112 ISLAND OF NAXOS. 
CHAP, very different in their qualities '. They find, also, 
abundance of marcasite, or sulphuret of iron : this 
(1) The loss has been more than supplied, by a valuable communica- 
tion from Mr. HAWKINS upon the Geology of Naxos, in the following 
Extract from his Manuscript Journal. 
" NAXIA, 
" The largest of the Cyclades, and the most circular. 
" Frequent but not deep indentations of the coast, and therefore 
no harbours. 
" The longest diameter of the island, according to the Russian 
Chart, is about eighteen miles, its breadth about twelve, and its two 
farthest extremities point N. N. E. and s. s. w. 
" This, too, is the direction of a mountainous ridge extending from 
coast to coast, and running through the centre of the island. 
" The whole district eastward of this ridge is mountainous, sloping 
towards the shore, and furrowed with deep narrow vales. 
" Mountains and wide intervening vales or plains compose the 
district which lies westward. 
" These mountains dip gradually towards the southern shore, but 
terminate abruptly on the north and the north-east. 
" On the western extremity of this bold line of coast is seated the town 
of Naxia, which overlooks a plain of considerable extent, that appears 
to have been gained from the sea by the alluvial depositions of the 
largest river in the island. 
" lu the centre of the island lies the broad fertile vale of Trimalin 
(Afijitaxr) ; the boundary of which, on the east, is the main ridge of 
mountains already described, and of which the highest eminence is 
denominated Gid, or Jid. Koronos is the name of another peak, 
nearly as high, lying at the distance of five miles to the north. 
" The high craggy hills which form the eastern boundary of the 
plain of Naxia are composed of a species of gneiss, resembling that of 
Miconi and Delos; the foliaceous texture which usually distinguishes 
this genus of primitive rock being here scarcely perceptible. 
" The mountains which border the plain of Naxia, onthe south-east, 
are composed of another kind of primitive rock, which extends as far 
as 
