394 VOYAGE FROM ODESSA, 
chap, translation, in the appendix', of the log-book 
^ — v — ' of the Moderato; in order to afford as faithful 
an account as possible of our navigation in the 
Black Sea. 
At four o’clock in the morning of the next 
day, we were called upon deck by the Captain, 
y'l-Tov ° f to see ^ ie kte °f Serpents, antiently Leuce, 
lying off the mouths of the Danube, celebrated 
in history for the tomb and temple of Achilles. 
It is so small, that, as we passed, we could view 
its whole extent : this continued in sight until 
nine. Judging by the eye, it appeared to be 
near a mile in length, and less than half-a-mile 
in breadth. It is quite bare, being covered only 
with a little grass, and very low herbage. When 
carefully examined with a telescope, there did 
not appear to be the smallest remains of 
antiquity. The author made a sketch of it from 
the south-east. On the south side are cliffs, 
seeming to be about fifty feet high. Many absurd 
stories of Turkish and Russian mariners are 
• founded upon a notion that the island is itself 
covered with serpents. An opportunity rarely 
occurs in which ships can remain, in order to 
visit it ; and if this were to happen, not a man 
of any of their crews would venture on shore ; 
(1} See Appendix to this Volume, No. III. 
