T R A V E L S i n A S I A MI N O R . '
rain, which quite obfcured the Iky. We had warning given us
by a mighty agitation of the waves, and were prepared to receive
it. The wind continued very high, and we made great
way. In the morning it was fair and almoft calm. We were
then in fight of Sardinia.
A gentle breeze fpringing up on the evening o f the fourteenth
of Auguft wafted us by Maritimo, a rocky ifland, on which is
a filhing town. The next night we faw many lights on the
coaft of Sicily. We failed with a fine gale by Surgentum, a large
town on the Hope of fome hills. The air was exceedingly hot,
and hazy over the land. We were becalmed beyond Malta in a
chopping fea, and tolled prodigiouflyj but on Sunday the nineteenth,
a pleafant breeze commenced, which continued to follow
us without intermiffion quite through the Archipelago or
ALgean fea. We had feen a few turtle floating, and this day
many porpufles approached very near us, fome leaping out of
the water, fome turning, as if in purfuit of their prey, and
darting through it with incredible fwiftnefs.
, O n the twenty firft we were in view of the high-land of
Modona, which had white clouds hanging over it, in the Morea
or Peloponnefus; and before evening, of Cape Matapan, which
is the extremity of a mountain Hoping gradually to a point,
having before it a piked rock. The dilk of the fetting fun was
indented by the uneven tops of fome remote hills, and the illuminated
portion grew lefs^nd lefs until it appeared as a fmall
liar. The next night we Ihortened fail, being near land, and
the moon riling Jate. In the morning we were between Serigo
and Serigote. The Egg, a rock at the weft end of the former
ifland, with The Two Brothers, which Hand out in the water,
renders the pafs dangerous to lhips in the dark.
W e failed by Cape St. Angelo, the fea almoft fmooth, but
the waves fwelling at intervals, with a hollow noife, and teeming
to purfue us. We had the fmall ifland of Hydre in view at
funlet,
w
funfet, with that of St. George d’ Albora ahead. The horizon
was hazy, and it was the opinion of our failors, that the friendly
gale, which had accompanied us fo long, was ftill likely to
continue.
O ur attention had been for fome time agreeably engaged by
the claflical country, which furrounded us, and we were now
near Sunium or Cape Colonne and the coaft of Attica. Wb regretted
the approach of night, but the wind flackened, and in
the morning we could lee the mountains Hymettus and -Pentele,
and the ifland Asgina, and Calaurea or Poro in the Saronique
gulf. At eleven we had a diftinCt view of the ruin of the temple
of Minerva Sunias on the promontory, and by the help of a reflecting
telefcope could count the number of the columns then
Handing.
W e failed clofe by the ifland Cea, which was of a parched
afpedt, with a few green trees on it flattered among inclofures,
wind-mills, and folitary churches or chapels. One of thefe, dedicated
to St. Elias, Hands on the fummit o f a high mountain.
We had a bright Iky, and the fea, geritly agitated by the wind,
refembled a wide ftream; but the tops of the mountains of Andros
and of Euboea or the Negropont were enveloped in thick
clouds and awful darknefs. We fleered .between the two illands,
and had a fine run in the night.
T he next morning we had palled Pfyra,corruptly called Ipfera j
Scio was on our right hand j Lelbos or Mitylene on our left j
and the mouth of the gulf of Smyrna not very remote, before
us. The Plague, as we were informed at Leghorn, having appeared
at this place in the fpring, our captain was unwilling to
arrive there before it fliould have ceafed, and now refolved to
proceed diredtly to Conftantinople. The gale was fair, and the
opportunity too favourable to ;be neglected, it being common
in fummer to meet with a contrary wind, and to be'detained on
the fea or forced to anchor off Tenedos. We were oppofite Cape
B Baba