Upon our left hand, and opposit to Samos lyeth the Nixia.Ile of Nixia, formerly Naxos; in circuit 68. miles: It was also called the Ile of Venus, and Dionisia, and was taken from the Venetians by Selim, the father of Soliman: East from Nixia, lieth the Ile Amurgospolo, in circuit twenty leagues, it hath three commodious ports, named St. Anna, Calores, and Cataplino: A little from hence, and in sight of Natolia, lieth the Ile Calamo, formerly Claros, in circuit thirty miles: and Eastward thence the little Ile of Lerno, five leagues in circuit, all inhabited with Greeks, and they, the silly ignorants of nature: South-east from this lieth the The Ile of Lango.Ile of Coos now Lango: by the Turkes called Stanccow, the Capitall Towne is Arango, where Hypocrates and Apelles the Painter were borne: In this Ile, there is a wine named by the Greekes, Hyppocon, that excelleth in sweetnesse all other wines except the Malvasie, and it aboundeth in Cypre and Turpentine trees: There is here a part of the Ile disinhabited, in regard of a contagious Lake, that infecteth the ayre, both Summer, and Winter. There is abundance of Alloes found here, so much esteemed by our Pothecaries; the rest of this Ile shall be touched in the owne place. And neere to Lango, lyeth the Ile Giara, now Stopodia, it is begirded with Rocks and desartuous, unto which the [III. 99.]Romans were wont to send in banishment such as deserved death: In generall of these Iles Cyclads, because they are so neere one to another, and each one in sight of another, there are many Cursares and Turkish Galleots, that still afflict these Ilanders: Insomuch that the Inhabitants are constrained to keepe watch day and night, upon the tops of the most commodious Mountaines, to discover these Pirats; which they easily discerne from other vessells, The danger of Turkish Pirats.both because of their Sayles and Oares: And whensoever discovered, according to the number of cursary Boates, they make as many fires, which giveth warning to all the Ports to be on guard: And if the Sea voyagers in passing see no signe on these Iles, of fire or smoake, then they perfectly know, these Laborinthing Seas, are free from pestilent Raveners.
As we left the Ile Venico on our left hand, and entred in the gulfe betweene Sio, and Eolida, the firme land is called Æolida, there fell downe a deadly storme, at the Grecoe Levante, or at the North-east, which split our Mast, carrying sayles and all over-boord: Whereupon every man looked (as it were) with the stampe of death in his pale visage. The tempest continuing (our Boate not being able to keepe the Seas) we were constrained to seeke into a creeke, betwixt two Rocks, for safety of our lives; where, when we entred, there was no likely-hood of reliefe: for we had a shelfie shoare, and giving ground to the Ankors, they came both home.
A fearfull shipwracke.The sorrowfull Maister seeing nothing but shipwrack, tooke the Helme in hand, directing his course to rush upon the face of a low Rocke, whereupon the sea most fearefully broke. As we touched the Mariners contending who should first leape out, some fell over-boord, and those that got land, were pulled backe by the reciprocating [III. 100.]waves: Neither in all this time durst I once move; for they had formerly sworne, if I pressed to escape, before the rest were first forth, they would throw me headlong into the sea: So being two wayes in danger of death, I patiently offered up my prayers to God.
At our first encounter with the Rocks, (our fore-decks, and Boates gallery being broke, and a great Lake made) the recoiling waves brought us backe from the Shelfes a great way; which the poore Master perceiving, and that there were seven men drowned, and eleven persons alive, cryed with a loud voyce: Be of good courage, take up oares, and row hastily; it may be, before the Barke sinke, we shall attaine to yonder Cave, which then appeared to our sight: Every man working for his owne deliverance (as it pleased God) we got the same with good fortune: for no sooner were we disbarked, and I also left the last man, but the Boat immediately sunke. There was nothing saved but my Coffino, which I kept alwaies in my armes: partly, that it might have brought my dead body to some creeke, where being found, might have beene by the Greekes buryed; and partly I held it fast also, A happy deliverance from shipwracke.that saving my life, I might save it too; it was made of Reeds and would not easily sinke, notwithstanding of my papers and linnen I carried into it: for the which safety of my things, the Greekes were in admiration. In this Cave, which was 30. paces long, within the mountaine, we abode three daies without either meate or drinke: upon the fourth day at morne, the tempest ceasing, there came Fisher-boates to relieve us, who found the ten Greekes almost famished for lacke of foode; but I in that hunger-starving feare, fed upon the expectation of my doubtfull reliefe.
True it is, a miserable thing it is for man, to grow an example to others in matters of affliction, yet it is necessary that some men should be so: For it pleased [III. 101.]God, having showne a sensible disposition of favour upon me, in humbling me to the very pit of extremities, taught me also by such an unexpected deliverance, both to put my confidence in his eternall goodnesse, and to know the frailty of my owne selfe, and my ambition, which drave me often to such disasters.
The dead men being found on shoare, we buried them; and I learned at that instant time, there were seventeene boats cast away on the Coast of this Iland, and never a man saved: in this place the Greekes set up a stone crosse in the memoriall of such a woefull mischance, and mourned heavily, fasting and praying. I rejoycing and thanking God for my safety (leaving them sorrowing for their friends and goods) tooke journey through the Iland to Sio, for so is the City called, being thirty miles distant: In my way I past by an old Castle standing on a little hill, named Garbos, now Helias; where (as I was informed by two Greekes in my company) the Sepulcher of Homer was yet extant: for this Sio is one of the seven Iles and Townes, that contended for his birth:
Septem urbes certant de stirpe insignis Homeri.
These Cities seven (I undername) did strive,
Who first brought Homer to the world alive.
Smyrna, Rhodos, Colophon, Salamis, Chios, Argos, Athenæ: