Chap. VIL of Monfieur Tavernier. 



City that looks toward the Winter- Weft, near to the Sea, appear the Ruines of 

 a Mole , and certain ancient Magazins. 



The Englijh Merchants have dig'd among the Ruines of Smyrna , and have found 

 great ftore of fair Statues, which they tranlported into their own Country. There 

 are ftill found fomc or other every dayj but when the Turks find any, they disfigure 

 them prelently. It may be conjeftur'd , that there was one of a prodigious bignefs, 

 by a great Toe broken off of fome one, arid for which I paid fufficiently, out of the 

 defire I had to buy it. I fent it to Paris to a Perfon of Quality, who look'd upon 

 it as a great Curiofity. This Toe was of a hard white Stone , and well fhap'd, 

 and by the proportion whereof, the Figure could not be judg'd to be lefs than the 

 Colojfus of Rhodes. 



Upon that fide of the City where the Mole was, Hands an old Caftle of no defence, 

 at the foot whereof the Sea makes a fmall Creek , where fometimes the Galliès of the 

 Grand Signor lye. 



The City is well peopl'd , containing .no lefs than fourfcore and ten thoufand Souls. 

 There are reckon'd no lefs than 60000 Turks , 1 5000 Greeks , 8000 Armenians , and 

 about fix or feven thoufand Jews. As for the European Chriftians that Trade there, 

 their number is very fmall. Every one of thefe Nations has the exercife of their 

 Religion free to themfelves. The Turks have in Smyrna fifteen Mofyuces , the Jews 

 feven Synagogues , the Armenians but one Church , the Greeks two , and the Latins 

 three. There are alfo French Jefuits , and Italian Obfervantins , or a fort of Grey 

 Franciscans. The Turks , the Greeks , the Armenians , and Jews live upon the Hill •, 

 but all the lower part' toward the Sea is inhabited only by the European Chriftians, 

 English, French, Hollanders , and Italians. The Greeks have alfo in the fame Quar- 

 ter an old Church, and fome few fmall Houfes, where Sea-men make merry. v 



All thefe different People of Europe are generally known in Smyrna by the Name 

 of Franks. Every Nation has its Conful : and the French Conful has two Vice-Confuls 

 under him ; the one at Scalanova , the other at Chio. 



Scalanova , or the New Port , is two Leagues beyond Ephefm , and being a good 

 Haven , the Veflels were worlt to unlade there ; but the Turks would not permit 

 it any longer. For that Place being the Dowry of the Grand Signor's Mother, the 

 Vice-Conful agreed with the Governour of Scalanova, who permitted theTranfpor- 

 tation of Goods to Smyrna, which is not above three little days journey with the 

 Caravan : A thing that fpoil'd the Trade of the City, and injur'd the Officers of the 

 Cuftom-Houfe. Whereupon they Petition'd the Grand Signor that no more Goods 

 might be unladed at Scalantva : lb that now no more Veflels go thither , unlefs it 

 be to take in frefh Victuals. 



Chio is one of the greateft Hands in the Archipelago , of which in another place : 

 but the Vice-C»nful that lives there has no more bufinefs there than the other at 

 Scalamva ; for the Veflels that touch there , neither unlade nor export any Goods 

 from thence. 



The Quarter of the Franks is only a long Street , ose fide whereof lyes upon the 

 Sea ; and as well for the Profpeft, as for the convenience of Unlading Goods, the 

 Houfes upon the Sea are much dearer than thofe that lye upon the Hill. 



The Soil zbovtSmyrna is fertil , and abounds in all things neceflary for humane 

 fupport } but particularly in good Oyl and good Wine. There are Salt-Pits alfo half 

 a League from the City, toward the North. The Sea affords great ftore of good 

 Fifti} Fowl is very cheap} and in a word, Smyrna is a place of great plenty. There 

 is a lovely Walk all along the Sea to the Salt-Pits , where generally abundance of 

 People walk in the Summer-time to take the frefh Air: and there being more 

 liberty at Smyrna than in any other part of Turkic , there is no neceflity of taking 

 a Jamfary along , when a man goes abroad. If a man loves Fowling , it is but 

 taking a Boat, which lands him two or three Leagues from the City, toward the 

 Mountains , where thare is fo much Game that he can never return empty. For the 

 value of three Sous you may buy a red Partridge at Smyrna , and all other Fowl is 

 proportionably cheap. 



But if Smyrna have thefe great advantages , it has alfo its inconveniences : the 

 Heats are very exceffive in Summer , and indeed they would be infupportable, were 

 it not for the Breezes that come off the Sea: thefe Breezes rife about ten in thè 

 Morning, and continue till the Evening-, but if they fail, tis very bad for the 



E Irihi- 



