, with all its houses standing in the midst of gardens and
surrounded by walls.

From the Acropolis we have a fine view in every direction, and find,
in fact, a union of advantages only met with separately elsewhere.

In Smyrna I found the most beautiful women I had yet seen; and even
during my further journey I met with few who equalled, and none who
surpassed them. These fairy forms are, however, only to be sought
among the Greeks. The natural charms of these Graces are heightened
by the rich costume they wear. They have a peculiarly tasteful
manner of fastening their little round fez-caps, beneath which their
rich hair falls in heavy plaits upon their shoulders, or is wound
with a richly embroidered handkerchief round the head and brow.

Smyrna is, however, not only celebrated as possessing the loveliest
women, but also as the birthplace of one of the greatest men. {85}
O Homer, in the Greece of to-day thou wouldst find no materials for
thine immortal Iliad!

At five o'clock in the afternoon we quitted the harbour of Smyrna.
In this direction the town is seen to much greater advantage after
we have advanced a mile than when we approach it from
Constantinople; for now the Turks' town lies spread in all its
magnitude before us, whereas on the other side it is half hidden by
the Franks' quarter.

The sea ran high, and adverse winds checked the speed of our good
ship; but I am thankful to say that, except when the gale is very
strong, it does not affect my health. I felt perfectly well, and
stood enjoying the aspect of the waves as they came dancing towards
our vessel. In Smyrna our company had been augmented by the arrival
of a few more Franks.

May 21st.

Yesterday evening and all this day we have been sailing among
islands. The principal of these were Scio, Samos, and Cos, and even
these form a desolate picture of bare, inhospitable mountains and
desert regions. On the island of Cos alone we saw a neat town, with
strong fortifications.

May 22d.

This morning, shortly after five o'clock, we ran into the superb
harbour of Rhodes. Here, for the first time, I obtained a correct
notion of a harbour. That of Rhodes is shut in on all sides by
walls and masses of rock, leaving only a gap of a hundred and fifty
to two hundred paces in width for the ships to enter. Here every
vessel can lie in perfect safety, be the sea outside the bar as
stormy as it may; the only drawback is, that the entering of this