languages though not twenty years of age. The Old Turk, funny, fat and
good-natured. The latter part of our journey lay thro' a pass in the
mountains from the summit of which the Valley of Magnesia suddenly burst
on our view, with the town on the eastern side at the foot of a
perpendicular rocky mountain very like the rock of Gibraltar, but if
anything higher, more craggy, and bold: the valley that lay before us,
bounded on the W. by a ridge of regular round topped hills, and to the
Nd. the eye could not reach the extent of this immense plain, which is
covered with vines, and fig trees, corn, and tobacco, the best in
Natolia. On my arrival, I sent my Janissary from the Kane I put up at to
say I was arrived, when an officer from the Bey came, and marched us
thro' the street till we stopped at one of the best looking houses I had
seen; we were ushered in, and I was then informed we were to live here
and that if I did not like it and was not comfortable that I should have
another. But I soon found out we could not be better off; the Bey having
sent us to the house of the Primate of the Greeks, who was obliged to
receive us whether he liked it or not, it being sufficient that a Turk
orders it. But in truth, I believe the old Patriarch was very proud of
the honor for no hospitality could outdo his: the fatted calf was killed
and we feasted sumptuously. Fingers were now called into requisition as
knives and forks are no part of the necessaries of these Oriental
nations. Such tearing of fowls and tucking up of sleeves! After dinner
the water, and then the Alpha and Omega of all oriental visitings,
mornings, noons, and nights, "Coffee and Pipes." During the evening some
pretty girls, the daughters of the Old Man, danced before us, those
dances which the women of the country are so famous for: tho' none of
the most decent yet very curious, some young men playing the guitar and
singing, for the song always accompanies the dance. My Janissary was so
delighted, that, he swore if he had only had two glasses of wine he
would fire his pistols right and left. I felt rather satisfied he had