TO THESSALONICA. 405 
but, externally viewed, it has a pleasing aspect, chap. 
owing to the trees which surround it, and to ■ 
its mosque rising among them. The Turkish 
mosques, generally constructed with domes, 
and always accompanied by one or more towers, 
as minarets, give an air of elegance, and some- 
times of grandeur, even to the villages. In the 
middle of the town we saw a Soros of white 
marble, of such magnitude and beauty, that we 
were convinced it could have belonged to no 
mean city. Upon our inquiring where it had 
been found, we were told that it had been 
brought from the Palceo-castro of Malathria, 
before mentioned, situate in Mount Olympus, at 
three hours' distance from Katar'ina, where there 
were others of the same nature, and a great 
quantity of antient marbles ; but that some 
Franks visiting the spot about three years 
before, and after being employed in copying" 
inscriptions, removing something, the real nature 
of which was not known, the Agha, suspecting 
them of having discovered a concealed treasure, 
had ordered as many of those marbles as could 
be broken to be destroyed, and the rest to be 
conveyed from the place; in consequence of 
which order, this Soros had been brought to 
Katar'ina. Such was the substance of the story. 
The natives entertain a tradition that the sea 
