executed by some Armenian daubers. The subjects of these paintings display the bad taste and the ferocious spirit of the selectors. Over the principal entrance of Mouctar's abode, he is delineated, surrounded by his troops, and witnessing the execution of two Greeks, whom the hangman is tying to a gibbet with the same rope. In another place are exhibited decapitated trunks, with the blood spouting from them. These are much admired, though considered by the connoisseurs as inferior to another, in which the prince appears seated, surrounded by oxen, horses, mules, and asses. The paintings in Veli's palace represent camps, piles of heads, standards, and sieges. In the latter productions of Armenian genius, the bomb-shells are considerably larger than the houses.

The only remaining building which deserves notice, is the kiosk or pavilion of Ali, in the suburb, at the north-west end of the city. It is situated in the midst of extensive gardens, abounding in fruit and forest trees, and displaying more of the wild graces of nature than the laboured efforts of art. This was the vizier's favourite place of retirement. The kiosk, which is of elegant construction, is profusely ornamented with carving and gilding, in the best Turkish style. "Its interior is divided into eight compartments, or deep recesses, diverging out of the great area, in the middle of which stands a curious jet-d'eau. This consists of a small castle, surmounted by cannon, and surrounded by regular lines, which play upon each other, in imitation of a bombardment: between the cannon, on the parapet, stand figures of parrots, lions, and other birds and beasts, who spout water out of their mouths, as if in mockery of what is going forward: the motion of the water gives voice to a small organ attached to a pillar in the apartment."

F

There are two institutions at Ioannina in which the ancient languages are taught. The first of these, the Gymnasium, which was long presided over by Signor Psalida, a Greek of considerable talent, was founded, nearly forty years ago, by a rich merchant named Picrozoe, and afforded instruction to about one hundred boys. The second was established a century and a half since, by Ghioni, a merchant. The funds for its support were placed in the bank of Venice, and, after the confiscation of them by the French, in 1797, the school was entirely indebted for its continuance to the noble munificence of the family of Zosimas. This seminary numbered about three hundred scholars.

The commerce of Ioannina is not insignificant. It is chiefly carried on with Constantinople, Russia, Venice, and Malta, and the merchants are travelled men, well acquainted with European habits, and speaking several languages. Constantinople sends to Ioannina shawls, turbans, amber, and various toys; Russia furnishes oxen, horses, skins, and ermine; Venice sends rich velvets, red skull-caps, arms, and many articles of hardware; and from Malta come a variety of English manufactures and colonial produce. An ad valorem duty of four per cent. is paid on each article at the Dogana. In exchange for these, the exports are cotton, raw silk, Valonean bark, prepared goat and sheep skins, and sometimes grain, though not often. The distribution of the imports among the towns of Epirus, is a source of much profit to the merchants. "Their domestic manufactures," says Mr. Hughes, "are not numerous: indeed, here, as in other countries, the state of manufactures is a fair criterion of the state of civilisation: whilst the workmanship of all articles that may conduce to general comfort, convenience, and utility, or to the interests of philosophy and science, is quite contemptible, great industry and considerable skill are exhibited in the embroidery of cloth, in filagree, in working silver handles for pistols, muskets, and ataghans, and in ornamenting pipe-heads." An idea of the low state of the mechanic arts may be formed from one circumstance. When Lord Byron visited Ioannina, there was no one in the whole city who could mend an umbrella, and only one man, a poor Italian, who was capable of making a bedstead.

The climate of Ioannina varies more than is usual in Greece. Its situation on a table-land, elevated from a thousand to twelve hundred feet above the sea, and encircled by lofty mountains, may account for some of the peculiarities of its temperature. The heat in summer is extremely oppressive. In winter it is equally cold, and is at times very rainy. Even as late as the beginning of April, snow has fallen at Ioannina. Fuel is scarce, and of course dear, so that the richer classes are obliged to be economical in the use of it, and the poor can with difficulty obtain sufficient to cook their provisions. The rich, therefore, wrap themselves up in robes lined with furs, and the common people shelter their limbs under cloaks of thick homespun cloth. "Earthquakes are common, and most frequent in the autumn; they sometimes throw down the houses, and the fish have been known to be cast out of the lake upon dry ground."

Fevers of every kind, especially nervous ones, are common at Ioannina; and are principally caused by unhealthy dwellings, dirty habits, filth accumulated in the streets, and scanty nutriment; but, above all, by the great number of Albanian troops, often as many as from ten to forty of whom are quartered upon each inhabitant. The city has been more than once devastated by the plague. In 1814, it was daily expected

once more to make its appearance, it having for some time been raging in the environs. This would inevitably have been the case had not prompt measures been adopted by Ali, who immediately drew a strong cordon of troops round the infected districts. Immediate death was the punishment for attempting to pass it. At the same time he ordered, that upon the decease of any person in Ioannina, the house was to be closed till the nature of the disease had been ascertained; and he added, that should it be found to be the plague, every soldier stationed on the road through which it had been introduced should be put to death, as well as all the relations of the deceased.

The extent of the city would imply a larger population than it really contains. This discrepancy is occasioned by the vacant spaces of the mosques and Turkish burying-grounds, and by all the better houses having a space attached to them, in which there are commonly a few trees. Estimates of the population vary from thirty-five to fifty thousand persons. Forty thousand is, perhaps, about the real number. It forms a heterogeneous mass of Greeks, Turks, Albanians, Franks, Jews, Arabs, Moors, and Negroes; among whom the Greeks are the most numerous, respectable, and long established, many of the families having been settled at Ioannina for centuries.

Such is, or rather such was, the capital of the ruler of Albania. In speaking of that which the labour of man contributed to the erection of Ioannina, the past tense must be used. Its magnificent site, its beautiful lake, its encircling mountains, remain unchanged, but the palaces, the mosques, the churches, and all, or nearly all, the city, have ceased to exist: they were, as we shall soon have occasion to describe, consigned to ruin by the desperation and rage of Ali himself, at the moment when he was closely tracked by his enemies, the fabric of his power was at length tottering to its fall, and life was about to terminate in disaster and disgrace.

By whom, or at what time, Ioannina was founded, is not recorded in history. The many military and other advantages which belong to its site render it probable that some establishment was formed there at an early period of the Eastern empire. The style of building of some ancient ruins in the castron, induces Mr. Hughes to refer the construction of the original edifice to the reign of Justinian. His supposition acquires likelihood from the circumstance of the monarch having erected innumerable castles in Epirus and Macedonia. That at least a castron, or citadel, existed there long before the end of the eleventh century, is certain from the Norman Bohemond having found one which was dilapidated, no doubt from age, and which was repaired by him.

The first event which gave Ioannina a place in the annals of the East was the battle which, in 1082, was fought under its walls, between Bohemond and the emperor Alexis. The combat lasted from sunrise till sunset, and Alexis, after having displayed prodigies of valour, was defeated by the Norman. The city is stated to have been subsequently either restored or refounded, but writers differ as to the person who accomplished it, and even the century in which this occurrence took place. The work is ascribed, and in each instance apparently without reason, to John Cantacuzenus, to Michael Ducas, and to Thomas and John, Epirot despots, of whom nothing is known. In some part of the twelfth century, the rising town is said to have been destroyed by the combined Normans and Neapolitans, whom the historians of that day denominate Catalans and Latins. It appears, however, to have speedily recovered from this disaster.