mentioned first the name of the Patriarch of Constantinople; secondly, that of the Patriarch of Antioch: but they omitted any mention of their Metropolitan, Clementus, (God erase his name from the Book of Life!) for his haughtiness of mind, being hated by all the people; particularly at the present time, when he declined coming out to meet the Patriarch and welcome his arrival. For this reason we staid a very short time here, and performed no mass. But the people honoured us much; for they are exceedingly good Christians, and very religious. They lodged us in the house of the Archon Krishi Tourti, upon the sea-shore. In this place are about twenty churches. Within the Metropolitan's palace is a small church, in the name of the Divine Manifestation; and under it is a spring of water. The church is adorned with a painting of the Holy Mountain and all its Monasteries. Hence we went to visit the Church of St. Theodorus, which is very beautiful: and afterwards that of St. George. The rest of the churches we had not an opportunity of visiting, because we were in haste to embark upon the sea, and pass over to Constantinople before the tempestuous season of St. Demetrius.
They hired for us a boat, at eight hundred othmanis; and we left Modanir on Friday the 16th of Teshrin. Having rowed us about twelve miles, till the evening, they cast anchor; and at midnight they again started. We had scarcely got out into the middle of the sea, when, of a sudden, there sprung up a violent gale, and the waves were agitated. The storm increased to such a degree, that the boat was near sinking with us, from the attack of the huge foaming billows; and our sense fled from us, so that we cried and sobbed like children[1]. Giving ourselves up for lost, we bade adieu to each other, and openly confessed our sins; and our Lord the Patriarch read over us the Prayer of forgiveness, absolution, and remission, whilst we were in momentary expectation of approaching death. But the Creator, exalted be his name! who neglecteth not his servants, did not abandon us; and by the intercession for us of the Virgin his Mother, the preserver and refuge of all who are in distress—of St. Nicholas—of St. Simeon the Wonder-worker, the seaman, the Aleppian—of St. George, the rider upon sea and land—and of St. Demetrius, whose festival was approaching (for both before and after it this storm is dreaded by navigators)—the waves subsided; and after
- ↑ I can bear testimony to the uncertainty of the navigation of the Sea of Marmora; having, in a similar passage from Moudania (in the Arabic text written Modanir) to Constantinople, in an open boat, experienced just such a storm as assailed the Patriarch. I never felt myself in greater peril. Boats are often lost in this passage; as these gusts of wind come on in the Sea of Marmora with great violence, and often with scarcely any warning.—H. D. L.
