PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OP THE IONIAN ISLANDS. 
49 
be often extended so long or begin so early as to interfere with 
the crops of corn and grape. Ithaca is perhaps the most 
healthy of the islands, and it is precisely that one which has 
neither swamps nor kettle-shaped valleys. 
Santa Maura — in ancient times Leucadia — is remarkable 
for its very close proximity to the mainland of Greece,, from 
which it is only separated by a water channel so shallow that 
the distance can easily be crossed on foot, even by women and 
children. The island is thus a peninsula connected by an 
isthmus just covered with water. In this respect, and also in 
the nature of the isthmus,, it offers some interesting peculiarities 
of physical geography. 
The whole island is mountainous. The principal range traverses 
the middle, from north to south, culminating in two lofty peaks 
near the southern end. On either side, to the east and west, 
there is a coast range, less lofty. The eastern and central 
ranges terminate abruptly towards the north ; the western 
range is continued a little further with steep cliffs towards the 
sea. At the foot of the furthest extremity of this cliff a low 
spit of gravel, just above the sea-level, runs off towards the 
east and continues between two and three miles, terminating 
in a reef. Beyond this, to the north, is deep water, but towards 
the island a very shallow lagoon. The narrowest and shal- 
lowest part of the channel is between the extremity of this reef 
and the Greek shore, not far from the foot of a tolerably high 
hill. It is only about 200 yards across, and in some parts 
only a few inches deep. This is the northern boundary of the 
isthmus. It has been cut asunder artificially about mid- way 
by an artificial channel, part of which is a harbour, and this 
has been continued for some distance as a ship canal. If com- 
pleted, it would greatly facilitate the navigation of the Greek 
coast, and it is believed that there is no tendency to choke a 
channel once formed. 
The southern boundary of the isthmus is between two and 
three miles to the south. The eastern coast range is here 
distant from a hill on the mainland something less than a 
mile, but the interval covered by water is only about 350 yards. 
This channel is, however, much deeper than the northern, and 
ships of considerable size can safely enter. Between the 
northern and southern boundary is an extensive tract of very 
shallow water, gradually filling up by the detritus which comes 
in by many small streams after rain, and certainly very much 
reduced in area within the last score of centuries. No ordinary 
boat can be paddled across it. 
What is called the lagoon of Santa Maura is, then, really a low flat 
beyond the extremity of a bay, or gulf, running' up between the peninsula 
VOL. Ill, — NO. I. E 
