VIEW OF MOUNT OLYMPUS. 177 



should have a bouyourdi from the pasha to 

 enable us to escape dogana dues, and that by this 

 means he, the said worthy chief of the customs, 

 should be disappointed of the backshish he had 

 doubtless made up his mind was about to find its 

 way into his pocket, he could not or would not 

 comprehend. " But why do you pay no dogana 

 dues ?" he asked. " ErZi OeXei 6 Uacrag " (" Be- 

 cause the pasha pleases"), was the reply he got, 

 which being conclusive, we proceeded on our way 

 to Platamona without further interruption, and 

 arrived there in about ten hours from Larissa. 



Olympus' snowy top opened again upon our 

 view, as soon as we had passed Tempe, and we 

 were in his company for many days. I think it 

 is the highest mountain I have ever seen at so 

 short a distance from the sea, about ten thousand 

 feet, I should imagine, above its level. What a 

 magnificent view must there not be from the top ! 

 The ascent, I was given to understand, is not 

 difficult, but at the season of the year that we 

 passed its foot, the immense quantities of snow 

 must render it an arduous and not remarkably 

 agreeable undertaking. 



We had hoped to be able to get a boat at Pla- 

 I 3 



