DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5074#0383
CLIMATE OP GREECE.
365
or some form of neuralgia. The extraordinary pre-
valence of the latter complaint, among all classes and
both sexes, must unquestionably be produced by the
climate, and it seemed fully to deserve the name we
heard given to it—" the curse of Attica." The stranger,
after a few days, finds his new strength has unac-
countably disappeared; a feeling of intense fatigue and
heavy limbs overpowers his energies, — and the hot,
suffocating nights bring him neither rest nor sleep; if
the mosquitos will let you venture out of your curtains,
you roam from room to room, or from bed to sofa and
sofa to bed— but you always arrive at the conviction that
there was more air in the place you have just left than
in the one you have just got to; your temples seem bound
up with cords and your head feels bursting: and then,
if you stay another month in Athens you are pretty
sure to have some attack of tic, which will fill you full
of sympathy for those Athenians who cannot leave
Athens during the heat of summer,
We knew, however, that refreshing air would be
found upon the mountains, and so in spite of all fears
we engaged a very highly recommended dragoman,
Spiro Adamopulus, to arrange a six days' excursion for
us, parting at the same time with our good Syrian
Habeeb Soma, who had accompanied us thus far. We
were anxious to travel in the same manner as we had
done in Syria, but alas ! we yielded reluctantly to the dis-
suasive eloquence of our new attendant—and included
only beds and provisions in our engagement with him.
I strongly advise no one else to listen to such dissua-
sions ; a tent adds but one mule to the troop, and
besides enabling you to stop where and when you
please, it affords you peace, quiet, and a sound refresh-
ing sleep: the dragomans are only unwilling to take it
365
or some form of neuralgia. The extraordinary pre-
valence of the latter complaint, among all classes and
both sexes, must unquestionably be produced by the
climate, and it seemed fully to deserve the name we
heard given to it—" the curse of Attica." The stranger,
after a few days, finds his new strength has unac-
countably disappeared; a feeling of intense fatigue and
heavy limbs overpowers his energies, — and the hot,
suffocating nights bring him neither rest nor sleep; if
the mosquitos will let you venture out of your curtains,
you roam from room to room, or from bed to sofa and
sofa to bed— but you always arrive at the conviction that
there was more air in the place you have just left than
in the one you have just got to; your temples seem bound
up with cords and your head feels bursting: and then,
if you stay another month in Athens you are pretty
sure to have some attack of tic, which will fill you full
of sympathy for those Athenians who cannot leave
Athens during the heat of summer,
We knew, however, that refreshing air would be
found upon the mountains, and so in spite of all fears
we engaged a very highly recommended dragoman,
Spiro Adamopulus, to arrange a six days' excursion for
us, parting at the same time with our good Syrian
Habeeb Soma, who had accompanied us thus far. We
were anxious to travel in the same manner as we had
done in Syria, but alas ! we yielded reluctantly to the dis-
suasive eloquence of our new attendant—and included
only beds and provisions in our engagement with him.
I strongly advise no one else to listen to such dissua-
sions ; a tent adds but one mule to the troop, and
besides enabling you to stop where and when you
please, it affords you peace, quiet, and a sound refresh-
ing sleep: the dragomans are only unwilling to take it