A RIDE ACROSS THE PELOPONNESE. 175 



too far away to be reached in a single day. Andrit- 

 zena was to be our first stage. Thither, accordingly, 

 we set out at eight o'clock next morning, riding 

 along the left bank of the Alpheus over ground very 

 much broken and rich in vegetation of all kinds. 

 Anemones, scarlet, purple, and white, shone about 

 our path ; evergreen shrubs, bay-trees, mastic, and 

 laurestinus abounded ; and every now and again we 

 passed a pear-tree loaded with white blossom, or a 

 judas-tree clad in gorgeous pink. The scenery re- 

 minded me of the Trossachs, though softer in char- 

 acter and on a smaller scale. Up and down among 

 hillocks picturesquely wooded with oak and fir and 

 pine wound the path, now descending deep into some 

 thick glade, fit ambush for the brigands one hears 

 so much of, now climbing some height from which 

 one got a grand view of the river winding through the 

 valley below, and the green heights on the other side. 

 About eleven o'clock we came to a little village 

 standing on a spur which ran out across our path, and 

 round which the river takes a bend northward. As 

 we went through the place, we passed a house from 

 the balcony of which hung several gay-coloured rugs, 

 shawls, and scarves. We learnt that this was a 

 wedding trousseau. The bride herself, a pretty girl 

 with black hair, rosy cheeks, and dark glancing eyes, 

 shortly appeared, to whom we raised our hats and 

 wished her, through our mouthpiece Nicholas, every 

 happiness. 



