286 
In general this town presents a dull aspect, the cinder 
colour of the houses and tiles, the htight oi the walls, 
the filth in the streets, and, consequently, the horrible 
smell which exhales from it, the inferior quality of pro- 
visions, the scarcity of water, the poverty and inaction 
of the inhabitants, who exercise neither arts or com- 
merce, the mutual mistrust which exists between them, 
their divisions in different parties, their beingalwaysarm- 
ed, the dead silence which reigns every where, public 
drunkenness, all contribute to give this town the ap- 
pearance of an infernal abode. Notwithstanding, it 
may be considered as a second-rate place on account of 
its fortifications and of its geographical position, being 
placed at the south-west angle of the Morea, and the 
passage of the Archipelago to the European seas; be- 
sides, it has in its neighbourhood several good ports, 
which might render it a depot for commerce. A good 
observation fixed my latitude of Modon at 36° 51' 41'' 
N. a former one which was incorrect, gave me two 
minutes less. Its longitude is the same as that of the 
island of Sapienza, which is to the south. I found it 
impossible to observe the lunary distances. 
The temperature during my stay was cold. The at- 
mosphere was almost always charged with clouds, and 
it rained frequently. 
Upon an island some toises distant from the town, is 
an octangular tower oi <hree stories, the lowest is fur- 
nished with artillery. The captain of the port lives in 
this tower, from which to the land a mole or pier has 
been constructed, for the convenience of passengers. 
There was formerly near the sea-gate another mole, 
of which there are now only some ruins. 
