the absorption of succulent plants, produces some of the finest tobacco in Turkey. Its leaves are of a fine yellow colour and emit a fragrance very different from the smell of our plantation shrub: it is esteemed one of the best preservatives against the effects of the climate and those pestilential fevers to which Arta is very subject from the low marshes in its vicinity. The price is about five piasters the oke. Grain of all kinds, cotton, flax, Valonéan bark, skins, wine, cattle, and timber, form the chief articles of exportation. Before the reign of Ali Pasha the French had a resident consul here, who procured from the magnificent forests of Ambracia the most plentiful supply of timber for their navy. There seems to be no doubt but that Arta occupies the site of the ancient Corinthian colony Ambracia*. It stands at the same distance as the latter did, both from the sea and from the ruins of Amphilochian Argost; it is similarly situated with regard to the Aracthus, and like its predecessor is commanded by a rugged height towards the east, upon which appear considerable remains of an ancient citadel. Nor is it to the site only of Ambracia that Arta has succeeded, but also to the honour of giving its name to the gulf. The custom-house of Arta is at Salagora, a poor substitute for the fine emporium which it formerly possessed at the mouth of the Aracthus, between which and the city lay the strong castle of Ambracus in the midst of a marsh, accessible only by one narrow raised path. The possession of this post was of the utmost importance, as it in some * ̓Απέχει ἅυτη από θαλάττης τάδια π', ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ θαλάττης τέιχος και λιμὴν κάλλιτος· Scylax. Arta is now considered about three hours from the sea, which will agree with the eighty stadia of Scylax. Livy describes the site very accurately. "Ambracia tumulo aspero subjecta, Perranthen incolæ vocant, urbs, qua murus vergit in campos & flumen, occidentem, arx, quæ posita in tumulo est, Orientem spectat: amnis Aretho ex Acarnania (leg. Athamania) fluens cadit in sinum maris, ab nomine propinquæ urbis Ambracium appellatum." L. xxxviii. c. 4. With this account that of Polybius coincides, though this latter historian more properly gives the name of Aracthus to the river. 'YTÉρke.rαι δὲ αυτὴ (Αμβρακία sc.) το μυχό μικρὸν, Τόλγε τῶ Κυψέλω κτίσμα· παραῤῥει δ' αυτὴν ὁ ̔́Αραχθος ποταμὸς ἀνάπλων ἔχων ἐκ θαλάττης ἐις αυτὴν ὀλίγων ταδίων, ἀρχόμενος ἐκ Στύμφης ὄρος και τῆς Παρωρείας" Ηυτυχει μὲν ἦν και πρότερον ἡ πόλις ἅυτη διαφερόντως· Τὴν γῆν ἐπωνυμίαν ἐντεῦθεν ἔσχηκεν ὁ κόλπος. + It is reckoned seven hours. Livy says the distance was twenty-two miles. measure commanded the city and its territory *: it was attacked and taken after a siege of forty days, in the Achæan or social war, by Philip king of Macedon; but this delay prevented him from passing into Etolia and taking advantage of the opportunities of the war. Ambracia was a favourite residence of Pyrrhus †, who built therein a magnificent palace called the Pyrrhéum. Against the quarter in which this was situated, the Roman consul M. Fulvius Nobilior threw up one of his works in that celebrated siege, which is described with such spirit by Polybius and Livy. There is scarcely an instance in the Grecian annals, where a city was defended with greater bravery and skill, where the contests above ground were more gallant or the subterranean ones more extraordinary. In the capitulation which ensued, the citizens exhibited an instance of that good faith and magnanimity which seems to have been a distinguishing trait of the Ambracian character. They resolved to suffer all extremities and reject all terms rather than compromise the security of their Etolian allies who had succoured them nobly during the siege, and who were peculiarly obnoxious to the Romans. The city, though spared from pillage, was despoiled by the rapacious victors of its fine decorations in painting and sculpture with which it had been decorated by the partiality of the Molossian king §. In the annals of the Byzantine historians we frequently find Arta mentioned as a very strong city and the capital of Acarnania. In the reign of Andronicus, jun'. it revolted with Rogous and Thomocastron under two leaders named Cabasilas and Basilitzes, who threw the imperial protostrator into prison; but • Ἐπίκειται δ' ευκαιρως τῇ τε χώρᾳ τῶν ̓Αμβρακιωτῶν καὶ τῆ πόλει. Polyb. l. iv. 63. † Μάλισα δ' ἐκόσμησεν αυτὴν Πύῤῥος, βασιλέιῳ χρησάμενος τῷ τόπῳ. Polyb. l. iv. † Τῦτο γὰρ ὑφέιλοντο πρῶτον, says Polybius, τηρῶντες τὴν πρὸς τὰς συμμάχες πίσιν. L. xxii.c. 12. Νο city of Epirus, except Ambracia, claimed the honour of inscribing its name upon that pedestal of the statue of Jupiter dedicated at Elis by those Grecian states who had fought for liberty and won it at Platea. Pausan. Eliac. c. 23. 1. § Liv. lib. xxxviii. c. 9.---According to Ovid the sepulchre of Pyrrhus was here, and violated by the Roman soldiers; though, according to Pausanias, that hero was buried in the temple of Ceres, at Argos: unless indeed Ovid alludes to Pyrrhus, son of Achilles, who was slain at Delphi. VOL. I. Nec tua quam Pyrrhi felicius ossa quiescant Sparsa per Ambracias quæ jacuere vias. Ibis. 304. 434 CEREMONIES IN THE GREEK CHURCH. were reduced again to obedience by the Great Domestic John Cantacuzene*. Nothing now remains of the ancient splendour of Ambracia except the Cyclopéan masonry of its citadel, which has served, during the times of the Lower Empire, as the substruction of a modern fortress: a few cannon are still mounted there, and the prospect from its heights is extensive and pleasing. Having finished the circuit of the modern city we again arrived at the Greek church already mentioned, which is styled the Metropolis: seeing the doors open we entered and found a priest at the altar, making devout crossings, repeating prayers, and sanctifying divers messes of boiled wheat and currants, which the women brought in dishes to receive his benediction. A crowd of children waited at the entrance, eager for a share in the spoils, a few handfuls of which were always distributed among them, whilst the remainder was carried home for the consumption of the respective families. The following is a delineation of the ground-plan, with a section of this curious edifice. PRESENT FROM THE ALBANIAN GOVERNOR. 435 After dinner we received the visits of the Albanian governor, the Greek primates, and the medical engineer, the latter of whom endeavoured by all the arts of colloquy to elicit from us our opinion of his road. He was very desirous that we should speak favourably of it to the vizir, and to interest us in his cause, sent us a bundle of the finest tobacco which the district produces. This poor man had lately lost his wife and all his children by the malaria fever, which is so destructive at Arta. January 1. This morning we received from the old Albanian vaivode a fine house-lamb for a new-year's gift; an occurrence that reminded us strongly of those old tokens of hospitality (Eewnia duga) which distinguished the heroic ages of Greece. At noon we mounted our horses, recrossed the Aracthus, and proceeded under the guidance of our friend the engineer to the extent of his new road, where it joins what is called the canal of Luro; this is cut from the river of Luro, which emptying itself into the gulf at no great distance from Prevesa, takes off a great circuit of land carriage in the transportation of merchandise from that port and Salagora to Ioannina. This canal or dyke, though not originally cut, has been opened and made navigable by Ali Pasha. We observed here many buffaloes, swimming about with their noses just above the water to crop off the long grass which floated on its surface. The doctor now quitted us, with a very broad hint for the recommendation of his road; and we began to ascend amongst mountainous acclivities in the ancient country of the Molossi. Presently the state of the weather, which hitherto had been fine though cold, totally changed; the sky became overcast and a bitter wind blew the snow and sleet so thick in our faces that we could scarcely see the road. As evening approached we observed fires kindled on all the mountains around us, and heard the continual barking of Molossian dogs, the still faithful companions of Albanian shepherds-amica vis pastoribus. It was with no small degree of satisfaction that after a fatiguing journey we arrived, though late in the evening, at a solitary resting place called the "Han of five wells" (wivte ogeάgia). It stands in a very bleak and desolate situation, upon the highest point of ground between the plains of Arta and Ioannina, and takes its name from the number of wells dug for the accommodation of caravans. Whilst the best apartments above stairs were put into order for our reception, we were glad to creep for the sake of warmth into the most wretched shed that ever was constructed for the reception of human beings, the very abode of filth, where our tatar and another of his fraternity were already seated over a few charcoal embers, boiling their coffee in small brass pots, which, together with a small cup, a metal soucup, and a wooden spoon to stir the liquor, always forms a part of their travelling apparatus. As soon as a fire was lighted up stairs by our own servants (for no Turkish han ever supplies any menial assistance) we ascended, and found that the apartment in which we were to rest had been newly composed of unseasoned wood, which by frequent splitting and warping let in the piercing breeze on all sides: thus we were unable to keep a lamp or candle lighted, or to enjoy the blessing of sleep after the large fire became extinguished that we had piled up before we went to bed. Yet we were informed that these rooms were built expressly for the accommodation of the vizir himself. Next morning we were charged twelve dollars for this lodging and fire. We started at an early hour, and proceeded by a gradual descent into the plains of Ioannina. We rested for a short time at the han of San. Dimitri, where we procured some black bread and resined wine, which the keen air of the mountains made palatable, and then dashed over the plain at a gallop, with loud cries and cracking of whips from the tatar and suradgees, like a baggage-train flying from an hostile force. About two miles before we arrived at Ioannina we ascended a gentle eminence which brought that city full into our view, with its glittering |