Greece forms a long and rather narrow peninsula, singularly indented on three sides by arms of the sea, and having a greater proportion of its surface occupied by mountains than any other country in Europe of equal extent, except Switzerland. It has been justly observed, that those physical features which distinguish Europe from the other quarters of the world, belong in a peculiar manner to Greece, and distinguish it in the same proportion from the other parts of Europe. Of these arms of the sea, the most considerable are the Gulfs of Contessa, Sa lonica, Vole, &gine, and Napoli, on the east ; those of Kolokythia and Coron on the south; and those of Lepanto and Arta on the west. Of the mountains, the first in order are those which pass along the northern frontier. Mount Argentaro, the ancient Orbelus, placed at the northern extremity of Greece, near the 48d degree of latitude, may be considered as the centre of the whole system of mountains in Euro pean Turkey. From this nucleus, an elevated chain, bearing the names of Scomius and Rhodope ancient ly, passes south-eastward, and sends off branches on both sides, one of which, Pangeus, advances south ward to the Egean Sea, nearly opposite to the Isle of Thasus, and shuts in Greece on the east. From the same central nucleus, another great chain passes south, and south-easterward, under the ancient names of Scardus, Pindus, Cithwron, and Parnes, and terminates at Cape Colonna, the southmost point ,of Attica. This chain, which includes the ce lebrated •mountains of Parnassus and Helicon, di vides the northern continent of Greece into two parts of nearly equal breadth, and gives birth to all the most considerable rivers, which flow off on its opposite sides, but in no instance cross it. On the east side, besides many small lateral ridges, it sends off two principal branches, which enclose Thessaly on the north and south ; these are the Cambunian moun tains, which, connecting the central ridge of Pindus with the lofty group of Olympus, separate Macedonia from Thessaly ; and Mount CEta, which, running eastward to the Maliae Gulf, forms, at its termina tion, the famed pass of Thermopyhe. Mount Othrys, a little farther north, may be considered as a subordinate chain to 'Eta. Mount Olympus is separated only by a narrow ravine from Ossa and Pelion, which enclose Thesesly on the east. On the western side of the central chain, the whole country to the Ionian Sea, northward of the Gulf of Arta, is covered by a series of ridges, not running off laterally, but disposed in lines nearly parallel to the central chain, and separated by deep vallies. One of these ridges, nearest the coast, and termi nating in a promontory, in latitude 40° 30', was known anciently by the name of Acroceraunus; another farther north, and more inland, was Mount Tomarus. A long and narrow ridge occupies the Island of Eubcea, and is evidently continued in the outermost chain of islands included under the name of the Cyclades. Another chain of these islands may be considered as a prolongation of the great central ridge from the promontory of Sunium or Colonna.
The mountains in the Morea or Peloponnesus, which are as numerous as in the north of Greece, present rather a singular configuration. A long ridge, bent into a circular form, encloses the cen tral plateau or basin of Arcadia, and five spurs, or subordinate ridges, run off from the different sides of this circular chain to the five prominent points of the peninsula.
The elevation of some of the Grecian mountains has been estimated but not accurately measured.
Mount Orbelus, the northern boundary of the coun try, has its summit covered with snow all the • and must therefore exceed 8200 feet in height, but none of the other mountains seem to reach the circle of perpetual congelation. The elevation of the great central chain of Pindus, is loosely esti mated by Dr Holland at 7000 fe et.1- That of Olympus, one of the loftiest summits in Greece, was 'Computed by the ancient philosopher Xenageras to be ten stadia and a plethrum, an elevation not ma terially different from that of 1017 toises, or 6500 feet, assigned to it by Bernouilli. The famed Par. nassus seems to be considered by Dr Clarke and Dr Holland as rising above most of the other Grecian mountains ; but as its summit is destitute of snow during a part of the year, its height cannot exceed 9500 feet, and is probably much less. This moun tain is still called Parnassu by the peasants residing on it, but in the low country of Livadia, it bears the name of Lakura. The celebrated Athos, which is now the seat of twenty-two monasteries, rises to the height of 713 toises, or 4350 feet. (Walpole, p. 204.) Several of the Albanian mountains are estimated by Dr Holland to be from 8000 to 4000 feet high.
The elevation of Mount Oleno, said to be the high. est summit in the Peloponnesus, according to Scro &pi, is 700 geometrical paces, or 8500 feet ( Voy age en Grece, 1801, Tom. L Let. xxxi.), and that of Mount Geranion, which . separates the two seas at the Isthmus of Corinth, is about 2500 feet. (Hol land, p. 419.) These notices, though separately possessing little accuracy, when put together enable us to conclude with considerable certainty, that the highest mountains of Greece are in the northern parts ; that the great central chain of Pindus, with its branches, may be considered as corresponding pretty nearly in height with the Carpathians,—as ra ther higher than the chain of the Apennines,—and as not having more than half the absolute elevation of the Swiss Alps.
Nearly the whole surface of Greece is occupied by a great formation of compact limestone, of a whitish or bluish grey colour, approaching, at times, to the nature of chalk. It forms, in some places, long sharp con tinuous ridges, in others round or craggy summits, and it presents strata highly inclined. It contains a few organic remains, with many flint nodules, and some beds of gypsum on the western side ; and oc caeionally masses or beds of a calcareous conglome rate. The Acropolis of Athens consists of the last mentioned rock. Dr Holland conjectures, that the principal formation may belong to the first ficetz limestone, and the gypsum to the first ficez gypsum of Werner. This limestone, which forms the entire mass of Parnassus and Helicon, rests on mica slate near Athens. The hills of Attica consist generally of primitive limestone ; and the same species of rock, with clay slate, serpentine, sieuite, porphyry, abound in Negropont, the central parts of Pindus, Olympus, and Athos, and all round the Gulf of Salonica. Far ther north, in mounts Scomius and Rhodope, granite and gneiss are found.. In general, primitive rocks are most abundant on the east side of Greece ; and she west side is characterized by the prevalence of beds of gypsum. It is to the peculiar constitution of this great limestone formation that Greece owes those physical features which so remarkably dis tinguish the country,—the numerous cavern's, foun tains, subterraneous river courses, hot springs, and gaseous exhalations, which gave birth to so many of the popular'superstitions of the ancients.