Smyrna and the Dardanelles (edited from B.L.Add.Mss. 56529)

Tuesday March 6th 1810

Strong breeze in the morning.  About twelve, passed Cape Colonna, then doubled the south cape of Long Island.  At dinner-time, past four, very near the north end of Andros, rocky and barren as in the days of Themistocles.1  Looking out for more rocks called Caloiero,2 seen at six, about as tall as our ship.  Bore north of them.  Strong breeze all evening and night.  Passed Scio.  A man flogged for stealing.  Three dozen.  Not so bad as I thought.3

Wednesday March 7th 1810

In the mouth of the Gulf of Smyrna.  High land near us in the south.  A red town, Kokino-Korio, in the hill.  Wind contrary – beating up the Gulf, which is subject to sudden blasts from the mountains all day, heard at three that the Frederickstein4 had gone ashore in the mouth of the Gulf.  Taking up a boat with a midshipman belonging to her, who did not know where she was.  At sunset, Captain Ferguson left us in his gig for Smyrna to learn the fate of the Frederickstein.

Darwin tells me that the shoals in the Gulf of Smyrna have all appeared in a few years, and that there is every reason to suspect that in time the Gulf will be filled up entirely.

Thursday March 8th 1810

Hills near the south land, the Brothers Hills.  Pleasant appearance of the country, green, and vines running up the mountain-sides.  Puffs of wind.  Passed the low fort on the right on a tongue of land – immense cannon mouths with marble balls appearing under the fort walls.5  Obliged to go close to the Castle, on account of shallows on the other side in [the] large bay of Smyrna.6  The city built under and on the side of a hill, where are the walls of a fort, built by the Venetians, and where there is still a flagstaff.  The houses stretch down to the north on the sea side, where is a custom-house, and the Frank town7 close to the water.

Came to anchor.  Dined with the Commodore, Captain Bathurst,8 on board the frigate the Salsette.9  Very much despised on account of my old greatcoat, Byron being in uniform.  Met a large party at dinner – the Werry family,10 and Captain Nourse of the Frederickstein, which11 it seems is in port much damaged.

Went in the evening on shore.  Surprised at the excellence of Werry’s house – a long, narrow house, like the gallery and chambers of an inn.  It has no breadth, but everything is English and comfortable.  Went to a public room called the Casino.12  Introduced to the Commissary for the night or season – Frenchmen, a good room, fine carpet, French papers13 – opens at eight every evening.  Subscription five guineas a year.  Strangers pay nothing at all, only the townsmen, except they call for wine or liquors or supper – billiard tables two – ball once a week during carnival.

Friday March 9th 1810

Up eleven.  Walked about the Frank town with Darwin, who is nothing but a wag after all.  Puts me in mind of a Spanish town – streets, narrow but not so stinking.  Bond Street a little better than the rest.  Principal houses with a large porch to them, and running longways like Werry’s.  Dine at Werry’s, a fine old fellow, fierce and tall, and unimpaired by years.  We have two good bedrooms in his house.  Captain Bathurst there, a rather fat, short, pockmarked, stuttering man.  Told us of two islands in the Indian seas without any kind of religious or civil government, where the people are humane and good, and where they live without labour, the earth supplying them spontaneously.  Near these is another island, inhabited by a race altogether as savage as the others are mild.14

Called on a French-protected family,15 four or five of us entirely unknown, and received most politely, and a pretty Miss Marascini played on the harp.  The women here speak many languages, and seem good-humoured, and clean, for foreigners.16  This was also a nice house.

Saturday March 10th 1810

Up late.  Walked out with Dr Darwin.  Shown a bust of Titus17 in an apothecary’s shop, and a bust of Homer.  Nothing happened, but a good dinner at the Consul’s house.  In the evening Captain Ferguson, Byron and Darwin went to Miss Marascini’s, but the two latter ran downstairs when they got to the drawing-room door, to the discomfiture of the Captain.18

Sunday March 11th 1810

Up half-past nine.  Walked out to see the exercise of the djerid,19 on a point of land to the north of the town.  Childishness of this amusement, the Turks shouting “Olloh olloh!” – the Governor being darted at impartially with the others.  Fine-looking horses and expert performers – the horsemen, some of them, have a cane with a crook at the end, with which they pick up the djerid.  A Greek murdered last night – murderer taken refuge with the French Consul, whose gate is surrounded with janissaries and crowds of friends and relations of the deceased.  These latter likewise went in a body to the Governor on the djerid-ground.

Dine at the Consul’s – again a large party.  Did nothing in the evening.  Bed two.  Raining, and cold.

Monday March 12th 1810

Up half-past nine.  Read English papers,20 22 January ye last.  Persian ambassador asserted in the French papers to be no ambassador, which Mr Werry tells me is very true,21 and that young Canning22 says so.  About seven years ago, to revenge the death of a Janissary killed by a Venetian who took refuge in a Turkish vessel, the Turks, after attempts to get at him, set fire to ye frank town here and killed about three hundred Greeks and Armenians in the streets; but the worst were the ships’ crews,23 who came in boats and plundered the magazines instead of protecting them.

At the bottom of the inner Gulf of Smyrna is the village of Bournabat, the summer residence of the Franks and Greeks of the city.  The governor of Smyrna had bought the renewal of his power in the late Sultan’s time.24  Mahmoud25 paid no attention to this, and sent another governor, who had bought the city of him, to supersede him.  But the man in possession prepared to resist with 2,000 armed men, and contrived, by means of Adair,26 to re-estabish himself.  Now he has neglected the English, and Werry has written to have him displaced, which, however, will not be so easily done, he having the first offices in the city in the hands of his friends and relations.

Our Albanians27 have been mistaken for slaves and Andrew has been asked if he would sell them.

Tuesday March 13th 1810

At two o’clock pm, set off from Smyrna for Ephesus.  Went through Turk town, by the Jews’ burying-ground on the side of the hill of the castle, then on a paved road for some distance, then between hedges on a hard English kind of road.  In an hour, view of Boudjah on the left, a village where Consul Werry has a country house.  South-south-west, farther on, another village on the right – a complete English-looking country, with beautiful and extensive prospects on a much larger scale than Greece.  Large plots of greensward, cotton grounds, and ploughed lands.  Mountains far off to the left, running about east and west – and nearer to the right, covered with trees to their summits.  Now the road over common land with prickly shrubs, on which droves of camels feeding.

In three hours more, passed through a pretty village with a green, and the country, especially on the right, looking more lovely and like the pasturelands of our finest counties, than ever.  All enclosed with low hedges and trees, disposed after the manner in England.  Road south-south-east and south.  In an hour more, over an excellent road, through pasture lands, another village, Greek and Turk, and a river which [we] crossed, and get into a marshy, extensive flat, directing towards the woody hills south.  Then into a stony, bad road, and arrived at a half to nine at the village, where is the small mud coffee house, and a large well-built building for horses.

Loud croaking of the frogs.28

Took up our beds in the latter.29  Amused, before bedtime, by the religious songs and ejaculations of a Dervish30 in the coffee-room before a promiscuous company.  The thing had a very ridiculous air – the holy man seemed to laugh at himself, and was half laughed at by the Turks, who were present, though they said nothing.

Wednesday March 14th 1810

Up at sunrise.  Land enclosed, and like Lincolnshire village – all Turks – close under woody hills to the South.  Large nest of a stork31 in a tree, close to the coffee-house32 with the bird on it.  Mussulmen’s graves33 along the pathway under the tree.  A lake, east.  Set off to the head of this lake, turned south-south-east by the side of it under a low hill for one-and-a-half hours.  Not a broad lake – cross a plain between hills.  Come to a burial place under trees – ascend low hills.  Bad, stony road for an hour, then through a kind of narrow pass through a water course, then through low wood, arriving by twelve o’clock at a coffee-house, where stopped to piss, i.e., the horses, which I observed the Janissary Sulyman34 and his two Romenian Surgees did every hour and a half, about.

Turned a little to the left.  An extensive, reedy marsh to the right as far as we could see (the marsh of Ephesus).35  Came to where some camel- and goat-keepers had pitched their black tents,36 the high heads of the camels peering here and there above the tall reeds.  Went over, for a mile, a stone causeway, marsh on both sides.  Castle, if in sight, south-south-east under the hills.  Turned west, not being able to go directly to the castle on account of the boggy ground.  Kept over a sandy flat by the side of a large pool some way, then arrived at a ferry-river, which [we] crossed in a triangular raft with sides a foot high.  Turned east, and in an hour came to the village – Aisaluk – three o’clock.

Took our cold fowl and sausage37 on the slab side stone of a fountain, opposite a mosque shaded with high cypresses on the wall of the burial-yard round38 it.  Close over against the fountain to was a flat, long stone, laid for the prostration of the Turks – and one young man, having first washed his hands and feet, performed his prayers there in a very devout way, totally inattentive to our appearance and operations within a yard and a half of him.

In this open part of the village is a marble sarcophagus, very large and thick, with a bass-relief, not distinguishable, on one side of it, and the high marble mouth of an ancient well.  The coffee-house is close by – Aisaluk, a scene of most perfect desolation.39  A small Turk village, containing the ruins of three worships: the Pagan, Xtian, and even of the Mahomedan,40 there being several ruined mosques, whose minarets, at a distance, may easily be taken for the decayed columns of some Grecian temple.  It is situated in a tangly, shrubby flat, formed by an amphitheatre of hills, from the middle of which flat projects a narrow tongue of high land, on the which is built the castle, now in ruins.  From the hill on it, east to the castle mount, are the ruins of an aqueduct.  Continuing now from the hill south-east, thirty-two piers, then one, then seventeen.  The marble stones supporting the brickwork of the arch contain several inscriptions, but the inscribed stones are many, placed sideways and upside down, as if taken from former ruins to compose this work.41

Go up the castle hill.  See an arch with bass-relief, still very entire – copied by Tournefort.43  Pass through it, and on the hill meet with large masses of brick.  The castle itself not worth seeing – built partly of brick, partly of stone, in ruins.

Also came down the hill towards the village again, to a singular-looking building, having from the road by which we came the appearance of a Venetian house in ruins, there being square corridors and a flight of steps to the front, which is of marble but not in large pieces.  It was a Xtian church and is composed of two parts now – a weedy court with <xxxx> and two doors with [a] flight of steps to them.  Over the west door is raised the minaret of the mosque, for a mosque it now is, but that is in ruins, and has a large stork nest in the summit of it.  The other part of the building is the body [of the] church itself, where there are five arches, the middle one bigger than the rest, and four large porphyry pillars.  Now there are two walls dividing this body into these compartments, the middle one of which, containing the altar-place, is covered in with two small cupolas, one smaller than the other next the altar, the other two having now no roof, and being overgrown with weeds.  In this [  ], on the west side of the altar, is a pulpit place with a marble flight of steps, which the Mahometan reader now uses.

We wandered about this place by twilight, and found it most desolate and melancholy.

The marble to make the front of the Greek church was most probably taken from some Greek temple in ruins, and over the Xtian church, also now in ruins, you may observe the tower of the Mussulman itself in decay.  A Greek who walked with me here told me that one hour and half to the east was a large Greek town, three hundred houses – Kerkejah.

Slept in the coffee house, a wretched place.  Turks idling there till late.44  Luckily only two travellers slept in the chamber with us.  I observed scores chalked up over my head, and found there debts of the customers to the landlord – a cup of coffee one paraw – waiter nothing.

Thursday March 15th 1810

Set off for Smyrna, to take the rest of the ruins in our way, which are also between the castle of Aisaluk and a tower which you will see on a hill to the west about two miles and a half distance.  The chief part of them is in a hollow, formed by a high perpendicular hill directly behind in the south, and a lower hill, east on which is scooped the amphitheatre, which can still be discerned, having one large arch remaining, and the <facing> walls of the – – – – – – – (I do not know45 what).46  A little beyond on the north of this is a large arch of marble standing detached by itself.  Then, surrounding, as it were, the sides of the hill on the south, are wall-stones of a large size.  In the hollow are masses of brick, and parts of walls standing together with small arches still discernible, and brick coated with stones, full of artificial small niches or holes.  In one place are four large pillars on the ground.  They are porphyry, under the largest mass of ruins.

Byron also saw heaps of pillars of stone – as for the temple, not a single trace of it.

The situation of Ephesus, on the south-south-east side of a marsh, six miles long, three broad about, [is] not favourable at all to all appearance.  The city must have been long and narrow, the mountain enclosing it on the south, the marsh on the north, but the clearest and best piece of ground is between Aisaluk and the hill of the amphitheatre, where there are no remains, though this must have been the site of the city also.

Aisaluk is two hours from the sea – a river as broad as the Cam47 runs winding through the marsh, but not from Aisaluk, more northwards.

This day in vain tried to make Janissary go on before with us, leaving Andrew with the baggage, so galloped off and lost my way in the marsh.  Came back to the ferry, and enquired of a Greek who I asked to accompany me on the road.  He, after hesitating, said that he would, but must send for his gun to go into the mountains with me.48  This I would not wait for, so galloped on, and luckily hit upon the causeway, and overtook the party at the first coffee-house, three hours from Aisaluk.  On the plain here saw a man ([a] Turk) following a plough, with two oxen, on horseback, which is one of the lazy child’s three wishes.49  At Aisaluk only one Greek,50 a baker.

Travelled all day till eleven at night, when got to Mr Werry’s, not having slept on the road except for ten minutes, and going about four miles an hour.  Fine weather all three days.  Returned through the cypress burying-ground of Smyrna.  Never saw a church yard so populous.  Everything quiet in the city …

Friday March 16th 1810

Up ten.  Walked out to the port where the Frederickstein is going to be hoved over, which is done by emptying her fixing cable ropes to her mainmast and a tripping cable under her keel, and by means of u          51 bringing her mainmast horizontal, so that her keel is out of water.52

Went on water with Captain Nourse.  Came home, dined &c. &c., and went to bed after hearing from Monsieur St Albert that he was “le plus miserable des hommes” said with an easy, ridiculous French air.

Saturday March 17th 1810

Measured by a tailor for pantaloons – things done neatly in Smyrna.  Werry’s pay, £400 per annum.  House allowed by the factory.53  Dinner as usual, and chess at night – Mr Werry tells me that the women here have the greatest power with the Turks – that a wife of a Dutch consul here54 had more influence than any one else with the governor.

Sunday March 18th 1810

Called on Mr Lee,55 to pay him 330 piastres, and he lent me a pamphlet written by himself on Turkish politics56 – the most execrable stuff in the world, and yet this man gives up all his days and half his nights to study, especially “political research”, as he calls it, and can’t write two lines of common neatness:

(The last is an addition of Mr Lee.)

Walked to the Frederickstein – dined and <back> all as usual.  Salsette going to Malta, so we can’t go to Dardanelles in her – and so we begin to have suspicion the Dominus Werry is tired of us.58

Monday March 19th 1810

Writing letters all morning: one to Tavistock, expostulatory; one to Baillie, objurgatory; one to Charlotte, vulgarly; and one to Chabot, complimentary.

Captain Bathurst an odd man – says good things – e.g., reading Lord Grenville’s59 opening to his speech on the address, he said, quoting the paper, “My lord Grenville found it an imperious duty” – then, looking on – “to speak for an hour or two.”

Dined and chess.  Dominus Werry is certainly tired – so we scheme.60

Tuesday March 20th 1810

Wake up with a fever, and deafness in left ear.  Werry says great thing in this country is covering the head well.

Walk with Dr Colwin over the Turk town.  Everything busy, and the streets and markets populous – no rudeness from any one.  Called on Mr Franks, a pimp.  Dined and chess.  Weather has been fine several days, but sultry, except this morning, when wind is at north.61

Werry very sulky, so Byron and myself determined to be very proud all dinner time.62  Salsette gone.63

Wednesday March 21st 1810

Byron and myself go in boat down the inner gulf of Smyrna to the landing place leading to Bournova, to look for a house.  At shore, get on jackasses, which are kept for the purpose at thirty paraws going and thirty returning.  And, going between a good hedge road, think we are not in Turkey.  Ground on both sides well cultivated (green almonds now eaten).

[After] an hour, arrive at Bournabat – country seats of merchants, with a bazaar shaded with trees, in which stork nests – storks early this year.  Politely addressed by a Frenchman, who offered to show us our way in the village – could not find a house, and so came back.

Observed number of oyster boats in the inner gulf, dragging up the shells – fish leaping here.  [At] dinner, Captain Nourse observed that men in engagements were generally more alarmed the second than the first time, and that he knew several officers who, after standing the firing some time, have at last been overpowered by the fear, and gone below deliberately.  Chess, and bed late.  Werry now does not seem tired – we ought, he tells me, to have agreed to give our men a hundred paraws each, and have done with them, instead of having to pay the enormous tavern bill at Niccolo’s.  Things are not dear here; 10,000 piastres is a great portion for a girl, even if an only daughter.

Thursday March 22nd 1810

Still deaf in left ear.  Since being at Smyrna, have got up between nine and ten and am always sleepy at seven o’clock p.m.

Works of Feu Boulanger64 worth consulting – the little L’Antiquité Devoilée – – – – – – – – – –65

Dinner, bed, &c.

Friday March 23rd 1810

Deaf still.  Rode out with Mr Werry to Boudjah, a village south of Smyrna, where are still some comfortable country houses built by Franks.  Crossed over a stream of water and what is called a branch of the Meles – which, by the way, we crossed going to Ephesus – and came by caravan bridge, which is the lounge of the Turks in the summer, but it is close on the town.  Mr Werry tells me of a curious way of curing blindness in horses66 – they run a needle and thread round the back part of the eye, then, by means of the thread, draw the eye a considerable way from the socket so as to get to the back of it, then with a razor or sharp knife they cut off an excrescence from the eye behind which is supposed to cause the blindness, and, washing the wound with a little salt, return it to the socket, and the horse is used the next day.  Darwin tells me that cattle at Malta are fattened on cotton-plant.  Boudjah more countryfied than Bournabat.  Dine, and bed as usual.

Saturday March 24th 1810

Deaf still.  Saw a pretty chapel belonging to the factory in Mr Werry’s house.  Went on the water, and descried the Pylades.67  Nothing from Athens for us, and Todurula68 hates Byron, and says I am a nasty man.  Dined on board the Pylades.

Sunday March 25th 1810

Deaf.  Reading Mrs Opie’s Simple Stories in four volumes.69  They turn, as Byron well observed, almost all of them, on the passion of a woman for a man.  They are affecting, but too full of fainting fits and the like.  The brother and sister70 is one of the best, but the heroine Ellen is hanged, which is too tragical – the French story71 is very good – and so is the Fashionable Wife72 and impulsiveness of woman.73  Dressed with a scarf tied with a knot behind, all of them.74  Called on Miss Marianne.75  Pylades gone again.  Dinner and fullness.

We shall never go away, it seems.

Monday March 26th 1810

Deaf.  Lounged about with Darwin and Captain Nourse, who tells me that Mrs Dickens76 was a kept mistress at Gibraltar.  See here is a strange instance of good management – one daughter is married to Lord Rendlesham,77 one to a Colonel, and herself universally received.  Her father kept a pot-house.  Delighted with Camilla78 – close of the chapters in Thurson’s manner.79  Dined, and played billiards at the Casino table with Captain Nourse.

Tuesday March 27th 1810

Deaf.  Cold weather – thermometer, which has been some time near and at sixty-eight, now fifty-eight.  Lounged with Darwin to the Frederickstein.  Went on board.  Repairs cost about £300.  Coal found by Darwin in the wood of Belgrade.80  Brusa81 famous for silk-worms, feeding on lettuces chiefly.  Rising early – nine and ten, and bed two or so for some time.

Wednesday March 28th 181082

Deaf.  Went with Dr Darwin and Captain Nourse to a hospital for madmen and women and idiots, an asylum for very old women, and a room for the sick.83  Very neat.  Saw a woman who had been found in a wood near Smyrna, deaf, dumb, idiotic, and squat[s] on her hams, her nails having been formerly claw-fashion.  She <answers> comes to a name Abhoula [sketch of her profile].  She has been nine years confined here.  Went afterwards to the English hospital, which is a very neat, wholesome place.

Thursday March 29th 1810

Deaf.  Walked out with Darwin.  Saw attempt made by armed Albanians to bully young Mr Werry out of some coffee-house defeated by old Mr Werry.  Albanians disarmed by the town guard and imprisoned, but notwithstanding promises overnight, let out next morning.

Friday March 30th 1810

Deaf, having used ether in vain.  This day a Prince of Germany and a count dined with us.  They are going to fight the French wherever there is fighting, either in Spain or Portugal, and if there is no fighting to retire to a corner of England.  They are gentlemanly, agreeable men – Count Hartoff, Prince Nieuin, or some such name.84  The French St Albert very stupidly rude.  In Albanian dresses today.

Saturday March 31st 1810

Deaf.  Going on the water with guns, Darwin, Nourse, Byron, and myself to the south of Smyrna.  A Turk levelled a gun over a bridge on shore and fired, either at us or near us.  This caused confusion, the boatmen first pulling away, but by the orders of the Captain going to land.  Afterwards when we saw that of six men only one had a gun … so we were bullied completely, though no-one will confess to having issued advice to retreat.  Snipes in a reedy marsh.

Sunday April Fools Day 1810

Deaf.  Breakfasted on board the Frederickstein.  Read a curious Ms., The Travels of Francesco Cavalero, now Steward to Captain [  ] a Young Man.85  Italian who was servant to a Lord de Brune, a French officer in Egypt, and suffered many hardships – ’tis written in English and very clever.  He mentions the murder of Jaffa,86 the suspicions of the poisoning [of the] French by Bounaparte,87 the undaunted behaviour of that general when his troops mutinied before Acre,88 so many ineffectual attempts being made to take it with the loss of 9,000 men, thirty officers and three generals.

Monday April 2nd 1810

Deaf.  Rainy day.  Yorkshire horse89 in Dr Darwin’s rooms.  Prince and Count dine with Mr Werry.  Count told me that Bounaparte did not expose his person in the late battles in Germany.  Played, with Mr St Albert, a game of Polonese draughts.

Tuesday April 3rd 1810

Deaf.  Walked out to the marshes towards Bounabut with Darwin, who told me that the Teriotes to this day universally carry their sticks, guns &c. over their shoulders behind, with their arms each end [sketch] which figure is on the old coin of Tiro.

Dined on board the Frederickstein who saluted Lord Byron, and the Prince and Count who dined with us with thirteen guns … yards manned … “dulcis inexpertis cultura”90 &c.  Mem. not to forget why this quotation is made.91

Points of promontories high with a north wind.  Water glittering with a south wind.

Wednesday April 4th 1810

Deaf.  Passed the day as usual at Mr Werry’s.

Thursday April 5th 1810

Deaf.  Dined on board the Frederickstein, sans Lord Byron.  Mrs Werry, Mr N[  ] Werry there.

Friday April 6th 1810

Deaf – day passed as usual at home.

Saturday April 7th 1820

Deaf.  Another usual day but spent balloon-making.

Sunday April 8th 1810

Deaf.  Dined with the Factory92 (sans Lord Byron) on board the Frederickstein.  Three salutes.  Got sadly tipsy and ridiculous.

Monday April 9th 1810

Ear almost recovered – was the cause93 – dreadfully sick and ill – Galt arrives.  Salsette arrives.  Two letters for me, one from Seton94 of December, one from Charlotte of January last.

Tuesday April 10th 1810

Ear still better.  Morning passed with Galt, who tells me that they have had nine days prayers at Athens for rain: three for Turks, three for slaves, three for Greeks.  Preaching near the Temple of Jupiter, and by separating the lambs from their dams, the sheep are contrived to be made bleat whilst the Mussulmen are also imploring for rain.  At Megara, a procession of Greeks carried three pictures to the sea and ducked Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Xtianity a source of revenue to the Turks.  Patriarch buys his place, and sells every benefice throughout the Greek Church.  Athens alone contains forty churches.  Hydra a rock with one town, 24,000 inhabitants.  Eighty ships of 300 tons, mostly built at Fiume.  House of governor there cost £10,000.  People elect their own magistrates for the first time since ye Greek Empire.  Scio a beautiful island – some very tolerable pictures there painted by Greeks.

Weather hot today, but has been for some days quite cool.

Wednesday April 11th 1810

Left Smyrna in the Salsette frigate,95 thirty-six, Captain Bathurst, at a little past two pm.  Sailed out with fine breeze – off the Cape in the mouth of the gulf met Captain Ferguson with the Pylades – nine at night.  Favourable wind – Byron tells me that Mrs Werry, ‘proh pudor’, actually cut off a lock of his hair.  I saw her cry at parting – pretty well at fifty-six years at least.

Thursday April 12th 1810

Up half-past six off Mytilene,96 long low land, then mainland.  A fort on a cape on north side of Cape Andrymitti – beautiful appearance of Asia.  Not high land, but covered with trees, interspersed with green lands.  Wind strong southerly – by half past twelve, came in the channel where

on the left, and the plain of Alexandria of Troas98 on the right, a long flat in appearance.  Ida not visible, on account of mist accompanying south wind.  Anchor not far from a little port of the late principal town of Tenedos,99 which is of a flat, barren appearance from the sea, but which we found, on going thither, had some pleasing varieties of hill and dale, and was cultivated in many places, having a good herbage everywhere.  Went on shore with Captain Bathurst and Lord Byron.  Town [blot] in ruins from Russians, but still a shop or two, and some parts rebuilding.  Once must have been a considerable capital for such an island, having a castle surrounded with a moat.  Saw an [  ] piece of Granite brought from Alexandria of Troas.

A crowd of Turks on shore belonging to several small ships, detained in the little harbour by the southerly wind, surrounded and listened to Lord Byron.

Captain Bathurst and I walked, and were treated to coffee by the principal Turk of the place, at the deal shop of a miserable-looking Greek, who had called himself “English Consul”, and who had been sent in a boat to Signior Tarragona, Jew and British Vice-Consul100 at the Dardanelles, to advise him of our approach.  Here one of the Turks said, “When the English came here in wartime, they asked us only for a draught of water – but the Russians, they burnt our town and took everything, as you see.”  Saw here a Frank or two, one in a fur shooting-jacket (thermometer at seventy).  Also, on the pier, four great guns belonging to the Ajax – destroyed, singularly enough, near the tomb of Ajax.101

Apply to situation of Greek monastery.

Captain Bathurst and myself walking up the hill, saw Lemnos,103 high land, distant, to the north.  Black cattle and goats feeding – a road through the island, famous for partridges and rabbits.

Friday April 13th 1810

Up half-past six.  [At] ten, go in Captain’s long cutter to the mainland,104 about six miles off, to an open port, where a vessel riding, and some camels.  Here see the road running along the coast which leads from the Dardanelles to Alexandria Troas, and several granite cannon balls.  Then proceed south down the coast, through woody country which, all this, is toward the point of land which we had seen the day before with a house upon it, and which [is] a good deal to the south of Tenedos.  Then turn up more into the country, and come to two marble sarcophagi not together in the wood.

Proceeding farther, arrive at the large ruin of Alexandria Troas, with a great part of it thrown down by the last earthquake which we felt at Athens.105  Now remain two sides of a square of twelve arches each, and three other large arches in the west (middle) side of the square, besides pieces of wall standing in other parts of this building.  A little piece of marble cornice, an immense granite pillar, situation romantic in extensive woods.  Return.  Sit down by the shore and dine.  Sailors “had fallen in with arches one a-top ’tother, all bomb-proof by God.”106

Walk afterwards round the point of land, and come to a salt-water circular small lake close to the sea, once a port, apparently.  A large granite pillar broken in half – several small ones scattered about, and a piece of ancient wall above.  Walk further up in the wood to a narrow, flat valley looking like course of a river – met two shepherds [with] seven dogs.107  [They] told me eight men lived in the two huts of Eski Stamboul (Alexandria Troas).

Returned on board.  Eubeans cut off the fore part of their hair – Pope’s Homer.  Jew, ashamed of his beard, hid in a loose cravat.

Saturday April 14th 1810

Up at half-past seven, and found the frigate anchored just opposite a tumulus, about one mile and half from the village of Cape Janissary,108 with Fort Europe, which seems seven or six miles from the opposite castle of the entry of the Hellespont, plainly seen, and the island of Samothrace,109 high land to north-west.  The channel of the Hellespont here seeming to run due east.  Found Bustard brig, Captain Markland, here with a brig loaded with powder for the Turks.  3,500 barrels waiting for firman to pass the castles.110

Went on shore.  Viewed the Trojan plain from the Tumulus.111  Marsh – nearer than in my little plan, very large.  Simois112 respectable – Mount Ida113 (snow) very far off, and obscured from plain by a low ridge of hills – no trees.  Ridges of brown heath.  Walk village of Cape Janissary, 250 houses, Greeks.  Fort on a flat.  River Simois into the sea just above its shore low on the Hellespont, and high on the Aegean side.

Sunday April 15th 1810

Up early.  Read first book of Iliad114 in Matthews’ Homer.115  Went on shore with Byron, Captain Bathurst, and a party.  Took a path south-south-east, by the side of the marsh for some time, then, turning north-east, crossed a stream flowing either out of, or alongside of, the marsh, which answers to the Scamander and which flows into the sea opposite Tenedos, where the beach is flat, broad and shelving, and gives the best chance of being the place where the Grecian fleet lay.116  Here, whence Achilles had to pass the Scamander117 in his way to Troy, which in any other situation he would not have been obliged to do.  The stream is narrow and deep, like a mill-course.  Continue in the same direction to a large tumulus.  To the south, a little village called Pacha-chiflik, where is a castellated house, built by Captan Pacha.  Ascend this, and have the best view of the plain and situation of the Troad – hence the plain uneven and bushy.  Cultivated but in many places118 till in an hour and a half more, arrive at the sources of the Scamander, one a strong spring bubbling up from under a little rock in the midst of a clump of evergreens and brushwood, and another a little farther on, close at the foot of the village of Bourna-bashi.119  Under this village are remains of broken pillars (Scæan gate).120  Bourna-bashi is situated just under the low range of hills which terminate on this side of the Trojan plain, and is in a situation very similar to those which, I have observed, the ancients chose for the site of their cities.

Turn down from the village and very shortly come to the river Simois, a very considerable stream.  Continue in a fine plain, interspersed with cultivated land and low bushes by the side of this river some time, then go more to the south-west (left – the Simois flowing off to the right), and come to the side of the marsh.  Cross a stream, deep but not broad, by the side of this marsh, and pass at the bottom of Pasha-chiflik.  Continue by the side of this ditch, which pass again (the Scamander), and go homewards much the same way as we set out.

Darwin’s plan very useful,121 and with some alteration very correct.  Mem: had the Iliad in my pocket, and read part of the parting of Hector and Andromache122 on the top of the tomb of Asyetes,123 and the line in which the Scæan gate stone is mentioned, amongst the ruined columns of Bourna-bashi … came later to the frigate.124  Two hours and a half, fast-going, for Bournabashi to the shore, and dined in the ward room.

(Hadji Achmet Bey, Hadji Osman Bey, father and son governors of the Troad – Hadoom Zade Hadoom Oglon of Garganzes – from Vaux, 1812.)125

Monday April 16th 1810

Set out with Captain Bathurst and Lord Byron and Mr Ekenhead126 and Mr Chamier127 and Mr Fletcher128 and Dervis129 to go to the Dardanelles by land.

Left the village of Fort Asia to the left, keeping in the plain for some distance – crossed the Simois, here broad but shallow – kept in the plain still.  Crossed a broad running ditch, stream, then wound round a hill, then up a hill, keeping some time in the heights near the sea, then went along the seashore itself till we came to the base of a long, narrow neck of land immediately before the castles of the Dardanelles, and where the strait seems if anything less than at the Dardanelles.  After going inland a little time, came to the shore again, and in an hour arrived at the town,130 which is large – four or five thousand houses – with a Turkish-plate manufactory, from which its name is derived.

Went to the Jew, English Consul Signior Tarragona, and afterwards, taking a boat, went over a little above the castle on the other side (in Europe at five o’clock, in Asia half-past past four).

Lord Byron and Mr Ekenhead got into the water some way above the castle to swim over, but were obliged to give up from the excessive coldness of the water in an hour, having been carried down by the strength of the current a mile and a half, at least, below the castles, and being about half over.

Got to the Jew’s again, and set out in a boat on a fine moonlight night at half past eight for the frigate, where arrived in two hours and a half.  Distance by land computed near seven hours.  It is more than twenty-five miles.  Abydos said to be above Dardanelles, a little, opposite a town in a broad harbour, half shut in by a high land.

Tuesday April 17th 1810

<Continued on board almost the> Walked on shore with Captain Bathurst (near Kissali Han is a large tumulus of horse dung – 1812).  Took the road from the village on the cape to the fortress.  On the flat, passed and went on the top of a small tumulus (Peneleus).131  Going towards the fort, observed curious constructions for forcing water – the pipe from the spring being run over several stone erections [sketch] placed at two hundred yards, about, from each other in order to give the water a greater force and capability of elevation into the fort, by which the Turks show themselves perfectly ignorant that water will always find its own level – as also that an enemy would have nothing to do but to knock down one of these buildings in order to cut off their supply.  Turk town of the fortress vastly clean.  Returned, and dined on board.  Captain Markland there – Captain Bathurst mentioned that the Napurs, a people near India,132 think it immodest to cover their breasts.

Wednesday April 18th 1810

Employed writing a letter to Seton.133  Walked out with Captain Bathurst to a ravine a little beyond the tomb of Antilochus.134  Returned.  Captain Markland dined on board.  The Turks won’t allow him to proceed to Constantinople, so he goes to Malta tomorrow.135

Thursday April 19th 1810

Writing to Seton.  Walked out to same place as yesterday with Captain Bathurst.  Bathed.  Returned.  Dined.  Played three games of chess with Mr Bates the surgeon, who wears a wig, and who let the pilot die with a stricture in his throat.136

Friday April 20th 1810

In the morning went on board with Mr Jackson, third lieutenant of a Turkish sloop-of-war of eighteen guns, that saluted us.  She seemed a pretty ship at a distance, but was miserable when we came near and on board.  Captain not like a gentleman.  He talked bad Italian.  125 men with him, going to cruise for pirates.

Afterwards walked to the tumulus of –––––137 near Pacha-chiflik with Captain Bathurst and Mr Jackson – good walk of two hours there, and two back – latter was a midshipman, and taken in, or by, the Cleopatra in 1803,138 tells me that Captain Bathurst is fond of, and put in good humour by, talking smut.

Dined.  In the evening, finished letter to Seton, and wrote journal for three days.  Read Pindar (Peter)139 on tomb of          140 today, his Prologue to Ode Upon Ode.141  Gibbon mentions corrupt language of modern Athenians and seventy-two dialects of modern Greek.142  Simois does not flow into the Æean as he alludes to in third volume.143 – “πλατυν Ελλεσποντον” means “broad part of the Hellespont”.144  Why not?  Better than any other explanation – see Gibbon again.

Saturday April 21st 1810

Walked with Captain Bathurst to tomb of Ajax and the sandy promontory just beyond opposite Tenedos, off the place Ajax burnt.145  Find, by Homer, that Achilles’ tents must have been on the Hellespont side, and, as Patroclus says, he sees the fleet burning, so [it] must have been the Grecian fleet.146

Sunday April 22nd 1810147

Read a good deal of the latter part of Homer.148  Walked with officers of the gun-room to the tomb of Peneleus.  Dined with them.  Played chess at night and backgammon with them.

Monday April 23rd 1810

Rowed about dicing on Sunday by the Captain – sulky at first, but soon recovered – walked to the tomb of Ajax with Mr Ekenhead and Mr Pennington – afterwards to a pretty garden under a hill near the town of Vrachnore, 150 houses and more.

Play in the evening, The Spirit of Contradiction,149 well performed by the sailors, especially [the] part[s] of Steer and Randal.

Tuesday April 24th 1810

Walk with the Captain into the plain by the course of the Simois, some way towards Troy.150  Numbers of asses – a large vulture.151  In the evening a very strong north-wester – vessels back from their anchors and pass swiftly by us under bare poles – sick – weather cold.

Wednesday April 25th 1810

Walk with a gun the same road as yesterday – kill two pretty birds of the hawk kind.  Mr Dale, second lieutenant, has been at Rangoon in the kingdom of Ava.152  In Tibet a woman has a plurality of husbands.153  Captain Turner’s account of an embassy.  Played chess in gun-room.

Thursday April 26th 1810

Captain rowing about getting up late.  Lord Byron up to breakfast, first time since coming out.  Gibbon, in a note last chapter, seventh volume octavo, says that Epirus is less known than the wilds of America.154  Walked, &c.

Friday April 27th 1810

Went with Mr Bates and Mr Williams and Mr Jackson to Rabbit Island,155 a green island – spots of wheat – ground quails and wild pigeons.  Dined on the island, returned half-past seven to the ship, where saw a play again, All The World’s A Stage.156

Saturday April 28th 1810

Walked out on the Trojan plain as usual – nothing happened all day. <but Consul arri>

Sunday April 29th 1810

Man arrives with a letter from Adair for ye Captain.  Walk out to Y – ne cher a feast.157  Pale or coloured eggs, as in Scotland – dined, and got drunk, in the gun room, and became obstreperous in defence of Cobbett, whereat the Captain was offended sore.158

Monday April 30th 1810

Up seven, and went with Mr Mitchell, First Lieutenant, and Mr Ekenhead, and Mr Williams with guns round the south side of the marsh, to the springs of Scamander – five hours, nearly.  Dined there under a walnut tree with water-cresses from brook.

Addressed by a Turk, shabbily dressed, in Italian, and surprised to hear him say, “Scis linguam latinam?”159 He spoke a few sentences elegantly enough in this tongue.  I asked him where he had learned it. – “At home.” – “Never been to a college?” – “Vidi etiam academiam, sed non frequentavi.”160  He was the steward (a slave) of some Pasha, and lived in a cottage with a pretty garden attached to it, between161 the cold and warm spring (it was not warm today)162 of the Scamander.  At leaving, he said “Visne videre hortum?”163 He must have been a French renegade.164  He had been in Alexandria – when asked where he had learned his Italian – “In mundo”165 was his reply.

Another, well-dressed, Turk addressed [him] familiarly by the name of Selim.166  He was half-naked, but did not beg.167

Went under Bournabashi, and returned by the banks of the Simois, beautifully wooded with pretty windings and islets.  Well-cultivated land on its banks for three hours – three-quarters more to the shore, then turned towards the ship, where arrived, it being anchored some way farther off – ill all day – Captain sulky.  Firman arrived.

Tuesday May 1st 1810

Weigh anchor ten o’clock.  Pass the castles, after beating up towards Lemnos at three o’clock.  Anchor off a beautiful narrow valley in Thrace – eight miles from Dardanelles, formerly the property of one Richard Willis,168 who brought thither trees from England, but was obliged to sell it to the Turks.

Wednesday May 2nd 1810

Took a walk with the Captain in the valley through a grove with a brook.  To the chiflik or farm, a neat spot, but a dreadful toothache prevented me from enjoying it.  Weighed anchor two o’clock.  Drop anchor about a mile on the Europe side from the Dardanelles – weighed at five o’clock again.  A Turkish frigate close to us, with a man at ye main-masthead, to show manoeuvres, I suppose, or to keep the pennant169 free.  Obliged by the current to anchor again near the Asiatic castles – to the disappointment of the Turks, who, Pasha and all, were sitting in the fort expecting the salute.  Mem: to write letters from a son to his father170 – Aiken’s letters detestable, hates Pope for speaking disrespectfully of Socinus171 and for his liberal opinions.

Thursday May 3rd 1810

This instant, three minutes past ten a.m. – write this in the Dardanelles at anchor.  Byron and Ekenhead gone to swim, and now swimming across the Hellespont,172 Ovid’s Hero to Leander173 open before me.  Mr Ekenhead performed this in one hour and five minutes, setting off two miles above Europe castle, and coming out a mile at least below Dardanelles.  Lord Byron in one hour and ten minutes.  Got under weigh, and, wind failing, only drifted farther below, where anchored.

Friday May 4th 1810

Foul wind.  Remained on board all day.

Saturday May 5th 1810

Ditto – ditto.

Sunday May 6th 1810

Ditto – Ditto – dined in gun room.

Monday May 7th 1810

Ditto.  Walked out with Captain Bathurst to Dardanelles – pleasant shady green behind the city, enclosed with wall hung with shreds in which paras175 sewed up by all religions, who believe they get rid of diseases thus.  Saw a large pottery supplying Alexandria and Constantinople: Consul’s176 females got drunk on board.  “My wife drunk”, said he.

Tuesday May 8th 1810

Cabin – writing letter to Matthews.177

Wednesday May 9th 1810178

Time passed as usual.  Hurricane from north-east.  No prospect of getting away.

Thursday May 10th 1810

Went on shore with Mr Ekenhead and the Dr Pellegrino, a philosopher,179 [and] one Lea, a Jew,180 who has been with the English and Americans twenty years, bewailing the loss of Jerusalem every night at twelve.  Blowing hard north-east.  Shot past the ship in the boat, and could not get back for an hour.  Rain in the evening and night.