Of A Sudden The Dense Foliage Was Cleft; There Opened A Broad Alley
Between Drooping Boughs, And In The Deep Hollow, Bordered With Sand
And Stones, A Flood Rolled Eastward.
This river is now called Sinno;
it was the ancient Sins, whereon stood the city of the same name.
In
the seventh century before Christ, Sins was lauded as the richest
city in the world; for luxury it outrivalled Sybaris.
I had recently been reading Lenormant's description of the costumes
of Magna Graecia prior to the Persian wars. Sins, a colony from
Ionia, still kept its Oriental style of dress. Picture a man in a
long, close-clinging tunic which descended to his feet, either of
fine linen, starched and pleated, or of wool, falling foldless,
enriched with embroidery and adorned with bands of gay-coloured
geometric patterns; over this a wrap (one may say) of thick wool,
tight round the bust and leaving the right arm uncovered, or else a
more ample garment, elaborately decorated like the long tunic.
Complete the picture with a head ornately dressed, on the brow a
fringe of ringlets; the long hair behind held together by gold wire
spirally wound; above, a crowning fillet, with a jewel set in the
front; the beard cut to a point, and the upper lip shaven. You
behold the citizen of these Hellenic colonies in their stately
prime.
Somewhere in that enchanted forest, where the wild vine trails from
tree to tree, where birds and creatures of the marshy solitude haunt
their ancient home, lie buried the stones of Sins.
CHAPTER VII
COTRONE
Night hid from me the scenes that followed. Darkling, I passed again
through the station called Sybaris, and on and on by the sea-shore,
the sound of breakers often audible. From time to time I discerned
black mountain masses against a patch of grey sky, or caught a
glimpse of blanching wave, or felt my fancy thrill as a stray gleam
from the engine fire revealed for a moment another trackless wood.
Often the hollow rumbling of the train told me that we were crossing
a bridge; the stream beneath it bore, perhaps, a name in legend or
in history. A wind was rising; at the dim little stations I heard it
moan and buffet, and my carriage, where all through the journey I
sat alone, seemed the more comfortable. Rain began to fall, and
when, about ten o'clock, I alighted at Cotrone, the night was loud
with storm.
There was but one vehicle at the station, a shabby, creaking,
mud-plastered sort of coach, into which I bundled together with two
travellers of the kind called commercial - almost the only species
of traveller I came across during these southern wanderings. A long
time was spent in stowing freightage which, after all, amounted to
very little; twice, thrice, four, and perhaps five times did we make
a false start, followed by uproarious vociferation, and a jerk which
tumbled us passengers all together. The gentlemen of commerce rose
to wild excitement, and roundly abused the driver; as soon as we
really started, their wrath changed to boisterous gaiety.
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