of the Mediterranean. , 267 



the year, have furnished me with some personal observations on 

 their respective climates. I shall therefore conclude this sketch 

 with a few climatorial notices of such places as may be more fre- 

 quently visited by the traveller, and by ships of war and com- 

 merce, reserving to a future opportunity a more ample detail of 

 this department of Mediterranean topography. 



Zante. — Of all the anchorages in the Ionian seas, that of 

 Zante Roads seems to be the most eligible in point of salubrity ; 

 as the moisture and relaxing qualities of the Sirocco are there 

 greatly qualified by the wind first passing over the east end of 

 the island. There is also no great extent of land or sea in im- 

 mediate connection with the port ; from which circumstance, the 

 shifting of the wind from one point to another is not attended 

 with very sensible changes of heat or moisture ; and, unless the 

 calms are prevalent at night in summer, which they seldom are, 

 there is very little humidity or dew precipitated. The breezes 

 from the N. and NE. are very frequent and refreshing, and ge- 

 nerally set in early in the forenoon, as the sea-breeze, and sub- 

 side at night during the warm season of the year. This ancho- 

 rage is also free from any malaria. 



!Sta, Maura. — The next anchorage to that of the Roads of 

 Zante, in point of healthiness in the hot season of the year, is 

 the south anchorage of this island, the ancient Leucadia. Being 

 bounded by the high land of the island on the west, and by that 

 of the Acarnanian hills to the eastward, this anchorage has the 

 winds dry from these opposite directions ; while the currents of 

 air in the direction of the channel, whether they are N. or S., 

 are more moist. Even when the wind blows from the S. and 

 SE., it is moderate ; and, from the lands and islands, which 

 lock in the anchorage, and are devoid of wood and sources of 

 humidity, the place is never very damp, or pernicious by night. 

 The winds, however, blow seldomer from these last directions 

 than from the opposite points, whence they are cool, dry, and 

 refreshing, in the hot months. In the direction of N. and NE., 

 these is much low land, and even stagnant water ; but such an 

 extent of sea and dry land intervenes, that their influence is not 

 much to be dreaded. 



JULY— SEPTEMBER 1828. R 



