Ancona, Corfu, and Patmos

Ancona by William Clarkson Stanfield

Temple of Artemis, Corfu

[89] November 16, 1840. Left "Trieste" on the evening of this Day in the Austrian Steamer "Kolorant" for Athens. We had most delightful weather upon the Adriatic, and after about 15 hours sail we arrived at Ancona, the Eastern port in the Papal Dominions, and though larger and rather superior in some respects to the Western (Civita Vecchia) still in many respects it greatly resembles it, viz, in being scarcely worth seeing, filthy, and containing nothing of interest. Remained there until Evening and sailed for Corfu, where we arrived after 48 hours passage. This island is being newly defended by the English as Ancona is by his Holiness. The island itself is on a/c [account] of its situation & scenery a very pretty spot, but its town & port are filthy as the towns of Italy. though nominally English it is in the character of the people a mixture of a Greek Maltese & Italian, and I suppose is considered by the English as valuable solely on account of its situation. [90] It is most strongly fortified and in case of war would be a most essential point. Leaving Corfu in the evening we again started for Patmos, the first Greek town, which we have seen. We reached it in some 18 hours from Corfu, passing by the hills of Albania, the site of Missolonghi, and by numerous islands forming most delightful scenery. It had been our intention to have continued on in the same steamer to Athens, but on arriving at Patmos we concluded to leave it and proceed on our own.