ON THE TOPOGRAPHY OF ATHENS. 



521 



The principal source of the Ilissus is near the monastery of 

 Cyriani, just below the higher region of Mount Hymettus. The 

 stream bursts forth there from the cavities of the marble rock, and 

 soon loses itself in a deep ravine, which it has worn in the schistous 

 basis of the mountain. At some distance below, the old bed of the 

 river turns to the left, and is joined by several other ravines, which 

 convey to it in the rainy season an additional supply of water, The 

 stream, however, before it reaches the Eridanus, is turned off in a 

 more straight direction towards the city, and conveyed during the 

 remainder of its course under ground. This must have been an 

 enterprize of considerable labour and expence, not unworthy of 

 the better days of Greece; for a little to the north of Ampelokipo, 

 I took notice of a number of shafts by the road side, sunk in the 

 hard rock, which proved upon enquiry to belong to the city- 

 aqueduct there, at a considerable depth under ground. 



Stuart was of opinion, that the reservoir of Hadrian's aqueduct 

 had been supplied with water by a raised aqueduct of no mean length ; 

 for he passed some ruined arches of it in several places, at a con- 

 siderable distance from each other in his way to Cephissia ; which is 

 between six and seven miles from Athens. He supposes it to have 

 led from that place. Chandler likewise noticed these remains of an 

 aqueduct, and accounts for them in the same way. It appears 

 extraordinary, however, that Athens should have been supplied in 

 this direction, since the distance from which the water is conveyed by 

 the present aqueduct is comparatively much shorter. 



ing to Enneacrunos in the face of the rock, where the great fall is in the bed of the 

 Ilissus and that the subterranean canal which I observed draws off all the water, and has 

 a stream the whole year. The source of this stream is probably the original Callirbe." 



Fourmont (Acad. Inscrip. xvi.) says, " that Enneacrunos and Callirbe were not suffi- 

 cient to supply the city with water : " On saigna Fllissus des sa source, a deux lieues et demie 

 de la ville." They also formed, he adds, subterraneous aqueducts, of which two re- 

 main now, distributing water to the town. Fourmont thought them of high antiquity. 



3 x 



