Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-11-27
ATHENS,

Having remained sufficiently long in CONSTANT
nople to examine and enjoy all its wonders and
pecnliarites, we embarked on the same steamer
that brought u.s. for the Island of Syra touching
again at Smyrna and Scio. In addition to the par
ty of Americans who accompanied us from SYRIA,
we had Mr.. RoBr. J. MoRRIs and lady, Of Philadet-
phia and the widow ATKINSON, of Dresden. at.
MORRIS was our late Charge Aflaires at apies anu
acquired quite as much reputation Tor diplomacy As
his wife for beauty and accomplishment. Inc
,,ido1v ;s a woman of extraordinary intelligence
and speaks huently several languages She travel
led alone, and was then en- route to the Holy Land
and Egypt gave her some notes on the East,
which hope proved Of service to her in her lonely
wanderings. -ii d. .ia.a tm|
On the morning of the third day we cast anchor
in the harbor of syria, which is Of the most i'm
portant points in Greece. The Austrian Lloyd
steamers stop there, and passengers from the East
are required to perform quarantine on the boat for
twenty-four hours, which is far preferable to being
cooped up in filthy lazzaretto. With books to
read, pleasant company and fine scenery, we pass
ed our time delightfully."-. SyrG (anciently called
Si,rosl is a 1ourishing commercial town and con-
tains population of 600. Its prosperity began
with the revolution, when refugees from all other
parts found protection there, and built temporary
novels on the sea shore 1t next acquired import
ance as the stopping place of the Austrian and
French steamers. Soon after onr quarantine ex-
pired we moved our luggage on a'smal steamer
that runs to the Peiraeus and went ashore to get
breakfast at one of the Hotels Here we met T.
L. NJ EvANGEIIDEs, our Consul. He IS Greek
who received his education at Columbia College
New York. and is now the head of a large and
fourishing school He is an energetic man, and
seems TO have the cause of Greece dearer to his
heart than any of his fellow countrymen that lhave
vet seen. We visited his school, were presented to
his family and received with the greatest hospita-
ty. Among the pupils we saw nephew of the
celebrated Marco Bozzaris, who figured so con-
spicuously in the late war; The little boy is about
fourteen years of age, and evidently possesses
great deal of character He had just made his ap-
pearance in the school after an absence of three
DAYS on the island, having fed because his teacher
punished him for some misconduct. He gave me
his signature in the English and Greek language,
and wished me safe return to my native land
Mr. EvAKGELIDEs accompanied us through the town
and also to the old fountain, at which the nymphs
of the island assembled in the earliest ages 1t eX
lists in its original state, and is, formerly, the
rendezvous of love and gallantry of gossip and
tale-telling 1t is near the town, and the most
limped water gushes from the rock. The inhabi-
tants preserve a tradition, that the pilgrims Of DID,
in their way to Delos resorted hither for purifca
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of religious generation. The islands Of Andros
limos. Delos and Paros, all situated in sight Of
Svra, The latter is celebrated for the extent and
beauty of its marble quarries. The monument just
completed in the Hotel des Invalids in Paris over
the remains of the immortal Napoleon, was carried
from the island Of Paros, and block is now being
prepared for the monument at Washington. While
in the harbor we visited war frigate belonging to
Greece, and commanded by an old veteran of the
Revolution When he ascertained that we were
Americans his heart seemed TO open towards us
the vessel was exhibited in all its parts-and the
birth day Of the old man was honored with heart
felt toast in good Sanian wine.
We arrived at Peiraeus in the night, and the fol-
lowing morning we drove excellent turn
pike road on the Plain of Attica to the Hotel
dOrient in Athens 1t is unnecessary for me TO de-
scribe the feeling that agitated my bosom when
entered the gateway Of this renowned city. They
were the same that experienced when 1 stood up
on the summit Of the Capitol at ancient Rome, and
when knelt at the tomb OF our Saviour in Jerusa-
lem I am in Athensl "Atnae! Atinaei| Oh
what flood of memories rush upon the mind at the
hear mention of her name
"Son of the morning rise, approach you here!
COme-but modest not yon defenceleSs urn;
Look on this spot-a nations sepuchre,
Abode of gods whose shrines no longer burn
Modern Athens is beautiful and fourishing lit
tie city, containing population of about 100000
and retaining, in many respects, the character of
its ancient predecessor The manners and customs
of the Greeks have not undergone great change
as in other countries Their dress and mode of v-
ing far as they able, correspond pretty much
with that Of their ancestors. We did not come
here, however, to see modern improvements, but to
gaze with our own eyes upon the remains ofobjects
that have attracted the admiration of the world for
ages. .-..
Having procured comfortable quarters, we pro-
ceeded with Greek for our guide, down the |
main street of the modern city in the direction Of
the Acyopolis, the great centre of ancient Athens.
The first antique that attracted our attention
small circular building of marble called the 701c0
Of the Ujnds; or, the water clock of AndrOnicuS
CyyYhestes. 1t was erected to indicate the quar-
ter from whence the wind blew, the hour Of the |
day by the sun when the weather was clear and |
by water when it was cloudy. The form of the !
tower is an ocagon. Each of the eight sides face |
the direction of one of the eight winds into which
the Athenean compass divided; and both the |
name and the:ideal form of that wind is scuptured
on the side which faces its direction. 1t thus |
served to the winds themselves as marble mirror.
The tower and bas-relief figures nearly per-
feet Near the tower on the right is the Gate of
the Ag0rie or new market place, which consists of
four luted Doric pillars, supporting pediment,
near which stands AdriaHS market tariff as egible,
and nearly as perfect as on the day it was placed
there Proceeding little up the hill we came to
place where some men were excayating the dirt
from the buried ruins supposed to be the place of
the assembly of the Three Hundred Broken col