Chap. VI. of Monfieur Tavernier, 119 



headed , went dire&ly to Conflanttnopble , to beg their pardon. For you muft know, 

 that no perfon but the Ambaffador of the Commonwealth of Venice had the Pri- 

 viledge to pardon Crimes committed in Candy, for example , when Signor Der 

 vifano was Ambaffador for the Commonwealth of Venice at Confiantinople , a Candm 

 having a defire to lye with a Woman by force , fhe told him fhe would fooner eat her 

 Child's Liver than yield to his Luft. Whereupon , the Villain enrag'd he could not 

 compafs his defign , took his opportunity, kill'd the Child , cut out the Liver, and 

 made the Mother eat it, and then flew the Mother alio. Upon this he fled to Con- 

 stantinople , to beg pardon of the Ambaffador , and obtain'd it there : But the 

 Ambaffador at the fame time wrote word to the Governour of Candy to put him to 

 death at his return \ having only granted him his Pardon, to preferve his Priviledgc 

 And indeed, to fpeak truth,the Candiots are the moft wretched people under Heaven, 



Of the ISLAND of C H I O. 



TH E City of Chio, which gives the Ifland its Name, contains about thirty thou- 

 fand Inhabitants -, where there are little lefs than fifteen thoufand Greeks, 

 eight thoufand Latins , and fix thoufand Turks. 



Among the feveral Cm^and Latin Churches, the Iaft of which hath continu'd 

 ever fince the time that the Genoefes poffefs'd the Ifland , there are fome indifferent 

 handfom Structures. The five principal Latin Churches are the Cathedral , and 

 the Churches belonging to the Efcolantines , the Dominicans, the Jt fuit es , and the 

 Capuchins. The Turks have alfo their Mofquees, and the Jews their ' Synagogue. 



Four Miles from the City, near to the Sea-fide is to be feen a vaft Stone , which 

 was cut out of fome Rock; it is almoft all round , only the upper part, which is 

 flat, and fomewhat hollow; round about the upper part, and in the middle, are 

 places like Seats, cut into the fame Stone -, of which there is one higher than the reft, 

 like a School-mafter's Chair -, and Tradition reports that this was Homer's School, 

 where he taught his Scholars. 



In this Ifland there isfuch an infinite number of Partridges, that the like is not to 

 be found in any part of the World. But that which is a greater Rarity is this, that the 

 Natives breed them up , as we do our Poultry, but after a more pleafant manner ■■, 

 for they let them go in the fields all the day long , and at night every Country-man 

 calls his own feverally home to Rooft by a particular Note , whither they return like 

 a Flock of fo many Geefe. 



There are great quantities of Damasks and Fuftians wrought in the Ifland of Chio 

 which are traniported to Grand Cairo , and to all the Cities iipon the Coaft of Bar, 

 bary, Natolia , and particularly to Confiantinople. 



Three Leagues from the Ifland of Chio , upon a Mountain to the South there grows 

 a peculiar fort of Trees - , the Leaves are fomewhat like a Myrtle, their Branches 

 fo long that they creep upon the ground -, but which is more wonderful , that when 

 they are down , they rife again of themfelves. From the beginning of May to 

 the end of June , the Inhabitants take great care to keep the Earth under the Tree 

 very clean -, for during thofe two Months there iffues out a certain Gum from the 

 joynts of the Branches , which drops upon the ground -, this is that which we call 

 Maftickj and the Turkey Sokes , according to the Name which they give the Ifland. 

 The Ifland produces great (lore of this Maftick^, which is fpent in the Seraglio of 

 Confiantinople , where the Women continually chew it, to cleanfe and keep their Teeth 

 white. When the Mafiick^SzaSoxi draws near, the Grand Signor every year fends 

 a certain number of BefiangPs to take care that it be not exported , but be pre- 

 ferv'd for the ufe of the Seraglio. If it be a plentiful year for Mafiickjht Hefiangi's 

 that cull out the leffer fort to fell, put it into little Bags and feal it up -, which Bags 

 being fo feal'd , are never queftion'd by the Cuftorn-houfe Officers. 1 he Ifland alfo 

 yields very good Turpentine. 



0/ 



