22

TURKISH QUARTER OF SMYRNA.

situation, it has little about it of the picturesque : the view, however, from its summit is one of surpassing beauty. The bay is beneath your feet, the town at them. The eye roams over the mosques appearing amidst the other buildings; the quaint old domes, the spiral cypress in large groves; the various-hued mountains, and far off, the high land of Scio floating on the sea. Round the hills are numerous traces of antiquity;-an aqueduct, wells, amphitheatre, curious old arch, &c.

We walked back through the Turkish quarter. Here are many remains of the ancient cities; entablatures in the walls, well carved stones used as bricks, and other barbarities. As we descended

its silent streets, a young girl opened her veil: one glance was all we were permitted, and then the

envious sheet closed round again.

more rapturous beauty I never saw.

But a face of

At the time, my

knowledge of Turkish was small-let me own itnothing; so had she addressed me, the pearls beyond price which such words might probably be,

The arch near the amphitheatre, probably of one of the dens for animals for the arena, exhibits beautiful workmanship, and the fitting of the stones is well worthy of attention. They do not seem to need a key-stone, though there is one. It is now partly filled with rubbish. Strange! Even during my stay, a sharp sighted Englishman found a coin in the castle: it was of copper, too much defaced for us to discover its inscription.

CASE OF DOUBTFUL JUSTICE.

23

would have been thrown before swine. My star was, however, in the ascendant-I was fated to

meet her again.

Smyrna is too travelled ground to need description. Visited twice a month by steamers, every shop-boy knows it well, has wandered over its bazaars, smoked his pipe at the Douane, and spoken of it as "the East." Let us hurry beyond, and on to the real East,-the far, far desert of the free.

It will not, however, be out of place here to mention an instance of rather doubtful justice, the theme of every tongue during our stay. England is a great nation, and Englishmen the greatest of people; there are, however, among English subjects some bad. Among these we may class many of the Greeks and Maltese that throng the Levant. Our government is jealous of all interference with her subjects by the Porte, and from the extreme difficulty of condemnation by a court at a distance, these blackguards are the terror of the towns; and yearly Pera is set on fire by these fellows in hopes of gain during the confusion.

At Smyrna, five or six men set all authorities at defiance, and became the terror of the place. After a long run of success, they resolved to attack

24

STATUE OF POLYCARP.

the Austrian consul's house, and meeting one of his native servants, made him promise under threats of death to leave a door open, and assist them in their adventure. Honest or frightened, he betrayed the plan to his master, who desired him to do as he had been commanded, but to warn him when a day was fixed. The evening arrived, the bolts were withdrawn, and armed kavaises ready within. The robbers, four in number, entered the house at the appointed time; and being allowed to penetrate to the inner court-yard, were there cut down. Not a scratch did the kavaises receive; so spite of assurances to the contrary, I believe the robbers were unarmed, as four men do not kill four without a wound. This certainly rid Symrna of a desperate gang; but the means can hardly be justified. Three were killed in the court, one managed to drag himself off, and died in a coffee-house close by.

Let us turn from such a dubious theme, and, ascending the castle hill, rest at its south-western gate. Cast the eye up the wall, and you will see a mark, as of something removed. There stood the statue of Polycarp, martyred in the amphi

* Polycarp was born in the reign of Nero, and suffered martyrdom A. D., 167, at the age of 100 or 110 years. The flames according to

FATE OF THE MARTYR.

25

theatre after more years of usefulness than are usually given to man. His statue was piously replaced here with honour by the descendants of those to whom he had taught the way of life. Avoiding persecution, he had originally fled from the town; but being taken and brought back, he suffered, blessing the Christians, praying for his murderers, and thanking the Lord who deemed him worthy to suffer in His cause. His statue, now but a shapeless trunk of marble, lies in a hole at our feet; it was spared for many years, and but a short time since fell a prey to some fanatical Moslems. After a few days spent in seeing the immediate environs, in pretty rides and pleasant walks, we prepared to start in the Grand Turk steamer for Beyrout.

monkish legends, refused to burn him. On being struck with a spear, the blood flowed from his wounds so as to quench the flames. His soul, in the form of a dove, fled from the wound up to heaven. The statue was larger than life, and of white marble.

26

DEPARTURE FROM SMYRNA.

CHAPTER III.

--

Departure from the Port-Passengers on board the Steamer-Scenes on Deck-Arrival at Rhodes-General Appearance-Where the Colossus probably stood-Tachtalu-Coast of Pamphylia-Anchor at Tarsus-Description of that place-The Ansaryii-Their Religion Alexandretta - Town Harbour -- Pillar recording the Miracle of the Prophet Jonas-Kutchak Ali, the Robber Chief— Murder of Sir Christopher Jones, and by whom - The IssusDarius and Alexander-Tancred, and Godfrey of Boulogne-Beilan described-Tomb of Abderahman Bey-Government of Ibrahim Pasha-Latakia, its ancient History-Wife of the British ConsulAspect of the Town of Latakia-Its Exports-Adjacent Country— Departure from Latakia.

ACCORDING to the singular circuitous mockery of business peculiar to the Turkish authorities, we had, after leaving the wharf where we had fee'd the officers to reimbark what we had previously fee'd them to land, to pull to the Lazaretto and take on board a health officer, though another had already preceded us. Arriving on board the steamer, no easy affair, as she was pitching and diving, and surrounded with other boats, we found her decks crowded with subjects of the Sultan. Masses encumbered the decks, and our voluminous baggage was thrown into the passive heap, and