Travels in Crete
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This is a reproduction of a library book that was digitized by Google as part of an ongoing effort to preserve the information in books and make it universally accessible. https://books.google.com A 6 4 1 6 9 0 TRAVELS IN CRETE wae,…ſº eiſ· , , , , y !!!!!!! ·|- ſae:|-ſae- --|-----!!!!!!!:(-,+,·---- |-- -ſae|-|-· ſae.--------· ſaeſae T R A V E L S IN C R E TE by ROBERT PASHLEY ESQ. rri, Low or trinity coli, regrº cambitid Gre VOLUME I CAMBRIDGE PRINTED AT THE PITT PRESS BY John W. PARKER PRINTER TO THE UNI y ERSITY LONDON JOHN MURRAY ALB E MARL E STREET M D CCC xxx Wii INSCRIBED To HENRY MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE AS A SLIGHT TESTIMONY OF RESPECT Fort HIS LITERARY TASTES AND ACQUIREMENTS \ \a Yºse Wysº, ow *T* -\s, nº \*-,-, c. Tº sº P R E F A C E. I spent the spring and summer of the year 1833 in the Ionian Islands, Albania, and Greece; its autumn in some of the north-western parts of Asia Minor and at Constantinople; and the following months of December and January at Malta. Before I left England, towards the end of 1832, the Lords of the Admiralty had given an official order to Captain Copeland, R.N. who was likely to be en gaged, the following spring, in surveying the Asiatic coast, between the Dardanelles and Mytilene, to render me every assistance in his power, consistent with the due progress of the Survey, in my travels and re searches. Captain Beaufort, Hydrographer to the Admiralty, at whose instance the order of the Board was given, was anxious to make the Survey in some way subser vient to the advancement of our knowledge of ancient viii PR E FA C E. topography. It is easy to conceive, that the author of “Karamania” must have regretted that so excellent an opportunity of learning something about the anti quities of the more northern parts of Asia Minor, should be lost. The Admiralty order, however, in my case, led to no results worth speaking of. On joining Captain Copeland, in the Beacon, at Mytilene, after my visit to Constantinople, I found that he was on the point of sailing for Malta, to winter there: and the season was too far advanced for me to have any prospect of being able to travel much in Asia Minor, if I remained. Still I was reluctant to go to Malta unless I could ensure my return to Greece or Turkey very early in the spring. It had been my good fortune, some months before, to become acquainted with Vice-Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm, whose long-continued presence in the neigh bourhood of Greece and its Islands, as Commander-in chief of the British Naval Forces in the Mediterranean, has communicated to him a degree of zeal for anti quarian pursuits, even something like that for which he is so highly distinguished within the sphere of his own profession. On sailing in the Beacon, from Mytilene to Wurlá, I found the British Squadron at anchor there, under Sir Pulteney's command. My hesitation to accede to PR E FA C E. ix Captain Copeland's proposal that I should accompany him to Malta, was at once removed. The Admiral kindly promised that he would take care to furnish me with the means of returning to Greece as soon as I should wish. I therefore went to Malta, and remained there several weeks. My residence at La Valetta rendered me as much Captain Copeland's debtor, for kindness and hospitality while on shore, as I had been when at Sea. Circumstances, which it is unnecessary here to state, made me very anxious to return to England; and it was with extreme reluctance that I prepared to go back to the East, even for the few months the result of which is partly exhibited in these volumes. I felt, however, bound at least to visit Crete. Had I not done so, the greater part of a twelvemonth spent by me in Greece and Turkey, would have led to no useful or permanent result. On the morning of Wednesday the 5th of February 1834, I left Malta, in the Hind Cutter, commanded by Lieutenant Coleman, who was under orders to land me at Khaniá. Early the following Saturday, I saw the blue mountain-tops of Greece, and, in the afternoon of the same day, landed in Crete. X PR E FA C E. I was accompanied by Signor Antonio Schranz, a native of Spain, who has been long domiciliated with his family at Malta, and to whose pencil the reader of these volumes is indebted for nearly all the engravings which they contain'. Early in the following September I hired a Greek schooner of Hydhra, at Khaniá, for my voyage to Italy. After a very bad passage, of nearly thirty days, I landed at the lazaretto of Ancona, in the be ginning of October. I spent part of December at Venice, and the reader will find sufficient evidence of my employment there, in the extracts from unpublished manuscripts, which are occasionally given in the notes to these volumes, and more especially in the Appendix. I arrived in London on the 1st of February 1835, and in the course of that year had almost prepared my Travels in Crete for the press, when events occurred in consequence of which I spent a considerable part of the ensuing winter in Germany. Thus I could not go to press till the last summer: and, even since I began to print, I have experienced some interrup tions, which have compelled me, however reluctantly, greatly to curtail my work. ! Mr Glasscott, R.N. also went with me to Khaniá from Malta, but was unable, from indisposition, to travel in the island, and, after staying at Khaniá for about two months, rejoined his ship the Beacon on the coast of Asia Minor. PR E FA C E. xi My acknowledgements are due to the Syndics of the Pitt Press, in the University of Cambridge, for a very liberal contribution, out of the funds at their disposal, towards the typographical expenses of the present publication. I have also to express my grateful acknowledge ments to the Reverend Frederick Field, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, for the aid which he has kindly rendered me in correcting the sheets of these volumes as they passed through the press. ...” LoNDoN, Jan. 3, 1837. C O N T E N T S OF VOLUME I. CHAPTER I. Pagr WIEw of the White Mountains. Arrival at Khaniá. The Ramazán and Carnival. Town of Khaniá. Venetian remains. Lion of Saint Mark. Saint Titus the Patron of Crete. Consuls of the European powers. Festival of the Bairám. Visit to Ismaël-bey. Language of the Cretans. The Mohammedans of Crete drink wine. The site of Cydonia determined............. -------- -------------- -------------- CHAPTER II. Visit to Hághios Elevthérios. Description of the monasteries and 18 grottos of the Akrotéri............................................. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CHAPTER III. From Khaniá to Palaeokastron near the bay of Südha. Effects of Venetian misgovernment. Cretan and Molossian dogs. Cretan character............................................................................. - - - - - 28 CHAPTER IV. Description of the ruins at Palaeokastron. Discovery of a sarcopha gus, a statue, and ancient inscriptions. Political power of the Cretan Demos. Determination of the sites of Minoa, Amphimalla, xiv CONTENTS. Aptera, and Kisamos. Legend respecting the Sirens and the Muses, and identification of the islands Leucae with the rocks of Südha. Origin of the error respecting the site of Aptera explained. Coins of Aptera. Mount Berecynthos, and metallurgy of the Idaean Dactyls................................................................................... 36 CHAPTER V. Plain of Apokórona. Hippocoronion. Ruins of a middle-age fortress. Hamlet of Rhamné. Cretan fare and beds. Appeal of a papás. Deaths by impaling during the Revolution. Determination of the sites of Amphimalla, Amphimatrion, Corion, the Coresian Lake, Hydramon, and Pantomatrion. Meeting with the Sfakian captain Maniás, who becomes my guide. Brief account of his adventures. Cretan song. Ruined village of Episkopé................................. 61 CHAPTER VI. Captain Maniás. Ceremonious politeness of the Cretan peasantry. Sites of Polichna, and Lampe, or Lappa. Fountain of the Holy Virgins. Identity between ancient and modern superstitions. Cretan fountains, poplars, and platanes. Venetian remains at and near Hághios Konstantínos. Cretan orange-trees. Monastery of Prophét-Elías. Resemblance of the modern Greek monks to the contemporaries of Jerome. Arrival at the gates of Rhithymnos. ... 81 CHAPTER VII. Rhithymna. Visit to the Governor of Rhithymnos. The Moham medan Sabbath. Account of the Kurmúlidhes. Exploits of Glemédh-Ali, and Cretan song on his death. Village of Peghe. - Spyridhon Papadhákes. Atrocities perpetrated during the Greek Revolution. Produce and consumption of oil in Crete. Convent of Arsáni. Mendicant priests of ancient and modern times. Pérama not the site of Pergamos. Melidhóni and its grotto. Destruction of Christians who took refuge in it. Mount Tallaeos. Talos. Ancient human sacrifices. Account of the grotto and its inscription. Modern Christian names.................................. 101 CONT ENTS. x V CHAPTER VIII. -au Gharázo. Places called 'Axos and Elévtherna. Rain, wine, and modern songs. Celibacy of the regular clergy. Visit to the site of Axos. Ancient remains, and inscriptions. Orphic traditions respecting Zeus and Persephone. The ancient Syncretism. Phy sical features of Axos. Site of Panormos. Ride to Gonies.......... 143 CHAPTER IX. Gonies to Tylisso, the site of Tylissos. The Cretan ibex, or wild-goat, and the dictamnon. Fountain of Selvili. Song on the death of Captain Theódhoros. Arrival at Megàlo-Kāstron. European Consulates, especially those of France and Great Britain. The British flag insulted by a pasha of Khaniá. ................................ 161 CHAPTER X. Visit to Mustafá-pasha. Change in the treatment of Europeans by Mohammedans of rank. Osmán-bey.