STRAITS OF THERMOPYL^. 311 
Hence the descent becomes rapid towards chap. 
VIII. 
the narrowest part of the Straits ; and the mili- -' ■ 
tary way leading through thick woods which 
cover the declivity, is in many places broken 
up by torrents, as it is described by Straho. In 
•about three quarters of an hour from the Poly- 
AXDRTUM, we arrived at the wall mentioned Great 
by Herodotus'^. The remains of it are still very Wdi/™ 
considerable ; insomuch that it has been traced 
the whole way from the Gulph of Malta to the 
Gulph of Corinth, a distance of twenty-four 
leagues ; extending along the mountainous chain 
of (Eta from sea to sea, and forming a barrier 
towards the north of Greece, which excludes 
the whole of (Etolia and Thessaly. In this re- 
spect it resembles the wall of Antoninus, in the 
north of Britain. It may be supposed that we 
did not follow it beyond the immediate vicinity 
of the Straits of Thermopylce, where it begins ; 
but this fact, as to its great length, was com- 
municated to us by our guides ; and it was 
afterwards confirmed by the positive assurance 
of our Consul at Zeitiin. It is built with large 
and rudely-shaped stones, which have been put 
together with cement ; and in many places the 
work is now almost concealed by the woods 
and thickets that have grown over it. 
(£) tierodol. ibid. 
