New-York daily tribune., 1858-07-12

No. LIX.
RAGBLES IN MESSENIA, Ellis AND
ACHAIA.

b&vne ktlsmata, ia the Icheet par. Of the Mofes
Although IFS groyes Of orange and oh.e fg aud aa
berry, were entirely destroyed during the Egyptian
occupation, pew and more vigorous shoots haze
sprung up from the old ,tumps, sni the desoiated
country is garden again, sppsrently as fair and
fruitful when il excited the covetousness Of the
Spartan thieves. SOpiDg 10 the Golf on the south,
and protected from the winds on all other sdss b.
lofty mountains, If enjoys an almost Egp ptIan
warmth Of climate. Here it vas already Sumner,
while at Sparta, on the other side Of Taygetus
SprIDg bsd but just arrived, aud toe central piaa
Of Arcadia Was still bleak and gray as in Winter.
Az il was market day, we met hundreds Of the
country people going to KaiamGta WITH laden asses.
Nine tentbs Of them, at least, had farksn faces.
Tie Greek type suddenly ceases on lesving Maina,
and did not find il again, except 10 ieS scatter
ing instances, during the remainder Of our travels
in the PelopOnnesus. And get, some travellers De-
clare that the bulk Of The population Of Modern
Greece belong to the ancient ,tock On the con-
srsry, should consider 100000, or one fifth of the
entire number very high estimate.
We crossed the rapid Psmisos with sOms diff
Guilty, ard a'cended its right baok 70 the foot OF
AOuIt JFau, NC CIOtuyf W s@Nsb PNh'S
through tbickets of mas,ic and furze, to the NOR
sstery ofYurkano. The building has magnificent
situstiOD on terrace between Mounts Essu and
Hhome, overlooking both the upper and iower plans
Of TIE PGIDisos--a glorious spcesd Of landscape,
sreen with Spring, and touched By The sun with the
sirest prisnatic tiD:s, through breaks Of heavy
rain. clcuds. Inside the court is an old Byzantine
chapel, With feursde lis on the decorations, show
ipp that il dates from the time Of toe Latin princes.
The monks received us very cordially, gave No
elesp spacious room, and cent us bottle of excel
lent wire for dinner. We ascended ItbOme and
yiste5 the massive ruins Of Messene the same day.
The great gate of the city, portion of the wal,
and four Of the towers Of defense in tolersble
eorditon. The name Of Epsninondas hallOgs these
remains, which otherwise, grand as they sre, do
rot impress one ike the Cyclopean walls of Tiryns
The wonder is that they could have been built 10
70 short Tines days. says history, which
would appear incre iible, hal not still more marvel
Gus things OF the kind been done in Russia
The next day, we rode across the hesd of the
Mes~niaD plain, crossed the "Mount Lycean"
and the gorge of the Neda and lodged at the little
village Of IragOge, Cd the frontiers Of Arcadia.
Our experience Of GreciaU highways was pleasantly
increased by finding fields plowed directly across
our road fences of dried furze bull. over it, aod
Sitches cutting it at all angles Sometimes all trace
Of it would be lost for half a mile, and we were
obEsed to ride over the growing crops until we
could find bit of fresh trail So far as can dis-
cover. the Government neither makes nor guards
sny road in this psrt Of the MOres. Two or three
times year new track must be made.
Tho bride path over Mount Lyoeus was steep
and bad, but led us through the heart of beautiful
reeion. The broad back of the mountain is covered
with grove of superb oaks, centuries old, their
long arm mufled in golden moss, and adorned with
n p)umepe Of ferns The turf at their feet was
studded with vioiets, filing the air with delicious
odors. This sylvan retreat was the birthplace OF
Pan, and no more fitting home for the universal god
csn be imagined. On the northern side we de-
sceDdsd for some time through forest OF I'M
meDse lick trees, which sprang from hoor OF green
NOES and covered our pathway with Summer shade.
Near here, Francois was once stepped by some rob-
bers 10 whom be gave some wine and toos;co IN
exchange for sheep, and persuaded them to spare
The bscssee Of tg0 travellers whom he was con-
dpctinp. We were now in the heart OF the wild
mountain region Of Messenia in whose fastnes'es
Anstomenes, the epic hero of the State, maintained
himself so long ss ainst the Sparians. The tFemen-
Sous gorge below US was the bed OF the Neda'
which we crossed in order TO enter the lateral valley
Of Phesla, where lay Trasoge. The path was
net only difficult, bat dsDgerous-in some places
mere hands breadth OF gravel, On the edge oil
plane 20 steep that q single slip Of horses fooi
would have sent him headOpg to the bottom.
We intended TO stop with the pries. from whom
Francois hoped to coax some Of hls sacramento
wine. On hailDg peasant, however, on spprosch'
ing the village, we learned that the good msn had
been dead for some months. "Whst was the mat
Ter with hint" asked f. "Nothing was The mat
Ter with him." answered the man; "he died"
We thereupon went to the fstoer of the deceased,
who received US kindly, and gave US q windy room
With q number of Old silver-mounted yatsghsns
and muskets hsrgipg 20 the walls. During the
evening q neghbor came in whose brother was
slot s bandit few years ago: In the Kitchen
there Was a segment Of holoR sycamore trunk,
sssd az grain chest Thirty or forty bee-bives, 10
plot Of ground pesr the bense, were in like man.
psr compcstd of hollow ~ AID covered With
broad fat stones.
In the morning, 8 terrible seirOeco Ierante Wa
Moving, with an aluost freezing cold. The fury
Of the wind was 60 great that in crossing the ex'
possd ridges ii was ficult 10 keep ones seat spso
the horse. We climbed to ward the central peak Of
The LyeGan Hills, through wild dell between two
ndsea which were covered to the summit with