TO RHODES. 239 
two villaofes'. Its minerals merit a more par- chap. 
° ^ VII. 
ticular regard than- they have hitherto obtained*. 
Jasper and marble are said to be found here in 
" The fine climate of the islaud, the mild g^overnnient of the Turks 
in it, the natural disposition of the inhabitants, all contribute to form 
that liveliness and gaiety of temper which characterize the Sciots ; and 
have given rise to the proverb, that it is easier to find * a green horse' 
{aXoya -r^dnnMo) ' than a sober-minded Sciot' {Xiaric <p^ev4ftoy). The 
features of the women are beautiful ; but are covered with a paint, 
in which mercury is an ingredient, and by this their teeth and breath 
are affected. 
" Besides cargoes of oranges and lemons, sent to Constantinople 
and the Black Sea, the island exports many bales of silk, damask, and 
velvet, to Barbary, and to Egypt. The population of the capital is 
30,000 ; of the whole island, 80,000. Corn and provisions in general 
come over from the continent of Asia, as the island is mountainous, 
and cannot produce sufficient for the inhabitants. To the north, and 
to the west of the town, are seen lofty rocks of granite. Many of the 
mountains of Chios contain various sorts of marble, with which the 
church of the Convent of Neamoue in particular is ornamented. The 
head of this convent inyovfiivo;, as he is called) shewed me the library, 
which consisted of some volumes of the Greek Fathers. The street in 
which I lived in the town was inhabited by Catholic families only, 
separated from the other Greeks by religious schism. In a house in 
that street, I copied a very interesting Greek Inscription, in verse ; 
I shall here give part of it, in a more correct manner than it has been 
lately published in a periodical work : 
'Soi Xecfi'Tu fi\v 2o%a, xttXoTg o Iff^kav '^a^iy ipysis 
It is in honour of Megacles, the son of Theogiton." 
JValpole's MS. Journal. 
(3) Egmont and HeymurCs Travels, vol. I. p. 236. 
(4) If there be any truth in the adnge prevalent in Scio concerning 
the original formation of the island, the geologist would have ample 
scope for his researches. Its inhabitants relate, that, " at the crea- 
tion of the world, God threw all the rocks of the continent into the 
sea, and of these the island of Scio was formed." Ibid. p. Stil. 
VOL. in. Q 
r 
