22 TURKEY IN ASIA, 



Some wore them fastened with a thong. Their garments were silk 

 of various colours ; and their whole appearance so fantastic and lively 

 as to afford us much entertainment. The Turks inhabit a separate 

 quarter, and their women are concealed." Among the poets and his- 

 torians said to be born here, the inhabitants reckon Homer, and show 

 a little square house, which they call Homer's school. 



Samos lies opposite to Ephesus, on the coast of Lesser Asia, about 

 seven miles from the continent. It is thirty miles long, and fifteen 

 broad. This island gave birth to Pythagoras, and is inhabited by 

 Greek Christians, who are well treated by the Turks, thsir masters. 

 The muscadine Samian wine is in high request ; and the island also 

 produces wool, which they sell to the French ; oil, pomegranates, 

 and silk. This island is supposed to have been the native country 

 of Juno : and some travellers think that the ruins of her temple, and 

 of the ancient city Samos, are the finest remains of antiquity in the 

 Levant. 



To the south of Samos lies Patmos, about twenty miles in circum- 

 ference, but so barren and dreary, that it may be called a rock rather 

 than an island. It has, however, a convenient haven : and the few 

 Greek monks who are upon the island show a cave where St. John is 

 supposed to have written the Apocalypse. 



Stanchio, the ancient Cos, on the coast of Lesser Asia, nearly 

 twelve miles from the continent, is about twenty-five miles long and 

 ten broad. It abounds with cypress and turpentine trees, and a variety 

 of medicinal plants. This island has a town of the same name, situat- 

 ed in a bay, with a harbour defended by a castle. Cos is famous for 

 having been the birth-place of the great father of medicine, Hippo- 

 crates, and the celebrated painter Apelles. 



The island of Rhodes is situated in 28° 45 f of east longitude, and 

 35° 30' north latitude, about twenty miles south-west of the continent 

 of Lesser Asia, being about thirty-six miles long, and fifteen broad. 

 This island is healthful and pleasant, and abounds in wine, and many 

 of the necessaries of life ; but the inhabitants import their corn from 

 the neighbouring country. The chief town, which also bears the 

 name of Rhodes, is situated on the side of a hill fronting the sea, and 

 is three miles in circumference, interspersed with gardens, minarets, 

 churches, and towers. The harbour of Rhodes is the grand-seignor's 

 principal arsenal for shipping, and the place is esteemed among the 

 strongest fortresses belonging to the Turks. The colossus of brass, 

 which anciently stood at the mouth of the harbour, and was fifty 

 fathoms wide, was deservedly accounted one of the wonders of the 

 world s one foot being placed on each side of the harbour, ships 

 passed between its legs ; and it held in one hand a light-house for 

 the direction of mariners. The face of the colossus represented the 

 Sun, to whom this image was dedicated ; and its height was about 

 1 35 feet. The inhabitants of this island were formerly masters of 

 the sea ; and the Rhodian law was the directory of the Romans in 

 maritime affairs. The knights of St. John of Jerusalem, after losing 

 Palestine, took this island from the Turks in 1308, but lost it to them 

 in 1522, after a brave defence, and afterwards retired to Malta. 



Cyprus lies in the Levant Sea, about thirty miles distant from the 

 coasts of Syria and Palestine. It is 160 miles long, and seventy broad, 

 and lies at almost an equal distance from Europe and Africa. It was 

 formerly famous for the worship of Venus, the Cyprian goddess ; and, 

 during the time of the crusades, was a rich flourishing kingdom, in 



