Argostoli, the chief town of
Cephalonia.

We arrived about five o'clock in the morning. The entrance to the town for
a considerable distance is like a perfect lake: the white houses along the
side of the harbor, and the craggy hill with the olives growing out of the
rocks, had a pretty appearance at the break of day. Our young Greek
interpreter, Giovanni Basilik, was with us. We had to call up the
inhabitants of the only inn in the place before we could get shelter. At
first the host refused to receive our little company, but after some
explanation he consented to arrange the desolate-looking rooms into
habitable order.

They visited the schools and the prison, and they received from the
Resident, H.G. Tennyson, and the schoolmaster and mistress, a friendly
reception; but the islanders are generally careless of instruction, and
progress of all kinds is slow.

From Cephalonia they traversed the sea to the beautiful island of Zante.
Though they had ten men to row, the passage occupied thirteen hours.

Contrary wind, writes John Yeardley, compelled us to approach the island
slowly, which gave us an opportunity of viewing the villages and scattered
houses at the foot of the mountain. The town of Zante is very long; the
main street has piazzas on each side for a considerable distance. In many
of the windows (I suppose a Turkish custom) there are something like
cages, through which the women peep without being seen, under the pretence
of modesty; but it is horrid to hear of the wickedness committed in-doors.
However, I am glad to find the custom is dying away, and that the young
women are now permitted to walk in public more than they were a few years
ago. This island is by far the finest we have visited; it is very fertile
and well cultivated, and supplies England with currants; but, like their
neighbors, the people have the character of being immoral, treacherous,
and revengeful. It is sorrowful to think that, under the system of
picture-worship, there is scarcely a sin of which the poor Greek is not
guilty to an enormous extent. With God all things are possible--he can
change the hard heart of man by the power of his Divine Spirit; but,
morally speaking, it must be some great convulsion that can work a real
change in the nation. W.O. Croggon has labored here more than seven years,
and knows not of one conversion among the rich Greeks--not one attends the
service for worship. He is the Methodist missionary here, a