Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-08-19
MISCELLANY
Perilous Ascent.

Perilous Ascent.
Mr.. Bowen thus describes the curious posi-
tion and appearance of the second of the great
monastic seals of Greece-the monasteries of
Meteora, and his ascent to one of them -
In half an hour we reached narrow ledge
of rock, from which rises perpendicularly a
cliff of near three hundred feet high, on the
summit of which is the monastery of the Holy
Trinity. On the tops of the neighboring pin
nacles are placed the converts of Meteora, ESQ
called, par ercellence, as the largest of ally
Barlaam $50 called after the founder, Saint of
the Greek Calendar)-St StepheA, and three
others of little note. determined to ascend
TO the Trinity, as the highest of all, and at the
same time the nearest to the village. Besides
the nets, the monasteries are accessible by lad
ders of wood and rope, made in several sepa-
rate joints, and let down over the face of the
cliff, from the mouths of artificial tunnels in
the rock, which communicate with the lower
parts of the buildings. AT night, or when not
required, these ladders are pulled up, and the
monks are entirely isolated from the world be-
low. The ladders are, of course, infinitely the
most hazardous mode of ascent or descent. as
they are perfectly perpendicular, and swing
backward and forward in the air with the least
breath of wind. A monk mounting by them
looks like large black fly crawling on the
face of the precipice. preferred the net, as
In 1t you resign yourself to the care of the holy
fathers entirely, whereas on the ladders YOU
must trust to your own nerve end steadiness.
The question is, will you rely on the Church,
or In your own private judgment! | fired off
pistol, 10 attract the attention of the monks,
when, long before the echo, reverberated by
the cliffs around, had died away over Pindus,
two or three cowled heads were thrust out
from under the covered platform projecting
from the summit of the rock, and which re-
sembles the shed on the top story of lofty
London warehouse. The rope, too, is worked
In similar way, by pulley and windlass-
After accommodating US for moment, and see
ing that we was not strong enough to carry
their monastery by coup de main, the monks
threw down what seemed strong cabbage-net
lowering at the same time thick rope, with
an iron hook at its end. My guide spread the
net on the ground, and seated myself in it
cross-legged. He then gathered the meshes
together over my head, and hung them on the
,I.n - z.l-
wndlass, and in about three minutes and
half | reached the summit, distance of be-
tween two and three hundred feet, swinging TO
and fro In the breeze, and turning round like
Joint of meat roasting before slow fire. This
inconvenience might easily be prevented by
another rope being held by person below, as
Is done in the shafts of mines but that is
Cornish luxury which has not yet occurred to
the good fathers. Of course, as began to as
cend, my weight draws the net close, until my
knees are pulled up 10 my chin, and am rolled
Into ball like hedgehog. The guide told
me to shut my eyes to escape giddness; but
soon opened them, on feeling myself banged
pretty sharply against the rough side of the
rock but swung myself off again by con-
vulsive push of the knees. The height is, in
deed, dizzy enough; for could no longer see
the narrow ledge from which | had started
nor the winding path that led TO it, but looked
right down upon the plain of Thessaly, one
thousand feet or more beneath. During the
ascent, the rope occasionally slips from one
spoke to another on the windlass, when, of
course, you fall like piece of lead for a few
yards, and are then caught up with mighty
disagreeable jerk. On reaching the level of
the projecting shed above, you are left hanging
for half minute over the abyss, till the monks
leave the capstan, and fish you in with pole
like boat-hook. They have no such contr-
vance as turning-crane for landing their
guests; in fact, their machinery is altogether
of most primitive order. You lie OH the
floor perfectly helpless ball, until they undo
the meshes of the net from the hook, unrol you,
give you gentle shake, and then help yon to
your feet