DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5542#0078
68
ISLAND OF SYME.
[Chap. xxxv.
was the cyclamen, growing in great abundance, and to a
very large size
Saturday, February 4.—We landed early for the purpose
of walking across the island to the Scala of Syme, a jour-
ney, as we were told, of an hour and a half, but it took us
at least three. The island consists of one -uniform mass of
scaglia limestone, with little natural vegetation. It is in-
dented, particularly on the eastern side, by many deep
and narrow bays, with steep rocky sides, agreeing with the
description of Pliny, who says that it had eight ports,* and
places it in the direct course from Rhodes to Cnidus. But
though naturally rocky and barren, it has been cultivated to
the fullest extent by its industrious inhabitants. Wherever
the sloping sides of the hills admit of the soil being kept to-
gether, either by walls of stones or artificial terraces, each
little spot, sometimes not more than three or four feet
square, is sown with corn; and as we approached the Scala
we saw a few orchards and fruit-trees. In the course of our
walk over the successive ridges of hard rock, climbing
and descending almost perpendicular hills and precipices,
we passed several insulated chapels, and the ruins of old
convents perched on pinnacles. A steep descent brought
us to the Scala and town of Syme, containing 1200 houses
and 7500 inhabitants. The view from above was very grand,
particularly to the N.W., overlooking the Gulf of Syme.
To the north we fancied we could distinctly perceive the
narrow isthmus of the Triopian promontory, with the Gulf
of Cos beyond ;f while to the east another spacious bay,
unnoticed in the maps and charts, appeared between the
promontory of Cynos Sema and the Gulf of Syme.
On reaching the town we were surprised at being
conducted to a large Greek tavern or cafe, and at seeing
many European-looking characters. These were agents
come to purchase sponge, which forms the chief traffic of the
* Plin., N. H., lib. v. 30.
f The researches of Captain Graves have since shown that this narrow isthmus is
farther east than we had supposed.
ISLAND OF SYME.
[Chap. xxxv.
was the cyclamen, growing in great abundance, and to a
very large size
Saturday, February 4.—We landed early for the purpose
of walking across the island to the Scala of Syme, a jour-
ney, as we were told, of an hour and a half, but it took us
at least three. The island consists of one -uniform mass of
scaglia limestone, with little natural vegetation. It is in-
dented, particularly on the eastern side, by many deep
and narrow bays, with steep rocky sides, agreeing with the
description of Pliny, who says that it had eight ports,* and
places it in the direct course from Rhodes to Cnidus. But
though naturally rocky and barren, it has been cultivated to
the fullest extent by its industrious inhabitants. Wherever
the sloping sides of the hills admit of the soil being kept to-
gether, either by walls of stones or artificial terraces, each
little spot, sometimes not more than three or four feet
square, is sown with corn; and as we approached the Scala
we saw a few orchards and fruit-trees. In the course of our
walk over the successive ridges of hard rock, climbing
and descending almost perpendicular hills and precipices,
we passed several insulated chapels, and the ruins of old
convents perched on pinnacles. A steep descent brought
us to the Scala and town of Syme, containing 1200 houses
and 7500 inhabitants. The view from above was very grand,
particularly to the N.W., overlooking the Gulf of Syme.
To the north we fancied we could distinctly perceive the
narrow isthmus of the Triopian promontory, with the Gulf
of Cos beyond ;f while to the east another spacious bay,
unnoticed in the maps and charts, appeared between the
promontory of Cynos Sema and the Gulf of Syme.
On reaching the town we were surprised at being
conducted to a large Greek tavern or cafe, and at seeing
many European-looking characters. These were agents
come to purchase sponge, which forms the chief traffic of the
* Plin., N. H., lib. v. 30.
f The researches of Captain Graves have since shown that this narrow isthmus is
farther east than we had supposed.