V. 
Visit to 
Screpu. 
188 LEBADEA TO ORCHOMENUS. 
CHAP. Hence we continued our excursion through 
vineyards as old as the time of Homer \ and 
watery lands, to another village called Screpu. 
Just before our arrival, we crossed a bridge 
over a river, called Black Water by the inha- 
r{i^„ bitants (Mauronero). The river Me las may 
Mdas. therefore be here recognised, retaining something 
of its antient appellation'. According to Straho, 
it flowed between Orchomenus and Aspledon'. 
Before passing the bridge, we saw towards our 
right, at a short distance in the plain, a large 
tumulus. When upon the bridge, this tomb is 
directly in front of the spectator. Near the 
bridge are the remains of an antient paved road. 
Ruins of That Screpu is situate in the midst of the ruins of 
Orchome. 
xvs. Orchomenus, will plainly appear by the inscrip- 
tions we found upon the spot. Indeed, these 
inscriptions had been noticed by Meletius; but 
we had never seen his work ; nor would it have 
rendered us any service; for it might have 
induced us to forego the very great fatigue it 
(1) \iA. Iliad. B. 507. 
(2) Its sources were distant only seven stadia from Orchomenus. Vid. 
Tausan.lnBceot. c. 38. p. 787. ed.JTu/ai. 
(S) *' 'O U'iXa,; vrorafn'o;- De hoc flumine multa scitu digna." Plutarcinu 
in Sylla, p.465. torn. I. edit. F. Furt. Vid. Annot. Casaubon. in Slrabnn.. 
Geog. lib. \x. p, 603. ed. Oxon. 
