DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4592#0027
GREEK RECLUSE. 2T
snows. Among these was plainly to be seen Mount
Taygetus, immortalized by Virgil.
"Taygetiquc canes domitorque Epidaurus cquorum."
its tall summit rises above the others, capped with
eternal snow. In some places flocks of goats were
seen feeding. The whole coast is entirely destitute
of timber.
At one point of the Morea, the cell of a Greek re-
cluse was pointed out to us. It was situated in a small
notch of a tall mountain that comes down to the sea
with a bold and precipitous base. It would seem from
all I could discern, that no passage could be found to
the place by either land or water, without extreme
labor. In that notch the hermit lives in his cell, and
cultivates a few feet of ground, voluntarily excluding
himself from all society. I know nothing of his his-
tory, and only had the fact communicated to me in
broken English. He was not out, or we could have
seen him from our distance.
On the morning of December 3d, we found ourselves
in the harbor of Syra. A pretty Greek town pre-
sented itself in front of us, rising in terraces from the
water's edge, on the side of a mountain, in a very-
picturesque manner. At the summit of the town
stands a large Greek Convent, quite conspicuous from
its location. On the opposite side of the harbor stands
the Lazaretto, which shows to good advantage. The
island of Syra, like many around it, is small, moun-
tainous, and of sterile appearance. It is, however, a
central place for vessels in the L-vant to touch at,
and has a good harbor.
Here a part of the passengers exchanged steamers.
snows. Among these was plainly to be seen Mount
Taygetus, immortalized by Virgil.
"Taygetiquc canes domitorque Epidaurus cquorum."
its tall summit rises above the others, capped with
eternal snow. In some places flocks of goats were
seen feeding. The whole coast is entirely destitute
of timber.
At one point of the Morea, the cell of a Greek re-
cluse was pointed out to us. It was situated in a small
notch of a tall mountain that comes down to the sea
with a bold and precipitous base. It would seem from
all I could discern, that no passage could be found to
the place by either land or water, without extreme
labor. In that notch the hermit lives in his cell, and
cultivates a few feet of ground, voluntarily excluding
himself from all society. I know nothing of his his-
tory, and only had the fact communicated to me in
broken English. He was not out, or we could have
seen him from our distance.
On the morning of December 3d, we found ourselves
in the harbor of Syra. A pretty Greek town pre-
sented itself in front of us, rising in terraces from the
water's edge, on the side of a mountain, in a very-
picturesque manner. At the summit of the town
stands a large Greek Convent, quite conspicuous from
its location. On the opposite side of the harbor stands
the Lazaretto, which shows to good advantage. The
island of Syra, like many around it, is small, moun-
tainous, and of sterile appearance. It is, however, a
central place for vessels in the L-vant to touch at,
and has a good harbor.
Here a part of the passengers exchanged steamers.