Francis to Mr. Delegeorges, May 22, 1873

Mr. Francis to Mr. Delegeorges.

Mr. Minister: I embrace the earliest opportunity on my return to Athens, after completing a tour of the Peloponnesus and Continental Greece, to thank you most heartily for the courtesies extended by your government to myself and traveling companions during all the time of our journeying. Faithful escorts were furnished us at all points. We were the recipients of kind attentions and generous hospitalities from the frurarchos of Palamedi, the eparch of Argos, the eparch and demarch of Corinth, the eparch of Parnassidus, and the demarch of Crissa, the frurarchos of Amphissa, the demarch of Arachora, the demarch of Darlia, the demarch and frurarchos of Livadia, the demarch and civil and military authorities at Thebes, and other officials in the places named. We are also indebted to Mr. Theodore S. Tripon, of New Corinth, Col. Athanasius Contrantas, of Crissa, a veteran of the revolution, Athanasius Byrinos, of Thebes, and other citizens whose names we cannot now recall, for highly appreciated kindnesses. All seemed to vie with each other in efforts to promote our comfort, give us happy welcome, and afford us opportunities for instructive observations.

Speaking for myself, for my distinguished countryman, the Hon. Ellis H. Roberts, and the others who accompanied us, I may say, Mr. Minister, that our estimate of Greece and its resources has been greatly enlarged, and our judgment of its generous, industrious, and patriotic people has been heightened by our journey through the Morea and the continental provinces, while we have derived the highest satisfaction from an examination of memorials of ancient Greece that contributed to its grandeur.

I embrace the occasion, &c.,