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This country has a frightful aspect. It appears all 
torn up by ancient volcanic eruptions, The basis of 
the soil is a glutinous clay, extremely tenacious, and the 
bottom of the sea is composed of the same sort of earth, 
so that the anchors fixed themselves very firmly. We 
anchored at 40 fathoms distance from the bank to the 
north, and we had more than twenty fathoms water. 
We remained five days at anchor before Sapienza, 
and although sick I went ashore one day to make obser- 
vations. The latitude of the island near the anchorage 
is 36° 43' 51" N. but the longitude required correction. 
I observed the magrietical declination to be 14° 27' 0" 
W. for I cannot answer for an error of a degree Or two. 
My compass was damaged by a wave of the sea, which 
entered my cabin whilst crossing from Laraish. 
The island of Sapienza may be about ten miles round, 
it is formed of clayey earth, covered with calcareous 
rocks, and the face of it covered with mountains cr hills. 
There is not a stream, a fountain, or even a well 
to be seen.* A little rain water alone was to be found 
in the crevices of the rocks. This water which is not 
wholesome, evaporated with the heat 
There are no houses upon the island. When any rain 
falls, they land a few sheep or goats there, to feed, with 
some Greek shepherds to take care of them, whose dre&s 
consists of a jacket and long trowsers made of the skins 
of sheep, with the wool on. They appear healthy and 
robust, of a fine complexion, and in disposition very 
gay. Their eyes are piercing. As they did not speak 
any language but that of their own country, I was una- 
ble to enter into conversation with them, but it appears 
to me, that they still retain a part of that politeness, and 
