April xxii.
This morning a quarter before five we leave Norlícui, and proceed on Magnesia road in our way to St. George’s village, expecting to see the ceremonies, which the Greek Christians there perform on the twenty third instant, which is the festival of that saint. And having ascended the top of the adjoining hill, we there make an halt for our mules, and take that opportunity of looking back, and enjoying the delightful prospect, which this place afforded us. We had then the gap of Nymphe on our left hand, and village of Palamútcui on our right, which is pleasantly seated on an ascent, under a grove of pine trees; but before us lay extended the whole plain between the hills of Tartalée[6] and Cordilíeu, being terminated with the view of the Two Brothers[7], the city, castle, and bay of Smyrna.
We continue our journey over the hill, till arriving at an old burying place, we begin to descend by a paved way to a large and high bridge of stone, built over a small, but clear and purling river. From hence we pass on to the groves of Jacácui, which is a village seated on the right hand upon an ascending ground, and fronting the edge of Tartalée. Here we again halted, and drank a dish of coffee, partly to wait for our mules, and partly to entertain ourselves with a view of the plain of Nymphe, into which we had a narrow prospect between the forementioned village and the ridge of the opposite mountain. After this we ascend a tedious and craggy hill, with which tho we were now considerably fatigued, yet we had still courage enough to reject the proposal, which was there made, of baiting, and taking the advantage of a fair commodious fountain, which flows on our right hand from the top of the hill. We therefore proceed about the space of an hour in tolerable good way, till at the descent of the mountain we encounter a rugged and uneasy passage; the road being either choaked up with loose stones, or else worn into abrupt and descending steps. This obliged us to dismount, and lead our horses down the precipice; where we nevertheless received some little satisfaction, in observing the veins of red and white marble, with which each side of this troublesome way is garnished. At the foot of the hill we cross a rivulet, and quickly after repassing the same, ride from thence strait forward in a covert and narrow bottom, which in less than half an hour leads us into the plains of Magnesia. After a short repast in this place we mount our horses, turning to the left out of the road of Magnesia; and tho we were now not more than half an hour from our intended conáck, yet we ride on by mistake too much to the right hand; till, having advanced beyond the town and castle of Magnesia, we come to a Turkish village, where we were directed almost back again to St. George’s. Here we arrived about one a clock, and made it our first business to pitch our tent for the use of our servants, whilst we ourselves were received into a little house, which afforded us the convenience of one chamber, and a sophá, for lodging.
After diner we took a walk about the village, and visited the low humble church, which is here permitted to the Greek Christians. It has outwardly the marks of no inconsiderable antiquity, and within it is the exact model of the primitive Greek churches; consisting first of the πρόναος or outward chapel, then the νάος or body of the church, with three passages from the one into the other, and after all a chancel separate from the nave by lattice work. We here observed no other ornaments, than the pictures of St. George, the Virgin Mary, St. John, and St. Nicholas, and another of our Savior on the roof of the church, which consists of a regular cupola. Before the altar lay the book of the Gospels, with three or four copies of divine service; some containing their ordinary Liturgy, and others adapted to peculiar months of the year. The Greeks were now flocking hither to perform their devotions before the picture of St. George; and the superstition of a woman was remarkable, who prostrated her little infant at the feet of the saint, and eagerly stroking the picture endeavoured to convey some hidden blessing to the body of the child.