84 THE entomologist's rkcord. 



week or two later, when I was up in the mountains at Kalavryta, and 

 the thermometer was standing, even at that elevation, at from 80^ to 

 90° F. in the shade, I used to think of these wretched prisoners, and 

 what their sufferings must be, pent up day and night, in that swelter- 

 ing oven down at Mesolonghi. 



There were two monasteries in the neighbourhood of Kalavryta, 

 both celebrated for patriotic reasons. The monastery of Hagia Lavra 

 is distinguished for having been the first place in Greece from whence 

 waved the flag of freedom after the occupation of the Turks, and the 

 monastery of Megaspelaeon, still more celebrated for having been the 

 only place in Greece, which, owing to its absolutely impregnable situation, 

 never surrendered to the Turks at all. The word Megaspelaeon implies 

 " built into the rock," and this is exactly what it is. Several hundred 

 feet of precipitous rock rise up immediately above this wonderful 

 structure, which is only approachable from below by a zigzag bridle- 

 path winding up the steep mountain side. The monks and priests of 

 the Greek Church are not close-shaven like their Catholic neighbours, 

 but on the contrary they seem to prefer the cultivation of long patri- 

 archal beards, so that their appearance is altogether a great deal more 

 pleasing, not to say picturesque. The expression of their faces is often 

 sad, and they give one the idea of men who have grasped the responsi- 

 bility of life, and are trying to act accordingly. Their hospitality to 

 travellers and strangers is charming, and though their fare is simple, 

 and their mode of living of the roughest, their courtesy and simplicity 

 is ever calculated to command respect. On one occasion when we were 

 out collecting beyond the monastery of Hagia Lavra, a bright sunny 

 morning had clouded over to end in a downpour of rain, accompanied 

 by thunder and lightning, such as seldom occurs save in these hot 

 southern countries, and though we rode as quickly as was possible over the 

 rocky mountain paths, I arrived at the monastery drenched tlirough 

 and through. At once the kindly monks were ready to render me any 

 service that lay in their power. They had a kind of open stove filled 

 with hot smouldering cinders placed at my disposal, and also provided 

 me with a cassock, with many apologies that they were not in a position 

 to offer me a more strictly feminine garment, while my own dress was 

 being dried. Then later on they placed before us a simple luncheon 

 of poached eggs and a kind of sweet confiture, very palatable at first, 

 but which I afterwards found was quite the reverse to an acquired 

 taste. This stuff is made from rose leaves and sugar, and is invariably 

 placed before the guest who visits these monasteries. Marcus hastily 

 told me in English that to offer any remuneration for the hospitality 

 received would be considered as an insult. My best thanks, expressed 

 through the medium of himself, he said, was all I was in a position to 

 bestow. None of these monks spoke any language but Greek, so that 

 on one occasion when I was purposing to pay another visit to Megas- 

 pelaeon, Marcus being away at Patras again for two days, I was glad 

 to secure the companionship of a " gentleman from Turkey," who 

 spoke a little P^ngiish, and Avhom I happened to meet in the train 

 returning from Zachlorou. He told me he was a Greek, but had come 

 from Turkey to sell bibles (he himself belonged to the Keformed 

 Church) and was now on his way to Kalavryta with that end in view. 

 1 suggested that it might perhaps be more to the purpose if he stopped 

 in Turkey, and tried to convert a few Mahometans ; to which he replied 



