Part I 
Travels into the Levant. 
and Ceriaotto ; and neverthelefs, on Sunday^ by break of day, we found our- 
felves, at I faid, above Cape Matapan ; but fo near Land, that it was but 
two miles offj which obliged us topafs betwixt the main Land and Gfr?^o, 
the nearer cut, indeed, by above forty miles, than if we had pafled betwixt 
Cm^oand Cerigotto ; butlikewife, by reafon of the narrownefs of the Tallage, ceH^o and 
the more dangerous. This laft miftake was alfo occafioned by the Currents cmgom. 
of the Gulf of P^emce, which drove us infenfibly upon the Ihore : We were very 
glad that we were fo fortunately miftaken, for we were got above an hundred 
and fifty miles more forward in our courfe, than we thought ourfelves to be j 
and free from the fear of Corfairs,who dare not come fo near to Ceri^o^ where, 
there are for the molt part, fome Venetian Galeaffes ready to fall upon them. 
However, it is very dangerous to commit fuch miftakes , for if it had been in 
the night-time, our Ship had run the risk of fplitting upon the ihore, whilit 
we thought ourfelves a great way off at Sea. 
CHAP. XL 
Of Cap Matapaiij and the Ifle of Cerigo. 
CApe Matapan^ is a Promontory of the Morea, formerly called Tdnarus j Cape Mm- 
^nd it is faid, that Arion^ carried by a Dolphin, put a Ihore at this Pro- p^n. 
montory. The Conntrey is inhabited by the Mainots^ a People who live in the 
Mountains without Law or Government; and are fubjedt to thofe who have 
moft Power in the Countrey; fometimes the Venetians^ and Ibmetimes the Turks, 
all their ProfelTion being to Rob Travellers : Thefe People have their Name 
from the Coafi; which is called Mdna. About Nine a clock in the morning, 
the Wind began to flacken, fo that we were becalmed near the Cape St. 
and could not double it all day long -, till about three a clock in the morning, 
November x.\vt Eighth, that with a gale from the North-eait, we doubled it: 
Afterward, finding that the fame Wind, which was contrary to us, (till con- 
tinued, and that we fell i ftern, more than we went a head, we refolved to 
put into the Bay of St. Nicholas^ in the Ifle of Cerigo^ where we came to an 
anchor. There we Rayed all that day, and half the following, but without 
feeing the Countrey. This Ifland, as all the reft of the A/chipelago, being full 
of Game, we went a ihore to fhoot. Cerigo was anciently called Porphyris, The Ifle of 
becaufe of the great quantity of Porphyrian Marble that was got there. It was , 
alfo called Cythera, from whence comes, perhaps, the word Scotera, which is ^"^^y"^' 
found in the Jfolario del Bor dory This was thefirft Ifland that inhabi- 
ted, after flie was born of the Froth of the Sea, as the Fables fay, and therefore 
there was a Temple built to her in this place, near the Sea-fide, the Ruines 
whereof, as they fay, are ftill to be feen. Cerigo, is the firft Ifland of the 
Archipelago, or tyEgean-Stz ; it is threefcore miles in compafs, and but five 
miles from the main Land of the Morea, having a Town caUed by the Name of 
the Ifland. The Venetians are the Mafters ofit, and keep a good Garifon there, 
it being a Pafs of great Importance. 
CHAR 
