New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-08
Newpork Dailp @ribm,re

No. LVII,
No. LVII.
TIE EARTHQUAKE AT CORINTH.

J.
EAUPLA, Greece, March le, 1853.
We started from Athens on Monday last, for 8
tour through tie PelopOnnesus, which We could not
enter upon sooner on accoun: Of the severity Of
The weather. Our party consisted Of Breasted
and myself, accompanied BY tie indispensable Fran
sois all three mounted on sturdy, ploddiDg horses
and TIVE baggage animals under The charge Of our
Ggoyo,s, Perices and Aristides. We had the ne
ces.ary store Of provisions, with two beds, camp
table ard stoois without which It is still impOssi-
bic 10 travel with any comfort in Greece. Athens
s semi-civilzed but the greater part Of the coun-
Try remains in state Of comparative barbarism.
The day Of our departure augured fortunate
Journey. 1t had s.ormed On the previous day, but
new the azure pavement Of heaven shOne new
washed in the beams Of the rising sun, and all the
sounds and colors Of Spring were doubly fresh in
the CRYSTALLINE air. A cool wind blew from the
west, and every tin. ofthe landscape was re,ouched
and restored with the lOyelest effect. The elder
trees il the gardens Lsd already put on their Sum-
mer dress; the tail Grecian pOpars stood in
green mist of blossoms the willows dropped their
FIRST tressss Of milky emerald, and the piIk petals
of the slmOnd flowers sbowered upon the earth.
The plain Of At.ica, over which We rode, through
The olive grove of the Academy, was like para
disc. TIE wheat was already high enough TO rip
pie AID shift Its color in the wind, and the vines,
among which the peasants were busIy work ng,
pruuivg the last years shoots and heaping the earth
between the rows, were beginning to put forth
their leaves. AS we turned, at the pass of Dsphne
10 take a farewell look at Athens, was more
than ever struck with the unrivsled position of the
immortal city. The AcrOpoGs is the prominent
object in every view, and the rock.crested Lyca-
bettus, with its pyIamidal front, tremendously bal
arces il on the north, both being exquisitely re-
lieved against the blue background of Hymet.us.
never saw more superb sea-cOor than tina. of
the Gulf of Sslamis, as it shone N the distance,
between the pale pinkish. grey walls Of the pass.
1t was dazzling, vevety blue green, covered with
purple bloom, and shone with q semitransparent
ulster, like that of dark sapphire. Neither brush
nor pen sould represent il. The scarlet anemOnes
Just opt ned, burned ike Goals Of fire by the
road. side, wild almonds and hawthorns hid their
crooked bOpghs in a vail Of blossoms, and the lily
and asphOdel shot forth new leaves. II was day
loaned from the treasury of heaven, and we shout
I'd, as we rode, from an overplus of animal joy.
We breakfasted at the tomb of Straton, rode over
the rich plain of Eleusis, passed the horned Mount
Kerata (Cuckold) the eastern hesdland of Citb@-
ron, aid reached Megara 10 the afternoon. / no.
hced the cate with which good roads may be made
in Greece. Tie soil abOunds with broken lime
stone fragments, which only need shovelng to-
pether and rolling to make an e1ceIen. macadam,
not exposed to the chance of being injured by
frosts or heavy rains On the plain of Megara no
road at all had been made, and yet there was
very good carriage track. In spite of this, how
ever, the means of internal communication in
Greece are inferior 10 what they were in the days
Of Homer.
Soon after leaving Eeuss, few clouds gath
cred. the wind fell and the sky dsrkened in such
manner that we feared a mos! unfavorable change
in the weather. The landscape became siogulsrly
cold and dreary, and our spirits were unac:ounta-
bly, depressed. The foliage lost It's bright color,
the distant hills became dark aud dull, the lively
sounds Ct bird and beast ceased-in sh0t, some
gloomy spell seemed to have fallen upon the world.
weight, but it cluDg TO me like nightmare, and
the fact that could not account for il worried me-
I'LL the more. Ga reaching Megars, however, we
saw boys with bits Of smoked glass, and the whole
thing was explain ed. Oar testimony, therefore, 70
she moral effect of soar eclipse may be taken as
perfectly impartial, and i may serve TO explain the
alarm felt by savage races On the occurrence OF
such phenomenon.
TIE town of Meesra s built IN dip between
two ble which rise out Of the middle of the PLAIN.
II nss lively busting sir ard shows some signs
Of progress. Large and handsome houses are
springicg Up in the midst Of the oHe-stOred heaps
Of rough masonry which u.ualiy constitute Greek
town, aud although abOu. every fourth building IS
church, the populati n must be considerably
above u thousand. The pain on enc side is vast
green floor Of wheat, rye and bailey; on the other
II simply plOwed, and may be partially planted with
maize or beans. Next year the order q crops VIII
he reversed, and 20 from Jear 10 year, in regular
rotation. Manuring, or any improvement Of the
SOIL is never thought u, aud the plOw is tue same
MID used by Ceres, When she plaOted the first
grain. Twas clad 10 see, however, by tbs orchards
of young olives, and the enGoachments Of fields
upon the bases of the mountains, ttst the area of
Ills rude cultivation is extending. The city md
scum of Antiquities is daik, dirty hut, in which
are three headless statues, one of them presenting
IFS back TO the visitor During the e5ening the
streets rang with the voice Of crier, who Wen
sIouLd calling upon all those who we're no. g.
work, 20 attend church. This cmtOm n probably
borrowed from the Moslem call to prayer, but the
cry is by no means 80 musical and impressive.