JOURNEY TO MOUNT HELICON. 11/ 
AscRA was situate, we should not only be grati- chap. 
III. 
fied by visiting the birth-place of Hesiod, but . 
perhaps discover also the site of the Grove 
OF THE Muses, which was also in Helicon; 
although neither of these places had then been 
recognised by any modern traveller. 
After a very diligent inquiry at Neocorio, we Discovery 
were informed that a defile, or pass, of Mount \lnte 
Helicon conducted to Lebadea ; and that this ^?7°"^^ 
' Helicon. 
road might be used, instead of the more usual 
way by the plain. As we remained in this vil- 
lage during the night, we had an opportunity of 
examining many of the peasants concerning this 
route. Attracted by a natural curiosity to see 
strangers, several of them came from their 
dwellings to the cottage where we lodged. They 
told us, that if we would send our baggage 
round by Paheo Panaja, and Mazi, we might go 
over the mountain, by Wvq Monastery ofSt.Nicholo, 
to Sagara, or Saclcra, and afterwards descend 
by another monastery, (that of St. George), to 
Lebadea. *' It w^as," they said, *'a mountain 
"pass; and the shorter w^ay: but being the old 
" road, narrow and stony, and difficult for travel- 
" lers, it had long been disused, excepting by 
"the peasants; the other route having been 
" considered as more convenient for travellers." 
