or ISMIR, at present the largest and richest city of Asia Minor, is situated in north latitude 38° 28', and in E. Long. 29° 25' from Greenwich, and about 183 miles west by south of Constantinople. The town extends along the shore about half a mile on a gentle declivity. The houses of the English, French, and Dutch consuls, are handsome structures; these, with most of those occupied by the Christian merchants, are washed on one side by the sea, forming a street named Frank-street, from its being solely inhabited by European Christians. In the year 1763 the whole of this quarter was consumed by fire: the loss sustained by this calamity in merchandise was estimated at a million and a half of Turkish dollars, or near 200,000 sterling. The port is one of the finest of the Levant, it being able to contain the largest fleet; and indeed there are seldom in it fewer than 100 ships of different nations.

A castle stands at its entrance, and commands all the shipping which sail in or out. There is likewise an old ruinous castle, near a mile in circumference, which stands in the upper part of the city, and according to tradition, was built by the empress Helena: and near it is an ancient structure, said to be the remains of a palace where the Greek council was held when Smyrna was the metropolis of Asia Minor. They also show the ruins of an amphitheatre, where it is said St Polycarp, the first bishop, fought with lions.

This city is about four miles in circumference, and nearly of a triangular form; but the side next the mountain is much longer than the other sides. The houses are low, and mostly built with clay walls, on account of the earthquakes to which the country is subject; but the caravanserais and some other of the public buildings have an air of magnificence. The streets are wide, and almost a continued bazar, in which a great part of the merchandise of Europe and Asia is exposed to sale, with plenty of provisions; though these are not so cheap as in many other parts of Turkey, on account of the populousness of the place, and the great resort of foreigners. It is said to contain 15,000 Turks, 10,000 Greeks, 1800 Jews, 200 Armenians, and 200 Franks: but the whole population is computed at 120,000. The Turks have 10 mosques; two churches belong to the Greeks; one to the Armenians; and the Jews have eight synagogues. The Romanists have three convents. There is also one of the fathers Della Terra Santa. Here resides an archbishop of the Greek church; a Latin bishop who has a salary from Rome, with the title of bishop of Smyrna in partibus infidelium; and the English and Dutch factories have each their chaplain.

The walks about the town are extremely pleasant, particularly on the west side of Frank street, where there are several little groves of orange and lemon trees, which being always clothed with leaves, blossoms, and fruit, regale several of the senses at the same time. The vines which cover the little hills about Smyrna afford both a delightful prospect and plenty of grapes, of which good wine is made. These hills are agreeably interspersed with fertile plains, little forests of olives and other fruit-trees, and many pleasure-houses, to which the Franks usually retire during the summer. In the neighbourhood of Smyrna is great plenty of game and wild-fowl, and particularly deer and wild-hogs. The sea also abounds with a variety of good fish. The European Christians are here allowed all imaginable liberties, and usually clothe themselves after the European manner.

The chief commerce of this city consists in rawsilk, silk-stuffs, grograms, and cotton yarn.

However, the unhealthfulness of the situation, and more especially the frequent earthquakes, from which, it is said, they are scarcely ever free for two years together, and which have been felt 40 days successively, are an abatement of the pleasure that might otherwise be enjoyed here. A very dreadful one happened in June 1668, which overthrew a great number of the houses; and the rock opening where the castle stood, swallowed it up, and no less than 5000 persons perished on this occasion.

In the year 1758, so desolating a plague raged here, that scarcely a sufficient number of the inhabitants survived to gather in the fruits of the earth. In the year 1772, three-fourth parts of the city were consumed by fire; and six years after it was visited by the most dreadful earthquakes, which continued from the 25th of June to the 5th of July; by which successive calamities the city has been so much reduced, that its former consequence is never likely to be restored.

The ladies here wear the oriental dress, consisting of large trousers or breeches, which reach to the ankle; long vests of rich silk or velvet, lined in winter with costly furs; and round their waist an embroidered zone with clasps of silver or gold. Their hair is plaited, and descends down the back often in great profusion. The girls have sometimes above twenty thick tresses, besides two or three encircling the head as a coronet, and set off with flowers and plumes of feathers, pearls, or other jewels. They commonly stain it with chestnut colour, which is the most desired. Their apparel and carriage are alike antique. It is remarkable that the trowsers are mentioned in a fragment of Sappho as part of the female dress.