126 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



Our road was in the line that leads to the pretty 

 village of Bonabat, leaving the no less pretty village 

 of Boujah on the right, but far away, and hidden 

 among the hills. These are two pleasant suburban 

 retreats that the merchants of Smyrna have estab- 

 lished as a ricovero from the toils of the city. Bona- 

 bat is more especially inhabited by the French, and 

 Boujah by the English. There is a third village, 

 somewhat farther off in the direction of Ephesus, 

 called SittaguL A few years ago, when the Turkey 

 trade was in its palmy days, the merchants used to 

 do their business in most agreeable style. It was 

 during certain months only that they went every day 

 to their offices, the rest of the year being permitted 

 to enjoyment At present, though perhaps somewhat 

 less magnificent in their style, they are eminently 

 comfortable in their ways. During the summer 

 months their families are removed to these pretty 

 country places ; and at sundown each evening the 

 ways are covered with the returning fathers and 

 brothers. For us Englishmen, Boujah was naturally 

 the accustomed haunt. Here is to be found the 

 charming mixture of nationalities, which is the 

 feature of Smyrneot society. Their ways are manly, 

 without constraint, and in many respects patriarchal. 

 The young ladies never wear bonnets, and are gene- 

 rally to be seen on a fine evening sitting in the open 

 air before their own gates. The whole community 

 having been pretty well all brought up together from 



