424

GREEK CONVENTS AND CALOYERS.

of the most superb sites the world can afford, we took a range over the summit of the mountain, and returned to the monastery for grand mass, at which time we added our mites, to those of the other pilgrims, in support of this religious establishment.

S

The Greek monks or caloyers have only one order, which is that of Saint Basil. Their habit is a long cassock of coarse cloth girt round with a belt, a felt or woollen cap, and a black cowl. Their government is, or is intended to be very austere, as they are enjoined chastity, obedience, and abstinence from flesh, during the whole of their lives bread and fruit is their chief food during greatest part of the year, and at their feasts only do they eat oil, eggs, or fish. Most part of their time is occupied in their choirs, in rehearsing the psalter, in singing hymns in honour of the Virgin and their patron saints, and in making their bows, or perάvoia as they are called which, during the great fasts, every caloyer is obliged to repeat three hundred times in the twenty-four hours: a for the great Lent before Easter, they begin it with three days of absolute fasting, not even indulging themselves in the luxuries of bread and water, and on the eves or vigils of feasts, the whole night is nearly taken up in the cere monies of devotion: according to their rule, they ought to spend the greatest part of every other night within their cells in reading homilies and the lives of saints. Yet even all this severity does not content some superstitious devotees, who live still more strictly, and confine themselves to bre ad and water, and almost constant watching during the whole of their li ves. In the Greek, as in the Latin church, there are lay brothers, who take the habit and adhere to the rule of the order, called converts (μstavooúμevos), men weary of the vanities of the world, or who wish by penance and mortification to wash

LAST INTERVIEW WITH ALI PASHA.

425

away the stain of mortal sins. These undertake the management of domestic affairs, tend the flocks of the convent, and press the wine, of which both lay and regular brethren are permitted to partake.

Like all other such institutions, the severities of the monastic order among the Greeks are considerably relaxed; the progress of knowledge begins to make men ashamed of those follies to which superstition had bound them; but it is long ere reason herself can entirely overthrow the fabric which is propped up by prejudice and habit.

We returned to Ioannina for dinner, and in a few days afterwards made preparations for quitting a place which had afforded us so interesting and agreeable a sojourn. Two days were occupied in bidding adieu to our numerous friends and acquaintance: on the 10th of May we paid our last visit to the vizir in one of his little tenements near Vely's palace, where he was administering justice. We staid but a short time, and when we were about to quit for ever an eminent personage with whom we had been so long acquainted and by whom we had been treated with so much civility, it was impossible not to feel certain melancholy sensations, in spite of that horror which the knowledge of his crimes and the sight of his tyranny was calculated to inspire: he begged us to carry a letter to General Campbell at Zante, in which he said he had expressed to him the satisfaction he had received from our visit. Having thanked his highness for the hospitality we had met with in his dominions, and recommended Mustafà and Nicolo very earnestly to his favour, we arose and made our obeisance: this he courteously returned by bowing his head and placing his right hand upon his breast; after which we left the apartment and saw him no

more.

426

MAHMET AND MOUCHTAR PASHA.

Being close to the habitation of Mahmet Pasha, we took leave of that engaging youth, who desired us to think of him as a friend highly interested in our welfare. We finished our visits with Mouchtar Pasha, to whose youngest son, a fine little fellow about seven years old, we presented a pair of beautiful English pistols, as a slight acknowledgment of the attentions shown us by his father. Mouchtar gave us a bouyourdee for our journey, in addition to that of the vizir, and promised to send with us through the extent of his possessions a young Albanian in his own service, son of the governor of Paramithia. We spent the evening, which was rather a mournful one, with our kind friends the Messrs. Pouqueville, and then retired to sleep for the last time in Ioannina.

MAY 11.-An early hour in the morning was fixed upon for our departure; but so much time was occupied in arranging our affairs, in receiving visits, and in distributing appropriate tokens of gratitude among our friends and hosts, that it was near noon before the cavalcade could be put in motion. At length notice was given that all was ready: we mounted our horses and made our way with some difficulty through the crowds that lined the court and adjoining streets to witness the procession, which consisted of ten men and at least double that number of horses. Our first stage was to Dramisus, being accompanied thus far by Mr. Cerbere, a young Frenchman, who had arrived from Corfu on a visit to Mr. Pouqueville, and was desirous of inspecting the ruins there. The evening was delightful, and we retraced with pleasure the remains

428

ROUTE TO PARAMITHIA.

of this venerable Epirotic city. In addition to my former account I have little to add, except that the walls of its fortress are from eleven to twelve feet in thickness, whilst those of the lower city appear to have been constructed only of a single stone not more than two feet broad. We observed a large piece of defaced sculpture lying upon the ground near some recent excavations; it represented a Triton in bas-relief, but the style of execution was indifferent. Upon farther consideration of its site I am inclined to think it was that of Passeron,* one of the most celebrated Epirotic cities; where it was customary for the kings of Molossis to take a solemn oath, and exact one in return from their people; the former that they would govern, and the latter that they would defend the state, according to the prescription of the laws: this was done after sacrifices to the Martial Jupiter; and that stupendous theatre which still exists, was probably appropriated to the solemn ceremony.

We slept at Dramisus; but though we changed our cottage we did not escape those indefatigable torturers which had destroyed our rest in a former excursion. On the morrow we parted with our companion, and took the road to Paramithia, proceeding in a northerly direction until we turned round the extremity of Mount Olitzika towards the west, in which course we kept generally for the next six hours. Our route during this time lay along the sinuosities of contiguous valleys, watered by transparent streams, shaded with evergreens and thickets of beautiful shrubs, amidst which a thousand nightingales made the air resound with their sweet notes. It was in this excursion that I felt to the full those ecstatic sensations

* Εἰώθεισαν οἱ Βασιλεῖς, ἐν Πασσαρώνι χωρίῳ τῆς Μολοττίδος, ̓Αρείῳ Διὶ θύσαντες, ὁρκωμοτεῖν τοῖς Ηπειρώταις καὶ ὁρκίζειν, αὐτοὶ μὲν ἄρξειν, ἐκείνους δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν διαφυλάξειν κατὰ τοὺς νόμους. Plut. in Vit. Pyrrhi.