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corchorus olitbrius, /tms' mallow; arum colocasia, remarkable for its sweet farinaceous root, while those of its kindred species are intolerably acrid.

The following vegetables are remarkable either for their beauty or singularity: exoacantha heterophylla, an umbelliferous plant distinguished by its uncommonly thorny involucrum, found in the vicinity of Nazareth; dianthus Libanotis, Lebanon pink; anthyllis tragacanthoides, a rare plant found on Lebanon, and eminently beautiful with its long clusters of purple papilonaceous flowers; amaryllis montana, also a native of Lebanon; asphodelus ramosus, branched asphodel; lilium album and bulbiferum, wldte and orange lily; narcissus tazetta ; ornithogalum umbellatum, star of Bethlehem; hyacinthus orientalis, oriental hyacinth; xeranthemum frigidum, a beautiful plant growing close to the snow on mount Lebanon; hyosciamus aureus) golden hen bane; physalis alkekengi, winter cherry; atropa mandragora; culla orientalis; arum intortum; origanum heracleoticum and creticum, Cretan origany; salvia acetabulosa; thymus mastychina; and anastatica hierochuntica, rose of Jericho.

Zoologt. - The best horses in Asiatic Turkey are pf Arabian extract, and are sparingly fed with a little barley and minced straw, to accustom them to abstinence and fatigue; but mules and asses are in more general use. Concerning the breed of cattle little is mentioned by travellers, but it seems inferior to those of Europe; and beef is scarce and bad. The mutton is superior; and the kid is a favourite repast*.

In Asiatic Turkey appears that king of ferocious animals called the lion, which is unknown to any region of Europe, and even to Asiatic Russia. Yet he rarely roams to the west of the Euphrates: but Tournefort observed many tigers on mount Ararat. He must mean the small tiger, or perhaps the leopard or the mountain cat; for the royal or large tiger seems to be restricted to the wastes of Hlndostan. The hyæna, and the wild boar, are known animals of Asia Minor; and the jackals range in troops, which raise dreadful cries in the night, but the fable of their accompanying the lion is justly exploded. The cities and villages swarm with dogs, who are allowed to wander, as a constant defence against strangers or enemies.

The ibex, or rock goat, appears on the summits of Caucasus. The singular goats and cats of Angora have been already mentioned. The gazel, a kind of antelope, is also an inhabitant of Asia Minor; with numerous deer and hares. The partridges are generally of the red legged kind, about a third larger than the common European. Of fish there are numerous names, and many of them are excellent. The difficulties of travelling have considerably abridged our knowledge of the zoology of these various regions, Hasselquist, the disciple of Linnæus, having passed from Smyrna to Alexandria, chiefly occupied himself in the natural history of Palestine and Egypt.

MiNERALOGV. The mineralogy of those extensive and mountaiuous provinces, remains in a deplorable state of imperfection. Ancient

Hasselquist, p. 192, says that the sheep of Anti Libanus have sometimes a crust on their teeth, with the perfect appearance of yellow pyrites, It ii' imputed to the grass or lucern.

Lydia was famous for the production of gold; but in modern times n« mines seem to be indicated, except those of copper which supply Tokat. The indolence of the Turks, or indeed their industry in destruction, is alike inimical to metallurgy and agriculture. Hasselquist observed lead and copper ore, with rock crystals, in the island of Cyprus. But his account of oriental minerals only contains whet-stone and natron, both Egyptian; and he informs us that Moses must have inscribed the laws on granite, which constitutes mount Oreb and mount Sinai*. The mountains of Judæa, he says, are of a very hard lime-stone of a yellowish white and towards the east of a loose grey lime-stone. If such be the profound observations of a naturalist, what is to be expected from other travellers?

Mineral Waters.

The most noted mineral waters are those of Prusa, at the bottom of mount Olympus. The baths are splendid, and paved with marble, with two reservoirs or rather cisterns for bathing, one for the men, another for the women. The water smokes continually, and is so hot as to scald the hand; but in the baths it is mingled with cold water from the numerous streams of Olympus. There are many other hot springs in different quarters of Natolia.

Natural Curiosities. The natural curiosities, and singular features of so mountainous a country, must be numerous; but as such seldom occur in the beaten tracks, and there is no safety in visiting distant recesses, the chosen haunts of banditti, it is no wonder that this topic is left barren by travellers. The beautiful mazes of the Minder have been celebrated from early antiquity; and it is probable that the large salt lake, in the centre of Asia Minor, might afford a curious object of investigation. Dr. Chandlerf describes the singular cliff near Pambouk or Hierapolis, produced by the hot petrifying waters, and resembling an immense frozen cascade, as if the water had been fixed and suddenly converted to stone. In the same vicinity is a cave remarkable for pernicious effluvia.

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ISLANDS BELONGING

TO

ASIATIC TURKEY.

THE chief islands in the Archipelago, considered as belonging to Asia, are Mytilene, Scio, Samos, Cos, and Rhodes.

Mytilenb. Mytilene, the ancient Lesbos, is the most northerly and largest of these isles, being about forty British miles in length by twenty-four at its greatest breadth. The mountainous appearance of this isle is agreeably diversified with bays, and inlets of the sea, and plantations of olives, vines, and myrtle*. There are hot baths issuing from cliffs resembling those of St. Vincent near Bristol, and which indicate the isle to be chiefly calcareous. The climate is exquisite; and it was anciently noted for wines, and the beauty of the

women.

Scio. Scio, the ancient Chios, is about thirty-six British miles in length, but only about thirteen in medial breadth. The Chian wine is celebrated by Horace, and retains its ancient fame. The town of Scio, on the east side of the isle, is handsome and convenient. The Greeks here enjoy considerable freedom and ease; and display such industry, that the country resembles a garden. This particular favour arises from the cultivation of the mastic trees, or rather shrubs, for they are small evergreens which supply the gum, so acceptable to the ladies of the sultan's haram, or, as we term it, the seraglio. The beauty of the women is confined to one form of features, as in the Grecian statues; and even the clearness of their complexion cannot atone for the preposterous form of their dress, which is here, if possible, more ridiculous than in the other Egean isles. Pococke's figure of Homer, which he pretends to have found here, is imaginary; and the original seems to be an image of Cybele. This isle is also very mountainous. The earth of Scio was celebrated by the ancients, but was only a common bole like that of Lcmnos. Tourncfort observed here some tame partridges, kept like poultry; and it is proba

* Dullaway's Constantinople, p. 313.

ble the custom is retained, for among the Turks every thing is stationary, except destruction. Chandler saw numerous groves of lemons, oranges, and citrons, perfuming the air with the odour of their blossoms, and delighting the eye with their golden fruit. The Genoese possessed this beautiful isle about 240 years, but lost it in 1566. Opposite to Scio, on the Asiatic shore, is Chesmé, where the Turkish fleet was destroyed by the Russian, 1770. The inhabitants of Scio are supposed to be about 60,000*.

Samos. Samos is about thirty miles in length, and ten in breadth. This isle is also crossed by a chain of hills, and the most agreeable part is the plain of Cora. Tournefort computes the inhabitants at 12,000, all Greeks; with a Turkish Aga or military officer, and a cadi, or judge, magistrates usual in every Turkish district. The women are celebrated for their complete want of beauty, thus forming a remarkable exception to the other Greek isles. The pottery of Samos was anciently excellent; at present most branches of industry are neglected: but nitre, emery, and iron, might still be worked. Pitch is prepared from the pine trees in the north part of the island; and the silk, honey, and wax, are esteemed. Most of the mountains are of white marble, and swarm with game of various descriptions. The best haven is that of Vati, to the north-west. Some remains are observed of the celebrated temple of Junof.

Cos. Cos is about twenty-four miles in length, by three or four in breadth; but has been little visited by modern travellers. Pliny styles Cos a most noble isle; and from it was derived the name and substance of the whet-stone. It is now covered with groves of lemon trees, and there is an oriental plane tree of vast size. The chief trade is in oranges and lemons; and Cos is the residence of a Turkish pashaf.

Rrones. Rhodes is about thirty-six British miles in length, by fifteen in breadth, an island celebrated in ancient and modern times. It is fertile in wheat, though the soil be of a sandy nature. The population is computed at about 30,000. The city of the same name, in which no Christian is now permitted to dwell, stands in the north end of the isle; and was anciently noted for a colossus in bronze, about 130 feet high, which could not have stood over the harbour as fabled, for it was soon cast down by an earthquake, and the fragments many centuries afterwards were sold by the Saracens; while if it had stood over the port, it must have fallen into the seal. This isle was for two centuries possessed by the knights of St. John of Jerusalem, thence styled of Rhodes, till 1523, when it was taken by the Turks ; and the emperor Charles V, assigned to the knights the island of Malta**.

Along the southern shore of Asia Minor, there are some small isles, among which is that of Castel Rosso, south-east of Patira. But they are of no moment, when compared with the large and celebrated island, of Cyprus.

Tournefort, p. 281. † Tournefort, i. 307. Gibbon, ix. 425.

Van Egmont, i. 237, &c. Chandler, 48.
Dallaway, 2ol. Van Egmont, i. 262,

* Van Egmont, i. 268, who giv«6 a long descriptioa of RUodes.

CYPRUS.

This island is about 160 British miles in length, and about seventy at its greatest breadth. It was long possessed by the Ptolemies of Egypt, till it fell under the Roman power; when it remained a portion of the Byzantine empire, till it was usurped by a Greek prince, who was expelled by Richard I of England. This monarch bestowed the kingdom of Cyprus on the house of Lusignani as a compensation for the loss of the throne of Jerusalem. In the fifteenth century, the heiress of the house of Lusignan resigned this isle to the Venetians; but in 1570 it was seized by the Turks. The soil is fertile, yet agriculture in a neglected state. The oxen are lean and of a small size: the sheep are of a better description. The chief products are silk, cotton, wines, turpentine, and timber. The wine of Cyprus is deservedly celebrated. The oranges are excellent; and the mountains are covered with hyacinths and anemonies, and other beautiful flowers. Cyprus is supposed to have derived its name from the abundance of copper ore; and it is said to have anciently produced gold, silver, and emeralds. What is called the Paphian diamond is a rock crystal found near Paphos; and there is a quarry of amianthus, while several hills consist chiefly of talc. The other mineral productions are red jasper, agates, green earth, and umber. The Cypriots are a tall and elegant race; but the chief beauty of the women consist in their sparkling eyes. To the disgrace of the Turkish government, the population of this extensive island is computed at 50,000 souls! Cyprus is pervaded by a chain of mountains, among which is a third Olympus, some primitive name, which seems to have been general for a mountain of great height. Van Egmont says that there is not one river in the island, he means that continues its course in the summer; but that there are many ponds, lakes, and fens, producing a damp and malignant air. The chief cities are Nicosia, the capital and residence. of the governor and famagusta*.

* Van Egmont, i. 28k Mariti, &c.

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