428 SALAGORA-WILD FOWL AND SWANS UPON THE GULF. sprang up which quickly wafted us across this enchanting gulf✶ to the scala of Salagora, where there is a dogana or custom-house, and a small serai built for the pasha's accommodation when he visits Pre vesa. The rats were now dislodged from the state apartments, which were put in order for our reception. Here we dined, admitting the governor of the castle to our table; and here we would fain have slept, but the long-tailed inhabitants returning in large bodies during the night, took an ample revenge for their late ejectment. Next morning we found considerable difficulty about proceeding, as our company required a much larger train of horses than could immediately be procured. Mahomet however was too proud of having regained his usual authority to permit this delay to be of long duration. He soon scoured the country around, putting into requisition all the horses of the unfortunate peasants, as if an enemy had landed on the coasts. The court of the serai was filled with such a collection of animals as I had never before witnessed in the shape of horses: about twenty of the best were selected, and their masters obliged to accompany them as far as Arta. Hence the reader may judge what a calamity is the appearance of foreigners in a place unprovided with a post. We lamented the circumstance, but there was no alternative: had it been practicable, I think the whole party would have preferred to walk rather than mount the beasts which were presented to them. For a considerable distance the road to Arta follows the bending of the gulf: it was a delightful sight to observe its glittering surface covered with myriads of wild fowl of every species and plumage : amongst these a vast number of stately swans of dazzling whiteness sailed about like princes of the lake, whilst the shore was lined with eagles, vultures, and falcons, watching opportunities of darting on their prey. During our ride we shot a sufficient quantity of plover * In Epiro nihil Ambracio sinu nobilius est. Pomp. Mel. l. ii. c. 4. and snipes to make an excellent dinner at the end of the journey. The road was the best we had hitherto experienced in Greece, making very near approaches to an English turnpike. Its construction was carried on under the auspices of an Italian doctor, who thinking it easier to mend roads than constitutions, had turned engineer, and was appointed surveyor of highways to the Albanian sovereign. In a few places where the ground was particularly marshy a high causey was raised and paved, but in general the economical propensities of the master interfered with the measures of his engineer, as they had done at Prevesa, and we thought it doubtful which would first sink into oblivion, the pasha or his road. Arrival at Arta-Curious Greek Church-General Appearance of the City and Environs, &c.-Site of Ambracia-Castle of Ambracus Siege of Ambracia by the Romans-Acropolis-Religious Ceremonies in the Greek Church-Present from the old Albanian Governor-Departure from Arta-Canal of Luro-Journey over the Molossian Hills -Han of five Wells-First View of and Arrival at Ioannina-General appearance of the City-House of Signor Nicolo Argyri, in which we lodged, described-Father and Family of our Host-Anecdote of the Pasha-Dinner with Mr. Foresti the British Resident-Signor Psalida -His Character-First Visit to the Pasha-Serai of Litaritza-Introduction to Ali-Advantages in visiting Ioannina at this Time-Dinner with Mr. Foresti-Psalida-Walk round the City-Cruel ExecutionsExtortion of the Pasha-Gypsies-Police-Churches-Visit to Mouchtar Pasha-Visit to young Mahmet Pasha-Gardens and Kiosk of GENERAL APPEARANCE OF ARTA. 431 the Vizir-Visit to Psalida-Visit to Mr. Pouqueville the French Consul-Trait of his Humanity-Similar Anecdote of Mr. Foresti -Shooting on the Lake---Vizir sends a Kaivasi to reside at our House. AFTER a ride of about four hours we arrived at the banks of the Aracthus, a fine river, which is crossed by a very lofty and picturesque bridge, whose noble Gothic arches, as they vary in their height, form a singular and wavy outline. Entering the suburbs we passed by a serai of the pasha's painted externally in vivid colours, and a very curious Greek church of the Lower Empire, a representation of which is given at the head of this chapter, as it is one of the few remaining monuments of those times, when architecture, without losing all traits of magnificence, became as it were a confused mixture of disordered principles and a combination of distorted proportions. Our Saxon style in England affords a parallel instance of a similar degradation of the art. We were conducted to an excellent lodging in the house of a Greek merchant, from whence, as soon as we had deposited our luggage, we sallied out in search of the poor peasants whose cattle had been so unceremoniously pressed into our service. Most of them had set out immediately on their return home in a sullen kind of despair; but we were fortunate enough to discover a few, to whom we gave an adequate remuneration, which we entreated might be fairly divided amongst their comrades: but in all probability those who then received it were the only gainers. The general appearance of Arta is pleasing, especially that of its bazar, which contains many excellent shops, well stored with commodities, and exhibits a considerable shew of commercial activity. Its prosperity seems to have increased since the ruin of unfortunate PreThe gardens and orange-groves in its environs are celebrated for their beauty, and the rich soil of its territory, well able to support vesa. 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 Argos†; 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 ἄυτη από θαλάττης τάδια π', ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ θαλάττης τειχος 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. 'YTÉρKELTαι δὲ αυτὴ (Αμβρακία sc.) το μυχό μικρὸν, Τόλγε τῶ Κυψέλες κτίσμα· παραῤῥει δ' αυτὴν ὁ ̓́Αραχθος ποταμὸς ἀνάπλων ἔχων ἐκ θαλάττης εις αυτὴν ὀλίγων ταδίων, ἀρχόμενος ἐκ Στύμφης ὄρος και τῆς Παρωρείας: Ευτυχει μὲν ἦν και πρότερον ή πόλις ἅντη διαφερόντως· Τὴν γῆν ἐπωνυμίαν ἐντεῦθεν ἔσχηκεν ὁ κόλπος. + It is reckoned seven hours. Livy says the distance was twenty-two miles. |