PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OP THE IONIAN ISLANDS. 
459 
Although the islands are very similar in the details of their 
physical geography, it will not be possible to make the matter 
intelligible without referring to each separately. I will; how- 
ever, avoid repetition as much as possible, and point out the 
most essential peculiarities in the island in which each seemed 
to me most striking. Thus, the peculiar kettle-shaped valleys 
are highly characteristic of Corfu, although in Santa Maura 
there are some of great interest. So the ridge-like character 
of the Scaglia is best seen in Cephalonia, where also exists the 
loftiest mountain-chain, and where the weathering struck me 
most forcibly. Santa Maura exhibits the phenomena of the 
conglomerate. Zante, the valleys, and some of the mineral 
contents of the rocks, especially the mineral pitch. Ithaca, 
the island of greatest classical interest, and one that is highly 
picturesque, is but one continuous ridge, secondary to Cepha- 
lonia. Cerig'O is the island of caverns. Paxo and the smaller 
islands I shall hardly have space to allude to in this brief 
sketch. 
Corfu is politically the most important of the islands, though 
not the largest or most peopled, Cephalonia exceeding it in 
both these respects. This political importance is derived 
partly from its position at the mouth of the Adriatic, partly 
from its harbour, and the sheltered channel between it and 
Albania, but chiefly from the fact that the town and harbour 
are defensible, a matter that can hardly be said of any other 
island in the group. Corfu is also the island first reached 
from the north. 
Corfu is a long strip of land with a transverse mountain- 
chain. It is shaped like the capital letter X- The outline of 
the island is formed by high land along the western side, and 
also across the northern end, forming the top of the T- The 
eastern side is divided into two principal tracts of low ground 
by a picturesque chain that crosses it a few miles south of 
the town, and culminates in the mountain called Santi Deca, 
or the Ten Saints. The west coast of Corfu is fine, bold, and 
highly picturesque. Within the line of the hills and cliffs is 
the cultivable land, broken and very beautiful, and covered 
almost entirely with olive-trees, only varied occasionally by the 
tall black cypress which is very abundant in certain localities. 
The olive in Corfu and most of the islands being allowed to 
pursue its natural growth after a very early grafting, is a won- 
derfully more picturesque, though perhaps not so profitable a 
tree as when cultivated and kept down in Italy and Provence. 
The mountain system of Corfu in the north stretches quite 
across the island, and rises into two principal peaks, the higher 
of which, San Salvador, is about 3,500 feet above the sea. 
Between these two is a tract of broken, but elevated table- 
