9 ^ Travels into thè Ley ant. Part I . 
from coming in, or going out -, becaufe they were not fecure from the ^fmî^wx, 
7 after the Battel of the Dardanelles, there being nothing that could hinder 
' . them from entering into the Road ^ from whence they might with eafe have 
battered the Town, and taken it in a ^hort time. Upon the fide of this Road 
towards the Town, ftands the Cuftome-houfe, and then the Houfes of t^e 
Confuls and Merchants Franks, who have for the moft part a back-door towards 
the Sea. In this town there is a C^^*» ^^o adminifters Juftice: many Turks 
live there, as alfo Chriftians of all Countries ; Greeks, Armenians, zïï^ Latins, 
' The Greeks have an Arch-Bilhop and two Churches there ; in one of which 
called Santa, Feneranda, the Arch-Bifhop Officiates j and the other which is 
called St. George, belongs to the Monks. The Armenians have two Churches 
there alfo ; and the Latins have the Capncins, who Officiate in their Church, 
The territory which is overagainft the French Confuls Houfe : the Jefmts have alfo a lovely 
Houfe, with a Church in it. The Country about Smyrna is a plain very fer- 
tile in many things, efpecially in Olive-Trees, and full of Gardens, which ren- 
der the Town very pleafant to live in: all things are there in abundance, and 
fuch excellent NA^ine, that next to Canary, I never drank better than 
Smyrna Wine, when it is light. The Fr^«^ make it in their Houfes, buying 
the Grapes by Basket-fulls in the Town. Partridges there are not worth 
above three or four ^yprw a Couple j and when they eoft five Jfpres it is dear, 
and yet they are very good. In fine all things are good and cheap at Smyrna ; but 
Stnyrfhi much it is a Town much fubjedl to Earthquakes,and hath been feveral times ruined by 
fubjea to them; but ftill rebuilt,becaufe of the convenience of its Scituation; no year palTes 
Earthquakes, without them ; and I was told that fome Years they felt very great Earthquakes 
for the fpace of fourty Days together, which began a freOi every half hour, 
and were felt even by the Ships in the Road, being tolfsd by the Wa- 
ters, wliich were moved by the fhaking of the Ground in the bottom. It 
would be very hot being in this Town in the Summer-time, were it not for 
Low Wind, the Wind, which they call the low Wind, or North Breeze ; it is a certain 
Wind that blows from the North regularly every day, and much qualifies 
the Air. There is a great trade of Commodities from all parts of AJia and 
Chriftendom in this Town. * While I was there, I had a great defire to fee 
Ephefns, which was heretofore one of the feven Churches, as well as Smyrna,, 
to which St. Jolfii direded his Revelations, where he Died, and wherein 
ftill remain to be feen the ruines of the Temple of Diana, one of the feven 
Wonders of the World -, and to the Ornament and Erabelliffiment whereof 
all the Kings of Jfia contributed fo long; which was burn'd by Ero- 
ftratus, who thereby coveted to Immortalize his Memory. There are ma- 
ny other things worth the feeing at Ephefns, which made me willing ta 
have undertaken a progrefs of three, or four days ; for Ephefns is no more 
than fourty Miles from Smyrna-. But Monfieur the French Conful, who 
fhewed me in that Country all kinds of civility, would needs take me off 
on't, becaufe of Robbers that were upon the Roads; who were a remnant 
of thofe that were routed at the Dardanelles, and who gave no Quarter, 
efpecially to Chriftians :. but finding at length that I was earnelt upon it, 
he took the pains of chufingtwo Jamz.aries to wait upon me, of whom one 
whohimfelf had been a Robber many years, promifed to bring me fafe back 
\^ . - again, as pretending acquaintance of thefe Robbers. I had already hired 
< Horfes, and prepared to be gone next Morning , but a Fcaver that took me 
in the Evening, quite broke off the Journey: for being recovered feven or 
eight days after; they made me look upon that flight Diftemper as a vt^ar- 
ning ; and at length I yielded to the perfwsfions of thofe who had fhe good- 
nefs to divert me fïom that Journey, as thinking it Dangerous. 
C H AlP. 
