A VISIT TO THE MONASTERIES OF MOUNT ATHOS. 151 



cause half a day to be consumed in reaching a convent 

 not over a mile distant in a straight line. 



At the monastery of S. Paul almost all are Cepha- 

 lonians, and, consequently, once under the British flag. 

 Of these the greater number are British patriots at 

 heart. The monks of Athos regard with equally little 

 confidence both Eussia, who supplies them with the 

 greater part of their pilgrims, and Turkey whose tri- 

 butaries they are ; for one of their chief anxieties is 

 for their possessions in Macedonia. 



Altogether there are said to be upwards of three 

 thousand monks on Mount Athos and as many lay 

 servants, and the number of monasteries is twenty- 

 two. 



I left Constantinople in the small steamer of the 

 Greek Courtgi Company (which runs alternately with 

 the Turkish Company's boat), and reached Daphne 

 which is the port of Mount Athos after a fine passage 

 not always to be expected in the ^Egean during 

 winter. There was an English passenger besides 

 myself, namely, Lloyd's agent at Constantinople, 

 going to Salonica to map out the exact position of a 

 wreck. There was also a Persian gentleman, who, 

 according to his own account, was pursuing about the 

 Singitic Gulf one of his own cargo boats, which had 

 not turned up when expected, manned by Greek 

 sailors, the most erratic and independent of mariners. 

 Before arriving at Daphne one coasts along the west 

 side of the Holy Mountain, which rises rugged and 

 precipitous, and rears its sharp point over six thousand 



