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calcareous rock and coarse marble; the sides, which were; 
not perpendicular, were covered with a thick wood. 
At a quarter past nine we passed by Talectora, now 
a poor village, formerly great and rich, if one may judge 
by the ruins of the churches, and other large buildings 
which still remain; it is situated upon the declivity of 
a mountain, and surrounded with superb valleys, many 
of which are cultivated. 
At three quarters past eleven we left this branch of 
mountains entirely, and crossed a small river at a short 
distance from its mouth. The sea- coast at this place 
runs E. S. E. and W. N. W. We continued our 
route N. W. and arrived at CoucJia,an ancient palace, 
situated upon a high hill, half a league distant from the 
sea. There was a village of the same name, almost en- 
tirely in ruins, and which now contains only about ten 
families. The palace is of stone, composed of a large 
court yard, surrounded with stables, and storehouses; 
the habitable part is on the first story, but the whole 
building is going to decay. 
Some authors represent Couclia as having been the 
ancient Cythera, and others consider it as the ancient 
Arsinoe. We refer to the scientific part of our work 
for these historical and geographical points. The in- 
habitants look upon this spot as the garden or favourite 
dwelling of the queen Aphroditis, (the Greek name for 
Venus.) This palace commands a large and fine plain, 
well watered by some brooks and rivers, It at present 
belongs to one of the grand seignior's sultans, but is 
abandoned by him to the care of farmers and under, 
farmers, who neglect the cultivation, and let the trees 
perish. This canton, which might be an abode of de- 
