DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9841#0168
XXXIII.]
TO LAKI.
149
to meet with any accident, I determined to go to Laki,
and thence, if I shall hear no better accounts of the
Xyldskalo, to traverse the Rhizoma, and part of the
plain of Apokdrona, and thus to enter Sfakia by the
ordinary pass of Askyfo.
Having come to this decision, I leave Haghi'a Irene
at a quarter past ten, and soon after meet three Greeks
who are driving two mules and an ass all laden with
manufactures of various kinds, brought from Syra, and
which they are now going to dispose of in the different
villages hereabouts. At a quarter past eleven, we reach
the summit of this long ascent, and again have a view
of both the Cretan and African seas. The plain of
Omalos is about five miles to the east: it is three or
four miles' wide and five or six long. As we descend
on the north side of the mountain-chain, which we have
just crossed, the Akroteri, Cape Spadha and the whole
gulf of Khania come into view. We halt from soon
after twelve till near one, and my companion makes a
sketch of the wide view which we have before us. At
twenty minutes before three we reach Orthuni, and, in
about an hour more, arrive at the considerable village
of Laki.
The snow-clad mountains, visible from Laki, have
each of them a particular name. To the south-east is
Aliakes, to the south-west, or nearly so, is Aguzi, and
between these two is Papalakos.
The Lakidtes acted a most conspicuous and honour-
able part in the war. This was partly owing to their
active habits, caused by the mountainous nature of their
country ; but still more to their having been accustomed
to the use of fire-arms, both for the chase on their
neighbouring mountains, and for less innocent objects,
which, in so wild and savage a state of society as that
which existed in Crete, before the outbreaking of the
Greek revolution, used constantly to offer themselves.
In those times they used often to have petty wars with
the Turks: that is, a Lakidte would cut off a Turk
TO LAKI.
149
to meet with any accident, I determined to go to Laki,
and thence, if I shall hear no better accounts of the
Xyldskalo, to traverse the Rhizoma, and part of the
plain of Apokdrona, and thus to enter Sfakia by the
ordinary pass of Askyfo.
Having come to this decision, I leave Haghi'a Irene
at a quarter past ten, and soon after meet three Greeks
who are driving two mules and an ass all laden with
manufactures of various kinds, brought from Syra, and
which they are now going to dispose of in the different
villages hereabouts. At a quarter past eleven, we reach
the summit of this long ascent, and again have a view
of both the Cretan and African seas. The plain of
Omalos is about five miles to the east: it is three or
four miles' wide and five or six long. As we descend
on the north side of the mountain-chain, which we have
just crossed, the Akroteri, Cape Spadha and the whole
gulf of Khania come into view. We halt from soon
after twelve till near one, and my companion makes a
sketch of the wide view which we have before us. At
twenty minutes before three we reach Orthuni, and, in
about an hour more, arrive at the considerable village
of Laki.
The snow-clad mountains, visible from Laki, have
each of them a particular name. To the south-east is
Aliakes, to the south-west, or nearly so, is Aguzi, and
between these two is Papalakos.
The Lakidtes acted a most conspicuous and honour-
able part in the war. This was partly owing to their
active habits, caused by the mountainous nature of their
country ; but still more to their having been accustomed
to the use of fire-arms, both for the chase on their
neighbouring mountains, and for less innocent objects,
which, in so wild and savage a state of society as that
which existed in Crete, before the outbreaking of the
Greek revolution, used constantly to offer themselves.
In those times they used often to have petty wars with
the Turks: that is, a Lakidte would cut off a Turk