SUMMIT OF PARNASSUS. 261 
believes it to be one of the hiofhest mountains chap. 
VII. 
in Europe. The Gidph of Corinth had long looked . - _ . 
like an ordinary lake ; and it was now reduced ^J,',]^ f^^^' 
to a pond. Towards the north, bevond all the 'l'^" *°p "^ 
i •' tlie moun- 
plains of Thessaly, appeared Olympus, with its ^''•"• 
many tops, clad in shining snow, and expanding 
its vast breadth distinctly to the view. The 
other mountains of Greece, like the surface of 
the ocean in a rolling calm, rose in vast heaps, 
according to their diiferent altitudes; but the 
eye ranged over every one of them. Helicon 
was one of these ; and it is certainly inferior in 
height to Parnassus. A mountain before men- 
tioned, called Tricala, in the Morea, made a 
great figure in that mountainous territory : it 
was covered with snow, even the lower ridges 
not being destitute. Our guides said that this 
mountain was near to Patras. We looked down 
upon Achaia, Argolis, Elis, and Arcadia, as upon 
a model. Almost every part of the horizon was 
clear, excepting the east, north-east, and the 
north-ivest; our view being obstructed towards 
the JSgean and Mount Athos, as well as towards 
Epirus, by our being above the clouds ; which 
concealed every object towards those points of 
the compass, although the day proved remark- 
ably favourable for our undertaking in other 
respects. The frost was however so piercing, 
