42 PREVESA. BATTLE OF ACTIUM. 



row, but well paved, has suffered considerably 

 from the weather, and from having been allowed 

 to go to decay, is well-nigh impassable at places, 

 although with a little trouble artillery might be 

 brought over it. The country is mountainous 

 and barren, but the valleys shew some slight 

 signs of cultivation, whilst the snow-topped Peri- 

 dus in the background gives the whole a wild 

 and picturesque appearance. The great want of 

 population struck me the most. Can it be the 

 plague that has depopulated this country, or 

 must we, however unwillingly, ascribe it to the 

 oppressive character of its government ? 



Arta is a very neat town ; but its situation, 

 close to a very large marsh, must render it miser- 

 ably unhealthy in the summer and autumn. The 

 next day a ride of five hours brought us to 

 Satagora, where we embarked for Prevesa, where 

 we arrived in a few hours with the land wind, 

 which always blows out of the gulf at night. We 

 remained one day at Prevesa, and visited the 

 far-famed city of Nicopolis, built by Augustus 

 Caesar, in honour of the victory gained at Actium 

 over the fleets of Antony and Cleopatra. This 

 battle is supposed to have been fought off Pre- 



