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MOUNT ATHOS. 



of the Athoan Jove*, rears itself with awful grandeur above the sur- 

 rounding mountains. The manner in which the torrents, breaking 

 from the cliffs above St. Anne's, are distributed by a thousand little 

 wooden aqueducts, so as to water every spot of garden or vineyard, is 

 worthy of being remarked. Falling from terrace to terrace in cas- 

 cades, they occasionally unite, to pass through tunnels of wicker-work 

 to turn the water-mills for grinding corn. The woods and thickets in 

 the neighbourhood are extremely luxuriant, and the Andrachne arbu- 

 tus flourishes in such profusion as to supply the common fuel. The 

 season was unfavorable for our visiting the summit of Athos, whence 

 the monks assured us that all the islands of the Cyclades may be seen, 

 and even Constantinople, in clear weather. They reckon it a journey 

 of five hours from the hermitages to the top of Mount Athos. 



From St. Anne's we had a hot and fatiguing walk to the monastery 

 of St. Paul. This edifice was originally founded for Bulgarian Monks, 

 but it is no w filled solely by Greeks. In their library we examined near- 

 ly five hundred old manuscripts ; but they were all in the Illyric or 

 Servian language, except a Greek psalter of no value. The present 

 Emperor of Russia, Paul, has been prevailed upon by some travelling 

 caloyers to send a sum of money hither to repair and beautify the 

 convent and church. It is thus that Russia keeps up the attachment of 

 the Greeks ; the smallest gift bestowed towards adorning or rebuild- 

 ing these monasteries is certain of meeting the gratitude of thousands 

 of pilgrims who visit the holy mountain ; while they naturally draw 

 a comparison little in favor of their own sovereign, the Grand Sig- 

 nor, when they hear from the monks the most exaggerated accounts 

 of the sums levied on their convents. There are about thirty-five 

 caloyers in this monastery j and the picturesque effect of the scenery 

 around it is much increased by the view of a torrent which comes 

 from the mountain, and tumbling from rock to rock, and occasionally 

 covered by woods, here enters the sea almost in a foam. 



* Zeu; AQwoc, v. Hesych. 



