Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/63

City that looks toward the Winter-West, near to the Sea, appear the Ruines of a Mole, and certain ancient Magazins.

The English Merchants have dig'd among the Ruines of Smyrna, and have found great store of fair Statues, which they transported into their own Country. There are still found some or other every day; but when the Turks find any, they disfigure them presently. It may be conjectur'd, that there was one of a prodigious bigness, by a great Toe broken off of some one, and for which I paid sufficiently, out of the desire I had to buy it. I sent it to Paris to a Person of Quality, who look'd upon it as a great Curiosity. This Toe was of a hard white Stone, and well shap'd, and by the proportion whereof, the Figure could not be judg'd to be less than the Colossus of Rhodes.

Upon that side of the City where the Mole was, stands an old Castle of no defence, at the foot whereof the Sea makes a small Creek, where sometimes the Gallies of the Grand Signor lye.

The City is well peopl'd, containing no less than fourscore and ten thousand Souls. There are reckon'd no less than 60000 Turks, 15000 Greeks, 8000 Armenians, and about six or seven thousand Jews. As for the European Christians that Trade there, their number is very small. Every one of these Nations has the exercise of their Religion free to themselves. The Turks have in Smyrna fifteen Mosquees, the Jews seven Synagogues, the Armenians but one Church, the Greeks two, and the Latins three. There are also French Jesuits, and Italian Observantins, or a sort of Grey Franciscans. The Turks, the Greeks, the Armenians, and Jews live upon the Hill; but all the lower part toward the Sea is inhabited only by the European Christians, English, French, Hollanders, and Italians. The Greeks have also in the same Quarter an old Church, and some few small Houses, where Sea-men make merry.

All these different People of Europe are generally known in Smyrna by the Name of Franks. Every Nation has its Consul: and the French Consul has two Vice-Consuls under him; the one at Scalanova, the other at Chio.

Scalanova, or the New Port, is two Leagues beyond Ephesus, and being a good Haven, the Vessels were wont to unlade there; but the Turks would not permit it any longer. For that Place being the Dowry of the Grand Signor's Mother, the Vice-Consul agreed with the Governour of Scalanova, who permitted the Transportation of Goods to Smyrna, which is not above three little days journey with the Caravan: A thing that spoil'd the Trade of the City, and injur'd the Officers of the Custom-House. Whereupon they Petition'd the Grand Signor that no more Goods might be unladed at Scalanova: so that now no more Vessels go thither, unless it be to take in fresh Victuals.

Chio is one of the greatest Ilands in the Archipelago, of which in another place: but the Vice-Consul that lives there has no more business there than the other at Scalanova; for the Vessels that touch there, neither unlade nor export any Goods from thence.

The Quarter of the Franks is only a long Street, one side whereof lyes upon the Sea; and as well for the Prospect, as for the convenience of Unlading Goods, the Houses upon the Sea are much dearer than those that lye upon the Hill.

The Soil about Smyrna is fertil, and abounds in all things necessary for humane support; but particularly in good Oyl and good Wine. There are Salt-Pits also half a League from the City, toward the North. The Sea affords great store of good Fish; Fowl is very cheap and in a word, Smyrna is a place of great plenty. There is a lovely Walk all along the Sea to the Salt-Pits, where generally, abundance of People walk in the Summer-time to take the fresh Air: and there being more liberty at Smyrna than in any other part of Turkie, there is no necessity of taking a Janisary along, when a man goes abroad. If a man loves Fowling, it is but taking a Boat, which lands him two or three Leagues from the City, toward the Mountains, where there is so much Game that he can never return empty. For the value of three Sous you may buy a red Partridge at Smyrna, and all other Fowl is proportionably cheap.

But if Smyrna have these great advantages, it has also its inconveniences: the Heats are very excessive in Summer, and indeed they would be insupportable, were it not for the Breezes that come off the Sea: these Breezes rise about ten in the Morning, and continue till the Evening; but if they fail, tis very bad for theInha-