Baba or Ledtos, a promontory of M. Ida, in the evening ; and
had in view Tenedos and Lemnos and the main-land both of
Europe and Afia. We could difcern fires on Lefbos, as before;
on feveral iilands and capes, made chiefly by filhermen and
fhepherds, who live much abroad in the air; or to burn the
ftrong Ralks o f the Turkey wheat and the dry herbage on the
mountains. In the day-time a column of fmoke often afcends,
vifible afar.
Sa t u r d a y , Auguft the twenty fifth, the fun riling beautifully
behind M. Ida difclofed its numerous tops, and brightened
the furface of the fea. We were now entering the Helle-
fpont, with the Troad on our right hand, and on the left the
Cherronefe or peninfula of Thrace. About fix in the' morning
we were within Sigeum and the oppofite promontory Maflufia.
They are divided by a very narrow flrait. We then pafled between
the two caftles eredted by Mahomet the fourth in 1659. That on
the European fide Rands high, the other low ; and by each is a
town. Thefe Rru&ures, with the houfes, the graceful minarees
and cyprefies, the mountains, and iilands, and Ihiniog water,
formed a view exceedingly delicious. The cocks crowed alhore,
and were anfwered by thofe in our coops on board, the waves
broke on the Afiatic beach with an amufing murmur, and the
foft air wafted fragrance.
W e now faw a level and extenfive plain, the fcene, 'as we
conceived, o f the battles of the Iliad, with barrows of heroes»
and the river Scamander, which had a bank or bar of fand at the
mouth. The ftream was then inconfiderable, but, we were told»
is in winter frequently fwollen to a great fize, and difcolours the
fea far without the promontories. The Ihore of the Cherronefe,
as we advanced, was fleep, of a dry barren afpeft, and con-
trafted by the Afiatic coafi, which rifes gently, M. Ida terminating
the view. The width of the Hellefpont, the fmoothnefs
of the water, and the rippling of the current, reminded us of
the
the'Thames. Xerxes but llightly degraded it, when he Riled it
a fait river.
W e now approached the inner caRles, which were erefled
by Mahomet the fecond, and command a very narrow Rrait, dividing
the two continents. By each is a town; and at that in Alia
was hoifled a white flag, near the fea-fide, and alfo a red one
with the crofs. Thefe belonged to the Englilh and French nations.
As we had agreed to land here, the captain when we
were abreaR with the Afiatic caRle, brought the Ihip too, and
made a fignal for a fcheick or wherry to come along fide. Our
baggage was lowered into it with great expedition, and we quitted
the Ihip, which fired three guns, and failed away.
C H A P . IV.
Turks defcribed — Reception on Jhore — Dinner — ’The town — The
river — The Jite o f the two caftles afcertained— fhe night.
A F T E R leaving the Anglicana, we had fcarcely time to
contemplate the favage figures of our boat-men, who had their
necks and arms bare, and their faces yellow from the fun, before
we reached land. The current carried us below the cafile,
where we faw on the Ihore two Turkilh women.- But what
figures! each wrapped in a white Iheet, lhapelefs, and Ralking
in boots. A company of Turks alfembled on the beach to view
the Ihip, feemed as it were a new fpecies of human beings.
They were in general large and tall; fome with long, comely or
venerable beards, of a portly mein and noble prefence, to which
their high turbans and loofe garments, of various lively colours,
greatly contributed ; adding, befides their majefiy, to the apparent
bulk of the wearers.
B a W e