Having thus explored the four principal islands of the Ionian Archipeligo.  John and Martha Yeardley turned their course towards the Morea.

30_th_.—­At 6 o’clock in the morning we put ourselves once more at the mercy of the waves of the Mediterranean, and had a quick passage of fourteen hours.  The landing at Patras was frightful; a sudden squall threw us off the shore, and caused us to lose part of the rudder, so that we were obliged to get into a very small boat, which threatened to upset every moment.  We were, however, favored to land in safety on a projecting rock:  it was nearly dark, and the whole had a terrific appearance.

The plains near Patras, once beautifully planted with currants, olives and vines, are now perfectly desolate.  The castle was in possession, of the Turks eight years, who made continual sallies from it for provision and firewood; while, in order to disappoint them, the Greeks themselves assisted in the destruction of all vegetation; so that there is scarcely any green thing to be seen.  The old town is a scene of ruins; the site of the new town is near the sea, where temporary shops and houses have been erected.

It was difficult to find a shelter for the night; but a kind fellow-traveller assisted us, and at length we were pressed into a miserable dirty room, with only a board for a bedstead.

At Patras we had abundance of consultation, whether to undertake the journey to Corinth and Athens by land, or to encounter the gulf.  We concluded to venture on the latter, and contracted with the captain of a little boat to depart at five the next morning.  He deceived us by not sailing at the time proposed; but we made an agreement with other sailors to go off in the evening, hoping to get to Corinth the next morning:  but, after tossing all night, we found in the morning the ship had only made twenty miles; and about mid-day the captain declared he could not get to Corinth, and must put into a small port on the opposite side of the gulf, called Galaxidi, and wait for better weather.  We were so exhausted as to feel thankful in the prospect of being once more on land.  Nothing can be more comfortless than these small Greek vessels; in the cabin you can neither stand nor lie at full length.

After some difficulty in getting on shore, we were led to the khan, a very large room with a fire in one corner for boiling water, and a wine store; and round the side were benches which served for sitting by day, and on which the traveller spreads his mattress for the night, if he has one; if not, he must go without.  We were desired to mount a ladder to a loft like a corn-floor, badly tiled in, and divided into four parts by boards about five feet high.  The one division of this place assigned to us had no door, and when the windows were shut, which were of wood, there was no light what shone through the tiling or was admitted between the boards.  The place was soon furnished, for the boy brought us a mat and spread it on the floor, which was all we had a right to expect; but as we seemed to be visitors who could pay pretty well, they brought also a rough wooden table and three wooden stools.