Goodisson, William: A historical and topographical essay upon the islands of Corfu, Leucadia, Cephalonia, Ithaka and Zante: with remarks upon the character manners and customs of the Ionian Greeks : descriptions of the scenery and remains of antiquity discovered therein, and reflections upon the Cyclopian ruins, illustrated by maps and sketches (London: Thomas and George Underwood, 1822)

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east to west twelve. It is situated, to the north
of Ithaca and Cephalonia, and to the westward of
that part of Old Greece called Acarnania, from
which it is separated by a narrow channel, in some
places not exceeding one hundred yards in breadth,
and sufficiently shallow to be fordable. We are
told by the ancient writers, that it was fornierly
joined to the main land by an isthmus, which was
cut through by the Corinthians. The appearance
of the coast at each side the channel seems to
sanction the tradition; as, either shore, if ex-
tended, would unite with the opposite, so as to
produce a perfect curve, which is now only broken
by the intervention of the canal.
The island consists of a mass of mountains, the
primary ridge running nearly north and south, in
the direction of the Cassiopsean range, which is a
secondary to the great chain of Pindus upon the
continent. The basis is secondary limestone. This
ridge terminates in a bold promontory at the south-
ern end of the island, called Capo Ducato, near
which is a singularly romantic precipice, long cele-
brated as being the scene of the fate of the unfor-
tunate Sappho. The cliffs here are of a splendid
whiteness, from which the ancient name Leucadia
is said to have been derived. Secondary ridges
traverse the island in a direction generally towards
the southward and eastward: they are composed of
crystallized, compact, fibrous, and earthy carbonate
of lime, and of gypsum; the lime always predo-