A Collection of Curious Travels and Voyages, Volume 2 · Body of volume 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Mr. Belon's Remarks in the Iſland of Crete or Candy.
THE Roots of Mount Ida (called now by the Natives Pſiloriti) extend to both the Shores of the Iſland: When I was at the top, I not only ſaw under me all Candy, but ſome adjacent-Iſlands, as Milo, Cerigo, &c. The Snow lies all the year long on this Hill, whilſt the Plains underneath are extreamly ſcorch'd, and burnt up: 'Tis ſo cold, that the Shepherds cannot inhabit it in the Summer-time, but are forced every night to deſcend, and leave their Flocks of Goats and Sheep feeding. This Mountain, on one ſide, abounds with pleaſant Springs, Woods, many ſorts of Trees, Shrubs, and Herbs, as Maples, Ilices or Holme-Oaks, Arbutus and Adrachne, Alaterni, Ciſti Labdaniferi, Firrs, Cypreſs, Chamaelea, Thymelea, Oxycedrus, Nerion or Oleander with a white Flower, Olive-trees, Vines, many Legumes, and Pulſe.
Near and round this famous Mountain Ida are found Salvia Pomifera, which is carried to all the Markets, Caper Shrubs, Mandragora Mas & foemina, two kinds of Paeony with a white Flower, Tragium ſeu Androſaemum foetidum, Leontopetalum, Melilotus vera Odorata, Trifolium Moenianthe (perhaps our Paluſtre) Heliocryſon, which grows ſo thick as to cover and ſhelter the Hares; Staechas Citrina, two kinds of Tragacanth, which yield no Gum in this Iſland; Staphis agria, common up and down; Coris (a ſort of Hypericum, with Leaves like Heath or Tamarisk) grows plentifully, the Root hath an ungrateful taſte, and vomited me. The Anagyris ſtinks ſo upon the Roads, that it makes the Head ach, and ſcarce any Animal will touch it. Tithymalus Dendroides, Thapſia, Ferula, Libanotis, and Seſeli abound. Agriomelea frutex (a ſort of Sorbus or Cotonaſter); a fourth Species of Ariſtolochia different from thoſe three deſcrib'd by the Ancients; 'tis ſcandent like a Smilax. The Coccus Baphica or Kermes is found plentifully here upon an Ilex, the Shepherds and Boys gather it in June, ſeparate the red Animalcules from the Veſicle or Excreſcence by Sieves, and form them into Balls very gently for ſale, for if they are ſqueez'd or preſs'd, they diſſolve, and the colour periſhes. The Dictamnus grows only between the Fiſſures of the Rocks, but the Pſeudo dictamnus in other places. Lotus Arbor, Zizyphus or Jujube, Scolymus Chryſanthemos, called commonly Aſcolimbros, whoſe milky Root and young Leaves make a common Diſh. Tithymalus Myrſinites and Paralius in the mountainous and maritine places, as alſo a Gnaphalium candicans littoreum, and a wild Braſſica, Chamaeſyce and Soldanella, a Dracunculus with an Ivy-leaf; the Halimus makes their common Hedges up and down the Iſland, the tops are edulous; Agnus Caſtus, Sedum fruticeſcens, Thymum legitimum, which laſt ſerves them for common Fuel; the Thymbra or Satureia vulgaris all loaded with Epithymum or Dodder; the Tribulus Terreſtris is very noxious to their Fields, and Pulſe; Scammonea or Scammony in hilly places; Seſamum and Xylon, or Cotton, are ſown in April; Pitch is boyl'd out of the Pines on the Mountains. There is none of our Aſparagus, but inſtead of it two prickly kinds, called Corruda and Polytricha. Ten varieties of wild Anemone's. There is a ſort of Artichoke, called by the Shepherds Agriocinara, whoſe turbinated Root is ſold by many Druggiſts for the Coſtus Indicus, the tops are eaten, the Flower is white, ſometimes purple. There is a ſort of Carline Thiſtle, called Chamaelion Albus, whoſe odorate Root ſweats out a Gum, which the Women in Candy chew, as they in Scio do Maſtick, or they in Lemnos the Gum of a Condrilla. Two ſorts of Acanthus, one ſoft, the other prickly. The Inhabitants have not left off the old manner of preſerving the tops of an Anonis, as alſo the tender ſhoots of an Eryngium. The Iſland affords three kinds of Origanum, a ſort of Squill or Sea-Onion, Orobus, Securidaca, and many other Legumes. It abounds with Terebinths and Maſtick-Trees, Laurels, Styrax, an arboreſcent Ricinus, or Palma-Chriſti; Aſpalathus, and a Geniſto ſpartium, called Echinopoda.
The Ibex or Steinbock, a ſwift nimble Animal, whoſe Horns are heavy and long for the bulk of the Creature, frequents the Rocky Mountains: There is alſo the Strepſiceros, a ſort of Gazella.
The Bird called Merops and Apiaſtrum, or Beeater (a ſort of Woodpecker) is common in the Iſland, catches Bees, and feeds on them in the Air. The Attagen and Francolino, as alſo a white large Partridge, frequent the Mountains; Eagles, Vultures, and Falcons build on the Rocks.
The Fiſh called Scarus, which I never obſerv'd in the Euxine, Propontis, or any other part of the Mediterranean Sea, is common on the Coaſts of Candy, and is generally taken at the ſame Seaſon that the Inhabitants rake and gather their ſweet Labdanum or Ladanum: The only Bait for this Fiſh is made of the Leaves of a Phaſeolus, which they ſwallow very greedily.
I obſerv'd only three kinds of Serpents in this Iſland, the firſt is called by the Country People Ophis; the ſecond Ochendra; the third Tephloti; but none of theſe is venomous: I ſaw one bite and draw Blood, but without any harm. Hence the Ancients might ſay, that Crete nouriſh'd no poyſonous Animal.
The Phalangium is common up and down; it weaves Webbs like other Spiders, to catch its Prey, Butterflies and Flies, and other Inſects. It lays about ſixty Eggs, carries and hatches them under its Belly; it fights much with the Ichneumon Waſp.
The Stone called Dactylus Idaeus, or Belemnites, erroneouſly taken and ſold for the Lapis Lyncis, is plentiful on Mount Ida.
The Vinum malvaticum, or Pramnium, as alſo the Moſchatell, are made here, and tranſported up and down.
For a full Catalogue of ſuch Vegetables as grow in the Iſland of Candy, together with their ſynonymous Names and Places, the Reader may be pleas'd to conſult Mr. Ray's Collection of Exotick Catalogues, publiſh'd this year at London, and annex'd to the end of this Second Tome, amongſt which the Cretick Plants are all drawn together out of Bellonius, Honorio Belli, Alpinus, Pona, &c.