A considerable part of the architrave of the Temple is still standing, supported by fifteen columns, nine of which are in a row, each nineteen feet high, and near eleven in circumference. The whole edifice was of Parian marble. Vast quantities of fragments and broken columns are lying all around, and the Temple is still a beautiful, and a venerable object, on whatever side you approach the Promontory. November 5th. Got under way at day-light, and having passed the south point of Negropont (the ancient Eubœa) and Andros, were opposite the center of the Island of Teno at twelve o'clock the next day. It seems populous and well cultivated. Lat. 37° 33′. Paros, Delos, and several other islands in sight. November 7th. We were within a few leagues of Scio at day-break, and being driven to the southward, had a distant view of Samos, the birth place of Juno. We were employed all this and the next day in working to windward, between the continent of Asia Minor and the Island of Scio, famous for producing the nectar of the ancients, and for the beauty of its women. The ladies, I am told, are as charming as ever, but the wine has lost its luscious qualities. The town is large and straggling; it seems to have some works, but they are in a very sorry condition. The road is quite open. Before we reached the town, we passed the bay of Chisemé, on the Asiatic shore, where the Turkish fleet was destroyed by the Russians. Friday, Nov. 9th, 1787. A light breeze sprang up fair late last night, with which we entered the Gulf of Smyrna, and early this afternoon anchored off the town. LETTER XV. TO CAPTAIN SMITH. Smyrna, November 29th. MY DEAR FRIEND, Smyrna is the only ancient town of Asia Minor, that continues to thrive. It flourished many centuries before Christ, but was almost destroyed by an earthquake in the reign of Mark Anthony, and has never since recovered its former splendour. For although its advantageous situation for trade soon drew new inhabitants, yet, to lessen the effect of a similar catastrophe, the houses are all very low. The streets are in general dirty, narrow, and ill-paved, for the natives never study regularity in the scite of their buildings, and the Europeans, crowding to the water side, found no room to spare for ornament. The French have the most numerous factory. The English are next in number of houses, but the Dutch exceed us in shipping. The Venetian and Ragusee vessels are very numerous, but they are seldom more than carriers. The great advantage England derives from the trade to this country is, that the commodities we bring here are home-wrought, whilst the silk, cotton, and mohair, with which we are repaid, are raw articles, that are afterwards manufactured by ourselves, find work for our people, and are then exported to different parts of the world, and some of them even brought back here.