Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1861-02-28

"AsS loNiuSuC0S ~ secure teInpOidIJ HonS
in the family of Mr.. and Mrs. Stevens, with
whom and their three children, we spent
happy season. Mrs. Stevens was formerly a
Miss Danforth, OF Massachusetts, who had the
| pralseworthy courage and enterprise to leave,
some years ago, her home, friends and native
land, for the sake of doing good in the capacity
ofa teacher in that strange city. She had
more than ordinary success, for her school not
only became selfsuppOrIing, but for many
! years yielded her profit besides Now, as 10
| Smyrna: We felt that we had escaped not
only from Syria, but had fled the Turkish do
minions entirely, and had reilly arrived IN
some town of the European States, everything
seemed so civilized and modern, when con.
! irasted with the ancient manners and customs
of he towns and cities in Syria. AS in the
latter, the different sects have each their own
peculiar quarters. In passing through the
Jewish, Turkish and American quarters, we
noticed a striking difference belwe en- that and
! other more Eastern towns which we had vsi-
/ ted, but the Greek and Frank quarters pre-.
scented very great contrast with anything we
/ had seen since leaving Alexandra. This por
/ ton is quite regularly laid out for an Eastern
town, aud the streets sufficiently spacious for
/ carriages to pass The houses are built in
Europead style, and many of them not only i'm
posing in their outward appearance but hand
somely fitted up within. We were IN Smyrna
during the great fire which consumed over
eight hundred dwellings; it occurred in the
Greek and Frank quarters, and Its ravages
were chiefly with the buildings of the poorer
classes.
The origin Of this FIRE speaks lamentabls for
the religious state OF the Christians of Smyrna.
On the morning Of one of the Greek feast days,
(Which may add are universally regarded by
CHRISTIANS 10 the East with greater reverence
than the Sabbath,) poor woman who had an
. image of the Virgin in her house, on her in
creased zeal TO pay sufficient honor and adora-
ton to it, set candle before it on leaving for
church, which in her absence took fire TO the
8 drapery around, and consumed not only her
dwelling but her child, and continued to spread
with undated fury until near sunset, leaving
a runous heap of eight hundred dwellings or
more levelIed TO the ground. Ii was sad in
deed TO witness the consequent suffering So
: maOy who, but few hours previous, were in
the possession of The necessaries OF life, were
r left homeless and pennlless, dependent upon
public charity for the bread they ate. During
our stay, we made such excursions in and
2 about the city as opportunity afforded, and the
v intense heat of the weather permitted. | sup.
a pose scarcely ever went out, but what saw
e something, an account of which would prove
r interesting to home friends, but for the present
q these minor items must pass Unnotice, and give
70 pace aad time to description OF two more
q important excursions. One Of these was Q
j. carriage drive to Bujat, village five miles
ID distant from the city, where many Of the mere
D. wealthy of the Greeks and English have theiI
Is summer residences; both going and returning
er we were obliged to PASS over Caravan Bridge
lie which, by the way, is one of the most interest
n ing places about Smyrna, being on the grea
al cara van road between Smyrna and Persia, a nj
to the place where tolls are collected for ali thu
e, imports and exports Of the city. It's interest
III doubly enhanced besides by the bridge span
ming the ancient Meles, a river associated wit
IN the name of Homer. The scenery about it
of sadly beautiful tOo--an extensive MoslGT
a burylng ground near by, thckly studded wit
on old cypress trees, that give gloomy yet inter
tn esting aspect TO the scene. 1t had been fou
r. years since we had taken a carriage ride, Gov
as last having been in Alexandria, and you ca
Nv ina CINE, TO some extent, my enjoyment an
M delight at being once more in a carriage =
he Our dear little Lizzie, who ever cries to mour
'd- the donkey, could scarce be prevailed upon
'se get in, but seeing her papa venture. whom sh
err. adopts as her model, became quite assured Of
lg, sense of security, and cheeFtuIIy submitted
of The carriage, though antiqnated. was passab
IN in appearance, but the horses and harness wer
or sufficient proof of the transition state throug
nd which Smyrna is now passing, from the rude
he ness of antiquity to the Improvements OF mot
OF ern times. The other excursion TO which
iu' alluded was TO Castle Hill, in company viii
IN. Mr. Dodd, in the course Of which we .VisIte
ely Polycarp's tomb, the stadium, the ruins Of Il
est old castle, and the old amphtheatre. The 8
iga called tomb is evidently the work of MOsem
ere by whom it was highly venerated, as marks
blood were still visible from the sacri6c
on which had be.u offsred a, the ,o0b. in thu .
OPP closure of which stood an old cVpress III
the identity Of the spot, as being the last restiI
hsh place of PoIycarp, may be perhaps matter
Oor' some douOt, bot that he was burned to death
'wn the stadiani for refusing to deny and dsov
sia' that Savior whom be had loved and served
sp- long. is truth beyond dispute. He is suppos
city 10 have been the angel of the church
be. Senvsaag whom the APOSTLE John addresses
hHL the second apocsyptic epistle, whose dsciI
an he was and by whom heswa supposed 10 la
to been made Bishop Of Smyrna. Our stay be
'ary having depended upon the turn things wO,
ID take in Syria, aud receiving at the exprsti
flag of s;x weeks the glad tidngs of resurui