in 1871, by the Foreign Office, in 'Reports by Her Majesty's Secretaries of Embassy and Legation.' An account of the establishment at Ergasteria will be given under Rte. 2. Soil, Agriculture, distribution of Land, &c.-The total surface of the kingdom of Greece is said to cover about 12,700,000 acres, nearly five-sixths of which belonged recently to the Church, or to the State, which in most places succeeded to the property of the expelled Turks; but portions of it are every year being alienated, to meet deficiencies in the revenue. Only a small part of the whole is, as yet, cultivated. The holders of government land usually rent it as high as 20 or 25 per cent. on its value; the common mode of farming is on the métayer system. Corn is extensively grown on the plains, and rice, cotton, &c., in some localities. The demand for the currant-grape in England has brought it into extensive culture all along the northern shore of the Peloponnesus, from Corinth to Patras. The hills of Greece are admirably adapted for vineyards; the best wines are those made in the islands. The olive-oil of Greece would be excellent, if well prepared; other products are valonea, flax, tobacco, silk, wax, honey, &c. Owing to the longcontinued insecurity that has existed in these regions, and to the oppressions practised on the peasantry, agriculture and agricultural implements are in a very backward condition. But the greater part of the surface of Greece being rugged and uneven, it is more a pastoral than an agricultural country; and the raising of sheep, goats, and oxen, is an important branch of industry. The condition of the peasantry has been materially ameliorated since Greece became independent. Under the Turks they were obliged to conceal most of their little property, to prevent their being plundered of it. Their habitations, though still rude, have a greater appearance of comfort and solidity than formerly. The food of the labouring classes consists almost wholly of vegetables, though they occasionally indulge in goats' flesh, which is their only animal food. Abject poverty, however, is rare, and a progressive improvement in the condition of the peasantry appears to be taking place, especially in the islands, where the comforts and luxuries of life are better understood than in all parts of the continent, except in some of the large towns. Modern travellers of authority agree in thinking that the Greek labourer is generally industrious, attached to his family, anxious for the education of his children, and equal, if not superior, in intelligence to the peasantry of many of the more civilized states of Europe. Manufactures in Greece are almost wholly domestic; every peasant's family producing, with few exceptions, the articles required for their own consumption. (The best compendium of minute information on all the subjects treated of in this Introduction is the excellent article on 'Greece' in McCulloch's 'Geographical Dictionary.' 3. PACKETS, &c. For an account of the Austrian, French, and other steamers to and from Greece, see GENERAL INTRODUCTION, b. The quickest communication between England and Athens is by Marseilles or Brindisi; letters can arrive in about six or six and a half days from London. The post-office at Athens is in one of the chief streets, near the University, and is well managed. A post-office system has been organized throughout the kingdom, but the mail to most parts of the interior is uncertain, being conveyed by horse or foot messengers. It will be useful for the traveller to know beforehand that in Greece, as in Russia, and other countries which profess the Greek creed, time is still reckoned by the Old Style, which, by the way, was not abolished in England till 1752. This will explain the difference of 12 days in the Greek post-marks on letters, &c.; the 1st of the month, Old Style, being the 13th of the month, New Style. Austrian, French, English, or Greek steamers keep up frequent communication between Athens, Syra, Smyrna, Constantinople, and the several islands of the Egean and Ionian Seas. Coasting steamers touch periodically at all the principal ports of Northern Greece, and of the Peloponnesus. As the hours of sailing and other regulations are frequently changed, the traveller should gain exact information on these points at the packet-offices, at the Piræus, or at one of the hotels in Athens. From the extent to which steam communication has been carried along the shores and among the islands of Greece, the traveller can now visit many of the most interesting parts of the country, at all seasons of the year, and without the fatigue, expense, and occasional risk of land-journeys in the interior. Sailing-boats can always be hired in all Greek ports for the purpose of reaching those islands or districts which are not visited by the steamers. (See GENERAL INTRODUCTION, h.) 4. MONEY. After the settlement of the monarchy, one of the first measures which engaged the attention of the new Government of Greece was the establishment of a national currency; and a decree was promulgated in September, 1833, prohibiting the future circulation of Turkish money. A new coinage of gold, silver, and copper was issued, and all accounts were thenceforward to be kept in drachmæ and lepta. Previous to that period the coin of all countries was in circulation, valued at so many piastres. Now, though foreign money, with the exception of Turkish, is still taken everywhere, it is better to exchange the larger coins in the towns, and to be provided with a quantity of small silver pieces for travelling in the interior, to avoid the difficulty of procuring change. The coins of Greece are as follows: Copper Coins- Lepton, the 100th part of a drachma. 5 Lepta 10 Lepta Silver Coins-1 Drachma = nearly d. nearly 1d. 84d. 148. 2d. Gold Coins- 4 Dollar pieces, 20 drachmæ From the small quantity of the national coinage originally issued, and from its subsequent exportation, the Greek coins (except copper money) are rarely met with at the present day. Two of the coins in most use in Greece are the Sicilian dollar, worth 5 drachmæ, 70 lepta, and the Austrian zwanziger, worth 95 lepta.* The Austrian or German dollar of 2 florins passes in Greece for 5 drachmæ, 78 lepta. The Austrian zecchino for a few lepta more than 13 drachmæ. French gold Napoleons for 22 drachmæ, 50 lepta. The English sovereign for 28 drachmæ, 12 lepta, and all bargains made in pounds sterling are calculated at this rate, though the exchange for bills varies. Gold coins command always an agio. By a royal decree, the of January, 1872, has been fixed on as the date for the introduction of a new monetary system into Greece. The French metrical system, then to come into operation, was adopted in consequence of treaty stipulations. * This coin is in very general circulation at Athens,-5 lepta represent a drachma. The word Táλλnpa (talari, or dollars) is used in Greece for all the coins of the value of from 5 to 6 drachmæ. Travellers, therefore, in order to avoid misunderstanding and disputes, should always make their bargains in drachmæ. A dollar in a bargain is commmonly understood to mean a colonnato, or Spanish dollar of 6 drachmæ, equivalent to 48. 4d. The dollar of the S. American republics passes also for 6 drachmæ. The only gold coin of Greece is the 4 dollar piece of 20 drachmæ, but it is rarely seen in circulation. The Spanish dollar is still the favourite coin of the Greeks. A traveller will. find it the most advantageous money to have with him, on arriving in the country. Bills upon London and circular notes are cashed by the correspondents of the various London bankers, at Athens and Patras. The rate of exchange is, of course, liable to variation. The National Bank of Greece issues bank-notes of different values, which are more portable than coin. The chief weights and measures used in Greece are : Distances are measured, as has been already observed, by the hour: the hour being usually equivalent to about 3 English miles. 5. SHOPS, SERVANTS, &c. There are now excellent shops at Athens, some of which are more particularly mentioned in ROUTE 2. Here the English resident or traveller may provide himself with all that he can require. There are some inferior shops at Patras, Nauplia, Syra, &c. The traveller has been already urged to proceed in the first instance to Athens, to make that city his headquarters, and then to engage a travelling servant before prosecuting his journey in the interior. Full advice and information on this and the collateral points has been given above. (See GENERAL INTRODUCTION). 6. INNS, AND ACCOMMODATION FOR TRAVELLERS. There is little to add on this subject to the information to be found in the GENERAL INTRODUCTION, i. Athens is the only town in Greece, except Corfu, where really good hotels have as yet been established. Some of the best will be mentioned more specifically in ROUTE 2. 7. SKELETON TOURS. It cannot be too often repeated that by far the most convenient way to explore Greece is to take one tour in Roumelia, as Greece N. of the Isthmus was called by the Turks, and another in the Morea, or Peloponnesus, returning each time to Athens, which is the only good headquarters. Corinth may be easily seen in going by steamer from Athens to Patras and Corfu, or vice versâ; but, so far as the "through" traveller is concerned, it is much to be regretted that the time allowed for crossing the isthmus is not sufficient to admit of the Acrocorinthus being ascended during it. The tour in the Peloponnesus can be commenced from Corinth, or by taking the steamer which leaves the Piræus every Monday morning for Nauplia, which it reaches in about 10 or 11 hrs., touching en route at Ægina, Poros, Hydra and Spetzia. Tiryns, Mykenæ, and Argos form the points of a triangular excursion of one day in the neighbourhood of Nauplia. In one day also, the Hieron of Esculapius may be conveniently visited from the same place. The following Skeleton Tours may be useful as varied combinations of the routes hereafter described : 1. GRAND TOUR OF NORTHERN GREECE, |2. GRAND TOUR OF THE PELOPONNESUS, OCCUPYING ABOUT A MONTH; OR IF OCCUPYING FROM A MONTH TO SIX Lebadea. Chæronea. Athens. Or, if Ætolia and Acarnania are also to be explored, proceed thus: Amphissa (Salona). Naupactus (Lepanto). Mesolonghi. Vrakhori. Ruins of Thermus and Stratus. Kravasaras. Vonitza. Dragamesti. Ruins of Eniada. Back to Mesolonghi. Temple of Bassæ. 3. ATHENS TO PATRAS, OCCUPYING SEVEN | 4. ATHENS TO ARGOS, RETURNING BY CORINTH; FOUR DAYS' EXCURSION. DAYS. Athens. OR EIGHT DAYS. 1 By Eleusis to Eleuthera (Casa), where sleep. 2 Platæa, Leuctra, Thebes. 3 By Thespiæ to Lebadea, [or else] 1 Athens, by Phyle to Thebes. 2 Platæa, Leuctra, Lebadea; a long day. 3 (and 4) See Cave of Trophonius at Lebadea, and then ride to Orchomenus (Skripu). If you do not go to Orchomenus, you may reach Arachova, taking Chæronea by the way. 5 To Delphi. DAYS. 6 The Corycian Cave and the ascent 7 There is the alternative of either find boats to cross to Patras. This route may be varied by omitting Thebes, Lebadea, Orchomenus, &c., and going from Athens by Marathon, Rhamnus, and Chalkis to Thermopyla; and thence by the Khan of Gravia to Delphi. If pressed for time, the following may be the route, omitting Delphi : DAYS. 1 From the Piræus to Nauplia by steamer. 2 Drive in a carriage to Tiryns, Argos, and Mykenæ, sending horses to the latter place. There mount, and ride to Nemea. 3 To Corinth by temple of Nemea and the Acrocorinthus. 4 Megara to Athens, or direct by steamer. THREE DAYS' EXCURSION FROM ATHENS DAYS. 1 From Athens to Marathon (Vranà). 2 Rhamnus first, and then to Marcopulos, leaving Kalamos on the right and Grammaticos on the left. There is tolerable accommodation to be had at Marcopulos, and woodcockshooting to be found in the neighbourhood. This is not, however, a route which has hitherto been described by English travellers. Leake's route is from Rhamnus to Grammaticos, and thence by Varnava to Kalamos, and so to Oropos. Wordsworth's is the same in a contrary direction. Gell's course from Oropos is by Marcopulos and KaGell likewise pandriti to Marathon. mentions the route from Rhamnus to Oropos by Grammaticos and Kalamos, and also from Oropos to Athens by 1 Athens to Megara by Eleusis (Car-Kalamos and Kapandriti. riage-road). 2 To Corinth, by either the lower or 4 and 5 By Sikyon and Vostitza to The route here proposed passes by the old fort of Varnava, Barnabas, placed in a striking position. 3 First to the shore of the Euripus at the Scala, and thence to Oropos: thence across the Diacria to the ridges of Parnes; so straight to Dekelea, and thence to Athens. This is the shortest way, and yet this route is not mentioned by either Gell or Leake. The view of |