TO THE PLAIN OF TROY. 81 
the mosques and minarets of Constantinople, chap. 
disappearing in the mists of the Sea of Marmora, ■ / 
as we steered with a fair wind for the Hellespont^ 
(1) "I quitted Constantinople at the end of autumn, 180G, for the 
purpose of visiting the Troad a second time, and examining it with more 
accuracy tlian in the spring of the year. The Greek vessel in which I 
embarked was bound to Tricchiri, a little town on the coast of ITiessaly. 
The Greek vessels are in general filled with great numbers of Greeks, all 
of whom have a share, large or small, in the ship, and its merchandise. 
The vast profits which the Greeks reaped about ten years past, when they 
carried corn to the ports of France and Spain, from the Black Sea and 
Greece, particularly Thessaly, and from Caramania, excited a spirit of 
adventure and enterprise, which soon shewed itself in the building of 
many hundred vessels, belonging chiefly to the two barren islands of 
Spezzla and Hydra, situate on the eastern side of the Morca. Vessels 
are to be seen navigated by Greeks, carrying twenty-two guns : one of 
this size I met in the Archipelago, off Audros, in company with other 
smaller ships ; all sailing before the wind, with large extended sails of 
white cotton, forming a beautiful ajjpearance. The Greeks on board the 
Triccliiriote vessel were not very numerous. My fellow conipauions were 
three Turks : one was going to Euhoca ; another to a village near nier- 
mopyla;; and the third was a Tahtar, who profited by the northerly wind 
that was blowing, and was going to the Morea. At sun-set, the Greeks 
sat on the deck, round their supper of olives, anchovies, and biscuits, with 
wine ; and in the cabin, a lamp was lighted to a tutelar saint, who was to 
give us favourable weatlier. The wind that bore us along was from the N. E. ; 
to which, as well as the East, the name of the Levanter is given. This 
vr'md is generally very strong ; and the epithet applied by Virgil, ' violen- 
tior Eurus,' is strictly appropriate. After a little more than a day's sailing, 
we found ourselves opposite to a village on the European coast of the Sea 
pf Marmora called Peristasis. The distance from Constantinople we 
computed to be about forty leagues. I was informed that a Greek church 
at this place was dedicated to St. George. This explains the reason why 
that part of the Propontis, which is now called the Bay and Strait of 
Gallipoli, was formerly designated by the appellation of St. George's 
Channel. At the distance of eighteen or twenty miles to the south of 
Gallipoli, 
