j T he Smyrneans were extremely jealous of their property ii*
Homer. Befides a brafs coin or medal diftinguifhed by his name,,
they had an Homerium, his temple and image furrounded
with a quadrangular Stoa, in the new city ; and fliowed a cave
by the fources of the Meles, where they faid he had compofed
verfes. I fearched for this above the Aquaedudt, and in the bank
on the left hand difcovered a cavern, about four feet wide,
the roof a huge rock cracked and flanting, the iides and bottom
fandy. The mouth, at which I crept in-, is low and narrow j.
but there is another avenue, wider and higher, about three feet
from the ground, and almoA concealed with brambles. It may
be entered alfo from above where the earth has fallen in. Beyond
it we found a paffage cut, leading into a kind of well, in which
,was a fmall channel to convey water to the Aqusdudt. This was;
dry, but near it was a current with a like aperture.
T he River-God is reprefented on medal's leaning on an urn
with a cornucopia in his hand, to fignify that he dilpenfed fertility
; o-r bearing a lyre, as a friend to the mufes. He has been-
much extolled by the antient poets, and raifed, from his fup-
pofed connedHon with Homer, to a kind of preeminence among
the river deities. An old fophift, alluding to epithets- beftowed
by Homer, fays of the Meles, that, boafting fuch a fon, he
needed not envy the fiver-vertexes of one river j or another, his
fmoothnefs; a third, that he is termed divine; or a fourth, beautiful,
Xanthus or Scamander, the river near Troy, his defcent'
from Jupiter; nor the ocean, that he is Ailed their general'
parent.
C HAP .
C H A P . X X I .
The Gulf o f Smyrna — Menimen — The river Hermus — The
fr a it The fo a ls — The plain o f the Hermus — The mouth -—
O f Leuce -— The extremity o f the plain — O f Phocea — Future
changes to be expelled.
T H E gulf of Smyrna, which has been computed about ten
leagues long, is fheltered by hills, and affords feoure anchorage.
The mouth of the river Hermus is on the north fide, within two
leagues and a half of the city. The mountain, which bounds
the bay of old Smyrna on the north, extends wefiward to a level
plain, in which the river runs. The Hermus, with the Meander,
was antiently famous for a fifii called Glanis, and for mullet
; which came up from the fea in great numbers, particularly
in Ip ring.
T he fertility of the foil by the river, and the plenty
of water for the ufes of gardening and agriculture, with other
advantages, has occafioned the fettling of numerous villages on
that fide of the gulf. Menimen, which is the principal, fup-
plies Smyrna with fruits, fifii, and provifions, boats palling to
and fro without intermiffion. Near the fcale or landing-place,
which is three hours from Menimen, is a large quantity o f low
land, bare, or covered only with fhallow water. This tradt is the
fite of a confiderable filhery; being inclofed by reed-fences with
gates or avenues, which are Ihut up to prevent the Ihoals from
retreating, when they have once entered. We faw oh the beach
many camels laden,- or Aanding by their burthens; and met on
the road fome boffangees, and travellers from Arabia and other
eafiern countries, going to or returning from Conffantinople.
The hills were enlivened by flocks of Iheep and goats ; and re-
founded with the rude mufic of the lyre and of the pipe, the
former a Aringed inAiument refembling a guittar, and held much
in the fame manner, but ufually played on with a bow. We
K 2 were