Fellows, Charles: Travels and researches in Asia Minor, more particularly in the province of Lycia (London, 1852)

392

CHAPTER XXIII.

RHODES.—CITY OF RHODES.—SAILORS.—LAYISSE.—CARMYLESSTJS.—RE-
TURN TO THE YEEILASSIES.—REYIEW OE LYCIA.

Ma/y \%th.—Thirty hours' endurance of the sea, mostly in a
scorching sun, brought us at two o'clock in the morning to
the quay within the stately harbour of Ehodes. The beautiful
tower, which is the striking feature of the city, commands
the entrance. The password being called, we landed, and
by the light of a full moon spread our carpet on the quay,
and enjoyed an English breakfast of tea and toast, long be-
fore the inhabitants of the town opened their gates.

I was surprised to find that the city retains so much of
the buildings and fortifications of the Knights of Ehodes.
Probably the only change in the view of the town from the
harbour, during the last eight centuries, is the elegant mi-
narets of the Turkish mosques here and there peering above
the walls. Armorial bearings and architectural ornaments,
of what we call the Tudor age, are seen on the fronts of
almost every house; and to those who take an interest in
the history of the middle ages, the castle where the last resist-
ance and surrender was made, and the tower under which
sixteen thousand Turks fell before it yielded to their sway,
illustrate perfectly the scenes and events recorded. Many
dates are on the walls, blended with gothic ornaments gene-
rally of about the tenth century. The rocks alone point

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ufler bar'
s modern built
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ji other tn
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ilitant* | :
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