216 



MOUNT ATHOS. 



of our task and had it so much at heart to complete our examination 

 of all the Greek manuscripts on Mount Athos, we resolved to proceed 

 on foot, as the roads were impassable even for the mules, and the 

 risque by sea appeared to be too great. When we arrived at Russico, 

 we found a few monks only, and the monastery contained neither 

 printed nor manuscript books, except the liturgies of their church. 



April 16. — After an hour's walk we reached the monastery of 

 Xenophou, which is reported to be placed in an unhealthy aguish air. 

 The inhabitants have therefore begged and borrowed money to re- 

 build it in a better situation, and yet have chosen a spot not fifty 

 paces from the walls of the present convent, pretending that it is 

 beyond the line of the Mal-aria. They are proceeding on a grand 

 scale, and in a very expensive way. We found here a Greek called 

 Panayotaki Baylas of Zagora in Macedonia, who had retired with fifty 

 thousand piastres acquired by trade in Constantinople, and has adopted 

 the monastic life. The rules of this convent are different from those 

 of any other on the holy mountain. It is called Csenobium Xenophou, 

 and ordains that no person belonging to the society shall possess any 

 semblance of property, or live in private. The caloyers therefore do 

 not only dine and sleep in large rooms together, instead of having 

 each a separate cell, as in other convents, but when any individual 

 wants a change of linen or any other article he must apply to the 

 abbot or keeper of the stock of the community. The only books in 

 their library were theological, and among them few of any value, ex- 

 cept four manuscripts of the Gospels. About a quarter of an hour 

 further is the monastery of Docheiriou, of the second class. The 

 rooms for receiving strangers and pilgrims of distinction are elegant. 

 Their library contained eighteen manuscripts of the Gospels, and a 

 considerable number of theological works. 



The whole country now presented a beautiful appearance, looking 

 like a garden, and adorned with roses, hawthorns, and the Judas tree. 

 In a retired vale, surrounded by forests, is the little convent of Con- 

 stamoneta. In their church we found a manuscript copy of a tragedy 

 of iEschyhis, the Seven Chiefs at Thebes, and part of Hesiod. 



