Pentelicus_, from whence the _Athenians_ anciently fetch’d their stone, and now there is a convent of _Caloyers_ there, one of the richest of all _Greece_.

In going from _Athens_ by sea, I embarked in a port, which lies just by _Munichia_. That which they call _Porto Pyræo_, lies behind it a mile distant, which is a large port able to contain 500 vessels. There are the ruins of the town yet remaining, and of the walls, which joined it to the city of _Athens_. I sailed by _Porto Phalero_ the ancient haven of _Athens_, which is rather a road than a port. I saw an island called Φλέβες, where the _Athenians_ had anciently mines. I went ashore on the promontory of _Sunium_, to view the remains of the temple of _Minerva_, which stood on it. Hence I sailed among the isles of the _Archipelago_, _Macronesia_, _Thermea_, _Serphanto_, _Siphanto_, till I came to _Melo_. From _Melo_ I sailed through the _Cyclades_ to come hither. I pass’d by _Andros_, _Tenos_, _Mycone_, _Delos_: _Nuxia_ and _Paros_ I saw at a distance. We sailed near the northern cape of _Scio_, and the southern of _Myteline_ or _Lesbos_, and so came into the gulph of _Smyrna_. Within this gulph stands _Burlæ_, near some small islands, which is judged to be the ancient, _Clazomenæ_: _Foja_, which is same with the ancient _Phocæa_. Near this, the river _Hermus_ discharges itself into this gulph.

In this my journey, I had some misadventures. My companion, Sir _Giles Eastcourt_, died by the way. At sea I was plunder’d by the _Serphiotes_, where I lost all my letters, and yours among the rest, which you sent to my Lord Embassador at _Constantinople_, and Consul _Rycaut_, whom I find here a very civil and knowing gentleman, and am much obliged to him for his favours.

I have been as curious as I could in taking the latitudes of some remarkable places: As I find them, I shall give them you.

_Gr._ _M._ _Athens_ 38 5 _Corinth_ 38 14 _Sparta_ 37 10 _Corone_ 37 2 _Patras_ 38 40 _Delphos_ 38 50 _Thebes_ 38 22 _Negropont_ or _Chalcis_ 38 31

I desire you to present my humble services to the gentlemen of the _Royal Society_.

_I am_, &c.

_Some plants observed by Sir ~George Wheeler~, in his voyage to ~Greece~ and ~Asia minor~._

In the _Scoglio_, or island of St _Andre_, on the shore of _Istria_, _Scorpioides Limonii foliis, floribus luteis_. _Limonium reticulatum._ _Sideritis spinosa._ _Draba cærulea Cretica._ _Convolvulus rectus argenteis foliis._ _Polium Creticum, &c._

On the rocks near _Pota_ in _Istria_: _Cassia Poëtarum._ _Trifolium Saxatile hirsutissimum._ _Genista montana arborescens._ _Tordilium sive Seseli Creticum._ _Tragoriganum Creticum, vel potius Satureia hyberna nostras._ _Polium Rorismarini foliis._ _Salvia fruticosa._ Abundance of _Samphire_, and a curious bulbose plant, crested with little flowers striped with white and cinnamon colour.

Near _Mortaro_, thirty miles from _Zara_: _Planta lactescens Altheæ foliis_; it was not blown, (it might either be a _Tithymal_, an _Apocinum_, or _Campanula major lactescens Lobel_.) _Eryngium luteum monspeliense, &c._

On the great rock near _Clissa_: _Aster verbasci foliis._ _Jacea incana seu argentea Alpin. in Exot._ _Lotus odoratus._ _Horminum creticum._ _Satureia citrii odore._ _Aster montanus folio odorato, forsan Aster montanus luteus glabro Salicis folio ~Bauhin.~_ _Libanotis Ferulæ facie._ _Linum flore luteo._ _Hieracium flore incarnato._ _Thlaspi Saxatile folio Poëtarum._ _Caucalis platyphylla ~Column.~_ _Caucalis magno flore & fructu._ _Planta Equiseti frutescentis facie_, on the steeple and hard walls, (perhaps a species of _Tithymal_) it was without leaves, but full of joints, with abundance of yellow scaly knobs by pairs, between which issue forth three or four little _Tetrapetalose_ flowers. Of this I saw an _Arborescent_ one near _Troy_.

On the mountain near _Lesina_, in the island _Pharos_: _Aconitum Lycoctinum flore Delphinii, vel Napelli Species._ _Aloë_ in flower. _Asphodelus minor Junci folio, fistulosâ non bulbosâ radice._ _Malva Romana rubra._ _Juneperus major seu oxycedrus._ _Genista Spartium Septimo ~Bauhini~ simile_; the root is hot of a spicy taste. _Pilosella major pilosissima, &c._