Thursday, October 25th.
At day-break we got under way, with a light breeze, and at midnight anchored at Paros, another of the Greek islands, and which is in a much better state than Milo. The men look more healthy, and the women not so ugly.
The water here is excellent; and as that we got at Messina has been complained of, as being too hard to make proper pease-soup for the people, all the casks are ordered to be emptied and refilled.
Whilst its marble quarries continued to be worked, Paros was one of the most flourishing of the Cyclades; but on the decline of the Eastern Empire, they were entirely neglected, and are now converted into caves, in which the shepherds shelter their flocks. We have been in several of these subterraneous folds, which put me much in mind of Homer's description of Polyphemus. The common walls are almost entirely composed of marble; and in examining a very small part of one, we found several pieces of cornice, and basso relievo.
Several fine blocks of marble--fragments of columns, are lying close to the water's edge, and seem to have been brought there by travellers, who for want of a proper purchase to get them on board, have not been able to carry them farther.
After the battle of Marathon, Miltiades was sent to lay Paros under contribution, on account of its joining the Persians; but the inhabitants made so resolute a defence, that all the efforts of that excellent General were unable to reduce them; and, at length, having lost a number of his men, and being himself wounded, Miltiades, hearing that the Persians were making preparations for a second invasion, returned to Athens, where his ungrateful countrymen, forgetful of his eminent services, sentenced him to pay the expences of the expedition; and being unable to raise this fine, the Great Deliverer of Greece was thrown into prison; and, to the eternal infamy of the Athenians, he died of the wounds he had received in their service!
The Russians made this their grand arsenal; their powder magazines, and several other buildings, are still standing, and the island is considerably indebted to them for improving the convenience for water, and for the trade which the cash they expended, introduced among the inhabitants.
Delos is about five leagues off, Naxos two, and Antiparos about the same distance. In the last there is a cavern, which is reckoned one of the greatest wonders of the Archipelago; but as a natural curiosity, it is by no means equal to Saint Michael's Cave at Gibraltar. A multitude of names are cut near the entrance. Lady Craven's is among the latest.
Tuesday, October 30th.
Sailed from Paros, with an intention of visiting Delos in our way to Smyrna, but the wind changing, we stood to the north-west, profiting by this opportunity, to supply the ship with wood.