Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S. 17

Autobiography of Sir John Rennie, F.R.S. 17

the Jews and Armenians were the bankers, and had their counters or

stalls, with offices behind, where they transacted business to a large

amount. All the Consuls’ houses were in front of the quay, and were

substantial stone buildings of considerable extent, and, with the flags

of the respective nations which they represented, had a very imposing

appearance. In front of the quay were moored at times several hundreds

of vessels of all nations, and the immense number of boats and barges

passing continually between them and the shore, formed a most busy and

lively scene. There were several fine and extensive mosques, which no

Christian was ever permitted to enter; also many Greek churches, with

their gorgeously-bedaubed paintings representing innumerable saints. I

attended the Greek service at different times, but generally came away

anything but satisfied; their strong nasal tone in saying prayers, and

their indifferent music and singing, greatly disappointed me. Towards

the land the city was surrounded by a high wall, and at each gate was a

strong guard. At the south end there was a kind of citadel on a hill, in

which the Governor resided, and about half a mile from the city were the

cemeteries, deeply embosomed in cypress trees. Many of the tombs were

very pretty, of white, well-sculptured marble, with inscriptions from

the Koran engraved upon them, and they were tastefully ornamented with

garlands of flowers.

 

The exports from Smyrna are various, and its trade with Europe is

very extensive. The articles of export are figs, raisins, silk, oil,

bark, grain, &c.; figs and raisins, however, are the chief, and these

are exported to a vast amount, and certainly they are the finest in

the world. There are two crops, those which are ripe about the end of

July, which are mostly consumed in the country and neighbourhood; they

are most delicious, and extremely wholesome. The second crop is ripe

about the end of September. These are gathered, dipped in water, then

carefully packed in boxes and exported, chiefly to England, France, and

the north of Europe, and by the time of their arrival they are covered

with a rich coating of crystallized sugar, and are fit for use. At the

season of shipping the figs, which I witnessed, the greatest activity

is visible everywhere--the producers selling, the merchants buying,

the packing-case makers splitting the wood and making up the boxes--the

packers carefully stowing the figs--the men loading them into lighters,

by which they are transported to the fast-sailing vessels waiting for

them, which are generally clipper schooners of about 120 to 170 tons--the

Consuls’ offices besieged with numerous applicants for their clearance

papers--the whole combined to form a most active and industrious scene,

not omitting the numberless dinners and social parties at the different

hotels and coffee-houses, which are thronged with natives of all nations.

I walked about and witnessed this busy scene with much delight and

satisfaction. I must not omit the melons, both sweet and water, and

the grapes, which were the most delicious I ever tasted. The finest

raisins are those called sultanas grown at Scala Nova, a small port to

the south-west of Smyrna, which I visited. The grapes from which they

are made are especially delicious. The town is a poor place as regards

the buildings; but, notwithstanding, there is a considerable amount

of wealth. When I was there the town had recently been visited by a

severe attack of plague, and many of the houses were shut up, all the

inmates having died, and, having no heirs, the property belonged to the

Government.

 

Whilst I was at Smyrna the British Consul was Mr. Werry, a fine old

gentleman of about sixty-five, with considerable vigour and talent, just

the man for the place. All British subjects were under his protection,

amongst whom were a considerable number from the Ionian Islands, who

were the most troublesome and daring vagabonds, committing all Sorts

of crimes, and mixed up with every row in the place; these rows daily

occurred, and bloodshed and murder not unfrequently was the consequence.

Old Werry was the arbiter, and delivered his judgments with great

impartiality and justice. The Turks also were very troublesome, and

frequently attempted acts of great barbarity. Werry, however, was equal

to the occasion, and at such times went direct to the Governor and

claimed an audience; he was at once admitted and seated at the head of

the divan; then he claimed protection for his British subjects; and

whenever the Governor demurred, Werry drew his sword, threw his hat

down on the floor, and threatened him with a British frigate to blow

up the town before his eyes. The Governor would try to pacify him by

offering pipes and coffee, and soothing words, which Werry treated with

contempt, and nothing would do but releasing the prisoners, which was

soon effected. Then Werry strode off in triumph, scarcely condescending

to return the Governor’s salute. The Turks looked upon him as a madman;

but they have always entertained the greatest respect for him, and

allowed him to have his way, invariably calling him the _mad Consul_.

Nevertheless, he was a most kind and worthy man, greatly respected and

liked by his countrymen, the other consuls, and by the whole population.

He received me with the greatest kindness and hospitality. I was a

frequent visitor at his house, both in town and at his country seat,

Bridjar, about nine miles distant to the south-east.

 

Whilst at Smyrna I made acquaintance with my countryman, Mr. (afterwards

Professor) Donaldson, a M. Parke, and another French architect, who had

just returned to Smyrna after a very successful exploration of some of

the most remarkable ruins of the ancient cities of Asia Minor, and their

portfolios were filled with drawings of these most interesting relics of

antiquity. I passed several happy days in their company, and Donaldson

most kindly made out for me a map by which I might be enabled to visit

these remarkable ruins; I therefore determined to follow it out as

nearly as possible without delay, and took leave of them with many thanks.

 

On the next day, having obtained the usual firman, I started, in company

with my faithful servant Demetrius, to explore some of the ruins of

Ionia, with a Turkish surgee, or guide, a janissary, and a couple of

baggage horses, leaving my heavy baggage at Smyrna. After passing through

a wild, rich, and almost uncultivated country, we reached Aiasolok, on

the Meander, near the ruins of Ephesus, in the evening, and took up

our quarters in a Turkish caravanserai. Demetrius soon prepared a good

supper, laid our mattresses, and we both slept soundly until the morning.

Every inmate was up transacting his business soon after daybreak, and I

at once sallied forth to examine the ruins of Ephesus. This celebrated

city was situated on the left bank of the Meander, at the base of an

elevated ridge of hills. The only remains which we could distinctly make

out was the amphitheatre, of the rest little could be discovered; but

numerous fragments of columns, cornices, blocks of masonry, pottery,

brickwork, &c., lay scattered about. I made a sketch of the whole from

the best place I could find. The ruins of Ephesus formed the foreground,

with the Meander and its numerous windings and the marshy valley flanked

by the mountains on each side, whilst in the background was the miserable

town of Aiasolok, with its fortress and mosque on a conical hill above

it, backed by a wild range of mountains of considerable elevation, which

completed the view. The scene was most picturesque, replete with solitary

grandeur and desolation. The stillness was something remarkable; nothing

was seen moving, except at rare intervals a long line of camels laden

with merchandise, led by their guide, smoking his pipe, and mounted on

a donkey; or here and there a solitary heron fishing amongst the reeds

of the Meander, and flocks of wild ducks, which took to flight at the

slightest disturbance. It was singular and melancholy to remark the ruins

of the three most celebrated of the Churches of the world before me,

namely, those of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Christians, dominated

over by the Mahometan mosque. I remained alone lost in contemplating this

solemn and desolate scene for two or three hours, reflecting upon the

vicissitudes and instability of human grandeur, and walked slowly back to

the caravanserai at Aiasolok, where I took my breakfast, and then started

on my journey. We slowly wound our way through the Pass between the

mountains at the back of Aiasolok, and descended into the plain of the

ancient Magnesia, the site of one of the seven Churches, through which

two streams flow sluggishly to the sea, and reached the ruins about a

couple of hours before sunset. I picketed my horse here whilst I examined

the ruins, and sent Demetrius forward with the other horses and baggage

to a village, where I proposed to pass the night, ordering Demetrius to

have supper ready by my arrival.

 

The principal building is the hippodrome, which was tolerably perfect,

and I took some pains to measure it accurately, which occupied me about

two hours. There was nothing else worthy of remark, although there

were numerous fragments of buildings scattered around. I met a Turkish

Aga, handsomely accoutred and well mounted, attended by a servant, who

watched my movements with considerable attention, and politely accosted

me. Having finished my work, I mounted and galloped off to the place

of my rendezvous as quickly as possible. Passing through the adjacent

forest I observed something like hammocks slung to the trees about 10

or 12 feet from the ground; these, I learned, were the sleeping places

of the shepherds who attended their flocks in the neighbourhood, and as

there were no habitations near, they slept in these hammocks to keep

themselves out of the influence of the malaria, which is very fatal in

these parts.

 

About sunset I reached my destination, which was situated at the head of

a valley surrounded by lofty mountains. There was a cluster of miserable

mud huts, but no place fit to sleep in, so Demetrius was obliged to take

possession of an open shed, with a bare mud hut adjoining, in which he

placed the baggage, spread my mattress in the shed, and laid out the

table attached to my canteen in the open air in front, upon which he had

got ready a tolerably good supper. This canteen, it should be mentioned,

was a very smart affair; all the utensils were plated on the outside

and gilt on the inside, and, being quite new, had a very stylish and

attractive appearance: it was much finer than I wanted, and had been

sent out from England by my brother. No sooner had I sat down to supper,

than I was surrounded by a considerable number of Kurds, wild-looking

fellows, armed to the teeth, who had come from their own country with

their flocks, for the rich pasture which this country afforded. Their

encampment was close by. They appeared very friendly, and admired my

turn-out with great satisfaction, thinking, no doubt, that it was real

gold and silver. I treated them very courteously, gave them wine, coffee,

and tobacco, for which they appeared very thankful, and we parted, as

I thought, excellent friends. It was a fine summer evening, and soon

after became dark. The Kurds retired with many thanks, and being tired

I lay down for the night on my mattress without taking off my clothes,

whilst Demetrius and the other servants were in front, and the horses

picketed before them, having only their girths slackened, so that we

were ready for a start at any alarm. I examined my pistols, my men did

the same, and we all retired; but I was very restless and feverish, and

could not sleep, although excessively weary. I was continually roused

by the barking of the great mastiffs which were kept by the shepherds

to drive off the wolves and panthers in the vicinity. At last, towards

midnight, I fell fast asleep. I awoke all of a sudden to find two

fierce-looking Kurds by my side, one with a pistol close to my head, the

other flaring a lighted torch in my face, with one hand thrust under my