several friendly conversations on the opinions and usages of their church. This sometimes is in accordance with the policy which it has been thought expedient to pursue, especially in our intercourse with the Greeks. Instead of engaging in controversy on the subject of pictures, fasts, and the like ceremonies, we choose rather to dwell on the leading truths of the gospel. To prepare them for the reception of these truths, we endeavor to impress on their minds the difference between the authority of the inspired writers and that of Chrysostom, Basil and the fathers. The priest at length acknowledged that while the decisions of the former are infallible, those of the latter are to be regarded merely as the opinions of good men, liable to error. How much his avowed sentiments and conduct are influenced by sinister motives, I cannot be sure. He has however already expressed a wish to bear me company in my proposed tour-of course at my expense. As he came away without any of his effects, we invite him for the present to take his meals with us.

According to the usages of Greece and the Levant, each company of passengers, and often different individuals of the crew, bring with them their own provisions. My young Greek attendant, Nicholas Thesalomagnes, has provided for us a large basket of grapes, from the hundreds of bushels which we saw in the streets of Scutari; also bread, olives, &c. We sit down to our meals on the deck of the vessel, in the same circle with the officers, and feel that in this mode of familiar intercourse, we are far more likely to come at a knowledge of their characters, and exert a good influence over them.

By whatever unworthy motives the priest may be actuated, in one respect at least, I must believe him to be sincere. He declaims with too much zeal and asperity against the patriarch and higher clergy, to leave room for doubt of his cordial hatred towards them. Perhaps their injustice or his own imprudencies, may have deprived him of the lucrative situation which he sometime held in the church established by the Russians, for the benefit of prisoners in the bagnio. Neither of these suppositions would be very uncharitable, if I may judge from my own observation of the inferior orders of priesthood, or from the universal testimony of others respecting the character of the higher. Not a few of the village priests among my acquaintances, indulge in too free use of wine, in card playing, and the like practices.

Among the fugitives in our company, are one or two who are exceedingly destitute. Of such I expect to see many in Greece. The transition state, or that in which a nation is passing from slavery and war to independence and peace, is usually one of severe suffering. Yet the descendants of the present generation will doubtless reap a rich harvest of blessings from this seed time of their fathers' tears. For the relief of the sick poor, with multitudes of whom I shall probably meet during the ensuing winter, I have ventured to purchase a considerable stock of medicines. This has appeared to me the most economical mode of contributing my mite to diminish the distress which I expect every where to witness.

The sailors of the vessel do not receive wages, but like fishermen in America, have a certain share of the clear profits of the voyage. Nor are they by any

means under the same degree of subordination as the seamen of other nations.

[My subsequent observation also, during twenty or thirty short voyages in the Archipelago, convinced me that their reputation for seamanship, (except as compared with the Turks,) has been greatly overrated. Our own crew of eighteen managed their bark far less skilfully, than half that number of English or American seamen would have done a vessel of thrice its size. A like disparity I afterwards found almost invariably to exist. Their fair weather voyages, in which they are seldom out of the sight of land, cannot be expected to impart the same skill and fearlessness, as the navigation of the open seas.]

About one fourth of our crew are able to read. Most of them, however, manifest great indifference to the scriptures and tracts, and not a few an equal indifference to the ceremonies of their own church. In both of these respects they are probably an example of what will soon be a great part of the people of liberated Greece. In Turkey we have superstition to contend with; in Greece, it will be infidelity. Those who shall follow the apostolic example and preach to this people "Jesus Christ, and him crucified,” will, no doubt, find the doctrine still to be, "to the Greeks, foolishness."

Whenever education is the theme of conversation, my companions readily listen, and are never weary of talking on the subject of liberty. I feel bound to profit by this state of mind in endeavoring to impress upon them that knowledge and virtue are the only foundations of liberty; and that virtue will not exist without the influence of pure christianity.

At evening the attention of the crew, which the life of Joseph failed to secure, was completely absorbed by a conversation respecting Broukolakas. This simple story of" him that was separate from his brethren," has that in it which speaks alike to the heart of childhood and ignorace, of age and knowledge. In the present instance, the narrative was read by one of their own countrymen, and probably heard for the first time in their modern language. The translation was also made by

a Greek at Malta.

From this and a multitude of like

incidents, which I have witnessed among the Greeks of Constantinople, I am led to think there is a two fold difficulty in the way of understanding our books. The translator having been long absent from his country, may have leaned too much to the idiom of ancient Greek. But what is probably the principal obstacle, the minds of the people are so little cultivated, that unless the language be exceedingly vulgar, it will be above their comprehension.

The broukolakas or vampires, an account of which collected my little audience after the book had put them to flight, are an important object in the superstitions of the Greeks. In popular estimation they are evil spirits which entering the bodies of the dead, oft times return at night to feast upon the life blood of surviving kindred. The captain and some others professed to believe in their existence and one thought that he had himself seen them. All laughed however at the stories told by the priest and my companion, to throw ridicule on the notion.

To this succeeded another still more warm discussion on some superstitious practices of their church. These the priest asserted were a device of the clergy in later times, in order to gull the people of their

money. Notwithstanding his authority, they hesitated not to call my young Greek friend, a Lutheran and Frank, and not a Greek, for holding such heterodox opinions. He insisted strongly, however, on his belief in their scriptures, and challenged them to find authority there for the practice in question. Among those who embrace the Protestant sentiments, I find the Greek love of controversy and satire, too keen to subserve at all times the cause of truth. More than once, have I had occasion to caution Nicholas in this respect. The priest who was probably seeking to ingratiate himself in my favor, escaped reproaches from the people on account of his clerical beard and office. In the close of the discussion I endeavored, as heretofore, to direct the thoughts of my companions towards what is the great aim of those Scriptures, which we all professed to take as a light to our feet, and a lamp to our paths."

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During the day we had passed the site of the ancient Parium, now Camara-su, on the Asiatic shore. Near this the captain pointed out the promontory of Kara Bournou, or Black Cape, which he said was the limit of the Trojan citadel. It occurred to one of the young men that a castle so many days in extent, must have been pretty large. For my part 1 was disposed to listen to all the popular opinions of this kind, as there is often some important fact to which they refer.

Both shores of the Marmora have been distinctly visible, throughout the day, presenting hills of somewhat less elevation than those we passed yesterday. But few villages are in sight, and the country as we have tacked from side to side, appears barren, or at least uncultivated; partly arising no doubt from its