LEBADEA. 157 
remains of the antiquities of Greece, there is ^^y.^' 
nothing better authenticated than this most **— ^* — ' 
curious relic ; the site of it being distinctly 
ascertained by the cavities grooved in the rock 
for the reception of the votive offerings. The Uncer- 
1 • 1 ^ T 1 tainty re- 
only uncertanity respects the Adytum, where specting 
the oracle was supposed to reside; for although tum. ^' 
the mouth of this place seem very accurately to 
correspond with the account given of its en- 
trance by Pausanias, the interior has never been 
explored in modern times. As it was very near 
to the house of Logotheti, we had frequent 
opportunities of visiting the spot, and of making 
all the inquiry in our power. Every thing 
belonging to the Hieron appears to exist in its 
original state ; except, that the vows have been 
removed from the niches where they were 
placed ; and that the narrow entrance, supposed 
to lead to the Adytum, is now choked with 
stones and rubbish. The women of Lehadea 
kindle fires here while washing their linen, and 
the sides of it are consequently covered with 
soot. This aperture in the rock is close to the 
ground. Immediately below it, in the front of 
the little terrace above which the niches were 
cut for the dona votiva, a fountain issues, from 
several small pipes often out of repair, into a 
hath, the interior of which is faced with large 
