Part I, 
Travels into the Levant. 
99 
taming of Partridges. Further on is the Village of ArmoUa^ where all the Am^ïn. 
Earthen Ware ( that is ufed in the lOand ) is made ; it contains about Five 
hundred Inhabitants, and feveral Churches, and lies in a Plain, full of Maltick- 
Trees. Over againfl; this Village there is a Caftle, Handing upon a very high 
Hill, and is called ^^po/îf^o, built by one iV/£-W.2i jHftimani^ in the Year i^^o. ^polkno. 
as'maybefeen upon the Gate of it. It is of an Oval Figure, with a double 
Wall, and contains Threefcore and two Rooms, with two Cifterns ; one of 
which is Threefcore Foot long, and Forty Foot broad .• This Caftle is very 
ftrongto refift the Carfares, and has a Church in the middle of it. The Vil- 
lage of Mefiaj exceeds all the reft in Strength and good Building ; it is of a Mejîa. 
Triangular figure, lying in a Plain, and containing Three hundred Inhabi- 
tants, with feveral Churches. About two Miles from thence, there is a Har- 
bour, called Ayadinamy, and another named San Nichua ; this laft is nearer ^^^'^^"^'^h 
the Village of Ptrgi than Mefta, Pirgi is a great Village with a Tower, con- ^^'l„f 
taining Two thoufand Inhabitants, and thirty Churches. , ' 
And this being all I had to fay of the Villages that are among the Hills, I fhall 
TiOwfpeakof others, and ^v&o'î Calamoty.y which hath feveral Churches, and caJamoty. 
about Seven hundred Inhabitants, but no confiderable Houfe ; no more than 
Chiny, inhabited by Three hundred People, P^ejfaby Tv/o hundred, St. George, ^''^"f- 
and Flacia. Fom is a great Village, with a fquare Caftle, it hath about FÎvc gf^^o^^^ 
hundred Inhabitants, and feveral Churches. Over againft this Village there piadl. 
is another, called Nevita, which is very great, and hath a very high Tower vom. 
an hundred Haads broad ^ this place contains Two thoufand five hundred i^^e's-'w. 
Inhabitants, and thirty Churches with two Monafteries, one of Monks, and 
the other of Nuns. Without the Village there is alfo a Church, dedicated to 
St. Michael the Arch-angel, which is mightily crowded with People, on than 
Saints day : This Church is called Tafurchiy it is well built and beautified, 
hath large Revenues, and (as they fay) feveral Mad- men recover their Senfes 
in it ; but r.he Inhabitants are very vicious. Catharatli is a Caftle, built ^'^^^ cathnu^i. 
great Judgment on a Hill by the Genoefe, when they were Mafters of that 
iQand ; it was commanded by the Sigmors Delia Rocca, as may be feen by their si&itors "Delia, 
Arms upon it: The Inhabitants may be about Fifteen hundred People, who i^a-a. 
have fixtecn Churches, and a Monaftery of Monks, dedicated to the Virgin ; Didimn. 
there are Nuns there alfo,who are not very auftere. I fhall fay nothing of fome oxodidma. 
other Villages, as Didima, Oxodidima. Aferminghi-, Tholopotami, containing an 
Hundred and fifty, Two hundred, and Three hundred Inhabitants: In moft 
of thefe Villages are made the Sci;fs, which they call Dimite, and Scammdee, Scman'dce. 
that is to fay, double and fingle Stuft', which are much ufed in the Ifland, and 
Exported alfo to other places. 
And in fine, that the Reader may know why heretofore they built fo many 
Caftles and Towers, I fhall here give the Reafon of it. The Fields of Chio caftles'inJhe 
being full of Maftick-Trees, there was a necefïïty of having People to watch lûe oîchio. 
them and gather the Gum in the feafons, wherefore there were little Villages 
difperfedup and down the Country, fome containing thirty, fome fifty, and 
fome an hundred Inhabitants ; but being infefted by the Turks of Anatolia, 
which is but about eighteen Miles diftant ("who came and carried away both 
Men and Goods j all thefe Villages refolved to joyn three or four together, and 
to build Caftles or Towers, to defend them from thefe Pirates ^ and for guard- 
ing the Trees and Villages, they built Towers round the Ifland, at three or 
four Miles diftance one from another. And each neighbouring Village fent 
thither two Men to Watch, who when they faw any Boats, Ships, or Galleys, 
gave the Allarm to the Country , and either retired , or defended them- 
felves. 
O 2 CHAP. 
