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At the foot of the clay hills, which are to the south 
of a chain of basaltic mountains, the water rushes out 
at five different places, and in a less quantity at several 
others; the whole form a small river. The water is 
transparent, light, and has all the properties which con- 
stitute goodness. It is said that during the summer it 
is very ('old; which proves its source to be at a great 
depth in the mountains, and not in the clay hills. 
The inhabitants imagine that this water has its source 
in the mountains of Caramania on the continent, and 
that it passes undet the sea, which is not quite impos- 
sible ; but it Is more probable that it comes horn the 
bosom of the former mentioned mountains, and that it 
passes under the clay hills, at a great depth, without 
touching them; which would occasion it to lose its 
good qualities, inasmuch as these hills are posterior, and 
formed upon the primordial mass of mountains, which 
must extend under these hills. 
My curiosity being satisfied, I left Cythera with much 
indifference, as it retains but very little of the beauty 
which it possessed when the abode of the goddess of 
the graces. We ascended towards the north, until we 
arrived upon the first range of mountains, which com- 
mand the clay hills and the great plain to the south. 
We then directed our course to the west, following the 
range above the former, which is covered with lava and 
other volcanic productions; and keeping the chain of 
basaltic mountains upon the right, two hours afterwards 
we ascended again towards the north, and halted at the 
monastery of St. John Chrysostom, which is at a short 
distance from the rock, upon which are the ruins of the 
, queen's palace, also called Buffavent. 
