fummit, was accounted very healthy, and conducive to long life; whence the inhabitants were called Macrobii, or long-lived. We are farther informed by Philoftratus, in the Life of Apollonius, that numbers of philofophers used to retire to this mountain, for the better contemplation of the heavens and of nature; and after their example the monks doubtlefs built their cells.

CITIES.] Conftantinople, the capital of this great empire, is fituated on the European fide of the Bofphorus. It was built upon the ruins of the ancient Byzantium, by the Roman emperor Conftantine the Great, as a more inviting fituation than Rome, for the feat of empire. It became afterwards the capital of the Greek empire; and having efcaped the deftructive rage of the barbarous nations, it was the greatest as well as the most beautiful city in Europe, and the only one, during the Gothic ages, in which there remained any image of the ancient elegance in manners and arts. While it remained in the poffeffion of the Greek emperors, it was the only mart in Europe for the commodities of the Eat-Indies. It derived great advantages from its being the rendezvous of the crufaders; and being then in the meridian of its glory, the Eu ropean writers, in the ages of the crufades, fpeak of it with aftonishment. Conftantinople is at this day one of the finest cities in the world by its fituation and its ports. The profpect from it is noble. The most regular part is the Befeftin, inclofed with walls and gates, where the merchants have their shops excellently ranged. In another part of the city is the Hippodrome, an oblong fquare of 400 paces by 100, where they exercise on horfeback. The Meidan, or parade, is a large fpacious fquare, the general refort of all ranks. On the oppofite fide of the port are four towns, but confidered as a part of the fuburbs, their distance being fo fmall that a perfon may eafily be heard on the other fide. They are named Pera, Galata, Pacha, and Tophana. In Pera the foreign embaffadors and all the Franks ar ftrangers refide, not being permitted to live in the city. Galata alfo is moftly inhabited by Franks or Jews, and is a place of great trade. The city abounds with antiquities. The tomb of Conftantine the Great is ftill preferved. The mofque of St. Sophia, once a Christian church, is thought in fome refpects to exceed, in grandeur and architecture, St. Peter's at Rome. The city is built in a triangular form, with the feraglio ftanding on a point of one of the angles, from whence there is a profpect of the delightful coaft of the Leffer Afia, which is not to be equalled. When we fpeak of the feraglio, we do not mean the apartments in which the grand fignor's women are confined, as is com monly imagined, but the whole inclosure of the Ottoman palace, which might well fuffice for a moderate town. The wall which furrounds the feraglio is thirty feet high, having battlements, embrafures, and towers, in the ftyle of ancient fortifications. There are in it nine gates, but only two of them magnificent; and from one of thefe the Ottoman court takes the name of the Parte, or the Sublime Porte, in all public tranfactions and records. Both the magnitude and population of Conftantinople have been greatly exaggerated by credulous travellers. It is furrounded by a high and thick wall, with battlements after the Oriental manner, and towers, defended by a lined but fhallow ditch, the works of which are double on the land fide. Some authors have estimated it to contain above 800,000 inhabitants, and others 600,000, but, according to Mr. Dallaway, do not exceed 400,000, including the fuburbs of Galata, Pera, Tophana, and Scutari. Of thefe 200,000 are Turks, 100,000 Greeks, and the remainder Jews, Armenians, and Franks of all the European nations. The city has frequently fuffered

great damage by fires, either owing to the narrowness of the streets and the ftructure of the houses, or the practices of the Janifaries, who, it is faid, fire the city as cften as they are difcontented with the government. In Auguft, 1784, a fire broke out in the quarter fituated towards the hat, bour, and fpread into other quarters, and about 10,000 houses (most of which had been rebuilt fince the fire in 1782) were confumed.

Oppofite to the feraglio, on the Afiatic fide, and about a mile and a half diftant, across the water, is Scutari, adorned with a royal mofque, and a pleafant house of the grand fignor. On the brow of an adjacent hill is a grand profpect, embracing in one view the city of Conttantinople, the fuburbs Galata and Pera, the fmall feas of the Bosphorus and Propon:is, with the adjacent countries on each shore.

As to the population, manners, religion, government, revenues, learning, military ftrength, commerce, and manufactures of the Turks, these depending on the fame principles all over the empire, fhall be mentioned under Turkey in Afia.

CRIM-TARTARY, or the CRIMEA, is the ancient Taurica Cherfonefus, and is a peninfula, lying on the Euxine, or Black Sea, by which it is bounded on the west and fouth, and on the east and north east by that of Afoph. It is between forty-four and forty-fix degrees north latitude, and thirty-four and thirty-feven degrees of eaft longitude

This peninfula was esteemed a part of Turkey in Europe, until it was ceded to Ruffia, in confequence of the peace in 1784. Many cities were built on it by the Greeks, particularly thofe of Cherfon, Theodofia, Pan ticapeum, and fome others, which carried on a great trade with the Scythians, as well as with the Greek cities on the continent,

The most confiderable rivers in the Crimea are thofe of Karafu and Salagir, both of which take an easterly course,

Of the towns in this part of the world we have but very flight defcrip. tions; and indeed where the country has been fo often the feat of war, and the inhabitants are ftill fo rude, very little can be expected from their buildings. Lady Craven, now the margravine of Anfpach, who, without doubt, had accefs to the beft lodgings in the country, informs us, that a Tartar's houfe is a very flight building, of only one ftory, without any chair, table, or piece of wooden furniture. Large cushions are ranged round the room for feats; and, what is extremely contenient, there is more than double the fpace of the room behind the wainscot, which draws back in moft places: fo that in a place where the room appears to be exceedingly fmall and confined, there is yet every conveniency to be met with."

Among the curiofities in this country, we may reckon the fource of the river Carufa, which is fituated among the rocks, in a very romantic manner, and rifes in a confiderable fream. It was vifited by lady Craven in 1786, No lefs wonderful are thofe lakes which receive the rivulets without any vifible outlet. This celebrated female traveller mentions a houfe near Sebaftopol, fituated in a very romantic manner at the foot of fome rocks, from which iffue many clear fprings that amply" fupply the houfes and baths with water. On the fummit of thefe rocks there are places through which immenfe cables have certainly paffed and been tied. The Tartars infilt that the fea was once clofe to the foot of them, and fhips were faftened there. Near Bachiferai there is a mine of earth exactly like foap, which is reckoned very good for the fkin, and vait quantities of it are confumed by the women of Conftantinople. Lady Craven beftows the greateft encomium on the fheep, which in this pen infula are innumerable, and afford the moft beautiful and cetily fleeces,

The sheep are all spotted; the lambkins very beautiful, and they kill the ewes to have them before birth, when their skins have small spots, and are fmooth like the finest and lightest fatins. Coats lined with these fkins are called pelifes; and as a great number of thefe fmall animals muft be killed to make the lining of one coat, this is one of the finett prefents the emprefs can make to an ambaffador.

The peninfula of the Crimea has a confiderable trade in what is called Morocco leather, of various colours, which is to be had very cheap, and like fatin. At Bachiferai there is a great trade of fword blades, knives, and hangers, many of which are not to be diftinguished from fuch as are made at Damafcus.

ISLANDS belonging to TURKEY in EUROPE, being Part of Ancient GREECE.

WE fhall mention thefe iflands chiefly for the use of such readers as are converfant with ancient hiftory, of which they make fo diftinguished a part.

NEGROPONT, the ancient Euboea, ftretches from the fouth-east to the north-west, and on the caftern coaft of Achaia or Livadia. It is ninety miles long and twenty-five broad, and contains about 1300 square miles. Here the Turkish galleys lie. The tides on its coats are irregular, and the ifland itself is very fertile, producing corn, wine, fruit, and cattle, in fuch abundance, that all kinds of provifions are extremely cheap. The chief towns in the island are, Negropont, called by the Greeks Egripos, fituated on the fouth-weft coaft of the island, on the narrowest part of the ftrait; and Caftel Roffo, the ancient Caryftus.

LEMNOS, OF STALIMENE, lies on the north part of the Ægean Sea or Archipelago, and is almoft a fquare of twenty-five miles in length and breadth, Though it produces corn and wine, yet its principal riches arife from its mineral earth, much ufed in medicine, fometimes called terra Lemnia, or terra figillata, because it is fealed up by the Turks, who receive from it a confiderable revenue.

TENEDOS is remarkable only for its lying oppofite to old Try, and being mentioned by Virgil as the place to which the Greeks retird, and left the Trojans in a fatal fecurity. It has a town of the fame nane.

SCYROS is about fixty miles in circumference, and is remarkablechiefly for the remains of antiquity which it contains: about three hundred Greek families inhabit it.

LESBOS, OF MITYLENE, is about fixty miles long, and is fanous for the number of philofophers and poets it produced. The inhabitants were formerly noted for their prodigality.

Scio, or CHIOS, lies about eighty miles weft of Smyrna, and s about one hundred miles in circumference, This ifland, though roky and mountainous, produces excellent wine, but no corn. It is inhalted by 100,000 Greeks, 10,000 Turks, and about 3,000 Latins. It hs 300 churches, befides chapels and monafteries; and a Turkish garison of 1400 men, The inhabitants have manufactures of filk, veivet, gid and filver stuffs. The island likewife produces oil and filk, and the entifk. tree, or maftic, from which the government draws its chief venue. The women of this, and almost all the other Greek islands, hae in all ages been celebrated for their beauty, and their perfons have ben the

learned traveller, Dr. Richard Chandler, fays, "The beautiful Greek girls are the most ftriking ornaments of Scio. Many of these were fit. fing at the doors and windows, twifting cotton or fiik, or employed in fpinning and needle-work, and accofted us with familiarity, bidding os welcome as we paffed. The ftreets on Sundays and holidays are fided with them in groups. They wear fhort petticoats, reaching only to their knees, with white filk or cotton hofe. Their head-drefs, which is peculiar to the island, is a kind of turban; the linen fo white and thin, it feemed fnow. Their flippers are chiefly yellow, with a knot of red fringe at the heel. Some wore them faffened with a thong. Their gar. ments were filk of various colours; and their whole appearance fo fantaftic and lively as to afford us much entertainment. The Turks inhabit a feparate quarter, and their women are concealed." Among the poets and hiftorians faid to be born here, the inhabitants reckon Homer, and fhow a little fquare houfe, which they call Homer's school.

SAMOS lies oppofite to Ephefus, on the coaft of Leffer Afia, about feven miles from the continent. It is thirty miles long, and fifteen broad, This ifland gave birth to Pythagoras, and is inhabited by Greek Chrif tians, who are well treated by the Turks, their mafters. The mufcadine Samian wine is in high requeft; and the ifland alfo produces wool, which they fell to the French; oil, pomegranates, and filk. This ifland is fuppofed to have been the native country of Juno; and fome travellers think that the ruins of her temple, and of the ancient city Samos, are the finest remains of antiquity in the Levant,

To the fouth of Samos lies PATMOs, about twenty miles in circum ference, but fo barren and dreary, that it may be called a rock rather than an ifland. It has, however, a convenient haven; and the few Greek monks who are upon the island fhow a cave where St. John is fuppofed to have written the Apocalypfe.

The CYCLADES iflands lie like a circle round Delos, now called Dilli, the chief of them, which is fouth of the iflands Mycone and Tirfe, and almoft mid-way between the continents of Afia and Europe. Though Delos is not above fix miles in circumference, it is one of the most cele brated of all the Grecian iflands, as being the birth-place of Apollo and Diana, the magnificent ruins of whofe temples are ftill visible. This ifland almoft deftitute of inhabitants.

PAROS lies between the islands of Luxia and Melos. Like all the other Creek islands, it contains the most striking and magnificent ruins of antianity; but it is chiefly renowned for the beauty and whitenefs of its marlle.

CERGO, or CYTHERA, lies fouth-eaft of the Morea, and is about fifty miles ir circumference, but rocky and mountainous, and chiefly remark. able forbeing the favourite refidence of Venus.

SANTORIN is one of the fouthernmost islands in the Archipelago, and was formerly called Califta, and afterwards Thera. Though feemingly coveredwith pumice-ftones, yet, through the induftry of the inhabitants, who areabout 10,000, it produces barley and wine, with fome wheat. One-hid of the people are of the Latin church, and fubject to a popifh bishop. Near this illand another arcfe of the fame name, from the bottomof the fea, in 1707. At the time of its birth there was an earth. quake, ttended with moft dreadful lightnings and thunders, and boil. ings ofthe fea for feveral days, fo that, when it arofe out of the fea, it was a rere volcano; but the burning foon ceafed. It is about 200 feet above te fea; and at the time of its firft emerging, it was about a mile broad, and five miles in circumference, but it has face increafed. St.

veral other iflands of the Archipelago appear to have had the like original; but the fea in their neighbourhood is fo deep as not

fathomed.

be

The famous inland of RHODES is fituated in the twenty-eighth degree of caft longitude, and thirty-fix degrees thirty minutes north latitude, about twenty miles fouth-west of the continent of Leffer Afia, being about fixty miles long, and twenty-five broad. This if ind is healthful and pleasant, and abounds in wine, and many of the neceffaries of life; but the inhabitants import their corn from the neighbouring country. The chief town, which alfo bears the name of Rhodes, is fituated on the fide of a hill fronting the fea, and is three miles in circumference, interfperfed with gardens, minarets, churches, and towers. The harbour of Rhodes is the grand-fignor's principal harbour for fhipping, and the place is esteemed among the strongest fortreffes belonging to the Turks. The coloffus of brafs, which anciently fond at the mouth of the harbour, and was fifty fathoms wide, was defervedly accounted one of the wonders of the world; one foot being placed on each fide of the harbour, fhips paffed between its legs; and it held in one hand a light-houfe for the direction of mariners. The face of the coloffus reprefented the fun, to whom this image was dedicated; and its height was about 135 feet. The inhabitants of this inland were formerly matters of the fea; and the Rhodian law was the directory of the Romans in maritime affairs. The knights of St. John of Jerufalem, after loling Palestine, took this ifland from the Turks in 1308, but loft it to them in 1522, after a brave de fence, and afterwards retired to Malta.

CANDIA, the ancient Crete, is ftill renowned for its hundred cities, for its being the birth place of Jupiter, the fear of legiliature to all Greece, and many other hiftorical and political diftinctions. It lies between thirty-five and thirty-fix degrees of north latitude, being 200 miles long, and fixty broad, almost equally diftant from Europe, Afia, and Africa, and contains 3,220 fquare miles. The famous Mount Ida flands in the middle of the illand, and is no better than a barren rock; and Lethe, the river of oblivion, is a torpid ftream. Some of the valleys of this ifland produce wine, fruits, and corn; all of them remarkably excellent in their kind. The fiege of Candia, the capital of the Ifland, in modern times, was far more wonderful and bloody than that of Troy. The Turks invefted it in the beginning of the year 1645; and its Vene. tian garrifon, after bravely defending itfelf against fifty-fix affaults, till the latter end of September 1669, made, at laft, an honourable capitulation. The fiege coft the Turks 150,000 men, and the Venetians 80,000.

CYPRUS lies in the Levant Sea, about thirty miles diftant from the coafts of Syria and Palestine. It is one hundred and fifty miles long, and feventy broad, and lies at almoft an equal distance from Europe and Africa. It was formerly famous for the worship of Venus, the Cyprian goddess; and, during the time of the cruiades, was a rich flourishing kingdom inhabited by Chriftians. Its wine, efpecially that which grows at the bottom of the celebrated Mount Olympus, is the most palatable and the richeft of all that grows in the Greek inlands. Niccfia is the capital, in the mid of the country, and the fee of a Greek archbishop; indeed, moft part of the inhabitants of the island are Greeks. Famagufta, is ancient capital, has a good harbour; and the natural produce of the ifland is fo rich, that many European nations find their account in keeping confuls refiding upon it; but the oppreffions of the Turks have de