Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/153

hended, went directly to Constantinopole, to beg their pardon. For you must know, that no person but the Ambassador of the Commonwealth of Venice had the Priviledge to pardon Crimes committed in Candy. For example, when Signor Dervisano was Ambassador for the Commonwealth of Venice at Constantinople, a Candiot having a desire to lye with a Woman by force, she told him she would sooner eat her Child's Liver than yield to his Lust. Whereupon, the Villain enrag'd he could not compass his design, took his opportunity, kill'd the Child, cut out the Liver, and made the Mother eat it, and then slew the Mother also. Upon this he fled to Constantinople, to beg pardon of the Ambassador, and obtain'd it there: But the Ambassador at the same time wrote word to the Governour of Candy to put him to death at his return; having only granted him his Pardon, to preserve his Priviledge. And indeed, to speak truth, the Candiots are the most wretched people under Heaven.

The City of Chio, which gives the Island its Name, contains about thirty thousand Inhabitants; where there are little less than fifteen thousand Greeks, eight thousand Latins, and six thousand Turks.

Among the several Greek and Latin Churches, the last of which hath continu'd ever since the time that the Genoeses possess'd the Island, there are some indifferent handsom Structures. The five principal Latin Churches are the Cathedral, and the Churches belonging to the Escolantines, the Dominicans, the Jesuites, and the Capuchins. The Turks have also their Mosquees, and the Jews their Synagogue.

Four Miles from the City, near to the Sea-side is to be seen a vast Stone, which was cut out of some Rock; it is almost all round, only the upper part, which is flat, and somewhat hollow, round about the upper part, and in the middle, are places like Seats, cut into the same Stone, of which there is one higher than the rest, like a School-master's Chair; and Tradition reports that this was Homer's School, where he taught his Scholars.

In this Island there is such an infinite number of Partridges, that the like is not to be found in any part of the World. But that which is a greater Rarity is this, that the Natives breed them up, as we do our Poultry, but after a more pleasant manner; for they let them go in the fields all the day long, and at night every Country-man calls his own severally home to Roost by a particular Note, whither they return like a Flock of so many Geese.

There are great quantities of Damasks and Fustians wrought in the Island of Chio which are transported to Grand Cairo, and to all the Cities upon the Coast of Barbary, Natolia, and particularly to Constantinople.

Three Leagues from the Island of Chio, upon a Mountain to the South there grows a peculiar sort of Trees; the Leaves are somewhat like a Myrtle, their Branches so long that they creep upon the ground; but which is more wonderful, that when they are down, they rise again of themselves. From the beginning of May to the end of June, the Inhabitants take great care to keep the Earth under the Tree very clean; for during those two Months there issues out a certain Gum from the joynts of the Branches, which drops upon the ground; this is that which we call Mastick, and the Turks, Sakes, according to the Name which they give the Island. The Island produces great store of this Mastick, which is spent in the Seraglio of Constantinople, where the Women continually chew it, to cleanse and keep their Teeth white. When the Mastick Season draws near, the Grand Signor every year sends a certain number of Bestangi's to take care that it be not exported, but be preserv'd for the use of the Seraglio. If it be a plentiful year for Mastick, the Bestangi's that cull out the lesser sort to sell, put it into little Bags and seal it up; which Bags being so seal'd, are never question'd by the Custom-house Officers. The Island also yields very good Turpentine.

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