TO RHODES. 223 
island produces the finest wine in the u4rchipela^o. chap. 
The Egyptian Expedition had raised its price to 
eight paras the oke : the more usual demand 
was only from four to six. This wine will keep 
fourteen or sixteen years ; after that time it loses 
its red colour, and becomes white, but retains 
its strength and flavour to a much longer period. 
The wind and sea were so turbulent, that we 
could not land : we fired a gun, and remained 
near the town ; this is situate in a low and 
sheltered spot. A boat came towards us upon 
our signal, but found such a sea running, that 
she was compelled to return, and we continued 
our course. Perhaps we surveyed the island 
better from our deck than we could have done 
on shore ; for we saw the whole extent of the 
town, with the vessels lying in its port, and the 
land on either side. There is upon the island 
but one object to attract strangers, excepting its 
wine. It was antiently famous for its earthen- 
ware ; fraoments of which we had seen in Troas. 
But the Soros oi AtticuSy father oiHerodes Atticus, 
is in the market-place ; and this, with its opercu- 
lum, is said to be entire. It stands in the Agora 
of the town, serving as a cistern. The inscrip- 
tion upon it is already published*. Touriiefort, 
who has anticipated every thing it might have 
(4) See Chandler's I/iscript tones Antique, No. IV, 
VOL. iir. p 
