If we consider this striking circumstance, and the success of the Russians in the last war, it may be imagined, that on the Emperor's taking the field, the Turks will very soon be driven out of Europe; and of this our factory here are in the highest apprehension. But we must at the same time recollect, that it was England who gave force to Russia, in the manner I before related, and that this force, if it does not now oppose her, will, at least, not operate in her favor.
Monsieur St. Felix arrived here lately with a squadron of frigates and sloops, eight in number. The Governor immediately sent to the French Consul to know the meaning of so many men of war coming to this port. M. Amoreux answered, that they only came in for refreshments. Whether or not it was in consequence of this message, I cannot take upon me to affirm, but the majority of the French squadron put to sea in the course of the two following days. This, I think, confirms that a jealousy of France exists in the minds of the Turks.
LETTER XVII.
TO CAPTAIN SMITH.
Smyrna, January 15th, 1788.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
To gain some little knowledge of the interior country, and, at the same time, to pay a compliment to St. Paul, we took a journey by land to Ephesus, the inhabitants of which, you may remember, were honoured with an Epistle from him, and with having his son Timothy for a Bishop. It is barely forty miles from hence; but the Turks never going beyond a foot pace in travelling, we made it a journey of two days. We had six horses for ourselves, and as many for our guides, janizary, and servants. We were obliged to carry all our provisions with us, even bread. Water we found in abundance; and such is the attention of the Turks to this valuable article of life, that we came to several excellent fountains when there was nothing like an habitation to be seen. The greater part of the road is execrably bad; and the country, though in general fertile, is too thinly peopled to be much cultivated.
The few inhabitants we saw in the second day's journey were wretchedly poor. You recollect that this is the freezing month of January, and that the winter here, though short, is, for a few weeks, much more severe than one would expect in so southern a latitude.
Our road led us by a fountain, where, in this cold weather, some women were washing. None of them were completely clothed; and one poor girl had, for her only covering, a piece of an old blanket, with two holes torn in the upper end of it, through which, instead of sleeves, she put her arms. It was too small to cover her chest, too short to reach below her waist; and it was with difficulty that, by holding the lower corners in her two hands, she made them meet.