WATERING THE VINE. 149 
nearly ripe, the waterings fliould be lefs frequent, as too much 
water at that feafon would tend to debafe their flavour. 
When 
Two illuftrious Travellers*, who have publifhed their obfervations on the pre- 
fent ftate of Afia Minor, in their journey from Ephefus give a curious defcription 
of a profpedl they enjoyed, of a fucceffive courfe of hills and mountains extending 
from thence, and of a beautiful valley at the bottom of them, through which the 
river Cayfter flowed and emptied itfelf into the fea. “ Among thefe, the lofty Tmolus 
rifes eminent above the refl: ; but is more dillinguifhed for the excellence of its 
wines. At the bottom of the extremeft mountain near the fea, feveral magnificent 
ruins ftill remain to be ieen of Sardis, the metropolis of Lydia." 
“ This delightful country is now but thinly inhabited by a few poor TVrr/fr, 
and fome wandering Arabs, and few wines are now made there, but by fome 
Greek Monks, and chiefly for their own ufe. Some of thefe, though made with 
little art and culture, are light, generous, and very agreeable.” But thefe Gen- 
tlemen give a different account of a town called Sidonijah, which was famous for 
the goodnefs of its wines and the quantities made there. “ This town is four hours 
journey diftantfrom Damafctis, in the extremity of a fertile extended plain, the See 
of a Bifliop, and entirely inhabited by Greek chriflians.” 
“ Some of the grapes here are of a remarkable fize, as large as a pigeon’s egg, and 
of a very exquifite tafte ! Great quantities of them are fent to Europe, and known 
by the name of Damaflc raifins. The wines are not made from this kind of grapes, 
which are chiefly cultivated in their gardens, but from the Vines of the adjacent 
mountains, of which Herinon and Lebanon are nearefl.” Thefe Gentlemen fay, 
(vol. ii. page 260) that the wine which they drank there was, indeed, incomparable. 
“ The beft is made by the Monks, who have there a celebrated convent. It was of 
a red colour, very generous, grateful, and fo light as not to affedl the head, 
though taken freely.” 
* /Egidius Van Egmont, Envoy from the States to the King of Naples, and ’John 
Heyman, Profeffor of the Oriental languages in the Univerfity of Leyden. 
