Page:Travels & discoveries in the Levant (1865) Vol. 1.djvu/124

96 have been taken away from this place on account of its vicinity to the sea.

After visiting the Acropohs, I explored a little roofless chapel, such as are to be met with all over the island, and which always contain relics of ancient buildings and sculptures. Here I found a very interesting inscription covering three sides of a large marble slab. Much of it was unfortunately obliterated, but on one side was a letter from King Antigonos (probably Gonatas) respecting the return of certain exiles to Eresos, who had been banished in the time of Alexander the Great.$39$ As I was staying in the house of the chief man of the village, a worthy Greek farmer, I asked him whether I might have this inscription. He assured me that I was free to take it, and as a preliminary step we decided on removing it, into the house of the Greek schoolmaster. I therefore proceeded, with a yoke of oxen, to the place where it was lying, in order to take possession of it, and in this attempt roused all manner of dormant opposition. First, the Turkish Aga of the district, who happened to be in the village, interfered. This enlightened functionary wished to know whether there was any treasure in or under the stone; but desisted from all opposition on my producing a letter from the Pasha, authorizing me to prosecute my researches for antiquities in the island wherever I liked. My next opponent was the proprietor of the field in which the church was situated. The inscription, according to the opinion of my friend the primate, was the property of the village, and