with which they cleaned the ikin, and then poured a large-
quantity of warm water on our heads. Our fpirits were quite
exhaufted, when they covered us with dry cloths and led us back
to the firft room, where beds were ready for us. On waking
after a gentle Humber, we were prefented each with a lighted
pipe and a difh of coffee. We rofe much refrefhed, and as the
ladies of the Aga or Turkifh governor were expedted there, haft-
ened away. The common Turks and Greeks pay a very fmiall
gratuity for the ufe of the bath, which they frequent once a week
or oftener. I have fometimes been regaled, while in the inner
room, with ripe fruits and fherbet, and with incenfe burning to
fcent the air. One of my companions repeatedly partook with
me in this innocent and wholfome luxury at Smyrna and at
Athens.
O n our return from the bath we found the conful at home.
He was a fpare fhrewd Greek, a diredt contrail to the fat, open,
hofpitable Jew our hofl at the Dardanell. He prefented us with
pomegranates of a particular fpecies, for which the ifland is
noted. The kernels are without ftones» and it is ufual to bring
them to table in a plate, fprinkled with rofe water. Thefe are
excellent fruit, but accounted aftringent. An Englifh gentleman
named Bracebridge had come with the conful to vifit us. He was
an elderly perfon, and had been abfent fome years from his native
country for the benefit of a warmer climate. After much wandering,
he gave the preference to this ifland above any of the
places which he had tried. At night our captain took leave of
us, intending t@ fail in the morning, but was detained fome time
longer by foul weather. We found that the old religious parties
flill fobfift with unexftinguiihed aaimofity, each fe<5t cheriihing
infaperable hatred, and intriguing to ruin its advetfary. We faw
the Latins at their worfhip in the chapel of the vice-conful of
the French nation, which was very neat, well filled, efpeci-
ally with women, and handfomely illuminated. The Englifh
conful, who ferved fome other European powers, was much
haunted by priefts of that church, and had a patent of knighthood
from the pope. Pr o s p e r it y
P ros per it y is lefs friendly to antiquity than defertien and
depopulation. We faw here no fladium, theatre, or odeum j but
fo illuftrious a city, with a marble quarry near it, could not be
deftitute of thofe neceifary ftrudlures, and perhaps fome traces
might be difeovered about the hill of the acropolis. A few bafs-
releifs and marbles are fixed in the walls, and over the gateways
of the heufes. We found by the fea-fide, near the town,
three ftones with inferiptions, which had been brought for bal-
laft from the continent -of Afia. The Chiote, our attendant, was
vociferous in his enquiries, but to little purpofe. We were more
than once defired to look at a Genoefe coat of arms for a piece
©f antient feulpture j and a date in modern Greek for an old
infcription.
T he meft curious remain is that which has been named,
without reafon, The School o f Homer. It is on the coaft at fome
diftanee from the city, northward, and appears to have been an
open temple of Cybele, formed on the top of a rock. The fhape
is oval, arid in the centre is the image of the goddefs, the head
and an arm wanting. She is reprefen ted, as-ufual, fitting. The
chair has a lion carved on each fide', and on the back. The
area is bounded by a low rim or feat, and about five yards over.
The whole is hewn out of the mountain, is rude, indiftindt, and
probably of the moft remote antiquity. From the flope higher
up is a fine view of the rich vale of Scio, and of the channel,
with its fhining iflands, beyond which are the mountains on the
main-land of Afia.
1 Pocock has metamorpbofed the goddefs and the two lions on the.fides of the
chair into Homer and a couple of the mufes, The three figures, inftead of certain
parts only, were, I Ihould fuppofe, fitpplicd by the fancy o f tie drawer. The reader
may have a much better idea of the original from a releif among the Oxford Marbles.
n. cxv. The image it is likely, held in the hand, which is milling, eithei
a patera, or tympanuin. See n. cxm. cxiv.
T he