265 

 THE HEIGHTS OF PHALERE. 



IN the early part of the year 1827, the Greek government deemed it 

 advisable to take some measures for the relief of Athens. The Acropolis 

 had been for some months strictly invested by the Turks, and although 

 the gallant Colonel Fabvier had succeeded in reinforcing the garrison 

 with 500 men; yet there was little hope of their holding out much 

 longer, against the privations and incessant fatigue they had to endure. 



The allowance of water had for some time been limited to half an 

 occa (little better than a pint) to each individual daily, eggs were sold at 

 two dollars a piece, and though barley was abundant, yet fuel there was 

 none. All buildings containing wood, had long since been pulled down 

 for the sake of that, then precious, material. Frequent sorties had been 

 made, and many lives lost in the attempt to procure a few faggots from 

 the olive trees in the plain, and the garrison were now reduced to the 

 necessity of contributing a portion of their barley rations, to burn in the 

 ovens, in order that the rest might be partially baked. Added to this 

 the endemic disease of the country was amongst them, to perfect the 

 work that famine and fatigue had begun. At this crisis letters were 

 received by the government, stating that the fortress would be sur- 

 rendered to Kioutahi Pacha, the commander-in-chief of the besieging 

 army, at the end of three weeks, if nothing could be done for its relief. 



An army of six or seven thousand men was immediately recruited, 

 and the command entrusted to a European officer well known for his 

 generous advocacy of the Greek cause. The head-quarters were esta- 

 blished at Metochi, a small farm near Megara, opposite the convent of 

 Faneromeni, in the Island of Salamis. 



Having come to a determination to join the expedition, I left Napoli 

 for Piada, beginning my journey with the sun, having a ride of eight 

 hours to perform. The road from Napoli to Piada winds between a 

 double range of hills, whose grey and barren summits are beautifully 

 contrasted with the luxuriant productions of the valleys. The oleander, 

 the arbutus, the myrtle, and the rhododendron, are here indigenous, and 

 the air is richly impregnated with the odours of wild thyme, and other 

 aromatic herbs, which form the pasturage on the slopes of the hills. 

 As the war has never penetrated into this part of the Argolide, the 

 mountains are still covered with numerous flocks of sheep and goats ; 

 cultivation there is none, except in the vicinity of Ligurio, the only 

 village on the road. As there are no inns the traveller is under the 

 necessity of carrying his larder with him. After a four hours ride 

 under a burning sun, I alighted at a spot inviting at once to rest and 

 refection a few trees capable of giving shade, and a cold crystal moun- 

 tain rivulet were the attractions. Bread, olives, and a skin of wine 

 were spread before me by the hands of my trusty palikar, who set me 

 an example, by commencing an attack upon them in the patriarchal 

 style ; knives, forks, cups, and other the like varieties being held in 

 utter contempt by the unsophisticated Greeks. After a short siesta to 

 allow the mid-day heat to pass away, I resumed my journey, and about 

 an hour before sunset reached Piada, now a miserable village, about a 

 mile and a half from the sea-shore. My palikar, who prided himself 

 upon his English, assured me, that Piada was a place " as is vas before 

 (his invariable mode of expressing the past) call Epidaurus." This 

 ingenious torturer of tongues for he served French and Italian in the 



M. M. No. 81. T 



