CANER, a seaport town of Candia, lies on the north side of the island, at the eastern extremity of a large bay, and is supposed to occupy the site of the ancient Cydo nia. Cauca is of an oblong figure, about two miles in circumference, and defended by a strong wall and a broad and deep ditch cut dirough a bed of mell. It has four bastions on the land side, and a raveline at the north east corner. Towards the sea, on the left of the har bour, are four batteries mounted with heavy cannon, and, on the right, is a strong wall extending along a chain of pointed rocks, at the extremity of which is an old castle now falling into ruins. The streets arc straight and spacious, the squares are adorned with fountains, but there arc no buildings in it worthy of notice. The houses arc mostly of one story, with flat roofs forming a terrace ; and some of them, which arc contiguous to the harbour, are adorned with balconies, which command an extensive prospect of the bay, formed between Cape Spada and Cape Melccca. Canca is the most flourish ing, and in proportion to its extent, the most populous city of Candia. It carries on a considerable trade in olive oil and soap. It exports wax and honey to the Archi pelago, and wine to all parts of the Levant. The har bour, however, which, by a little attention, might be rendered both safe and commodious, is completely ne glected by the Turks. Vessels are allowed to throw overboard whatever incommodes them, and not unfre quently a part of their ballast. The basin is thus choked up, and can now scarcely admit ships of two hundred tons burden. The immense arsenals built by the Ve netians are also falling to ruins. They are vaulted with stone, and sufficiently large for containing a ship of the line, which, from the nature of their situation, might be built there, and then launched into the water. But
Turkish indifference is a complete bar to every species of improvement, for promoting the commerce and the public prosperity of the country. M. Savary reckons the population of this city at 15,000 souls ; while Olivier reduces it to little more than 7000, among whom are upwards of 4000 Turks, 2000 or 3000 Greeks, 150 Jews, 4 French houses, and sonic Italians.
In the neighbourhood of Canca are sonic fine forests of olive trees, intersected with cultivated fields, orange groves, vineyards, and gardens. The rocks are covered with the famous dittany of Crete, so celebrated by the ancients, which is gathered by the peasants into small bundles, and brought to market. Near this town arc huts erected for the accommodation of lepers, who sub sist upon the produce of a small garden, and the alms or passengers; and on the side of the highway arc ex posed the bodies of criminals, who have undergone the dreadful punismnent of empalement. " They arc rang ed," says M. Sonnini, " on each side of the road ; and hi this dreadful rank arc seen men, whose body is longi tudinally transpierced by a stake, some dead, others ex piring, some smoking their pipe with as much sang froid as if they were sitting on cushions, railing at the Europeans, and living, as long as twenty four hours, in the most excruciating torments." North Lat. 28', East Long. 24° 15'. See Olivier's Travels in the Otto man Empire, vol. ii. p. 288; Sonnini's Travels in Greece and Turkey, p. 211; and Savary's Letters on Greece, p. 307. (p)