■y— 
TO THE COUNTRY OF THE CICONES. 65 
distance from Yemsra. It was covered with dif- chap. 
^ II. 
ferent kinds of water-fowl : there was one of v^ 
immense size, resembhng a swan as to its body 
and neck, but having a long bill, shaped like a 
spoon. At the northern extremity, or inland 
termination of this lake, we came to a large and 
picturesque ruin, as of an abbey or monastery, of 
very great magnitude. A paved causeivay led 
through the fen to and from this building". 
Almost the whole of the walls, and many of the 
mural towers, were yet standing. It had once 
been fortified. Within this structure we found 
the remains of a church and of a chapel, evidently 
formed out of an edifice more antiently erected 
to serve the purposes of war rather than those 
of peace ; the interior of the ecclesiastical part 
of the building exhibiting arches that had been 
walled .up, and walls plastered over and 
painted by some of the early Christians. We 
found fragments of Grecian sculpture ; among 
others, the breast of a female statue covered 
with drapery, and finely executed in white 
marble. The remains of portals, or propyLea, 
were visible, with three gates in each place of 
entrance. There was one upon the western 
side of the building : and here we observed, 
among the foundations, the grand style of Gre- 
cian architecture, consisting of large blocks of 
VOL. VIII. F 
