About half-past 9 o’clock we started; Captain McPhail and myself on his two sure-footed horses, and another English gentleman on a fine mule.  After we had left the newly-made road, we pursued a track perfectly unequalled in any part where I have travelled; rugged precipices, shelving rocks, and large loose stones, which assailed the feet of the poor beasts every step they took.  However, for my part, I was well rewarded; it gave me an opportunity not only of seeing the interior of the island, but also a specimen of the disposition of the natives.  Before we reached the village, I observed, with some surprise, a tribe of people assembled on the top of the cliffs to see us come in, and on ascending a few more paces of rock, we found the children of the boys’ school arranged like a little army, with myrtle branches in their hands to welcome us to their sequestered hamlet.  After greeting us with great respect, they followed us to the country-house of our English friend.

The mountain multitude waited with patience until we had made our repast, when a few of the leading villagers were introduced to our room.  And what was their request?  A school for their daughters.  They were asked what they would give towards its support.  They answered, Whatever we can afford; we that are able will pay for the poor, and they shall go free.  It was then intimated to them, that their friends would assist them in establishing a school; but that they themselves must join in the effort, and that it would be well to consult together, and put down their names and the number of children they would send.  Here the town-crier came forward, and said he had for the last twenty years cried everything the government wished to be made known in the town, free of cost, and he would now go round and cry for the benefit of the school.  Next came forward the father of the young woman proposed for the mistress, who it was proposed should be further instructed in the village, and then sent to the town to learn the system.  We asked them if they were sensible of the advantages of a school for girls, of having them brought up to be good wives, capable of managing their households, and able to read the precious things in the New Testament.  One of them replied, Without instruction what are we?—­we are like the beasts.  One peasant had been so anxious for his daughter to learn to read, that he had made interest to send her to the boys’ school.  When we asked why he did so, he said, Because I had no other means, and I wished to have her read the New Testament to us; now I have the advantage of hearing that precious book read to me by my own daughter.  It was delightful to witness a feeling like this in a people so uncultivated; surely the friends of education in Greece have encouragement to go on and prosper.