Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S. 15

Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S. 15

On the morning after, we started at daybreak, and proceeded along the

coast to Calamata. This town ranked about the third in the Morea, and

was then doing a good trade; but, like all the towns in the Morea, was

miserable and dirty, with narrow streets, low buildings, from one to two

stories high, two or three insignificant mosques and Greek churches, and

a square near the centre, with several cafés, filled, as usual, with idle

Turks and Albanians, smoking their pipes and sipping coffee and sherbet,

whilst numerous Greek merchants and Jews were transacting their business.

The bazaars were close by, and crowded with purchasers. The harbour was

full of vessels and sailors of various kinds--Hydriote Greeks (amongst

the best sailors on the Mediterranean), Austrian, French, and a few

English vessels, besides a number of boats called caiques, and fishing

vessels, altogether a busy scene. I took up my quarters at a Greek house,

as rough and dirty as usual, and found my heavy baggage, servants, and

janissary whom I had sent from Misitra.

 

Next day I started at daybreak through a wild, undulating,

partially-cultivated country to visit the two Doric temples of Messenia,

where Mr. Cockerell discovered the celebrated Phigalian marbles. It is

said that these marbles were sent to Malta for sale, of which due notice

was given by advertisement, and a certain day fixed for the auction,

to which commissioners were sent by the British and other Governments.

The sale, however, by some mistake, took place at Athens. The British

agent, not being aware of this, remained at Malta. There was therefore

no person present to bid on the part of the British Government, and

they were knocked down to the Bavarian agent. When this was announced,

the British Government refused to deliver up the marbles, upon the plea

that the sale ought to have taken place at Malta. The matter remained

in abeyance until the Peace of 1814, when the Bavarian sovereign was in

England. Certain negotiations then took place, and the British Government

ultimately agreed to give the marbles up to Bavaria, upon condition

that a complete set of casts was sent to the British Museum. By this

unfortunate affair England lost a valuable prize; and this loss was the

more annoying, because, having already obtained the Elgin marbles, the

Phigalian marbles--which represented an earlier stage of Greek art--would

have rendered the English collection the most complete in the world. I

spent the greater part of the day at Phigalia in measuring and sketching

the temples, which are situated upon a hill commanding a fine view of the

picturesque surrounding country.

 

I took up my quarters in a Greek house, got supper as soon as possible,

and went to bed, with the customary annoyance of vermin. The country

around was naturally rich and fertile, but left, as usual, almost in

a state of nature. Undulating, with clumps of wood scattered about,

it resembled a good deal the park-like scenery of England. There were

numerous flocks of sheep and goats and a few herds of cattle feeding

upon excellent herbage, guarded here and there by wild, shepherds, armed

with guns and yatagans. The peasantry appeared very poor and ragged,

but, notwithstanding, many of the women had skull-caps made of gold

coins strung together, called mahmoudies, about the size of a sovereign.

This composed their whole wealth; and it is a curious fact that these

head-dresses were respected, and never stolen. The men also, and in some

cases the women, had the girdles round their waists fastened together by

large discs of silver about the size of a small plate. Thus there was a

strange contrast of wealth and poverty exhibited in the same person.

 

We started early next day, and at noon on the second day reached the

Alpheus, the most considerable river in the Morea, and which flows

through the famous plain of Olympia. The river Alpheus here was 150 to

200 yards broad, but fortunately the waters were low, although we had

some difficulty in crossing without swimming our horses. In the Olympian

plain there were scarcely any remains worth noticing, though numerous

fragments of marble, brick, and pottery are strewed about. We got some

very rough quarters for the night in a village near Olympia, and next

day, passing over a similar kind of country, reached Patras before

sunset, at which we greatly rejoiced, as we were tolerably tired with our

rough journey in the Morea. I succeeded in getting, as I thought, clean,

comfortable quarters in a respectable Greek house. I was shown upstairs

into a large well-furnished room, with apparently a delicious-looking bed

covered with a snow-white counterpane. They gave me an excellent dinner

and some good wine, after which, being very tired, I threw myself on the

outside of the bed for a nap. I slept most soundly for about five or

six hours, and when I awoke it was quite dark; I felt all the torments

of the damned, for I was almost devoured by immense bugs. I jumped out

of the bed in an instant, rubbing my face, which was covered with blood

and bugs, and struck a light, when I found that the bed too was almost

covered with them. I very soon caught some dozens, I may almost say

hundreds; I undressed, and cleared my clothes of them, then dressed

myself, and waited until daylight, being resolved not to trust to a Greek

bed again, but to my own mattress.

 

I spent the next day at Patras quietly, and then started off on my return

to Athens, taking the circuitous route by Delphos, Livadia, Eubœa,

Negropont, and Marathon. We coasted along the south shore of the Gulf

of Lepanto, passed our old friend the ruined convent near Vostizza,

and dined at the house of a Greek merchant near, who kindly invited and

treated me most hospitably. After dinner, just before I departed, our

worthy host said he would show me a curiosity, and without more ado he

brought out a large tub full of black snakes each about four feet long;

at the word of command all these reptiles leaped out of the tub and

began dancing about the table, at which I got considerably alarmed, when

my host burst out laughing, and said they would do me no harm unless

I irritated them, which of course I had no idea of doing. I therefore

looked quietly on, and in a short time he called to them and they quickly

leaped back into the tub. He said these snakes abounded in the cornfields

which had just been reaped, but they were timorous, and never did any

harm unless provoked; their bite was not dangerous, although for a time

it occasioned a good deal of inflammation. I parted from my worthy host

with many thanks, and then hired a large boat to take myself, servants,

horses, and baggage across the gulf to Scalo, on the opposite side. We

reached the landing-place about sunset, after a four hours’ voyage, and

proceeded to a caravanserai close by for the night. This was a most

wretched place, in the middle of a marsh filled with large frogs and

mosquitoes innumerable; and what with the loud croaking of the frogs,

and the bites of the mosquitoes and bugs, it was impossible to sleep

with any degree of comfort. There was a party of Turks and Albanians at

the caravanserai who suffered as much as we did; being unable to sleep,

they revenged themselves on the kanghè or master of the caravanserai,

and belaboured him with their sticks most unmercifully, and left him

without paying for anything. The poor fellow complained to me bitterly;

but unfortunately I could give him no redress. As soon as it was daylight

we started also; I paid him handsomely, although we had scarcely anything

from him, but lived on our own provisions. He was very grateful, and

hoped to see me again, but I told him that was very improbable.

 

As we cleared the marsh and got amongst the splendid mountain scenery,

in the midst of which the classic Mount Parnassus reared his majestic

head, towering above the whole, the fine fresh air completely revived

us. We passed Salano, surrounded by olives, and breakfasted under the

trees, much to our comfort. A little before noon on the 26th of May

we reached the village of Kastri, the site of the celebrated Delphos,

situated at the base of Mount Parnassus. Enhanced as it is by classical

recollections, the magnificence of the surrounding scenery it is

impossible to describe; let it suffice to say I shall never forget it. Of

the temple and spring scarcely anything remain, and a good deal must be

left to the imagination. I descended into a small plastered well, said

to be the ancient Castalian spring, which is situated in a cavern at

the base of the mountain; here the oracle was said to have been placed,

and although I was not inspired, nevertheless I could not divest myself

of the sanctity of the place and of the wonderful influence which the

oracle once held over the ancient world. The surrounding scenery, with

Parnassus towering above the clouds, added much to my enthusiasm, which

was increased by the sight of seven or eight fine eagles soaring over

our heads and screaming wildly. I was delighted with the scene, and only

regretted that I had not time to ascend to the summit of Olympus.

 

After a halt of three or four hours, during which I dined, I started

in high spirits for Livadia, where we halted for the night. This was a

rather large town, with extensive cotton manufactories, seated on the

side of a lofty hill overlooking the Lake Copais and the fertile plain of

Thebes. We got tolerable quarters here, not forgetting the ever present

bugs and mosquitoes. Next day I visited the ancient Orchomenus, the

remains of which are very inconsiderable, consisting of the treasury,

similar to that of Mycene, but elliptical instead of circular; also

of the citadel. I also visited the ancient lion of Chæronæa, which is

tolerably perfect, cut out of the solid rock. Returned to Livadia to

sleep.

 

On the 28th May I examined the cave of Trophonius. The weather was very

hot, as it was the latter end of the month. I then travelled on until,

passing through the miserable modern town of Thiva, for of the ancient

celebrated Thebes there are no remains worthy of notice, we took a route

to the north-east, and entered a defile, in the centre of which there is

the beautiful tranquil Lake of Copais about four miles long, upon which

some wild swans and ducks were enjoying themselves.

 

The next day we were off at daybreak, and on our way examined the

kolavothora or outlet at the lower end of Lake Copais, which was a rough,

unfinished tunnel cut through the sandstone rock; by means of this tunnel

the surplus waters of the lake are discharged into the sea, otherwise the

lake would overflow and totally submerge the surrounding plain. This is

a considerable work, but is not carried far enough; if it were the whole

lake would be laid dry, a large quantity of valuable and fertile soil

would be gained, and the surrounding district rendered much more healthy.

From there we proceeded through an arid, stony, undulating country to

Negropont. Upon reaching the shores of the arm of the sea which divides

the island of Negropont from the main, and which is scarcely 200 yards

wide at the narrowest point, although very hot, I stopped to make a

sketch of the beautiful scene; having done this we proceeded across the

bridge which connects the island with the mainland, to the fortified

town of Negropont. The town is surrounded by a strong wall with circular

towers at the angles; these towers mount some heavy guns, particularly

towards the sea front, where there is a casemated battery, incapable,

however, of resisting the broadside of a heavy frigate. This town at the

time of my visit was garrisoned by fierce, bigoted Turks, who had the

utmost contempt for Christians, nevertheless with a certain respect for

Europeans, particularly the English. The chief inhabitants were Greeks,

whom the Turks kept in the most perfect subjection. The interior of

the town consisted of narrow streets with low, mean houses, and a few

mosques, Greek churches, bazaars, cafés, &c. There was very little trade,

although the place is well adapted for it, as the island is rich and