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or seven miles to the south of where the Salsette was at anchor. The
spot near to where they disembarked was marked by several large
cannon-balls of granite; for the ruins of Alexandria have long
supplied the fortresses of the Dardanelles with these gigantic
missiles.
They rambled some time through the shaggy woods, with which the
country is covered, and the first vestiges of antiquity which
attracted their attention were two large granite sarcophagi; a little
beyond they found two or three fragments of granite pillars, one of
them about twenty-five feet in length, and at least five in diameter.
Near these they saw arches of brick-work, and on the east of them
those magnificent remains, to which early travellers have given the
name of the palace of Priam, but which are, in fact, the ruins of
ancient baths. An earthquake in the course of the preceding winter
had thrown down large portions of them, and the internal divisions of
the edifice were, in consequence, choked with huge masses of mural
wrecks and marbles.
The visitors entered the interior through a gap, and found themselves
in the midst of enormous ruins, enclosed on two sides by walls,
raised on arches, and by piles of ponderous fragments. The fallen
blocks were of vast dimensions, and showed that no cement had been
used in the construction--an evidence of their great antiquity. In
the midst of this crushed magnificence stood several lofty portals
and arches, pedestals of gigantic columns and broken steps and marble
cornices, heaped in desolate confusion.
From these baths the distance to the sea is between two and three
miles--a gentle declivity covered with low woods, and partially
interspersed with spots of cultivated ground. On this slope the
ancient city of Alexandria Troas was built. On the north-west, part
of the walls, to the extent of a mile, may yet be traced; the remains
of a theatre are also still to be seen on the side of the hill
fronting the sea, commanding a view of Tenedos, Lemnos, and the whole
expanse of the AEgean.
Having been conducted by the guide, whom they had brought with them
from Tenedos, to the principal antiquities of Alexandria Troas, the
visitors returned to the frigate, which immediately after got under
way. On the 14th of April she came to anchor about a mile and a half
from Cape Janissary, the Sygean promontory, where she remained about
a fortnight; during which ample opportunity was afforded to inspect
the pla
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