would not fuffer from the plague, for their hunting near it was
a favourable prognoftic, which in his memory had never failed.
A g e n t l e afeent led from the village to the roots of mount
Corax, through a corn-field, in which is a fountain fed by clear
rills, carefully conveyed to it along the flopes. Clofe by is a
fquare refervoir funk in the ground j from which in the morning
and at evening, when the ftoppage was removed, a ftreamlet ran
babbling over pebbles down to the village to water the gardens.
We had it in our turn, and the garden was ingenioufly difpofed
for its re c ep tion , a fmali trench branching out over the whole
area, and: each bed having its furrows, with the plants Handing
on their edges. The current enters at a hole in the wall, and
the gardener attends and diredts it with a, fpade or hoej damming
acrofs the general communication to turn in into the
parterres, and conducting it about, until the foil is faturatcd.
W hen it happened that the fprings were dry, or the allowance
not fufficient, the necefiary fluid was raifed by a machine,
as in the orange-orchards of Scio. It is a large broad wheel
furnifhed with ropes, hanging down and reaching into the water.
Each rope has many cylindrical earthen veffels, fattened to it by
the handles with bands of myrtle or of mairie. This apparatus
is turned by a fmali horizontal wheel, with a horfe or mule
blinded and going round, as in a mill. The jars beneath fill and
arrive in regular fucceflion at the top of the wheel, when they
empty, and return inverted to be again replenifhed. The trough,
which receives the water, conveys it into a ciftern to be diftri-
buted at a proper hour among the drooping vegetables.
Above the corn-field the mountain rofe, brown and aridj
the wild fage and plants crumbling when touched. In the fide
are narrow retired vales worn by torrents, and filled with ipon-
taneous evergreens, thickets of myrtle in bloffom, and groves of
calo-daphne or oleander, the boughs then laden with flowers of
a pale red colour. Amid thefe a flender current trickled down a
rocky precipice, like tears, to invert the poet’s fimile, from the
eyes of Sorrow. The Hope afforded a pleafing view of our little
village, and of the' country j and from a fummit may be feen
part o f the gulf o f Smyrna. I difeovered a goat-ftand in a dale,
on the top, when I was too near to retreat. The favage-looking
fhepherds called off and chid their dogs, which were fierce and
barked furioufly. They were fitting at the mouth of a pen,
feizing the ewes and the fhe-goats, each by the hind leg, as they
preffed forward, to milk them. Some of the flock or herd were
often by the fountain below with their keeper, who played on a
rude flute or pipe.
Our houfe was two ftories high j chiefly of wood and plafter,
which materials are commonly preferred, not only as cheap,
but for fecurity in earthquakes j the joifts and nails fwaying and
yielding as the undulation requires. The lower flory was open
in the centre. On the right hand, was a magazine, or ftore-
room j and oppofite to it, an apartment with old fafhioned lacquered
chairs. Between thefe our fervants flept, on the ground.
A door communicated with the offices, which were behind. The
afeent to the upper ftory was by ftone flairs, as ufual, on the out-
fide. The gallery extended the whole length of the front. It
fheltered us from the fun, which darted fiery rays from a cloud-
lefs fky; and was agreeable as a place to walk and fleep in.
We had three apartments, with wooden-lattices to admit the air,
while coolj and with fhutters to exclude it, when inflamed.
That in the centre was fmali. The end rooms, one of which
we referved for our meals, were large, with their doors oppofite.
The walls were all white-wafhed. Our furniture confifted of
three or four broken or infirm chairs, a couple of unequal tables,
and the utenfils, bedding and baggage, with which we had travelled.
We lay on boards placed on ftools, and moveable.
W e endeavoured, by reducing our wants to as fmali a number
as we could, to avoid communicating with Smyrna. Our village
fupplied us with fowls and eggs, and with flefh, as often as a
* M m cow
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