defence which enabled that haughty Lacedemonian city to boast that 'they had no necessity for other walls than the breasts of her citizens:'-this still meanders through the fertile plains, tilled no longer by the Helots, but by the fierce and turbulent Mainiotes, who come down during spring and summer from their mountain abodes for that purpose, and who pay, as we were told, a very reluctant obedience to the laws of regenerate Greece, waiting only for a favourable occasion to resume their ancient predatory system of life. Strong measures have been taken against them, and travelling is now tolerably safe; but as long as the present generation exists they will hardly be restrained, if any commotion take place, from returning to their old habits, which were corroborated and increased during the anarchy of the war of independence. We saw but few of the race, as they retire to the mountains during the winter season, the plain being con

sidered unwholesome, and only reappear when the approach of spring recalls them to their agricultural pursuits.

It is the intention of the present government to rebuild this ancient capital of Laconia, (indeed some of the public buildings are already in progress,) and to make it the chief city of the province; but the plans which have been sent from the capital for the intended town do not meet with approbation, as the houses must be all built flush with the street, as in European towns, while the inhabitants declare that it will be impossible for them to live without their court-yards and large balconies in front, and in consequence, no foundations of private houses have yet been laid.

All the people of Mistra had a pallid look, and many that we saw complained of colds and affection of the lungs. One of our servants was attacked by a kind of ague, for which the place is notorious, and we were forced to leave him behind for a

few days' rest, but he overtook us by taking the direct road to Andritzena, while we made several detours in the indulgence of our antiquarian curiosity.

This being the week before Lent*, in which, as well as the succeeding six, no meat is allowed by the Greek Church to be eaten, we found ourselves in great danger of being compelled to keep fast, without the consolatory reflection that we were fulfilling a duty. We therefore began to take precautions against such an involuntary observance of the Greek ritual. turning from our excursion to Sparta, we met a shepherd driving a flock of lambs, and stopping him, desired our guide to enter into a treaty for the purchase of two: he succeeded in getting them for the sum of two drachma, that is about ninepence each: it must not, however, be supposed that

Re

* It must be observed all through, that the Greeks follow the old style, and that their dates differed from ours by eleven days.