is probable, that the Greeks of the low times changed the ancient -
name of the ifland into that oiCherfo, Xifccc, induced by the af-
peit o f thofe tradls of abandonedrcountry. The largeit o f thefe
deferts is. a level fur face o f hills, five miles in length,¡.from Orletz
to Vrann, along , the road that leads to OJ'ero. The inhabitants
call thofe places Arabia Petrea. Thiey furniih,. however, excellent
feeding for iheep, which; crop 'the^igrafs and fweet herbs
that grow between the hones, and thèreby become not only ex-
cefixvelyjfat, but give ¡maille uncommonly: rich and o f exquifite
tail&io aqoj '■!:• 1
. The Arabia Petrea o f produces the feme kind o f ihnibs
that aroj.ufually.found in,- honey.-...andhmountainous fituations..
Bruihwood and thorns are thick there,.,but .-very low, and-¡ withered
towards the north eaft,. whence the wind blows, with
fatal ¡violence, from the mountains of Morlaçchia. On that fide
the junipers, and other plants are equally hurt and kept down.
here,the plaiu inclines, arflittle towards ;tlje l’outh, ¡tkë plants
are tcQttefed,from the. hfeftingljwind, and thole which are only
ilirubs in the expofcd fituatiQBs, ¡grow there to the height and
thickBe(â,p f trees. The trunk qfa,juniper is often above,afoot-
in àfeme tçr,.v.,th op ghi, grp w i ng .amofig.-Æons^ J.1 Other, ihrwbs grpw
■ i. PvfF the wholf :P*tent of the tops
qf.thg mountains,, wh.iflh /lua.Ippgbodlnally fcom,j$-.;E..tGfS. E.
forming.a$, it jtjrejf, :.th$} backbone, o f .the,,ifland; there ,aré(j :but
very fçpjir tççef* bpnt.by-tbEyiiplpdÇe o f the..wind,,
w^içh .j>lnw^ nip/h in the,.^afçn . when, the fap(bqgins ,to circulate..
. jg j j ¡jc) 2i
Rflra, n£ç-J?{ecjiAi%!. in.tGperlis eminetarvis
% Arbor, & in terra eft altera forma maris.
The
The top o f a Fillirea is often fix or eight cubits dillant from
the foot, and not more than two or three above the ground.
The fap, interrupted in itematural ecrorfe /bÿ little .branches w ithered
by thewipd, lends forth a number ©fimall ihoots by the
fides of thofe: Mailed the yeâriibefotej;; hnd thbfe;are deftined to
wither in their turn. whein’Vtfao.windy'.ffeafoh.riturns.) q The tree,s.
on thofe heightsfeem,ps3it1were:-.actaiilome,dj.t©!ihEfe ¿»icif&iudegi •
and maintained: bycartifi 3 filheifame, svindiwHicirhlciwi -with periodical
impetuofityihasint^houfcualllldoubsygcBr-dpei'atedi Jtfibre
than any other caufe. to change the fuperficies o f the tops of-'the
mountains, by pulverifing the earth,, and-.carrying it. away } ; at
hail' whatever’ .the-heavy r-Sins -liàd left behi lid,*after t he-ex-tirpa-
tien o f the ancient ¡ woods', .which . probably' coveredhh&diilte-Of
the ifland in ¡mdiê'relïldt& agéfe. >ltStÿ^ftr>/(îlêihf,dfpêakïWgMjfîitlife
ilhinds of the ^uarnaro, in the above cited .»‘•ïMt
" 'th e y had an excellent foil, that n e i t lie rfno wnor-tice:ebnfinuëd
"dong there, -bût":thé raihs'werèfrecjuent awdiplenti&llj'HandLfud-
o den fhôVverâfometihaeS ifellV which t*aiafai«ed:4 qfe#dlt0foiOii >■
“ nefs and moiiiure in thé grüMdji^'dï-feWérynptBfeabier that
the vapours beinginteFCepted by the woods now rôoted dût,- and
the moifture prefetved-by méanS of the leaves and roots the
trees, the fields below’were always kfpt cool, -slid well who* it: 3;
The ifltfnd at preféht'füîiefe fforh a fe'àicibr^f';wàtéf,i #tùIeaîiv
for the. irrigation bf tiré BèîdVf thbé^h thè'fë-' isfufficiénï1 plenty
in the wells’; A t a liulfehiflarice’froih ' thd city-of iS & ^ 't lr e fe
is -a confidèrable fountain,!"Which HfeEat-’theTddf oE a h iilj turd
almbft imrhfeéiaielÿ"loiëà hiéSfinCthèfeah'1- I f4s*ttSihtrÎ6hIÿ callëct
the fountain o f the Turks, becaufe the merchants o f that natiml,.
who come-to trade in the ifland, ufually go there to perform
their legal ablutions'. ’ ¡Five*!jmiles-'frofti ’ thence f-hèffe is another.
, rvvnsB ni« :a\ i r w ù w wnst s«- 13 ,-uVtK called.