shores. We have, however, been amply repaid for our trouble and risk, by having seen that which modern travel. lers (with now and then a very rare exception) have totally neglected or overlooked. We are encamped amid the ruins of one of the most magnificent cities of the ancient Greeks in Asia, the city of Telmessus.

In order, however, to continue the thread of my narrative, it will be necessary for me to revert to the place at which my last letter was dated, and make the voyage over again to this place.

I wrote to you last from our encampment on the seacoast near Beyrout, where we were keeping strict quarantine. Through the kind intervention of our worthy consul, we were enabled to find a vessel, the captain of which came to the shore in his boat, and landed near our tent, where the gentlemen had an interview and concluded a bargain with him.

The terms of the charter party were, that the Greek brig St. Pantaleone, Captain Comiano Attanassio, was at our disposal, to carry us and our equipage to Smyrna, touching at Cyprus, Rhodes, and other islands which might lie in our course. The compensation to be two hundred and thirty colonados (Spanish dollars), and whatever backshee we might be pleased to add, the captain being restricted from taking any other passengers or any freight.

Before the papers were signed, we of course desired to have a little nearer view of our new floating home than that which our telescope afforded us at a distance of two miles. We obtained permission to row round her in a boat belonging to the Sanita; but were not permitted to board her until the time of sailing. All the satisfaction that we could obtain from this voyage of discovery was, that the little vessel appeared to be of about sixty tons, well formed for sailing, and tolerably well appointed in masts, spars, and rigging; her sails, which were unfurled for our inspection, appeared new and sound. She was, however, too light to

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be in good sailing trim, and we directed that a few more boatloads of sand ballast should be brought from the shore. The captain assured us that he had a full supply of wood and water, besides some spare sails and extra compasses below deck, with all of which we were satisfied; and, on our return to land, the gentlemen signed the charter party, which was brought to us by a clerk of the consignee of the vessel.

There is a curious precaution taken in signing papers by persons in quarantine. A pane of glass is placed upon the paper to rest the hand upon, in order to prevent contact with it.

This reminds me of a singular case which occurred here shortly after we left the place to make our tour in the inte rior.

While we were in quarantine, in the garden on the north side of the city, we were several times visited by a young French gentleman who was connected with the health office. We brought a letter of introduction to him from his friends in Alexandria. This letter could not be opened and read by him without the precaution of taking it to the health office in a tin box, and then having it regularly smoked, according to law. This precaution, however, was evaded by our opening the letter for him, and spreading it upon the ground, and then retiring a short distance. He placed his cane upon the letter in order to prevent it from being blown against him by the wind, in which case he would have been obliged to perform quarantine with us until our term expired. It would have been well for him had he continued thereafter to be equally cautious in opening letters. He would prob. ably have been living on our return; and we should, in addition to his pleasant society, have received some farther facilities during our last quarantine.

The circumstances of his unfortunate death were these. He had formed an attachment to a young lady at Beyrout,

and, like all dutiful sons, he had written to his father at Alexandria for his consent to a union with his fair inamo. rata. By the next steamer the father's answer arrived. The contents of the letter-bag were, as usual, emptied into the tin box, in order to be taken to the smokehouse to be purified. . Too impatient to wait the tardy process of law, the impet uous lover, taking advantage of his official station, opened the tin case-to him the fatal box of Pandora-seized the packet which was to reveal to him his future destiny: the approval of his choice, or the denial of his dutiful request.

While his gloating eyes were scanning the lines of paternal affection, in which, to his inexpressible delight, he found a full concurrence with all his fondest anticipations, he little thought that what to him appeared a messenger of glad tidings was charged with the arrow of death, which, unperceived for the moment, was sped to the inmost recesses of his heart, there to mingle its fatal Upas with the stream of life...

Nor was he yet conscious of the poison which his quick. ened pulse was driving through his veins, when he flew to the feet of his mistress to impart to her the joy that awaited him, when she should complete his happiness by joining her hand and heart with his at the altar of Hymen. Unfortunate young man! A few hours after he was a corpse. The fatal plague ran riot through his excited frame, its course was more speedy than usual, and he died a martyr to the cause of love; though, with less indiscretion, he might now be living, and basking in the sunshine of matrimonial bliss, with his dark-eyed Greek.

This is one among the many stubborn facts which our western non-contagionists will have to do battle against, be fore they convince the world that strict quarantine precau. tions are not necessary, at least against the plague in East. ern countries.

On the morning of the 25th of June we embarked, with

all our equipage. Having discharged our moukres and their cattle, we retained only our three body-servants, Giovanni, François, and Selim. We were not very agreeably disappointed when we first put our feet upon the deck of our little Greek coaster; for, like all Greek vessels, she was the perfection of neatness outside, and the quintessence of filth within.

We spent the day at anchor in causing all sorts of lustra. tions and purifications to be made above and below. Our servants, baggage, and stores, the padrone and his mate, occupied the small space above the ballast in the hold. When we came to inspect our own quarters, we found that they consisted of a small triangular apartment, six feet by eight, including a couple of shelves yclept berths. There was not room to stand upright in the saloon; and, besides the usual concomitants of all old vessels in hot climates, the atmosphere of the place was redolent with the odours of bilge-water and garlic. In our then situation there was no door for retreat; we were in for it, and obliged to submit; but to occupy the place assigned to us was impossible; we therefore took our meals upon deck, and ordered a sort of tent to be erected amidships for our sleeping apartment, which we intended to occupy, blow high or blow low.

By sunset all matters were as well arranged as our unfortunate circumstances would permit, and soon after the land breeze came down from the cool summits of the Leb. anon, to woo the placid surface of the waters, and impart to it a thousand dimpling smiles, which always carry joy to the heart of the outward bound.

To the tune of the merry "yo! heave yo!" our anchor was quickly weighed; the forward sails first caught the breeze, and our bark pointed her prow towards the west. The mainsail was then dropped and "sheeted home," when away we went, bounding

"O'er the glad waters of the dark blue sea."

The report of a single gun was sped back to our friends on shore, and the caverns of the Lebanon returned its echoing adieu.

We were now not only at the mercy of the wind and waves, but liable at any moment to be attacked by the pirates which at present infest these seas, lying in wait for vessels containing hadjees returning from their speculating pilgrimages to Mecca.

Several vessels of this description have lately been captured, and more or less murders have been perpetrated, in addition to the robberies committed. One vessel, containing a large number of this description of passengers, was taken, and all on board slaughtered. It is said that frequently Greek vessels receive on board passengers which are never after heard of; they are doubtless despatched by these disguised bucaniers. Our old captain, however, is well known at Beyrout, and is a regular trader; we were assured that we had nothing to fear from him, as it has since proved.

The next evening after sailing we came in sight of the famous island of Cyprus; but the wind dying away, we could not reach the harbour. The next morning the wind came out ahead, but our little clipper brig beat into the port of Lanarca in fine style, and came to anchor off the Lazaretto. The boat of the Sanita came off to us, and took our papers. Our captain followed it to the Parlatorio, where he was informed that our vessel could not receive pratique short of 14 days' quarantine! Thus, notwithstanding all our precautions and our clean bill of health, we were looked upon by the Turkish authorities in the same light as if we came freighted with dirty and sickly pilgrims. There was no arguing the matter, the orders were positive; all vessels from Syria must do quarantine, as the plague was known to exist at Beyrout. Therefore, all we could obtain from Cy. prus was a small cask of its delicious comanderia for ourselves, and another of common red wine for our servants