Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882 edition. Excerpt:... chapter ii. cojtfu to athens. ll tijings have an end, and Corfu must be left, for the dirty little Greek steamer is about to weigh anchor. Under' a rapidly freshening breeze, she slips away down the canal whoso troubled waters are an earnest of what may be expected in the open sea. The citadel sinks below the horizon, and the sun goes down in lurid brightness behind Hurricane Santa Decca. Not long afterwards a tremendous motion announces that Cape Lefkimo is passed. At about ten o'clock, with an appalling crash all the sleepers on the saloon sofas come down on to the floor; and for some minutes human beings, luggage, and furniture are flying to and fro, in and out of the open doors of the cabins. Passengers rise and begin to dress, probably to preserve decency in death; others embrace the legs of the fixed table, and, like St Paul and his fellow-voyagers in the same waters, lie there and "wish for the day." Santa Maura is at last rounded and the danger passed; but the gale continues, so that, on dropping anchor in Argostoli harbour, we find that well-sheltered bay as white as snow. Day is breaking, and we get a good view of Cepha-Cephalonia. Ionia. It is the largest and least interesting of these islands, presenting a bare treeless appearance very different from Corfu. Monte Nero, though nearly 5000 feet high, has no grandeur like "San Salvador." Argostoli lies in a creek to the south of the great bay, out of sight of the open sea. There is a story that once the French fleet lying in this creek escaped the keen observation of Lord Nelson, who actually sailed into the gulf in search of it. Yet even this land-locked water is so rough that for two hours no boat dares put off from the shore; and then, because we are already extremely late,...