XANTHIAN MARBLES. 



15 



to Fellows's first tour. Elevated on platforms 

 of rock, immediately above the plain, stood a 

 group of temples, of which the friezes and sta- 

 tues, now in the British Museum, were the prin- 

 cipal ornaments. 



Whilst we were there, these sculptures 

 were daily dug out of the earth, and brought 

 once more to view. The search for them was 

 intensely exciting ; and, in the enthusiasm of 

 the moment, our admiration of their art was, 

 perhaps, a little beyond their merits. As each 

 block of marble was uncovered, and the earth 

 carefully brushed away from its surface, the form 

 of some fair amazon or stricken warrior, of an 

 eastern king or a besieged castle became re- 

 vealed, and gave rise to many a pleasant dis- 

 cussion as to the sculptor's art therein displayed, 

 or the story in the history of the ancient Xan- 

 thians therein represented, — conversations which 

 all who took part in will ever look back upon as 

 among the most delightful in their lives. Often, 

 after the work of the day was over and the 

 night had closed in, when we had gathered round 

 the log fire in the comfortable Turkish cottage 

 which formed the head-quarters of the party, we 

 were accustomed to sally forth, torch in hand, 



