-called the-fountain of St. Biagio, but not fo confiderable as that
of the'Tarksio ‘
¡The ftones with which the higher parts Of the ifland are covered
a though-they are all o f a calcareous fubftance, have one
diladvant-ageous' quality. They are generally equal in hardneis
'tp! th'e;uioft cpmpa<ft ! travertine, marble, or the common marble
df -Sfef#'; ihbkthey do not yield much to time, or the fedlion' of
the meteoru-; >(o¡that, in- a reafonable courfeftif year's, they cann
o t be:difloived,. or produce' an acceffion o f marly earth fit to
‘Correa, or ,nipliorhtej, the’ikifF reddifli irony foil,’ which is 'th e
moil common. In forr.c parts, however, there is a better kind
o f earth, at the foot of¡’theibills,; ant'd oiitbe heights, alio; in
fome uneven traits, where the force o f ihe winds is interrupted,
and,-the declivity formed-in fueh a manner as not to carry o'ff alt
the- rain water, - but rather to render it beneficial. The 'part of
fb® ifland that lies towards the'-weft has’greater plenty o f trees,
and.is lefs expofed to the w in d ; cOtffequently tfieland is better,
and of greater depth: but they fay the air is not very healthful;
and probably it is true, on account of feme'ftahding pobls, and
the ton great humidity of-the ground. And here it'Is to be' remarked,
that, commonly,1 the igffOYSnt thifik hothirigdefs than
a.largejia^e-uS'Capahle- o f ¡corrupting tlieh ir f’and o f bonfequence
fmall pools, or damp fields are little minded : a pernicious prejudice,.
and o f very bad -confequence to thofe who ignorantly
neglect the fmall beginnings o f great- evils*
■Of the Cultivation o f the Ifland.
The hills to the northward are woody, and not well adapted
to cultivation. The plains alfo on that part o f the ifland that
are
are fit'for the richeft produdts, are often abandoned and uncultivated
through the want'of a fufficient number o f inhabitants;
0 n the other fide of the channel o f Ofero, the hills are left
rocky; but the'mountain, from the middle upwards; fife tbtally
fteril; arrd produces nothing butfwiidTage:.' The’ perpendicular
height of this mountain is not; I believe, above the third part of
a mile; but lying ifolated; it is quiteexpdfefl tw'the fury’o f 1 the
winds. I On the top of it, in former times';’ a ffiWmlt ufid to-
dwell; but the hermitage is now deferted, a’n d i t is opeiitcfiiew
around; being the highefi'place in the'^^n'Hroi^ It'wobld fibti
perhaps be in vain to look; : on thWlrdes o f fihte'lih9uritaih’,3‘!fdr
the veftigesi o f the ancient temple o f Dra'fti; which gave hitnc ti>~'
the ifland, and'bf'which Apolonius.oi Rhodes fpbaks. *
The fmaller?adjacent iflands have' ordinarilya- ftMlow’fcil,1: and
are rarely cultivated, or have-any particulate’’proprlet-br. (MR
fmall part alfo of the lands; of Cberfi and Ofepd’ 'is’ik theTarhe'
condition;and the firft occupier enjoys their' IpbiitaiJed&s 3 w l rd
fruits. Befides the ground called- eomnion/ which a't’ 'pref&t
renders’nothing at all, though it might becbme'’bftigfeAt-value1i f
properly cultivated, even the .largp pofiMibhS’Which3 bQdftgJ fflipE
the proprietors j o f laptkiTffl©Wrmegle£fced"aHdcfe9i»renV fthiglh^BS*
rendered rich and fertile by a •fuffidentleuifcibefl;dP!lfeMis?oJfed-i
proper culture..
The valley in which the, 1i§t¥iafiiilaibr''n?)''
better than the reft o f the ifland ; and, in all appearance,, i f it
Were.- abandoned, wouM fopn> beepm^'ftdhey,: barren, and horrid,
like the hills which rife on the fide o f the harbour, at a diftance
from-the habitations'; and afeuqually deprived of' the improvements
of-art,’ ’and'the1 favohiV o f nature;’
One