MILO, anciently MELOS, an island of the Greek Archipelago, about miles in circuit, of a round fi gure, and penetrated on the north by a spacious bay, where the largest squadron may lie in deep water. The mountain St. Hellas, which is the highest part, rises to a considerable altitude above the level of the sea : and another mountain, Calamo, which is supposed to have been a volcano of great antiquity, still emits fetid sulphureous smoke from several spiracles on its summit. Rocks of lava, sulphureous hot springs, me phitic exhalations, and many other circumstances, denote the frequent influence of subterraneous fires. The springs are impregnated with various substances ; and, since the days of Hippocrates, they have been thought efficacious in the cure of diseases. Public baths are formed of one in a grotto where the vapour rises as in a natural stove. Porphyry, iron, gypsum, and the finest alum, obtained from a subterraneous gallery, where the thermometer stands at 108°, are among the produc tions of this island. There are salt marshes, or reser voirs, on the shore, filled by the sea-water in winter, which evaporates during the heats of summer.
The lower grounds of the island are extremely fer tile and well cultivated, both in fields and gardens. Grapes, figs, melons, and olives, are abundant ; also, wheat, barley, leguminous plants, and cotton. The fruits are said to be the best in the Archipelago, and the wine and honey are esteemed excellent. Be sides mules, black cattle, sheep, goats, and swine, the domesticated animals, game is very plentiful.
Notwithstanding these advantages, the insalubrity of the climate is so great as to threaten the island with total depopulation. Little more than a century ago, the inhabitants were computed at 20,000; now they have dwindled down to 500 ; and were it not from the resort of families from the Morea, allured by the fertility of the soil. it is believed that the human rac• would become quite extinct.
The inhabitants follow agriculture, or pastoral pur suits; vast caverns throughout the islaod affording the latter convenient shelter for the flocks. Some are fishermen and pilots. The women are occupied in fa bricating coarse stuffs and cotton stockings for home consumption, or for Europeans. Formerly, the hand mills of Milo were celebrated from the quality of the stone ; and were exported to the Turkish continent, the Ionian islands, Italy, and Egypt. But trade is al
most annihilated from the decrease of the population, and the French privateers abandoning the Levant.
This island contains two towns, Milo, the capital, and Castro, or Sifours. The inhabitants of the former, who, in the beginning of last century, amounted to 5000, are now reduced to about 200, compared, by their visitors, to so many walking corpses. It is con sidered dangerous to sleep three nights here, and the town is in ruins. Castro occupies the lofty peak of a mountain, and is approached by a rock overhung by smooth basaltic locks, which are almost insurmountable. The streets communicate by stairs. The slightest breeze resembles a hurricane ; and the inhabitants attain very advanced age in this elevated situation. In the year 1700, Tournefort found 18 churches in Milo, 13 mo• nasteries, besides many chapels, two bishops, and the rest of an ecclesiastical establishment, corresponding to a numerous population. Some of the monasteries still subsist, where later travellers meet an hospitable recep tion.
The site of the ancient capital is ascribed to an as semblage of ruins between the harbour and Castro, consisting of fragments of walls, some fine Columns of granite, vaulted excavations, lined with cement, and the remains of bricks and pottery. On the opposite side of a deep ravine, there is a hill penetrated by an immense number of catacombs, which are gained by a subterrancous flight of steps. In general, seven sarco phagi cut out of the rock occupy each chamber, which are ornamented by sculptures, and exhibit the traces of painting on the cement with which they were lin ed ; as also inscriptions now illegible. Several fami lies have established their cottages above these cata combs, and convert the sarcophagi to cisterns for the wintcr's rain, which is employed in watering the fields below. The position of the ruins, their extent, the solidity of the walls, and the nature of the fragments, together with the great number of catacombs, are sup posed to indicate the previous existence of a flourish ing city, with temples, or other sumptuous edifices.
Melos is frequently mentioned in the history of the Grecian States ; from which it passed under the domi nion of the Romans, and on the decay of their empire was subjugated by the Turks, in whose possession it still continues, scarcely capable of paying an inconsi derable tribute. (c)