W e were now near the building, which we had purpofed to
examine. It proved a fmall arched room, the mafonry antient,
underneath a mean ruined church. You defcend to it by a few
Heps', with a light. The floor was covered with water. Near
it was a fig tree or two, and a fountain, with an infcription, in
modern Greek charaiters, fixed in the wall.
T he reader, as we proceed, will find frequent mention of
fountains. Their number is owing to the nature o f the country
and the climate. The foil, parched and thirfty, demands moi-
fture to aid vegetation; and a cloudlefs fun, which inflames the
air, requires for the people the verdure, {hade, and coolnefs its
agreeable attendants. Hence they occur not only in the towns
and villages, but in the fields and gardens, and by the fides of
the roads and of the beaten tracks on the mountains. Many of
them are the ufeful donations of humane perfons, while living r
or have been bequeathed as legacies on- their deceafe. The Turks*
efteem the eredting them as meritorious, and feldom go away,,
after performing their ablutions or drinking, without gratefully
bleffing the name and memory of the founder.
T he method of obtaining the neeefiary fupplies of water ufed
by the antients ftill prevails. It is by conveying the fluid from,
the fprings or fources, which are fometimes very remote, in
earthen pipes or paved channels, carried over the gaps and breaks’
in the way on arches. When arrived at the deftined fpot, it is
received by a ciftern with a vent; and the wafte current pafles
below from another ciftern, often- an antient farcophagus. It is-
common tofind a cup of tin or iron hanging near, by a chain j-
or a wooden fcoop with a handle, placed in a niche in the wall.
The front is of ftone or marble; and in fome, painted and decorated
with gilding, and with an infcription in Turkilh characters
in relievo,
T he
21
T h e women refort to the fountains by their houfes,
each with a large two-handled earthen jar on their back, or
thrown over the {boulder, for water. They afiemble at one
without the village or town, if no river be near, to wa(h their
linen, which is afterwards fpread on the ground or bulhes to
dry. To thefe alfo the Turks and Greeks frequently repair for
refrelhment; e{pecially the latter on their feftivals, when whole
families are feen fitting on the grafs, and enjoying their early or
evening repaft, beneath the trees by the fide of a rill. And at
thofe near the roads, the traveller, fun-burnt and thirfty, after
a fcorching ride, finds cool water, the fhelter of a plane or of
fome fpreading tree, and a green plat to repofe or dine on; affording
him a degree of pleafure not adequately conceived, un-
lefs by thofe who have experienced it.
W e agreed to let the heat of noon be palled, before we proceeded
on our voyage. A carpet was fpread for us under a Ihady
holm, and a fire kindled at fome diftance. We now received
each a lighted pipe and a difh of coffee. A kettle was then filled
with water, and fome fowls, which we had provided, made
ready to be boiled. The French conful, who had joined us, undertook
to furnifh grapes. His vineyard was a confiderable way
off toward the town, but two of us, attended by a couple of
armed Turks, chofe to accompany him. We crofied a kind of
heath fpread with wild thyme, fage, and low bulhes of maftic,.
to a fpot {haded with cyprefles, where was a church as miferable
as that we had left, confifting only of loofe ftones piled for walls,,
without a roof. It had a well clofe by. We faw a few trees,,
lome common ftubble, and fome fields of Turkey wheat, and
of fefamus. The foil was parched; but in the centre of the
ifland we found a large trait {heltered by naked barren hills,
and green with olive-trees and with vines. The grapes hung in
numerous clufters, rich and tempting j and we ate freely, being,
aflured the fruit was innocent and even wholfome, efpecially i f
plucked before the air within it was rarified by the fun. In.
about