Reverend Thomas Smart Hughes (1786-1847) was an excellent classical scholar and theologist, who had graduated from Cambridge. He only travelled to the East once, as tutor to R. T. Parker. The two travellers arrived in Zakynthos in 1812 and from there journeyed to Patras. They visited a number of archaeological sites and major towns in the Peloponnese.

Later on, while in Athens, they showed a vivid interest in cultural life and education. In 1814 Hughes travelled to Ioannina in the company of R. Cockerell. He gives a detailed description of the manor of their host Nicolos Argyris (Vrettos), where both lord Byron and Hobhouse had stayed four years earlier. They were able to speak with the local notables and Ali Pasha himself (Hughes describes his first audience with the Vizir with vivid emotion). He outlines Ali Pasha’s personality by making shrewd observations. At the same time he is very judicious as to the situation in “the satrap’s land”, in particular religious beliefs and education.

Hughes had first-hand knowledge of the dramatic events of Parga and attempts to record them with the intention, aiming at an objective depiction. A fervent Philhellene, he was very active in supporting the Greek Revolution later, in London, and published various pamphlets on the subject in the following years. His book, which came out in 1820, is written with sensitivity, without prejudice and describes people and events in detail. It is considered a major travel chronicle of the Ali Pasha era.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou

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  Map of ancient Syracuse.

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  Title page.

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  Modern Arms of the City of Girgenti, from a Bas-Relief in a Church near that city.

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  The Quarries of Syracuse (Ear of Dionysius).

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  Plan of Hexapylon fortress which protected the west end of Syracuse.

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  View of the Faro of Messina with the rocks of Scylla and the Calabrian coast.

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  Funerary stele and urn from Roman tomb at Zakynthos, erroneously thought to be Cicero's Tomb.

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  Acrocorinth.

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  The Pnyx, Athens.

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  Rock-cut tombs at Mount Lycabettus.

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  Noble sepulchre, commonly called the Cenotaph of Euripides.

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  Excavations in the Rock at Athens, commonly called the Prison of Socrates.

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  Sepulchre at Delphi on the road to Crissa.

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  Cape Matapan, Lefkada.

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  Map of Nikopolis, Epirus.

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  Map of the Ambracian gulf.

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  The Church of Parigoritissa, Arta.

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  Plan and section plan of the Church of Parigoritissa, Arta.

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  Serais of Ali Pasha and his two sons in Joannina.

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  View of Nicolo Argyri's house in Joannina.

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  Portrait of Ali Pasha.

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  View of Joannina, from the island of the lake.

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  A curious jet d'eau at Ioannina. It consists of a small castle built of marble surmounted by cannon, and surrounded by regular lines which play upon each other in imitation of a bombardment: between the cannon, on the parapet, stand figures of parrots, lions, and other birds or beasts, who spout water also out of their mouths as if in mockery at what is going forward.

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  View of Mitsikeli and Pindus from the island in the Lake Pambotis.

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  Map of the Lake Pambotis.

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  Plan of the sanctuary of Dodoni.

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  Portraits of Lambros Tzavellas (?) and the old commandant of Dervitsani.

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  Monastery of Barlaam, on one of the rocks of Meteora.

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  Rude outline of the site of the Temple of Delphi.