t of it, leaving the town fairly behind.

"Stop, my men," said J----; "look at your horses' feet."

"What's that for?"

"We shall pass never another smithy this livelong day; and should a
screw be loose in any of their shoes, it would be rather a bring up for
us." Sage and sound advice for those who have a long ride before them;
which yet at this time of our need we rejected; and for which I
afterwards suffered. Awakening to a sense of my error, I did afterwards
make a divergence to a village by the way; but there found no artist,
and in the course of the day I learned fully to appreciate the
importance of a nail in time. By the way, the shoes hereabout are of a
peculiar kind, composed of a plate that entirely covers the hoof. They
are at least effective in preventing the infraction of pebbles.

Our road was in the line that leads to the pretty village of Bonabat,
leaving the no less pretty village of Boujah on the right, but far away,
and hidden among the hills. These are two pleasant suburban retreats
that the merchants of Smyrna, have established as a _ricovero_ from the
toils of the city. Bonabat is more especially inhabited by the French,
and Boujah by the English. There is a third village somewhat farther off
in the direction of Ephesus called Sittagui. A few years ago, when the
Turkey trade was in its palmy days, the merchants used to do their
business in most agreeable style. It was during certain months only that
they went every day to their offices, the rest of the year being
permitted to enjoyment. At present, though perhaps somewhat less
magnificent in their style, they are eminently comfortable in their
ways. During the summer months, their families are removed to these
pretty country places; and at sundown each evening the ways are covered
with the returning fathers and brothers. For us Englishmen, Boujah was
naturally the accustomed haunt. Here is to be found the charming mixture
of nationalities, which is the feature of Smyrneot society. Their ways
are manly, without constraint, and in many respects patriarchal. The
young ladies never wear bonnets, and are generally to be seen of a fine
evening sitting in the open air before their own gates. The whole
community having been pretty well all brought up together from childhood
are on the happiest terms of intimacy: surnames are almost obsolete.
Ungrateful must the heart be that can remember without pleasure days
past in their society; where every house is