AFTER IBEX IN JOUEA 293 



and night at Syra, a day at Piraeus, a day at Yolo, a 

 night at anchor near Thermopylae (there being no 

 lights in these waters), and several hours at Chalcis 

 waiting for the favourable time of tide to negotiate 

 the narrow passage of the Negropont, extended it to 

 no less than six days. It was rough nearly all the 

 time, and rough weather on Greek steamboats, and 

 especially with Greek fellow - passengers, is not an 

 enviable experience. 



However, it was over at last ; and at Skopelos, 

 where we arrived on December 18, Mr Gialeraki's 

 relative, Mr Stergios Stergiou, whom we had advised 

 of our arrival, met us, and carried us off to his house. 

 Here we found an American citizen, a native of 

 Skopelos, who was able to interpret for us. We 

 were obliged to go to his house also, and to that 

 of the local doctor — a great Nimrod, who had a stuffed 

 seal to exhibit, which he said he had shot. He was 

 very anxious to go with us to Joura, and presented 

 V. with a silver cartouche-box in the hope of gaining 

 his end, but our dragoman persuaded him that we 

 had no room in our tent, which was true enough. 

 It did not take us long to come to terms with the 

 skipper of a cutter, whom Mr Stergiou had in wait- 

 ing, and we arranged to start early next morning. 

 Of course there were endless delays ; but at last we 

 did get away, and sailed for Joura. Perhaps I should 

 rather have written "rowed," for the day, though 

 lovely, was one of dead calm, and most of our pro- 

 gress was due to the sweeps which the Evcmgelist 

 carried. Our course lay close along the shores of a 

 chain of small islands, the names of which I have 

 forgotten. Towards night the captain wished to 

 anchor, but we insisted on being at Joura in time 



