350 ATHENS. 
CHAP, elevated spot, and upon the naked surface of the 
, -y- . > limestone, without an herb or a drop of water 
to allure it, one of the wild bees came and 
settled upon the scale of the thermometer. We 
did not perceive any remarkable difference 
between the appearance of this insect upon 
Hymettus, and the common bee of our own 
country, except that we thought the former 
rather smaller, and of a more golden colour. 
Lusieri had already placed himself upon a 
sloping part of the summit facing the south, 
and was beginning to delineate the wonderful 
sight he beheld. From the spot where he 
was seated, a tremendous chasm of Hymettus, 
awfully grand, extended, in one wide amazing 
sweep, from the summit to the base of the 
mountain. Into this precipitous ravine there 
projected from its sides the most enormous 
crags and perpendicular rocks. These he had 
chosen to be the fore-ground of his sublime 
picture ; the eye looking down into an abyss, 
which at the bottom opened into a glorious 
valley, reaching across the whole promontory 
of Attica, from sea to sea. Beyond appeared 
the broad and purple surface of the JEgean, 
studded with innumerable islands, and shining 
with streaks of the most effulgent light. While 
he was engaged in his delightful employment, 
