PHINEKA. 145 



ings by presenting us with a great treat in the 

 shape of a wheat en loaf, hot from the oven. 

 The little black stream of Phineka Tchy passes 

 close in front of the house, flowing slowly and 

 sluggishly, but it is navigable for boats as far 

 as nearly a mile higher up the stream. Cargoes 

 of corn, wood, &c, are embarked and disem- 

 barked here and brought to the mouth of the 

 river, at the fortress, off which the vessels usually 

 anchor. The village is consequently often called 

 the scala, or landing-place, although Phineka is 

 its proper name. 



Phineka is the principal sea-port of Almalee ; 

 from that town it is only twelve or fourteen 

 hours distant, and in winter is the only one 

 open to its produce. A Greek schooner now 

 lies off the castle awaiting a cargo, but it is 

 an exposed situation. From the facility with 

 which wood and water can be procured here, 

 we were told that it was formerly much fre- 

 quented by the Sultan's ships running between 

 Constantinople and Alexandria, and the bakery 

 was established by the orders of a Capitan Pasha, 

 for their service. 



The art of making leavened bread is almost 

 exclusively confined to the Greeks and the ir ia- 



L 



