S( I 



Scio. The extensive ruins of Bamhorah are situated in 



Wy^ Kast Lou.;, (i; .10', and North Lat. 24 46', and are 

 supposed to be the remains of the nncient city of Brah- 

 minahad. In the neighbourhood are many tombs of 

 Scindyan warriors, who fell in a battle fought between 

 Gholnum Shah and Meer AH. 



Amercote. Amercote, the retreat of Humaioum, once belong- 

 ed to Scinde, but is now in the possession of the 

 Hajah of Joudpore. This fort lies south-east of Hy- 

 derabad, and is about twenty-five miles only from 

 the eastern branch of the Indus. It is situated 

 in East Long. 70 2V, and North Lat. 26 2S', (68 

 17' east, and 24 4V north, according to Kinneir.) The 

 country around it is sc dry and barren, that it has not 

 sufficient land revenue to support a small local military 

 corps. In the vicinity of Amercote is the principal 

 fortress belonging to the chief ameer of Scinde, in which 

 his treasures are supposed to be lodged. It is built on 

 a hill in the desert, and contains excellent wells, al- 

 though there is no water within four stages of it. For 

 farther information respecting this province, see Ha- 

 milton's East India Gazetteer, articles SCINDE and 

 TATTA, and Macdonald Kinneir's Memoir of the Per- 

 sian Empire, p. 226234. 



SCIO, I lie Chios of the ancients, is an island of the 

 Grecian archipelago, about thirty miles long, and hav- 

 ing a variable breadth of from ten to eighteen miles. 

 It is separated from Asia Minor by a strait about nine 

 miles wide. The island consists of huge mountains 

 which are in many places rugged and rocky ; but the 

 most part of it is less elevated and uneven. The plain 

 which surrounds the capital is remarkable for its beauty 

 and fertility. It is covered with country houses and 

 gardens filled with orange and lemon trees. In the 

 whole of the south part of the island the lands are 

 every where susceptible of cultivation. The island 

 contains sixty-eight villages all inhabited by Greeks. 

 About twenty-four of these which furnish mastic are 

 the most wealthy and populous. The principal ones 

 are Pirghi, Ninita, Calamoti, Calcinatia, Volisso, &c. 

 Almost all the villages are well built and have an 

 enclosure capable of defending them against a coup-de- 

 main from corsairs. 



The island is watered only by a few streams or 

 rather mountain torrents, but good springs are nume- 

 rous, and water can always be obtained by sinking a 

 well. 



Although the land in general is well cultivated and 

 greatly improved, yet the corn raised is not nearly suf- 

 ficient for the support of the inhabitants. Wheat and 

 barley are their principal crop, but the wheat is not 

 sufficient to subsist them more than three months. 

 The wine, which in general is sweet and strong, is suf- 

 ficient for the consumption of seven or eight months. 

 Oil is raised in such abundance as to supply all their 

 wants in this respect, but when the crops fail they 

 procure it from Mitylene. 



The pasturage on the island is very scanty, and its 

 place is supplied by the cotton shrubs after the cotton 

 is gathered, and by the dried leaves of the vine in win- 

 ter. Here animal food is very scarce and expensive, 

 with the exception of goat's flesh. 



One of the most important productions of the island, 

 and almost peculiar to it is mastic, with which it sup- 

 plies Constantinople. The shrub (the lentisk) is about 

 fifteen feet high, and grows on the face of the hills 

 bearing a small red berry.* Early in July the rhind 



SCI 



is punctured with an aw), and in three days the gum 

 begins to flow upon the ground which is made hard 

 and smooth to receive it. In eight days it is kufliciently 

 indurated to be lifted. All the villages that prepare 

 the mastic enjoy peculiar privilege!. A very good 

 and agreeable brandy is made here from mastic. The 

 turpentine of Scio, which is much valued, is daily be- 

 coming more scarce. The cotton raited i* not suffi- 

 cient for the demand, and they are obliged to import a 

 great quantity of raw silk, although the rearing of silk- 

 worms is an occupation almost general at Scio. 



Oranges, common and wild lemons, and Bergamot 

 citrons are exported in great quantities to Constanti- 

 nople, Adrianople, and Smyrna, to the annual amount 

 i.OOO sterling. From the rose tree U manufac- 

 tured the conserve of roses, and also the essential oil. 

 Dried figs are exported to the amount of 4000 ster- 

 ling annually. 



From the oval fruit of the sebeiten, which is a little 

 less than the common olive, is obtained an excellent 

 glue, which is used for birdcatching throughout the 

 Levant. Among the other articles of export from 

 Scio are the dried plums from the plum tree called the 

 Verdassier, and the galls of a species of willow (sal via 

 pomifera.) The mulberry is also cultivated. 



Among the articles imported into Scio are wheat, 

 wax, honey for the syrups preserves and sweetmeats 

 which they manufacture, and wine from Ipsara and 

 Mycone. 



It has been calculated that .100 looms are employed 

 in the manufacture of silk stuffs. Though the inhabi- 

 tants have been able to imitate the Lyons silk stuff*, 

 yet they have succeeded better with the India silks 

 and cottons. They likewise manufacture gaitant or 

 silk loops used for the edging and button-holes of the 

 Turkish dresses, and they also plait some in gold and 

 in silver for the female dresses. The annual value of 

 the various cloths manufactured at Scio is about 

 JE2.10.000 sterling. 



The revenue of the island arises from the custom- 

 house duties, from a small rent paid for lands, and 

 from the karatch or capitation tax upon males above 

 the age of puberty. The first class of males pays 1 1 

 piastres, the second 5^, and the third 2f . 



The Greeks are said to have 700 churches in the 

 island, and the priests are proportionally numerous. 

 The Latins have only four churches, one in the town, 

 and three in the country. The inhabitants of the 

 mastic villages are permitted to have bells to their 

 churches. 



The following is the population of the island ac- 

 cording to different authors : 



Pococke .... 100,000 



Olivier .... 110,000 



Turner .... 150,000 



Hassel'a Tables (1824) . 100,000 



According to Turner there are not more than 4(K) 



Turks in the island. There are several small islands 



round Scio. About two leagues to the west of Cape 



Nicola is Ipsara with a single house on the ruins of the 



ancient Psyra. Anti-Ipsara a league from this, is a 



desert island, about two leagues in circuit Nearer and 



to the east of Scio are some islets called Spalmadon. 



See Olivier's Voyage dint I' Empire Ottoman, Tome I. 



chap. xxvi. p. 270', and Sonnini's Travels in Greece and 



Turkey, chap, xxxvii. p. 482. 



* ThU hrub furnuhei the best toothpicki, to the fancy of the Roman Udie*. 



