already in the middle of May as hardly to cover our horses’ hoofs; and towards Brussa, a miserable village, with a few plantations of olives and mulberry-trees,—­are the only objects to be discovered throughout the whole wide expanse.  Wherever I found the olive-tree—­here, near Trieste, and in Sicily,—­ it was alike ugly.  The stem is gnarled, and the leaves are narrow and of a dingy green colour.  The mulberry-tree, with its luxuriant bright green foliage, forms an agreeable contrast to the olive.  The silk produced in this neighbourhood is peculiarly fine in quality, and the stuffs from Brussa are renowned far and wide.

We reached the town in safety before sunset.  It is one of the most disagreeable circumstances that can happen to the traveller to arrive at an Oriental town after evening has closed in.  He finds the gates locked, and may clamour for admittance in vain.

In order to gain our inn, we were obliged to ride through the greater part of the town.  I had here an opportunity of observing that it is just as unsightly as the interior of Constantinople.  The streets are narrow, and the houses built of wood, plaster, and some even of stone; but all wear an aspect of poverty, and at the same time of singularity;—­the gables projecting so much that they occupy half the width of the street, and render it completely dark, while they increase its narrowness.  The inn, too, at which we put up, looked far from inviting when viewed from the outside, so that we had some dark misgivings respecting the quality of the accommodation that awaited us.  But in proportion as the outside had looked unpropitious, were we agreeably surprised on entering.  A neat and roomy courtyard, with a basin of pure sparkling water in the midst, surrounded by mulberry-trees, was the first thing we beheld.  Round this courtyard were two stories of clean but simply-furnished rooms.  The fare was good, and we were even regaled with a bottle of excellent wine from the lower regions of Olympus.

May 14th.

Next morning we visited the town and its environs, under the guidance and protection of a kavasse.  The town itself is of great extent, and is reported to contain above 10,000 houses, inhabited exclusively by Turks.  The population of the suburbs, which comprise nearly 4000 houses, is a mixed one of Christians, Jews, Greeks, etc.  The town numbers three hundred and sixty mosques; but the greater portion of them are so insignificant and in such a dilapidated condition, that we scarcely observed them.

Strangers are here permitted to enter the mosques in company of a kavasse.  We visited some of the principal, among which the Ulla Drchamy may decidedly be reckoned.  The cupola of this mosque is considered a masterpiece, and rests upon graceful columns.  It is open at the top, thus diffusing a chastened light and a clear atmosphere throughout the building.  Immediately beneath this cupola stands a large marble basin, in which small fishes swim merrily about.