Chap. III.

GRECIAN.

49

its importance. Walls of the theatre, aqueduct, and public buildings may yet be traced,around the site of the castle erected in the middle ages by the Venetians.

Samos was a name common to three islands, Cephalonia , Snmothraeia, and Samos , whichlay between the continent of Asia and the island of Icaria , being divided from the former bya strait, which, according to Strabo , was equal to 1000 paces in breadth, and from the latterby another 8 miles across. At the present day all the vessels going from Constantinople toEgypt and Syria pass through either one or the other of these straits. The island ofSamos measures about 87 miles in circumference, and from Vitruvius we learn that Samos ,and the thirteen Ionian towns, were built by Ion the Athenian. Samos was very populous,wealthy, and strongly fortified ; and most deserving the notice of an engineer, from thethree remarkable monuments of art mentioned by Herodotus ; one of which was a passagecut through a mountain, 150 orgyia high; the length of which is 7 stadia, and 8 feet inwidth and height: l>y the side is a canal 3 feet in breadth, and 20 cubits deep, also madeby art, which supplied water from a copious spring. Eupalinus , the son of Naustrophus,an inhabitant of Megara, executed this work. Tournefort observes that in the valley, nearto the aqueduct, are several caverns artificially cut: the spring which fed this canal wasdoubtless that of Metelinous, the best in the island : but it (iocs not appear that the levelswere accurately taken, otherwise the depth need not have been so great; and indeed it doesnot seem very practicable to dig a trench 20 cubits deep and only 3 wide.

The second was a mole, which projected from the harbour into the sea, 2 stadia inlength, and 20 orgyia, or upwards of 120 feet, in height.

The third was a temple erected by Rhcecus, son of Phileus, who was the inventor of theart of making moulds with clay. Long before the Racchiades were driven from Corinth,Rhcecus and Theodorus of Samos made casts in brass, and formed statues.

The tunnel through the mountain has been long filled up, but the entrance may still bediscovered ; there are no vestiges .of the stupendous mole, which must have been a wonderamong the Greeks at such an early period. That the Samians were devoted to maritimeaffairs, we learn from their having, 300 years before the Peloponnesian war , employedAminoeles the Corinthian, the most skilful ship-builder of his time. They traded toEgypt , Thera, and Spain , and, according to Pliny , they were the first who built vessels forthe transport of cavalry. Samos was famed for its earthenware, and had a considerablemanufacture of it. In all parts of Europe , we find examples of Samian ware; in thetumuli and monuments of the Romans, vessels of this manufacture are discovered;sometimes admirable for the beautiful forms they present, the ornaments with which theyare covered, and always for the perfection of the workmanship. Vases, lacryma, lamps,and cups, made at Samos , the writer has discovered at Athens, Sicily , and in Italy . In thebroken pottery, which the tumuli in France and Italy often afford, fragments of Samianware, covered with intricate chasing and highly ornamented, are often found.

Tenedos is a rocky but fertile island; its position, near the mouth of the Hellespont ,lias caused it at all times to be a place of considerable importance. Its circumference isabout 10 miles, equal to 80 stadia. The port was enclosed by a mole, but at presentthere is no portion to be seen above water ; the ancient foundations remain, on whichare piled loose stones, for the purpose of breaking the force of the waves ; a ridge ofmountains surrounds the harbour, which gives shelter to vessels bound to Constantinople .Here the Emperor Justinian erected a magazine, 280 feet in length, 90 feet in breadth,and many stories in height, for the purpose of warehousing the corn brought from Egypt ,as it often occurred that stormy weather during the Etesian winds prevented the shipsfront pursuing their voyage.

On this island still remains an ancient stone building, in which the water used by theinhabitants was collected, after it was brought from distant springs, in earthen pipes.

Troas . The port has a hill rising around it, in a semicircular form, covered with ruins ;and near the shore are many small columns of granite, injured by the spray of the sea,and partly buried in the soil, to which were made fast the vessels trading to this port. Atpresent the smaller basin is dry, and a bar of sand closes up its entrance, but the largerhas shallow water in it. These two basins were both the work of art, and intendedonly to receive galleys and small vessels; larger ships being obliged to cast anchor inthe road, outside the mole.

Alexandria Troas is the name given to the town, it being one of the eighteen called afterAlexander the Great , who caused cities and temples to be erected, and improvements to bemade, throughout the countries he subdued : it was first called Antigonia; but its name wasafterwards changed by Lysimachus in honour of the deceased sovereign. Augustus showedit considerable favour, under whom it increased in wealth, and was benefited by a Romancolony. The city, which is several miles in circumference, has its wall, of considerablethickness, still standing ; at regular distances it is strengthened by square towers. Theaqueduct which supplied it with water may be traced for several miles; the piers are5 feet 9 inches in width, 3 feet 2 inches in thickness, and the arches, though destroyed, wereupwards of 12 feet in height. This was one of the structures erected at the private cost

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