Page:Autobiography of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes.djvu/89

63 days off Cape de Gatt [de Gata], overhauling all vessels passing by, and then proceeded towards Syracuse, passing to the south of Sardinia and thence Eastward around Sicily to the harbour of Syracuse, which we entered and were to await orders. The harbour of Syracuse is small, nearly of circular form. The entrance is somewhat obstructed by a ledge of rocks and the channel across it narrow, though the water is deep enough for a vessel of large draft of water. The City of Syracuse is built upon a tongue of land on the East side of the Bay. It is a walled town with gates at the landing, the houses generally built of stone, with narrow streets and overlooks the Bay on one side and the Sea on the other. Its population at the time of our visit was about 18,000. It has little appearance of life & very little trade. The great part of Ancient Syracuse lies on the West side now only visible from its ruins. Among other objects of interest we saw were the Ear of Dionysus and its construction out in the solid rock is still in preservation enough to show a wonderful adaptation of his tyranny in having this dreary cave wherein he could hear the decriations [illegible] him while occupying the tympanum. Atena forms a beautiful object in the distance. The island view is interesting though not as striking as some other parts of Sicily.

When we reached Syracuse we found orders to join the Squadron at Messina, but remained for ten days overhauling the ship and otherwise cleaning up. During our stay the frigate United States, Capn [William M.] Crane, visited Syracuse coming from the Grecian Archipelago. The frigate was subject to quarantine for a length of time, but Capn Crane had given them [the authorities] the name of a small port at which we had been, of which they knew nothing, and, I suppose by some sort of bribery, induced the Authorities to grant his vessel practique and freed them from future trouble in visiting other ports in the Mediterranean.

The quarantine Laws are exceptionally strict and vessels coming from the Levant are subject to all the annoyances they can inflict, but, passing up the Mediterranean, a clean Bill of health from Gibraltar gives full practique everywhere. The deceit practiced by Capn Crane was not in keeping with the high tone of a Naval officer, and it made that impression upon me. How far it may be justified, in the necessity of procuring for communication with the shore for Naval & national purposes, I was not able to form an opinion, but it was deceit and passed off as a good joke by the Capn & his officers. The Officers & crew of the frigate were perfectly healthy, yet in my eyes this did not excuse the act. Much intercourse was had between the ships and comparisons drawn as to the two ships and their crews which was manifest enough. The United States had been on the Station for two years, crew well drilled and ship in splendid order, while the Guerrier was roughly fitted out, little order or discipline and everything yet to be refined or gotten into order. The crew equally though well clad in stuff were a beggarly set of looking fellows with nothing fitting and hanging loosely about their persons. As a show frigate we were not