IN THE MOREA. 



47 



Sicily, they have the delicacy and transparency of complexion, with 

 the brown or auburn hair, which seems peculiar to the colder regions. 

 Indeed, from the vicinity to the sea, the summers here are never in- 

 tensely hot, nor are the winters severe in this southern climate ; the 

 same causes in some of the Greek islands produce the same effect, 

 and the women are much more beautiful in general than those of the 

 same latitude on the continent. The men, too, are a well propor- 

 tioned and active race, not above the middle size, but spare, sinewy, 

 and muscular. 



The Capitanessa wore a light blue shawl-gown, embroidered with 

 gold ; a sash tied loosely round her waist ; and a short vest without 

 sleeves of embroidered crimson velvet. Over these was a dark green 

 velvet Polonese mantle, with wide and open sleeves, also richly em- 

 broidered. On her head was a green velvet cap, embroidered with 

 gold, and appearing like a coronet, and a white and gold muslin shawl 

 fixed on the right shoulder, and passed across her bosom under the 

 left arm floated over the coronet and hung to the ground behind 

 her. 



Her uncle's dress was equally magnificent. He wore a close vest 

 with open sleeves of white and gold embroidery, and a short black 

 velvet mantle with sleeves edged with sables. The sash which held his 

 pistols and his poignard was a shawl of red and gold. His light blue 

 trowsers were gathered at the knee, and below them were close gaiters 

 of blue cloth with gold embroidery, and silver gilt bosses to protect 

 the ancles. When he left the house, he flung on his shoulders a rich 

 cloth mantle with loose sleeves, which was blue without and red with- 

 in, embroidered with gold in front and down the sleeves in the most 

 sumptuous manner. His turban was green and gold ; and, contrary 

 to the Turkish custom, his grey hair hung down below it. The dress 

 of the lower orders is in the same form, with the necessary variations 

 in the quality of the materials and absence of the ornaments. It 

 differed considerably from that of the Turks, and the shoes were made 

 either of yellow or untanned leather, and fitted tightly to the foot. 

 The hair was never shaved, and the women wore gowns like those of 



