'May 10, 1859.
'We had a fair wind and we did very well, seeing a little bit of
Cerig or Cythera, and lots of turtle-doves wandering about over the
sea and perching, tired and timid, in the rigging of our little
craft. Then Falconera, Antimilo, and Milo, topped with huge white
clouds, barren, deserted, rising bold and mysterious from the blue,
chafing sea; - Argentiera, Siphano, Scapho, Paros, Antiparos, and
late at night Syra itself. ADAM BEDE in one hand, a sketch-book in
the other, lying on rugs under an awning, I enjoyed a very pleasant
day.
'May 14.
'Syra is semi-eastern. The pavement, huge shapeless blocks sloping
to a central gutter; from this bare two-storied houses, sometimes
plaster many coloured, sometimes rough-hewn marble, rise, dirty and
ill-finished to straight, plain, flat roofs; shops guiltless of
windows, with signs in Greek letters; dogs, Greeks in blue, baggy,
Zouave breeches and a fez, a few narghilehs and a sprinkling of the
ordinary continental shopboys. - In the evening I tried one more
walk in Syra with A-, but in vain endeavoured to amuse myself or to
spend money; the first effort resulting in singing DOODAH to a
passing Greek or two, the second in spending, no, in making A-
spend, threepence on coffee for three.
Pages:
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177