Fri. 14 [14 April 1899] Up at 8. After breakfast we walked up onto the
lower Venetian fort built on polygonal walls. The Lion on a plaque on
all the walls. The S. side goes steep down into the sea. The top
covered with prickly pear and goats. A kind sentry showed us down
to a bastion looking over the sea. To our left the Upper Fort climbing
down the hill in magnificent walls and covered passages. In the bay
to our right the little old island fort where the executioner lives. At 10
drove to Tiryns [Tirins], 1/2 hour away. Walked all over the citadel
with Schuchardt and Dˆrpfeld's map. Wonderful walls and galleries
and a stair leading to a postern gate. The foundations of the house
quite clear - the various megaron and the courts etc. A small boy
brought me a bunch of delicious yellow irises; not so pretty as the tiny
blue one at Epidaurus [Epidavros]. At 12 caught our train to Argos,
Constantine having arranged our luggage and come on from Nauplia
[Navplion]. At Argos we had a long wait; talked to Dˆrpfeld. Got into
our train at 1, lunched on our way and so to Tripolitsa [Tripolis] over a
fine mountain line. Arrived at 5.30. Hotel des Etrangers -
Tseuodokeion to Tsenon. Had tea and walked about the town. It
stands very prettily on a green plain with an amphitheatre of bare hills
round. From a little hill we saw the bird's eye view, a cluster of red
roofs, very charming. The streets arranged in bazaars of different
trades. Pretty children and handsome men and women. We have
now annexed our cook, Themistocles and we enjoyed (as
Constantine says) a very good dinner.