12 CORFU. 



Here, however, I shall bid adieu to Trieste, 

 which place we left on the 10th October, 

 1857, in the Bombay steamer, a fine vessel 

 of 950 tons, and 400-liorse power ; and a 

 very pleasant passage we had along the east- 

 ern coast of the Adriatic ; past Dalmatia and 

 Albania, to Cherukeira, the capital of Corfu, 

 where we merely stopped to coal. The scenery 

 of this coast is exceedingly wild ; the hills 

 barren, save a scanty covering of scrubby brush- 

 wood. Corfu is supposed to be the isle ot 

 Calypso, though some attribute the honour to 

 Fano, others to Gozo. Further on lie the Acro- 

 ceraunian mountains, on the Albanian shore, 

 and the Ionian Sea rippled around us. At Corfu 

 were supposed to be the gardens of Alcinons, 

 and in that island blossom naturally the rho- 

 dodendron, almond, cypress, and olive, in the 

 greatest possible luxuriance. The Corfu ladles 

 of the upper class dress in the European style, 

 and dress in bad taste ; but the servant girls 

 continue their picturesque national costume, 

 their hair being braided into the folds of their 

 turbans, with open-laced bodices and sleeves. 

 St Spiridion is the patron Saint of the island, 

 and his body, dry as a mummy, is, I was told, 



