Part 9

After leaving Lago Maggiore, we proceeded by diligence to Milan, which is the capital of Lombardy, and the largest city in northern Italy, its population being one hundred and fifty thousand. There are many attractions in it calculated to detain a traveller, among the principal of which is the Duomo, or cathedral, which is the largest in Italy, excepting St. Peter’s at Rome. It is four hundred and forty-nine feet long, two hundred and seventy-five broad, and the height two hundred and thirty-six feet to the top of the cupola. It is divided into five parts by one hundred and sixty columns of marble, and paved with the same material. Under the cathedral is a sumptuously decorated chapel, which was open while I was there, it being an anniversary, and thousands during the day passed into the subterranean chapel to see the remains of San Carlo Boromeo, which are inclosed in a crystal sarcophagus, adorned with gold and silver gilt. His figure is encased with superb robes, while his crosier and mitre rest by his side. His countenance, with the exception of the nose, is pretty well preserved. The interior of the chapel is also covered with marble, and gold and silver gilding, extremely rich. In order to appreciate this immense Gothic edifice, it is necessary to mount to the top of the cathedral, four hundred and sixty-eight steps, where you can view the spires, turrets, and exterior decorations, in white marble.

The triumphal arch of Napoleon, at the termination of the grand Simplon road, is another great ornament to Milan. It is an immense work, and crowned with a car, bearing the figure of Victory, drawn by six colossal horses in bronze; there are also four other horses, of the same material, standing on the four corners.

During the time I remained at Milan I made an excursion to the lake of Como. At the village of Como I took a small steamer, which plies upon the lake, and had an opportunity of seeing the beautiful gardens, pleasure grounds, and orangeries which line the shores. Nothing can be more delightful to the lover of fine scenery than an excursion upon this lake.

While in Rome, last spring, I saw an original cast in plaster, ordered by Napoleon, from the great sculptor Canova. It represented the triumph of Alexander the Great, and was said to have been purchased at a sum equal to fourteen thousand dollars, and was in a village upon the lake of Como. I landed at the villa Sonimorira, and visited the grounds and interior of this villa, or more properly speaking, palace, where I had an opportunity of seeing this admirable piece of sculpture in bas-relief, in white marble. It is attached to the wall. I made another excursion to Monza, about twelve miles from Milan, which contains a royal residence, well worth visiting; also a cathedral, where is deposited the crown of the Lombard kings, called the “Iron Crown,” because it is lined with an iron hoop, but of small size, and, as the story goes, is composed of the nails with which our Saviour was fastened to the cross. The outside of the crown of gold is studded with precious stones. Charlemagne was crowned king of Lombardy with it in the cathedral where it is deposited. The sacristy also abounds with ornaments of gold, silver, diamonds, and other precious stones, belonging to the church. There was an unusual degree of form and ceremony before we could get to see this celebrated relic. After we had obtained permission from the highest functionary, I was not a little surprised to find that this relic was placed in the wall behind the altar, making it necessary to ascend by ladder to unlock the double doors, one of which was a part of the front of the altar; after which many candles were lighted and two priests put on their robes and made a short service, when an enormous cross of gold was produced, in the centre of which was inclosed in crystal the crown already described; for all of which our party paid five francs. I was rather credulous in the belief of the story that the interior of the crown was made from the nails of the cross, as I have already seen, in different parts of Europe, more relics of the kind than were necessary for the crucifixion of our Saviour.

After I left Milan I came to Verona, on the route to Venice, where I tarried one day. Verona has its objects of curiosity, but not sufficient to detain one who has seen the cities of southern Italy. The ancient amphitheatre here is one of the most remarkable; it is more perfect than any other in Italy. It accommodated twenty-three thousand four hundred and eighty-four persons seated, according to report, and is composed of large blocks of marble without cement. It is of an oval form, four hundred and sixty-seven feet long and three hundred and sixty-seven feet wide. The arena is two hundred and twenty-five feet in length, and one hundred and thirty-three feet wide. There are forty-five rows of seats encircling the arena. The exterior wall is destroyed, but the other parts of this immense work of antiquity are quite perfect. In the suburbs of Verona, in a building near the former cemetery of a Franciscan convent, is a sarcophagus called the tomb of Juliet, and made of Verona marble, with a place for her head, a socket for a candle, and two holes for the admission of air. This sarcophagus is nothing in itself, but associated with Shakespeare, and the history of Romeo and Juliet, it is full of interest.

On arriving at Venice, I visited the palace of the Doges, the Basilica of San Marco, the Bridge of Sighs, the Giant Stairs, the Rialto, and several other parts of the city. Venice is about seven miles in circumference, with a population of one hundred thousand. It is situated in the midst of shallows called Lagunes, and stands mostly on piles. It is entered in all directions by canals, which amount to some hundreds, and bridges of stone without number. The streets are narrow, frequently not exceeding six feet in width, but having shops on each side, and then again many passages not exceeding four feet wide. There are, however, many squares, but they are not generally large. The Place of St. Mark, upon which is situated many of the principal buildings, is magnificent, and presents a lively scene. The only conveyance is in gondolas, which traverse all parts of the city, and are a necessary appendage to every family. One is induced to pronounce it a singular and beautiful city, because no other is like it.

It is surprising that the city should be supplied with all the necessaries, comforts, and luxuries of life without any apparent difficulty. Here are to be found thousands of persons who never saw the bubbling of a fountain or the growth of the vegetables upon which they subsist, who know not the use of a horse, and never saw such an animal, who perhaps have never seen a tree.

On approaching Venice in a gondola it has the appearance of a city submerged, while the steeples in the distance resemble the masts of vessels. The silence is profound, and at first it appears dull. The canals in general being the streets, the only noise to disturb the tranquillity is that made by the oars and the cries of the gondoliers. On leaving Venice I took the steamer for Trieste, the passage being accomplished across the head of the Adriatic in from ten to twelve hours ordinarily. As I depart to-morrow for Greece you may not expect to hear from me again until after my arrival at Patras, or the Ionian Islands.

XXIV.

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.

XXV.

ATHENS, _December 7, 1841_.

I have just returned from my tour, after an absence of seven days, during which time we were favored with delightful weather, but our journey was attended with all the fatigue and want of comfort appertaining to travelling on horseback in the interior of Greece. But we were more than fully compensated with the incidents of travel and the remarkable objects of antiquity and curiosity presented to our view. I must first inform you that there are only six or eight carriage roads in Greece, and those only for a short distance. All travel is performed on mules or horses, and all manner of burdens carried in the same manner. In the interior hotels are almost unknown, there being but few guests to encourage them, as during the desolating wars with the Turks almost all the towns and cities were laid waste, and the Greeks sought refuge in the mountains.

The first object of my missionary companion and myself was to procure a Greek servant, a supply of provisions, with bed and bedding, when we started for the Piræus, a distance of five miles, in search of a boat to carry us to Epidaurus, upon the Gulf of Salamis, where our land travel commenced. On arriving, at five o’clock in the afternoon, we were fortunate in finding a caique ready for departure. There is an immense number of these vessels employed along the coast; they are from twenty to thirty feet in length, the only shelter being in the hold, the flooring of which is pebble-stones. The passengers numbered about twenty, who were stretched upon the deck, or on the gravelly floor, with nothing but a Greek coat, or a blanket under them, my companion among the group. By special favor I had the cabin to myself, for the reason that there was only room for one person. It was a small partition astern, with a board floor, say three feet broad, and scarcely long enough to lie at full length. Here I spread my bed and passed a tolerable night. The next morning we passed the island of Egina, and at noon arrived at Epidaurus, a place which formerly sent eight hundred fighting men to battle, now a miserable village of eighty inhabitants. But the town has recently acquired a celebrity from having given its name to the Greek constitution, adopted by the Greek Congress of Deputies from all parts of the nation, on the 15th of January, 1832.

We procured horses and a guide for Nauplia, making a _detour_ of two hours to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Yero. Part of the road was through a fertile plain, producing tobacco and corn; then passing through a romantic defile by the side of a rocky hill, with a mountain torrent tumbling beneath. The path in some places is a mere shelf, only broad enough for one to pass, with a steep precipice above and below; while in others it winds through beautiful shrubbery where the myrtle and arbutus joined over our heads in festoons, and scarcely permitted the horse and rider to pass. The most remarkable remains of antiquity in this sequestered region are the ruins of a theatre. It was of white marble, and thirty-two rows of seats still appear above ground. The orchestra was ninety feet long, and the theatre, when entire, three hundred and seventy feet in diameter, and capable of containing twelve thousand spectators. There are also remains of several temples.

Night overtook us at Lygouno, where we found a Khan to spread our beds, and fire to cook our provisions. The next morning we made Nauplia, a distance of five hours (which is the only mode of reckoning in Greece, not being able to calculate by miles, as the roads are mostly paths winding in different directions). The city, with a population of nine thousand, was once the seat of government, and is a commercial place, with a magnificent harbor. It is strongly fortified. The fortress of the Palamedi, on the summit of a lofty and precipitous rock, seven hundred and twenty feet above the sea, is almost inaccessible, and has been called the Gibraltar of Greece. The view of the country and the Gulf of Nauplia from the summit is beautiful. I noticed many brass cannons of 1650, 1662, with the Venetian stamp, the lion of St. Mark. There are cisterns hewn in the top of the rock, large enough to hold rain water to supply the garrison three years. In visiting one of the Greek churches here, we were shown the spot where Capo d’Istria, the governor of Greece, was assassinated when leaving the church. We remained here one day, and proceeded for Argos, seven miles from Nauplia, an ancient city, which contains some antiquities--a ruined Acropolis upon the summit of a rocky hill. In 1825 the modern town was entirely destroyed by the Turks, but is partly rebuilt. The plains are productive with good cultivation, but the manner of cultivation in this country is quite primitive.