Oriental and Sacred Scences, from notes of travel in Greece, Turkey and Palestine

Front matter

NOTES TO THE PUBLISHER. From Rev. Dr. Jacobus. W. Theol. Seminary, JV*o».21, 1853. My Dear Sir,— I am glad to know that you are about to publish Mr. Howe's Notes of Eastern Travel ; and I am most ready to give my testimony, as a fellow traveller over that route, that, judging from such sketches as I have seen, they will amply repay public attention. There are many travel-books, but few reliable ones on the lands of the Bible, and fewer still from intelligent Christian laymen, unprofessional and unpoetic. Tbere cannot be too many good reports of travel in those Bible regions, which are so poorly known. Besides, every traveller sees wilh his own eyes, and gives his own impressions, aud has his own advantages in contact with men and things on the route. The zeal with which Mr. Howe has entered into divers Biblical studies, too, connected with Oriental places and customs, will give his book a claim on the public, and may induce other travellers to a like careful and Scriptural interest in the Holy Land.

And when it is known that he devotes the profits of the work to tbe spread of the Gospel in that destitute region, he will surely have an ample reward from the Christian public. M. W. Dodd, Esq. M. W. Jacobus. From Horace Holden, Esq. New York, Dec. 19, 1853. Dear Sir : — I am waiting, not without some impatience, for the forthcoming " Oriental and Sacred Scenes," by our esteemed friend, Fisher Howe, Esq. Mr. Howe is a matter-of-fact man, aud has tbe faculty of transferring you to the very spots he describes, and enables you to see them as they actually are. I think the result of your publication will prove, that he has rendered a most acceptable service, in consenting to give to the public the benefit of his travels and researches. And since many of us, even in this age of motion, have not the opportunity of visiting those places so endeared .o the Bible reader, the regret is much lessened by journeying in thought over those interesting scenes, by tho side of an old friend whom we all know and all love.

Yours sincerely, M. W. Dodd, Esq. Horace Holden. From David Hoadley, Esq. New York, Dec. 17, 1853. Dear Sir : — I have learned, with much satisfaction, that you are about to publish the work of my friend. Fisher Howe, Esq., entitled, "Oriental and Sacred Scenes, from Notes of Travel in Greece, Turkey, and Palestine." Having read many of the sketches which compose the volume soon to be given to the public, as they appeared from lime to time in two of our religious periodicals, 1 do not hesitate to express the opinion that they will be found not only interesting, but also highly instructive ; and, although my personal friend ship for the author may make me a partial judge, I am persuaded that no one will rise from their perusal without a feeling of deep interest in the "scenes" so graphically described.

Chapter I. Voyage In The Adriatic And Gulf Of Lepanto

Adelsberg Grotto: The finest iu Europe— Arrival at Trieste — Its situation and Commerce — Prevaleuce of Cholera— Visit to Venice — Austrian Lloyd's — Steamer Elleno — Embarkation — Arrival at Ancona — Arch of Trajan — Cathedral — Calabrian Coast — Martello Towers — Brundusium — A Roman Depot — Ionian Isles — Corfu — Visit on shore — Albanian Coast — Storm on the Adriatic — Arrival at Patras — Modern town — Ancient Acropolis — Greek Revolution — St. Andrew's Cross — Return to steamer — New passengers — a-lbanian Costume — Gulf of Lepanto — Productions and population of Greece — Arrival at Lutraki— Corinth in view. The finest cavern in Europe is the Grotto of Adelsberg, wiiich no traveller in Southern Ger many should fail to see. Its vast and truly mag nificent compartments, brilliantly illuminated for our special benefit, we had, in our morning visit, explored to the extent of a mile and a half.

Its rushing river, natural bridge, fountains, waterfalls, vast compartments, with their stalactite and stalag mite columns, natural drapery, and numberless cu rious and remarkable natural formations, afforded interesting themes of review, in our afternoon ride, of six hours, to Trieste. The darkness of evening had gathered around us, before we reached the brow of the high lands, which overhang the head of the Adriatic, and from which we looked down upon the city. The illuminated houses and streets presented to our view a beautiful appearance, as we descended the steep and cir cuitous road, on the mountain side, to the city. Our interesting tour through Germany terminated at Trieste, the principal seaport of Austria, and a place of known commercial importance. It has very few other attractions.

Protected as it is, by the elevated country which rises abruptly on its north, I should infer that its winter climate must be warm and pleasant. We were glad to see the stripes and stars flying at the masts of some of the shipping in the harbor. The town is pleasantly situated at the head of the Adriatic. The heterogeneous throng met in the streets, the market and the exchange — the Greek, the Turk, and the Arab from the coast of Africa, each clad in his own pe culiar costume, — gives admonition that you are near the confines of the Orient. The prevalence of the cholera in Trieste, as well as in other European cities, had induced rigid quar antine regulations in the Ionian Isles, and the ports of Greece. The regular intercourse by steam was thus interrupted, and for a short season an insu perable barrier to our plans of travel seemed to be interposed.

We improved this detention by an excursion to Venice, where a week was occupied most agreeably AND GCI.F OF LEPANTO. 13 amid its decaying palaces. There we met a party of two gentlemen, with their ladies, and a third, a physician with his sister, all from Philadelphia, who had the same object before them as ourselves,- — a visit to Greece, Palestine, and Egypt. These, wdth Mrs. H. and our niece, composed our party as far as Athens. By concerted arrangements we all met at Trieste, where, to our great joy, our large party induced the Lloyd's Company to despatch us in one of their steamers, conditioned, that if we were com pelled to perform a quarantine, it should be clone upon the steamer. There is a daily line of steam packets between Trieste and Venice. The Austrian Lloyd's Com pany run their steamers also to all the principal ports on the eastern part of the Mediterranean.

With them we engaged our passage to Constanti nople, as considerable expense is saved by taking through tickets, which are good on any of the boats for ample time to allow one to visit all the inter mediate places of interest. We embarked on the steamer Elleno, and left Trieste at four o'clock P. M., November 14th. The following day at noon, we reached Ancona, on the Italian side of the Gulf. This is a very ancient seaport, and now the principal one on the Adriatic, of " the States ofthe Church," or pertaining to " Peter's patrimony." We found it occupied by Austrian troops, fit instruments to coerce the people into sub mission to the despotic and hated rule of the Pope. Julius Cæsar made a stand here after passing the Rubicon. At a later period Trajan improved the harbor by the construction of a mole at its en trance.

We landed and visited a beautiful triumphal arch, erected upon the mole in honor of Trajan, by his mother and sister. It is of the Corinthian order, neat and well proportioned, and in good preserva tion. From the arch we went to the cathedral, on the high summit of the promontory, and the site of a heathen temple. The hills, or rather high ridge, which nearly encircle the harbor, form a kind of amphitheatre, on the sides of which the town is built, the lights of which, at night, as seen from our steamer, exhibited a very picturesque scene. At midnight we got up our steam, and proceeded on our voyage. On the 17th, we were off the Calabrian coast, and could see, with the aid of a glass, numerous vil lages and cities. The houses appeared to be of-* stone, whitewashed, and in the distance presented a cheerful appearance.

At intervals we discovered a series of Martello or high round towers — the tele graph stations of the middle ages. Signal fires were kindled upon them on the approach of an enemy, especially the dreaded Turk, and the intel- AND THE GULF OF LEPANTO. 15 ligence was thus quickly sent up the entire coast. At ten o'clock, A. M., we reached Brundise, the ancient Brundusium, on the very heel of the Italian peninsula, the great thoroughfare of the Eomans in their intercourse with the East. Their large fleet was usually stationed here. It was very advanta geously situated for a naval depot, and the trans portation of troops. It now has a castle, but is a place of very little importance. We did not land, and soon proceeded on our voyage to Corfu, which we reached at an early hour on the following, or Sabbath morning.

Corfu is one of the most important of the Ionian Islands. It is the residence of the English govern or, or Lord High Commissioner. Its high and com manding citadel is garrisoned by English troops. The rugged Albanian coast is not more than one or two miles distant. The Ionian Isles came under the British sway in 1814 ; since which period, they have exercised a protectorate over them. We went on shore, hoping to be able to attend the English service, in the chapel of the citadel, but found it commenced at too late an hour to admit our stay. No one would ever conjecture it had been the Sab bath, from the scenes of business and bustle seen in the narrow and crooked streets of the town. We visited two of the Greek churches in which the mummeries of their worship were in progress. The Venetians formerly held tlie Ionian Islands.

The lion of St. Mark still keeps his place at some of the portals of the town. Returning to the steam er, we got under way in the afternoon, and proceed ed on our voyage to Patras. As we left the harbor we saw up one of the inlets a little island having a striking resemblance to a sail-boat — the celebrated " sail of Ulysses." The Greek coast is destitute of light-houses, which in the storm that now overtook us, increased the perils of the night, in the darkness of which, we thought of the apostle Paul, as he was " driven up and down in Adria," (Acts 27 : 27,) in one of these same Sirocco tempests, that beat upon our bark, more favored with steam power to contend with it. At ten o'clock, A. M., our steamer anchored be fore Patras. We landed in our small boat to visit the town and its ancient Acropolis.

This modern town has come into existence since the Greek revolution, and is a place of some commerce. The streets have been laid out wide, and regularly at right angles to each other. They are not, however, graded or paved, and we found them extremely muddy. The region being subject to earthquakes, the houses are low. The population is said to be 7,000. There is quite a number of stores and manufacturing shops, which, miserable as is the place, impart to it some appearance of thrift. AND GULF OF'LEPANTO. 17 They claim for Patras the honor of striking the first blow in the revolution which emancipated Greece from the sway of the Turk ; the banner of the cross and of freedom, having been raised by Germanos, its Archbishop, on the 2d day of April, 1821. Passing through the town we reached the Acrop olis, in its rear.

It is still surrounded with walls, the greater part of which are of modern date, and now somewhat dilapidated. The elevated and fa vorable position of this fortress made it quite a stronghold for the Turks, during much of the Avar. A temple of Diana once stood within its enclosure. The town stands on a narrow plain, which ex tends for several miles along the bay. We were informed that large quantities of the small black grape usually designated in commerce, as " Zante currants," are here produced. The vines we saw, much resembled the ordinary French grape-vine in their appearance. After our descent from the Acropolis, some of our party repaired to the small church of St. Andrew, situated near the sea-shore, to the north-west ofthe town. Here is shown a fountain or spring of water, and a vault, supposed by the Greeks to have once contained the remains of the apostle Andrew, from which his relics were subsequently removed to Constantinople.

According to tradition, he here suffered martyrdom by crucifixion. The Greek cross which is nearly in the form of an X, is called St. Andrew's cross, from the circumstance that he is said to have suffered upon one of this shape. It is the universal badge of the Greek churches, which, in the form of their structure, are made somewhat to resemble it. This spot was once sacred to Ceres, as the patron deity of Patras, and by an easy transition the honors of the goddess have been turned over to the apostle. I think this tradition respecting the martyrdom of Andrew is entitled to some respect : it has a high antiquity, al though accounts are contradictory. Thus far on our voyage from Trieste, our party had been the sole passengers for most of the dis tance ; but now we found, on returning on board, the deck of our steamer was thickly covered with a motley multitude ; chiefly, however, Albanians, in their peculiar costume.

That of the better class of men is gay and expensive, and may be deemed splendid ; at any rate the Greeks seem very partial, if not proud of it. A skirt of white cotton cloth reaching down to the calf of the leg, is its most re markable feature. We shall be supposed to be dealing in the fabulous, if we tell the number of yards of cloth required to make one — thirty yards was named to us, cut into four hundred gores, A GREEK IN ALBANIAN COSTUME tirs Lift Piiil AND GULF OF LEPANTO. 19 and thickly plaited. The shirt has a wide collar, turned flatly down on the jacket, which is made of cloth, richly embroidered. It is a round-about, with sleeve open or slitted on the inside from the arm-pit to the elbow. Gaiters reaching to the knee of red, blue, or other gay-colored cloth, richly em broidered, and slippers, a red felting cap with heavy blue silk tassel, completes the description as far as I noted it down at the time.

At Athens we subse quently and often saw King Otho in this costume. Many of our passengers were poorly clad, and looked as if they had spent their days in savage warfare. Their long bondage under the Turks, and final sanguinary struggle with them for freedom, has left an impression of ferocity on the Greek character, more particularly the peasantry, which will require long years to efface. In fact, our contact with them has left no very happy impression of their moral qualities. Before one o'clock, P. M., we had got under way, and soon reached the entrance of the Gulf of Le panto. On each side of this narrow passage a some what formidable fortress projects into the water. I estimated the distance between the forts to be one mile. This immediate region was the theatre of a memorable sea-fight in October 1571, between the combined Christian fleet and that of the Turks.

It resulted in the capture or destruction of the entire Ottoman force, and was one of the early signals of the triumph of the cross over the crescent, at that period so portentous to Europe. At three P. M., we reached the httle town of Lepanto, situated on the northern side of the Guff. It stands on the steep slope of a naked hill, the walls running up from the water, forming nearly a triangle, with two cross walls parallel with the water, making three compartments. With the aid of my glass I noticed some old fluted columns in the west part of the town. It has a small artificial harbor. It is, however, a place of httle importance. The rugged hills press down upon the Gulf on either side, generally to appearance naked, rocky and barren. This region, however, as well as the Ionian Isles, produces large quantities of the small grape, before referred to, as known under the name of Zante or black currants.

They form one of the chief articles of export of the Greeks. Olive-oil is produced in considerable quantities, and some wine for domestic use, as only a Greek would drink their wine, it is so strongly impregnated with rosin. Agriculture is conducted by them on the same rude principles that it was three thousand years ago. While traveUing in the country we saw them using the same plow that Hesiod describes in his time — a rude stick tipped with iron. The government of Otho we were informed had made attempts to in- AND THE GULF OF LEPANTO. 21 troduce the improved implements and modes of husbandry of Europe, but with httle success. They succeed much better in commerce than in agricul ture. I learned that the population of Greece, in cluding the Islands, in 1840, was 826,470, occupying 12,000,000 acres of land, or about 14,000 square miles of territory.

From various causes I judge the increase of population is slow, and there is no earthly inducement for the excessive population of Europe to emigrate here. The natural jealousy of the Greeks would be an insuperable obstacle, and the country, as far as it came under my observation, is wretched in the extreme. In the Morea I under stand there are fine lands, and at the north, in an cient Macedonia, there are better lands and a better race of Greeks. At six o'clock, P. M., we reached Vostizza on the south side of the Gulf. This is the site of the an cient Ægium. Our boat anchored for some six hours, but I did not land. We then proceeded to Lutracki, where we reached our anchorage at six o'clock, A. M., the end of our voyage in the Elleno, concerning whose seaworthiness we had experienced some fears during our tempestuous passage from Trieste.

This depot of the Austrian Lloyd's steam er is situated at the head of the Gulf of Corinth. The Company have here a small building for a store-house. There are also a few miserable huts in the vicinity occupied by Greeks. Corinth lies directly across the bay, in the south, in full view. Its Acropolis, a massive and rocky eminence, rises most abruptly 1,800 feet high, and appears much nearer to us than it is in reality, as it is three or four miles back from the bay, and the whole distance from our anchorage is eight miles or more. With the aid of my glass we had a good view of the general outlines of its commanding situation. "The -whirlwind's wrath, the earthquake's shock, Have left untouched her hoary rock. The keystone of a land, which still, Though, fall'n, looks proudly on tbat hill ; The landmark to the double tide That purpling rolls on either side, As if their waters chafed to meet, Yet pause and crouch beneath her feet."

Our captain, a rare specimen of ill-nature and in temperance, is determined that we shall enjoy no nearer view of those scenes classic and sacred, as we are to be hurried across the Isthmus to Calamaki on its eastern side, there to take another steamer to Athens. In the immediate vicinity of our anchor age on the shore there are some very hot springs, gushing from the base of the overhanging mountain directly into the bay. From the great use made of such springs by the Romans, wherever found in AND THE GULF OF LEPANTO. their extended conquests, I have little doubt that these waters were much resorted to in Apostolic days, and it was a reasonable conjecture that when we repaired to them we were treading on ground over which Paul and his companions had perhaps frequently walked during " the year and six months he continued teaching the word of God" to the Cor inthians. (Acts, 18 : 11.)

Chapter II. Corinth And Its Monuments

Isthmus of Corinth— Cross to Calamaki— " New Wine in New Bottles"— Specimen of Grecian Life— Return to " Elleno"— Sight of Parnassus— Ancient Port osCcnchrea— A Dilemma— Early Walk to Corinth— Its Acropolis— Luxury —Retributions of Providence— Destruction by L. Mummius— Paul at Corinth—Mural Power of the Gospel— Magnificent Situation of Corinth— Unhealthy— Parnassus in View — Ruin of Temple of Minerva — A Poor Breakfast—Ride to Saronic Gulf— Aucient Debris— Temple of Neptune— Canal of Nero — Passage to Piræus — Salamis— Arrival at Athens. At ten o'clock, A. M., we left the steamer, and iu carriages provided for us, proceeded over the Isth mus of Corinth to Calamaki, the present seaport on its ea.stern side. The steamer from Athens, or rather the Piræus, had not arrived when we reached there, and we occupied some hours in climbing the high ridges of the Isthmus in the vicinity, and in explorations among the shops and hovels of the village, where, for the first time, we saw a practical illustra tion of Matt. 9 : 17 — " Neither do men put new wine into old bottles ; else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish."

Their wine and oil, as well as other liquids, are put into the skins of the black goat. Here too we had a specimen of Greek life : the common people, like most Eastern nations, never undress at night, and hke the Arabs sleep on the ground, or floor of the dwelling, if it have any. We noticed in some of the houses here an improve ment which may have been specially designed for the numerous travellers who are occasionaUy de tained : it was a kind of elevated scaffold on which the inmates sleep. The Austrian Lloyd's Company have here quite an imposing depot. The saloon is large, but for those who require a bed to sleep on, they have no accommodations for the night. The steamer from Athens not appearing, we were compelled to re-cross the Isthmus in the afternoon, to spend another night on the " Elleno."

On our return ride we enjoyed a fine view of Parnassas, now (Nov. 22d) covered with snow. The small ancient port of Cenchrea, from which Paul embarked in company " with Priscilla and Aquila" on his return into Syria, is situated at the head of the Saronic Gulf, near its southern side, some three miles distant from Calamaki, and seven or eight east of Corinth. Whether it was Paul or Aquila who there shaved his head, " for he had a vow," (Acts, 18 : 18,) critics are not agreed, and no great harm will result in consequence of a diversity of opinion in this regard. Arrived at the " Elleno," and again tantalized with the sight of Corinth, which now more than ever we were anxious to visit, we opened a negociation with our captain, for him to designate some hour on the morrow for our departure from Calamaki, which would admit the gentlemen of our party who wished it, to visit Corinth, and from thence proceed across the Isthmus and meet the steamer in due time, but all to no avail ; the surly man seemed a stranger to every feeling of accommodation, or of sympathy with those who desired to look on the objects of antiquity.

In every other instance in our long travels in the Levant, we found the officers of the steamers exceedingly polite and obliging. In this dilemma, late at night, three of us resolved to rise at an early hour in the morning, and hazard the experiment of walking to Corinth — a toil and risk I should not like again to take. Cautioning the ladies to be in no haste in rising, or in making their preparations to leave the steamer, I left them to re-cross the Isthmus, in the care of my courier, and at five o'clock, A. M., we set off on our enter prise. Proceeding to one of the hovels on shore, we £ngaged a young Greek as a guide, and pursued our way round the head of the bay. This part of the route was sandy and level, and much of the entire distance was rough and tedious — the last mile or more a toilsome ascent, in accom plishing which it was my misfortune to be burthened with heavy bools.

A walk of three and a half hours brought us, at half-past eight o'clock, to the foot of the Acro-Corinthus, upon the elevated plat or table land where once rose and flourished Corinth — the eye of Greece, pre-eminently beautiful and com manding in its position, distinguished for its learn ing, wealth and luxury ; an early centre of com merce and the arts, but dissolute, even to a proverb. Venus was the chief goddess of the city, and courte zans her priestesses. A retributive Providence early humbled her pride, and laid her glory in the dust. Rome, envying her pohtical and commercial advantages, regarded her with jealousy equalled only by that she cherished toward Carthage, and ere long found a pretext to send her legions, who, under Mummius, with fire and sword laid her in ruins, transporting her choicest sculpture to Rome, B. C. 146.

Subsequently, Juhus Cæsar repaired her desolations, and she regained much of her former importance, as well as hcentious character, under the Roman sway. But her glory and her shame have long since departed. The apostle Paul came here from Athens, about A. D. 52, where he found Aquila and his wife Pris cilla, and remained " a year and six months" preaching with eminent success. It was truly one of the distinguishing glories of the gospel, that among such a people it should achieve its brightest triumphs ; evincing to all succeeding ages that the "preaching of Christ crucified" is the only recu perative influence that can reach man's deep ruin. All the efforts of the sages of Greece to reclaim mankind had been tested and failed — the mournful verdict was reached, " the world by wisdom knew not God ;" and that is the brightest page in the his toryof Corinth, that inspiration has left on record in its oracles, such a testimony as that we find, Acts, 18 : 10, " I have much people in this city."

It was during this residence in Corinth that Paul wrote his two epistles to the Thessalonians. 1 Thess. 3 : 6. But we must return to our narrative. Arrived at Corinth, we felt that the toils we had undergone to reach it were amply compensated. The situation is certainly magnificent. The plain and bay below, and country around, present to the eye a landscape of rare beauty. In the north, and westward, the Gulf of Corinth is seen for many miles. Par nassus, sacred to Apollo and the Muses, rises all unveiled beyond. The Saronic Gulf is not here seen, as the high ground on the eastern side of the Isthmus, which borders it, intercepts the view, ex cept upon the Acropolis, to which we had not time or strength to repair. The panoramic view from its summit is said to be very splendid — probably the most interesting in Greece.

From it the Acrop olis of Athens, at the distance of forty miles, may be distinctly seen. The site of Corinth is uneven, the western portion particularly, having a rapid descent northward toward the distant bay. It is abundantly watered by springs from the base of the Acropolis. Since the Greek revolution, quite a town has sprung up here, but the location is very unhealthy. This circumstance, if no other, precluded it from becoming the capital of the new kingdom, under Otho. Why it should be so unhealthy here I could not easily account, as the situation is high, and well drained. The malaria of the plain is doubtless the source of the evil. There are many ruined and desolate walls of dwellings destroyed in the devastating war of the revolution still standing. We examined a number of places of historic interest which are pointed out to the traveller.

One monument alone of her early grandeur and her Paganism, has survived the vicissitudes of a hundred generations of human beings, who have hved and disappeared from its view — the Temple of Minerva Chalamatis. Seven majestic Doric columns of this ancient edifice remain in thenoriginal position — -five of these belonged to one of its fronts, and three to one of its sides, counting the column at the angle twice. Of these, three on the side, and two adjoining on the front, still support their entablature ; the archi trave of both the others is gone. They are lime stone monoliths, near six feet in diameter at their base, heavy, and ill-proportioned. This temple is supposed to have been erected B. C. 700, which may well account for its architectural defects. It stands in close proximity to the present village.

As I stood and examined this relic of antiquity, my thoughts instinctively ran back 1,800 years, to that period when the great Apostle to the Gentiles trod over this ground, and his keen eye rested upon this very temple ; even then hoary in its antiquity. His ardent spirit was here doubtless often " stirred within him" as he witnessed the degrading vices and idolatries of the Corinthians ; and I searched around to find some memento to bear away. A leaf of the nettle and the mallow for our herbarium, was all I could obtain ! After procuring a breakfast, the most substantial part of which was boiled eggs, we chartered a rude wagon to convey us with all haste to Calamaki. We spread on the bottom of our springless vehicle one of those huge and hooded Greek overcoats (a la capuchin) which, glad as we were to be able to pro cure even that, was no enviable seat for weary travellers to occupy for a rough ride of eight or ten miles.