Part 2

Eight of our nation having lately designed a visit to the church of _Ephesus_, by name, Messieurs Whalley, Dunster, Coventry, Ashe, Turner, Clotterbooke, Frye, and Chishull, we had first a general meeting, to agree upon what was requisite to the resolution we had taken; at which time Mr. Whalley kindly undertaking the care of our provisions, and the government of our intended journey, we propos’d to make a circuit of our way to _Ephesus_, that so we might have a larger satisfaction in the sight of those delightsome places, for which _Asia Minor_ was always so justly celebrated.

In prosecution of this design we intended to make our first _conáck_ at _Norlícui_, to which place having this morning dispatched our baggage upon mules, under the care of a _janisary_ and two servants, we ourselves set forward about three in the afternoon, with another _janisary_, _dragoman_, servants, and other requisites. Our company completed the number of twenty three light horse. Six or seven other gentlemen of the English factory were pleased to accompany us as far as _Norlícui_, where arriving in less than two hours, we all found a kind and hospitable reception from Mr. Benjamin Jones and his lady. After a short repast our freinds returned back to _Smyrna_, and left us employed in providing for ourselves and horses. This care had now taken up the evening, when it being proposed, that morning and evening prayers should be constantly read to the company during the whole journey, we all readily embraced the motion. Hereupon we immediately put this design in execution, and then pitched upon our lodging.

April xxii.

This morning a quarter before five we leave _Norlícui_, and proceed on _Magnesia_ road in our way to _St. George’s_ village, expecting to see the ceremonies, which the Greek Christians there perform on the twenty third instant, which is the festival of that saint. And having ascended the top of the adjoining hill, we there make an halt for our mules, and take that opportunity of looking back, and enjoying the delightful prospect, which this place afforded us. We had then the gap of _Nymphe_ on our left hand, and village of _Palamútcui_ on our right, which is pleasantly seated on an ascent, under a grove of pine trees; but before us lay extended the whole plain between the hills of _Tartalée_[6] and _Cordilíeu_, being terminated with the view of the _Two Brothers_[7], the city, castle, and bay of _Smyrna_.

We continue our journey over the hill, till arriving at an old burying place, we begin to descend by a paved way to a large and high bridge of stone, built over a small, but clear and purling river. From hence we pass on to the groves of _Jacácui_, which is a village seated on the right hand upon an ascending ground, and fronting the edge of _Tartalée_. Here we again halted, and drank a dish of coffee, partly to wait for our mules, and partly to entertain ourselves with a view of the plain of _Nymphe_, into which we had a narrow prospect between the forementioned village and the ridge of the opposite mountain. After this we ascend a tedious and craggy hill, with which tho we were now considerably fatigued, yet we had still courage enough to reject the proposal, which was there made, of baiting, and taking the advantage of a fair commodious fountain, which flows on our right hand from the top of the hill. We therefore proceed about the space of an hour in tolerable good way, till at the descent of the mountain we encounter a rugged and uneasy passage; the road being either choaked up with loose stones, or else worn into abrupt and descending steps. This obliged us to dismount, and lead our horses down the precipice; where we nevertheless received some little satisfaction, in observing the veins of red and white marble, with which each side of this troublesome way is garnished. At the foot of the hill we cross a rivulet, and quickly after repassing the same, ride from thence strait forward in a covert and narrow bottom, which in less than half an hour leads us into the plains of _Magnesia_. After a short repast in this place we mount our horses, turning to the left out of the road of _Magnesia_; and tho we were now not more than half an hour from our intended _conáck_, yet we ride on by mistake too much to the right hand; till, having advanced beyond the town and castle of _Magnesia_, we come to a Turkish village, where we were directed almost back again to _St. George’s_. Here we arrived about one a clock, and made it our first business to pitch our tent for the use of our servants, whilst we ourselves were received into a little house, which afforded us the convenience of one chamber, and a _sophá_, for lodging.

After diner we took a walk about the village, and visited the low humble church, which is here permitted to the Greek Christians. It has outwardly the marks of no inconsiderable antiquity, and within it is the exact model of the primitive Greek churches; consisting first of the πρόναος or _outward chapel_, then the νάος or _body of the church_, with three passages from the one into the other, and after all a chancel separate from the nave by lattice work. We here observed no other ornaments, than the pictures of _St. George_, the _Virgin Mary_, _St. John_, and _St. Nicholas_, and another of our _Savior_ on the roof of the church, which consists of a regular cupola. Before the altar lay the book of the _Gospels_, with three or four copies of divine service; some containing their ordinary _Liturgy_, and others adapted to peculiar months of the year. The Greeks were now flocking hither to perform their devotions before the picture of _St. George_; and the superstition of a woman was remarkable, who prostrated her little infant at the feet of the saint, and eagerly stroking the picture endeavoured to convey some hidden blessing to the body of the child.

April xxiii.

This morning we mounted about nine a clock, when the Greeks were preparing for the ceremony of the day. It was pleasant to see them flock together to the number of some thousands, being of different sex, age, and quality; but all equally regardless of the dirt and rain, which then fell very plentifully. We followed them on horseback a little mile out of the village to a large turpentine tree, under the shade and covert of which they had placed the saints, which we had before observed in the church; and there celebrated their mass. This was no other, than what is ordinary in the rites of the Greek church; except only, that it seemed to have some particular reference to _St. George_. It may be here proper to observe, that as the priest made two elevations of the elements, the one before, and the other after consecration; the people equally adored them at the former, as well as at the latter[8]. Before the consecration of the wine was completed, the priest mingled a little warm water in the cup, and afterwards put the μαργαρίτης, or _consecrated bread_, therein. All which he, and the deacon who assisted him, received; and after the whole ceremony one of his assistants distributed two loaves of unconsecrated bread[9] in little peices to the people, which they received with as much hurry as superstition. The congregation now break up, and carry back their saints in a tumultuous manner, one still endeavouring to catch them from another; while he that carries them, runs with what speed he can, and often strikes his head with the board, on which they are painted, as a voluntary penance for his sins.

This ceremony ended, we turned aside to satisfy our curiosity with the sight of the famous river _Hermus_, which flows scarce two bow’s shot below the turpentine tree mentioned above. This large and noble river yeilds an entertaining sight, especially when it abates something of its usual fulness. It appears graced on each side with a sandy shelving bank. The neighbouring pastures afford abundance of tamarisk, and on the edge of the river asparagus is very plentiful. It may be observed, that as the poets of old called it the _golden_[10], so the Turks at present call it the _silver streamed Hermus_; either of which names it seems to deserve from that bright and shining sand, which its water washes. But though the sand be clear, yet the water is still thick and muddy[11], and well answers some epithets of that nature, which are bestowed upon it in ancient poetry.

It was now past midday, when we return to the village, and after the refreshment of a diner prepare for our departure towards _Magnesia_. Our way thither lay through the same plain, into which we entered yesterday at one a clock; where the beauty and verdure of this campain countrey made amends for the great rain, which annoyed us all this day, as well at the Greek ceremony, as now in our way to _Magnesia_.

In two hours from _St. George’s_ we begin to enter _Magnesia_, not without a just admiration of its delicious situation at the foot of mount _Sipylus_; from whence it was antiently called _Magnesia ad Sipylum_, to distinguish it from that other, which stood near the river _Meander_[12]. Having rode into the city, we began to be in distress for an house to receive us; for an uncertain recommendation, which we had hitherto over credulously relied on, we now found to have miscarried. This was observed by an _effendi_, who saw us pass under his window, and therefore courteously acquainted us by his servant, that if we wanted accommodations, we might be welcome to his house. We gladly embraced the motion, and were conducted into a garden, where we were afforded the use of a pleasure house, consisting of a large _sophá_ room, a kitchen, and an open _kiosk_, with a beautiful fountain in the middle. The _effendi_ himself came down, and welcomed us to our apartment, adding withall, that if we had any other freind to rely upon, he would not deprive us of a better entertainment; if not, he bid us freely make use of what this place afforded. Returning to his house he presented us with a lamb, and desired to know, if there was any thing else, with which he was capable of obliging us. By our _dragoman_ he likewise informed us, that the _cadí_ of the city was at that time making him a visit, before whom it might not be improper for us to shew ourselves; but at the same time not to come empty handed. According to this motion we waited upon the _cadí_ with two _okes_ of sugar, and as many of coffee. He received us and our present very obligingly; and upon the _effendi’s_ invitation, we there drank a dish of coffee in the company of several Turks, who seemed to be of the better rank, and behaved themselves gentilely, that is, according to the genius of this haughty people, with an agreable mixture of civility and reservedness.

This ceremony performed, we returned to our garden, and there entertained ourselves at supper with just and grateful reflections on the great courtesy and hospitality of our landlord, whole name we had now learnt to be _Mahomet effendi_. His habitation is very pleasant, yet not so much for the splendid furniture of his house, as for that various and diverting prospect, which it commands over the plain of _Hermus_; though indeed this is an advantage, which by reason of the ascending situation of _Magnesia_ is common to the meanest cottage in the city. It seemed strange to us to observe several pieces of painted glass in the windows of our _effendi’s_ house, inscribed in Turkish characters with the name of the proprietor, together with some religious sentences of Mahometan devotion. But we were much more surprized, when we were informed, that it was the manufacture of this place; for it is stained with a beautiful as well as deep and durable colour, and comes up to the perfection of the best, we have seen in England. This gave us occasion to reflect on the different fortune of arts and sciences, which, like men, seem to take delight in shifting their station; for while other arts have now left these places, and traveled westward, this alone in exchange for all the rest seems to have retired into this, and is deplored as lost in Christendom.

April xxiv.

We propose to spend this day at _Magnesia_, in order to observe what may further occur there remarkable. To this end we were favoured with the company of a _janisary_ by one _Mahmút agá_, to whom this morning we made a short visit; he being the person, to whom at first we expected to have been recommended. The _janisary_ conducted us to the two principal _mosques_ of the city, to a religious college of _dervíses_, to a madhouse, and to an old _seraglio_, where the young princes of the Ottoman empire have formerly been educated. At the last of these there remain only the reliques of two or three rich _tiváns_, and a considerable number of stately old cypress trees, to witness the former grandeur of the place. At the madhouse we could observe nothing besides the bare walls of that hospital, and a brass mortar lying in the yard, which seemed to be remarkable for an old Latin inscription, which it bore, signifying that _it was made at Pisa_. The religious college is a fair stone building, consisting of one quadrangle, and that encompassed with a regular cloister, which is supported with pillars of the modern Greek module. The two _mosques_, which we mentioned, are distinguished from the rest, in that they are of royal foundation, an honour which is signified by the two _minarées_ belonging to them; whereas the other eighteen, with which this city is furnished, have but one a piece. Before each of these _mosques_ there is a square and regular area, containing a beautiful fountain in the middle, and enclosed on three sides with cells of religious Turks. The front of the _mosque_ makes the fourth side of the square, and is itself likewise adorned with a spacious portico supported with stately pillars, of which some only are topt with modern capitals. But as the capitals of the rest are of the old Corinthian order, so all the shafts appear plainly to be ancient; some consisting of natural and others of cast artificial marble, but both the one and the other bound near the pedestal with rings of massy brass.

Before we could be admitted into the inside, we were obliged to comply with the zeal of the Turks, who always leave their shoes at the entrance of their _mosques_. Here we found them both much resembling one another, excepting that one was richer than the other; and whereas the roof of the other consisted of five cupolas, the roof of this was regularly contracted into one. We had now the liberty to view several copies of their _Alcoran_, and other books of Mahometan prayers, all curiously written and adorned with golden figures. The windows are furnished with excellent painted glass, full of flower work and religious inscriptions; and from the roof hangs a multitude of lamps, together with bright balls contrived to reflect the light, all of them well ranged in a beautiful and artificial manner.

In each of the royal _mosques_ we further observed a splendid _kiblé_, which is a part separate from the body of the _mosque_, and answering to the altar of our Christian churches; it is adorned with a rich floor and gilded roof, together with carving and mosaic work on each side, but more particularly in the front, which is contrived to face _Mecca_. Immediately to the right hand of the _kiblé_ stands a lofty pulpit, being fourteen steps high, and consisting of a portal, rails, and canopy, all of wrought marble. One thing was remarkable as well in these _mosques_, as in that which we afterwards saw at _Ephesus_, though we know not whether it has any mystical reference to the Turkish superstition; it is a nich in the front of the _kiblé_, on each side of which stands a fine slender pillar, hewn out of one entire stone, made without capital or pedestal, but so fixed within the work both above and below, that it remains moveable, and is turned about by the hand at pleasure.

This sight of _Magnesia_ was our employment before diner, but in the afternoon we all attempted to ascend the castle hill on foot; which we quickly found to be a more difficult and painful task, than we at first imagined. The way was inexpressibly steep and craggy, and cost us an hour’s labour, though we made all possible speed; nor after our return could we blame the discretion of one of our companions, who thought fit to retire about the midway. However having at length conquered the ascent, our toil was well rewarded with the surprizing prospect of the city, and adjacent plain; in the latter of which we could distinguish the whole course of the _Hermus_ for many miles together, as also the places where the _Amnis Phrygius_, or _Hyllus_, joins it[13].

The fabric of the whole castle is very strong, and the advantage of a hill, which is on all sides a mile high, must have rendered it impregnable, in an age which knew not the use of gunpowder. It was formerly fortified with a considerable number of great guns, which are now removed to the new castle, which defends the bay of _Smyrna_. Two only remain on a bastion, that fronts the city; on both which we were sorry to see the eagles of the Roman empire. No other apartment of the castle is now kept locked, except a dungeon, in which there were twelve prisoners, lately sent thither by _Osmánogli_. A sight of these miserable wretches we desired of the _agá_, nor was he so scrupulous as to deny it us. The same _agá_ likewise shewed us within the precincts of the castle a poor Christian church, dedicated to the memory of _St. John_; where the Greeks meet upon the day of his feast, and are at the constant charge of two lamps, which burn there throughout the year. We had read and heard of a collection of Roman arms, reserved somewhere in this castle; tho being upon the place, nothing of this nature occurred to us. But _Solymán effendi_, a most courteous and obliging person, whom we visited this evening, as being the next neighbour, as well as brother of our landlord, assured us, that having many years since had the curiosity to ascend the castle hill, he then saw under ground the collection which we spake of, consisting of headpieces, breastplates, shields, and the like.

The mountainous parts about _Magnesia_ were antiently famous for the production of the loadstone[14]; tho indeed it is disparaged by _Pliny_[15], and accounted less attractive, than that of other places. However this probably was the city, from whence, as _Lucretius_ says, that stone took the name of _magnet_[16]; as from the whole country of _Lydia_ the touchstone likewise was called _lapis Lydius_[17]. This hint gave us the curiosity to carry a sea compass up the castle hill, where we had the satisfaction to see it point to different quarters, as we then placed it upon different stones, and quickly after intirely to lose its whole virtue; two effects which are natural to the magnetic needle, when injured by the nearness of other bodies impregnated with the same quality.

Late in the evening we were now preparing for repose, and endeavouring to forget the fatigue of the castle hill; when _Solymán effendi_, having laid aside the badges of his character, and put on a more familiar temper, returned our visit. We doubted not from the change of his habit, and the unseasonableness of the hour, but he came to break a Mahometan commandment, and _steal his kief_ (as the Turks pleasantly express it) in the juice of the forbidden grape[18]. This was a tedious and ungrateful task, with which nevertheless, by reason of his own and his brother’s great civility, some of our company were forced to comply. Nor had the wine he freely drank its desired effect, till towards two a clock in the morning.

April xxv.

We begin to rise by five this morning, and after dispatching our baggage take leave of _Mahomet effendi_, to whose singular humanity and hospitality we had hitherto been so much obliged. As we were riding thro the city, it was pleasant to recollect something of the ancient history of this place, whose present state we had seen the day before. It there occurred to us, that this was that _Magnesia_, which of all the Asian cities[19] made the first submission to the Roman arms, after the defeat of _Antiochus_ by _Scipio_. This likewise was that _Magnesia_, which entered into a league offensive and defensive with the city of _Smyrna_ in the reign of _Seleucus_ son of _Antiochus Theus_, whereby the inhabitants of the one were mutually made free of the other city; and whereas public monuments of this confederacy were by agreement of both parties to be erected in different places, one of them, which was set up by the _Smyrneans_, is now to be seen in the gallery at _Oxford_, inscribed on a large flat marble pillar[20].

There now scarce occur any reliques of antiquity in _Magnesia_, except that we observed several Ionic and Corinthian pillars in the court of an old _mosque_, held in great veneration by the Turks for the burial of _Hasánogli_, a person famous in the history of that nation. Over one of the entrances into the same court there is to be seen a broken inscription of an antient heathen temple, tho too high to be now legible; and on a stone step, placed before the principal _mosque_ of the city, we could read among other decayed words ΚΑΙΣΑΡΙ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΩ. The following inscription likewise is of no contemptible antiquity, which we found on a stone now lying in the staircase of the abovementioned _Solymán effendi_.

ΣΤΑΤΙΩ ΚΩΔΡΑΤΩ ΑΝΘΥΠΑΤΩ[21] ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΔΙΟ- ΓΝΙΤΟΥ ΕΠΕΣΚΕΥΑΣΕ ΤΟ ΜΝΗΜΕΙΟΝ ΕΑΥΤΩ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΙΣ ΙΔΙΟΙΣ ΕΚΓΟΝΟΙΣ ΜΗΔΕΝΙ ΔΕ ΕΞΕΣΤΩ ΑΠΑΛΛΟΤΡΙΩΣΑΙ ΑΥΤΟ ΕΚ ΤΟΥ ΓΕΝΟΥΣ ΜΟΥ ΕΑΝ ΔΕ ΤΙΣ ΑΠΑΛΛΟΤΡΙΩΣΗ ΥΠΕΥΘΥΝΟΣ ΕΣΤΩ ΕΙΣ ΤΟΝ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣ ΦΙΣΚΟΝ Χ. Ρ. ϛ.

The said _effendi_ not only civilly informed us of this stone, but when we had transcribed the words, he profered to send it after us to _Smyrna_; adding, that if it was any piece of sanctity, he was unwilling it should remain there to be trampled under foot.

Designing from hence for _Durguthli_, we continue our journey under the foot of _Sipylus_, which about two hours from the city ends in a stupendous precipice, consisting of a naked massy stone, and rising perpendicularly almost a furlong high. It was not a little surprizing, as we rode along under the foot of this hill, to observe a certain cliff of the rock, representing an exact nich and statue, with the due shape and proportion of an human body. For _Sipylus_ being the seat of the transformation of the unhappy _Niobe_[22], there was ground of imagining, that we had either met with her statue, or with that which was the first occasion of the fable; at least it was not improbable, that this was the work of some antient inhabitants of this place, who pleased themselves in fashioning the natural rock into such a figure, as might preserve the tradition of this celebrated poetic fiction.