140 MEMOIR OF FLEEMING JENKIN 



was again caught in the last noose, with about four 

 inches to spare. Five minutes afterwards it again 

 parted and was yet once more caught. Mr. Liddell 

 (whom I had called) could stand this no longer ; 

 so we buoyed the line and ran into a bay in Siphano, 

 waiting for calm weather, though I was by no means 

 of opinion that the slight sea and wind had been 

 the cause of our failures. All next day (Monday) 

 we lay off Siphano, amusing ourselves on shore with 

 fowling pieces and navy revolvers. I need not say 

 we killed nothing ; and luckily we did not wound 

 any of ourselves. A guardiano accompanied us, 

 his functions being limited to preventing actual 

 contact with the natives, for they might come as 

 near and talk as much as they pleased. These isles 

 of Greece are sad, interesting places. They are 

 not really barren all over, but they are quite 

 destitute of verdure ; and tufts of thyme, wild 

 mastic or mint, though they sound well, are not 

 nearly so pretty as grass. Many little churches, 

 glittering white, dot the islands ; most of them, 

 I believe, abandoned during the whole year with 

 the exception of one day sacred to their patron 

 saint. The villages are mean, but the inhabitants 

 do not look wretched and the men are good sailors. 

 There is something in this Greek race yet ; they 

 will become a powerful Levantine nation in the 

 course of time. What a lovely moonlight evening 

 that was ! the barren island cutting the clear 



