VOYAGE TO ZIA. 163 
us before it with great rapidity down the chan- 
nel between Z'ia and the island lying off CAPE v 
SUNIUM, antiently called HELENA, and now 
Macronisi. Presently, the mouth of the port 
which is on the western side of Zia, opposite to 
Helena, began to appear : but we stood on, so 
as to clear any rocks which might be on its 
northern side, and to have a full view of the 
entrance, which is between the West-North" 
West, and West; and then we luffed, and stood 
towards it. In this manner we entered the 
port, about noon, in perfect safety; and found 
there a Ragusan ship at anchor. It is a very 
large and commodious haven, fit for ships of 
any burden, and even for the largest fleets. It 
extends, in an elliptical form, from the north 
towards the south: the best anchorage is upon 
the southern side, but small vessels may anchor 
anywhere. The great article of commerce 
belonging to the island, now exported from this 
harbour, consists of the acorns of the Felani 
Oak 2 , Quercus jfEgilops, used for dyeing. A kind 
(2) Tournefort describes this beautiful species of oak as growing to 
the size of our fcommon oak, the Quercus Robur. We never observed 
the Quercus dEgilops but as a shrub ; however, the accuracy of such a 
writer as Tournefort is by no means to be disputed, upon a point that 
he was so peculiarly qualified to determine. The Velani acorns which 
we brought to the Botanic Garden at Cambridge, although collected 
with the utmost care, did not produce a single plant. 
M 1 
