The passage from Constantinople to Smyrna, and through the Greek Archipelago is described in my journey to the Holy Land, and I therefore pass on at once to Greece.

I had been told, in Constantinople, that the quarantine was held in the Piraeus (six English miles from Athens), and lasted only four days, as the state of health in Turkey was perfectly satisfactory.  Instead of this, I learnt on the steamer that it was held at the island of AEgina (sixteen English miles from Piraeus), and lasted twelve days, not on account of the plague but of the cholera.  For the plague it lasts twenty days.

On the 10th of October we caught sight of the Grecian mainland.  Sailing near the coast, we saw on the lofty prominence of a rock twelve large columns, the remains of the Temple of Minerva.  Shortly afterwards we came near the hill on which the beautiful Acropolis stands.  I gazed for a long time on all that was to be seen; the statues of the Grecian heroes, the history of the country came back to my mind; and I glowed with desire to set my foot on the land which, from my earliest childhood, had appeared to me, after Rome and Jerusalem, as the most interesting in the earth.  How anxiously I sought for the new town of Athens—­it stands upon the same spot as the old and famous one.  Unfortunately, I did not see it, as it was hidden from us by a hill.  We turned into the Piraeus, on which a new town has also been built, but only stopped to deliver up our passports, and then sailed to AEgina.

It was already night when we arrived; a boat was quickly put out, and we were conveyed to the quay near the quarantine station.  Neither the porters nor servants of this establishment were there to help us, and we were obliged to carry our own baggage to the building, where we were shown into empty rooms.  We could not even get a light.  I had fortunately a wax taper with me, which I cut into several pieces and gave to my fellow-passengers.

On the following morning I inquired about the regulations of the quarantine—­they were very bad and very dear.  A small room, quite empty, cost three drachmas (2s. 3d.) a-day; board, five drachmas (3s. 9d.); very small separate portions, sixty or seventy leptas (6d. or 7d.); the attendance, that is, the superintendence of the guardian, two drachmas a-day; the supply of water, fifteen leptas daily; the physician, a drachma; and another drachma on leaving, for which he inspects the whole party, and examines the state of their health.  Several other things were to be had at a similar price, and every article of furniture has to be hired.