80. From Athens viâ Smyrna to Constantinople.
545 M. Steamers (agents at the Piræus, see pp. [494], 495; at Smyrna, p. [531]; at Constantinople, pp. [538], 539). 1. North German Lloyd (comp. RR. 23, 24, 77), Mediterranean & Levant Service, in either direction every other Thurs.; from the Piræus to Smyrna in 1, to Constantinople in 2–2½ days (fare to Smyrna 40 or 28, to Constantinople 72 or 48 marks).—2. Messageries Maritimes (comp. RR. 23, 77), N. Mediterranean service, from the Piræus every other Mon. (from Constantinople Thurs.), to Smyrna in 1, to Constantinople in 2 days (fare 90 or 60 fr.); also the Marseilles, Constantinople, and Batum line, from the Piræus Thurs. (from Constantinople Tues.), to Smyrna in 1, to Constantinople in 3 days (fare 80 or 40 fr.).—3. Khedivial Mail Steamship Co. (comp. R. 76), from the Piræus Frid. (from Constantinople Tues.) aft., to Smyrna in 18 hrs., to Constantinople in 2 days (fare 52 or 39, and 91 or 61 fr.).—4. Austrian Lloyd (comp. R. 78), Greek-Oriental Line, from the Piræus Frid. even, (from Constantinople Mon.), to Smyrna in 2, to Constantinople in 5 days (fares 54 or 38, and 132 or 93 fr.).
Line XI of the Società Nazionale (pp. [493], 563) touches at Smyrna on the outward voyage only (Piræus to Constantinople 3½ days).
To Constantinople Direct. 1. Rumanian Mail Line, from the Piræus Sun. aft., in 24 hrs. (returning from Constantinople Frid. aft. in 23 hrs.).—2. Società Nazionale, Line XII, from the Piræus Thurs. night, in 32 hrs. (returning from Constantinople Wed. foren., in 31 hrs.); fares 101 fr. 30, 70 fr. 70 c.—3. Austrian Lloyd, fast steamers between Trieste and Constantinople, from the Piræus Sat. aft., in 35 hrs. (from Constantinople Sat. foren., in 29 hrs.); fare 90 or 60 fr.
Athens and the Piraeus, see pp. [502], 494. We first steer to the S.E. across the Bay of Ægina (p. [494]), past the three pinnacles of Cape Zostēr, the southmost spur of Hymettos, and near the islets of Phleva (ancient Phabra; lighthouse) and Gaïdaronisi.
Beyond Cape Colonna or Kolonnaes (ancient Sunion), on which the columns of the temple of Poseidon are conspicuous, opens the Strait of Kea, between (left and right) the lonely Makronisi (922 ft.; ‘long island’; ancient Helena) and the fertile island of Kea (1863 ft.; formerly Keos), with its lighthouse on the headland of Hagios Nikolaos. On the left are the Petali Islands (Petaliae Insulae) in the bay of that name, and Hagios Elias (5264 ft.), the S. point of Euboea.
We next steer through the Straits of Doro (7½ M. in width; Ital. Canal d’Oro), where a strong N.E. current prevails and storms are frequently encountered. They lie between Eubœa and Andros (3199 ft.; 156 sq. M.), the largest of the Cyclades (p. [492]), with the lighthouse on Cape Fassa. Beyond them we are in the open sea.
Halfway between Andros and Chios (p. [492]) are the Kalogeros Cliffs, belonging to Greece. Most of the vessels leave them to the right and steer to the E.N.E. to the passage between the rocky island of Psara (ancient Psyra; notable for the revolt of the modern Greeks against the Turks) and Chios, with the bold and conspicuous Mt. Hagios Elias (4134 ft.; Pelinnaeon) at its N. end. To the N. appears the S. coast of Mytilini (p. [533]).
Beyond the N. end of the Straits of Chios (p. [492]) the Levant steamers (RR. 75, 76) round the steep limestone rocks of the Anatolian peninsula of Kara Burun, with the Boz Dagh (3920 ft.; ancient Mimas), and come in sight of the *Gulf of Smyrna, the ancient Sinus Hermaeus, which runs 34 M. inland. The entrance between (right and left) the headlands Kinlu Burun and Arslan Burun (Greek Cape Hydra) is 15 M. broad.
On the left, to the S. of Arslan Burun, near the islets of Drepanon and Oglak (lighthouse), lies the little bay of Phokia (Turk. Foja). This was the ancient Phocaea, the northmost Ionian town, whose bold mariners first opened up the W. Mediterranean to the Greeks (comp. p. [121]). Farther to the S., beyond Cape Myrminghi (lighthouse), is the new estuary of the Gedis Chai (Hermos), flanked with swampy alluvial soil and salt-works.