ASIA MINOR AND SYRIA.


The Greek ship _Alexandros_ left the harbor of Piraeus in the forenoon
of Lord's day, September eighteenth, and anchored outside the breakwater
at Smyrna, in Asia Minor, the next morning. The landing in Turkish
territory was easily accomplished, and I was soon beyond the custom
house, where my baggage and passport were examined, and settled down at
the "Hotel d'Egypte," on the water front. This was the first time the
passport had been called for on the journey. The population of Smyrna is
a mixture of Turks, Greeks, Jews, Armenians, Italians, Americans, and
Negroes. The English Government probably has a good sized
representation, as it maintains its own postoffice. The city itself is
the main sight. The only ruins I saw were those of an old castle on the
hill back of the city. The reputed tomb of Polycarp is over this hill
from Smyrna, between two cypress trees, but I do not know that I found
the correct location. Near the place that I supposed to be the tomb is
an aqueduct, a portion of it built of stone and a portion of metal. As I
went on out in the country I entered a vineyard to get some grapes, not
knowing how I would be received by the woman I saw there; but she was
very kind-hearted, and when I made signs for some of the grapes, she at
once pulled off some clusters and gave them to me. She also gave me a
chair and brought some fresh water. More grapes were gathered and put in
this cold water, so I had a fine time eating the fruit as I sat there in
the shade watching a little boy playing about; but I could not converse
with either of them on account of not knowing their language. On the way
back to the city I stopped at the railway station to make inquiries
about a trip to Ephesus.

Most of the streets in Smyrna are narrow and crooked, but there is one