48 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
dry ; but when a sirocco comes, it rises immediately within a 
few hours, even above its ordinary level. 
Although the small bays and gulfs of the channel of Corfu, 
the Gulf of Molo in Ithaca, and the Gulf of Argostoli in Cepha- 
lonia, are all greatly and rapidly affected in this way, it is 
chiefly the lagoon of Santa Maura that exhibits the result of 
change of wind. In this great shallow expanse of water a 
single shower, accompanied by a south wind, will make a 
difference of a foot in the height of the water. 
This lagoon of Santa Maura cannot but have much influence 
both on the climate and sanitary condition of the island ; but 
as it is the only case within the Ionian group of a phenomenon 
of the kind, and is remarkably interesting in reference to 
another question, we shall come back to it presently. So far as 
climate is concerned, it is probable that there has been rather 
an improvement than a deterioration during British occupation ; 
and the facts here would seem to show, that as a swamp is 
more dangerous than a lagoon, so a half-dried, or even dried, 
swamp is worse than one covered with water. That the dan- 
gerous and perpetual malaria of the eastern Mediterranean 
shores and islands is rather the result of ancient than existing 
marshes, is a conclusion forced upon us by the consideration 
of the facts, and is fully confirmed by everything seen in the 
Ionian Islands. All the islands suffer occasionally from mala- 
rious fever, and in each case the dried levels are the dangerous 
grounds. The kettle-shaped valleys of Corfu and Santa Maura, 
the head of the Gulfs of Samos and Argostoli in Cephalonia 
and Basilike in Santa Maura, the low lands near the Bay of 
Chieri in Zante, and the Salinas of Govino and Lefkimo in 
Corfu, are all of the same kind, and are always most mis- 
chievous after having become dry. 
Cephalonia is said to have a better and more pleasant climate 
than Zante, and though the two islands are so near, approaching 
within eight miles at one point, I believe this may be the case. 
Owing to the prevalent winds and the position of the high 
mountain chain of the Black Mountains in the larger island, 
Zante, which lies due south of Cephalonia, receives the chill 
from the snow on these mountains much more frequently and 
thoroughly than the adjacent valleys. The winds, from what- 
ever quarter they may originally come, are always practically 
north or south when they reach the islands. Thus, all the north 
winds bring cold to Zante, but not to Cephalonia, while the 
south winds are alike, or nearly so, in the two islands. 
On the whole, the climates of all the islands seem pleasant, 
but not healthy — or at least, they require great caution at 
certain seasons. The rainfall is considerable, but never exces- 
sive, and though the summer heat is great, it does not seem to 
