THE TOWNS ON THE ARNAOUT SHORES.
In the Atlas this country is called Albania. Fifty-six miles from the mouth of the Gulf of Lepanto is Prevesa; eighty miles from thence is the posterior part of Delvino; sixty beyond that Avlona; a hundred farther Duraj (Durazzo); and a hundred miles beyond that is Nuovo. On these shores, turning round from Port Injeer, in the island of Aiamur (Lefcathia) to the mouth of the Gulf of Narda (Arta), we first meet the castle of Prevesa. Next Parga, which is a castle belonging to the Venetians, situated on an elevated spot near the sea. Behind it is Mount Mizarak: to the east the country is rocky, and is interspersed with villages and water-mills.[4] Then, the port of Chinak, opposite the island of Corfu, is a celebrated harbour. It has lately been strengthened by having a fortress built in it. Next, passing a small arm of the sea, is Lake Dalianli, at the mouth of which is a castle belonging to the Venetians, rendered famous from its having been lately captured by one of the princes of that nation. To the north of Cape Durazzo are the castles of Lemesh, Eskanderieh, Oulkoun, Bar, Boudou, and Nuovo. The latter, which is situated in the Bay of Coutour (Cattaro), is called Castel Nuovo, which signifies a new castle. Eighteen miles farther, at the extreme end of the bay, is the castle of Cattaro, situated in the Ottoman dominions, but subject to Venice. It is built at the foot of a mountain, and a river passes it on both sides. Being a very strong castle, its capture has hitherto been found impracticable. The islands near these are, the two islands of Kefalonia (Cephalonia), situated opposite the mouth of the Gulf of Lepanto. Great Cephalonia is one hundred and fifty miles in circumference, and is a well-populated island. Its castle was once captured, but after the taking of Modon the Venetians again took possession of it. It is twenty miles east from Zante. Little Cephalonia (Theaki) is a small island to the north: it has no castle. Port Injeer in Aiamura (Lefcathia), is about six miles from Cephalonia. Then, opposite Parga is Bahshiler (Paxu), a pleasant little island of about thirty miles in circumference, and eighteen from the shore. We next come to the island of Corfu, which extends from Delvino along the Mizarak shores. It is about forty miles from Parga, and its castle is six miles from Port Chinak. It is one hundred and ninety miles in circumference, is a celebrated and well-populated island, and has a strong fortress built in the sea, but connected on one side with the land. In former times this island passed by right of inheritance from one of the Christian princes who governed Albania into the hands of a woman, but in A. H. 803 (A. D. 1400), the Venetians becoming victorious, succeeded by stratagem in wresting it from her, and having fortified the castle, they made it a guard island for the Gulf, and a general rendezvous for their army and navy. Near to it, in the mouth of the Gulf, is a watch-tower, and Kemal Reis observing that the Venetians had their eye upon it, repeatedly suggested to the late Sultan Soleiman Khan the necessity of capturing it; in consequence of which, in 943 of the Hejra (A. D. 1536), the illustrious emperor proceeded thither by sea and land, and completely besieged it. What followed shall be related in its proper place. The castle of Corfu, as described in the Bahria, is nearly three miles in circumference, is a very strong fort, and has within it and in the suburbs about eighteen thousand houses. Within the walls the Venetians have built, upon two hills, two towers of stone, with a subterraneous passage between them, so that when necessary they are able to render assistance to each other. Its walls are surrounded by the sea, and it has also a harbour, into which the smaller vessels enter, but the galleys lie outside. Between this island and the coast there is a small strait, by which when necessary an army may pass. The above-mentioned islands are the principal ones belonging to the Venetians, but there are besides them numerous little islands in the Gulf. Sixty miles below Corfu is Avlona, which is opposite Kara Beroun (in Anatolia) and Cape St. Maria (C. di Leuca) on the Polia shores, and from this place the sea is called the Gulf of Venice. It extends as far as the city of Venice in the north, is seven hundred miles in length, and about one hundred and fifty in breadth. On its eastern coast are the districts of Arnaout, Hersek (Herzegovinia), Bosnia, and Croatia. On the west, Lombardia, Ancona, and Poliapiana.