as much fruit as you can carry, and get as much wine as you
can drink for twopence, while all sorts of other good things are very
cheap; and the weather is almost always like summer. But, for my part,
I would rather live in Old England, with the foul weather and the fair
we get there, and a piece of beef, often somewhat hard to come at, than
in a country where your house may any moment be knocked down by an
earthquake or covered up with hot ashes. To my mind, all countries have
their advantages and their drawbacks; and the great thing is, to be
grateful for the one, and to learn how to guard against the other."

We touched at several places on our passage. Malta was one of them.
The English had not at that time taken possession of it.

At length we reached Smyrna, which is partly situated on level ground,
the harbour backed by a lofty hill. There is more trade here than in
any other place in the East. The climate, though hot, is very fine; but
the place is often shaken by earthquakes, which have at times caused
great destruction to lives and property. That dreadful scourge, also,
the plague, is a frequent visitor. The former may truly be said to be
beyond man's control; but the latter is, I am certain, brought about
very much by the dirty habits of the people, and their ill-ventilated
and ill-drained habitations.

In the neighbourhood of Smyrna grow great quantities of figs, which are
dried and packed in boxes and baskets. They formed part of our cargo
home. We had likewise raisins and other dried fruits, and preserves,
and rich silks and embroideries. None of the seamen were allowed to go
on shore, for Christians were very likely to get insulted, if not
ill-treated, by the Turks. In those days they used to look upon all
Christians as dogs, and to behave towards them as such. Besides Turks,
there were a great number of Jews and Greeks, and people from every part
of the East, living at Smyrna; but all had to submit to the caprices and
ignorance of the first.

I was not sorry when we once more made sail, with the ship's head to the
westward. We had a somewhat tedious passage down the Mediterranean,
having frequent baffling or light winds. At times of the year gales,
however, blow with great fury in that sea, though they seldom last long.
Most to be dreaded are the sudden gales which, under the name of "white
squalls," have sent many a vessel, caught unprepared, to the bottom.

At last we reached Gibralt