SAMOS, an island in the Grecian archipelago, on the coast of Asia Minor, from which it is separated by a channel scarcely half a league wide, called Little Bogaz. It is about twenty-four miles long, twelve broad, and about seventy in circuit. In its'length it is interrupted by Cape Colonni, a narrow cape which projects far to the south, and is separated by the sea into portions called Samo-poulo or Little Samos. On the west side of Samos lie the Fournis Islands, an ciently the Corsem Insulx, which are divided from Samos by a strait about two leagues wide, called the Great Bogaz, in which there is good anchorage, and which is much frequented by ships from Constantino ple to Syria and Egypt. Samos contains two ranges of lofty mountains, some parts of which are rocky and bleak, while others are covered with trees, and display much picturesque and beautiful scenery. The plains which lie between these ranges are rich and well cultivated, and produce in abundance, grain, vines, melons, lentils, French beans, &c. The bread is made of equal parts of wheat, barley, and white mil let. A great deal of pitch is made from the pine trees. The honey and wax of Samos are in great re quest. Cattle are bred in Samos; but the goats are more numerous than the sheep. There are in Samos, horses, wild boars, and some deer; partridges, wood cocks, snipes, thrushes, wood pigeons, turtle doves, wheat-ears, &c.
Among the natural productions of the island are, lead, silver, and some say gold, iron, corundum or emery stone, white marble, and abundance of ochre. The muscadine wines of Samos are said to possess the qualities of those of Cyprus, when properly man aged.
The principal town of the island is Vahti on the north side of it, which has a large and commodious harbour. About two leagues from Cora, which bears
the title of the capital, are the remains of the ancient city of Samos. The walls of the ancient city still re main, composed externally of white marble, the mid dle space being filled up with small stones. Their thickness varies from ten to fifteen feet, and they are covered at top with large hewn stones. The square towers upon them are not above fifteen feet high. Here are the remains of a theatre, 240 feet wide, and having the space for the seats eighty feet broad. The seats were not built on arches but on the sides of the hill. Several of the faces and pedestals of the cele brated temple of Juno still remain half buried in the ground, and there is an entire shaft still remaining. The capitals appear to have been Doric. Dr. Pocock saw part of a large statue of grey marble which seem ed to be very fine, but it had neither legs nor arms. On the west side of the town are to be seen the ruins of several very considerable buildings.
Samos is reckoned the noblest island in the Archi pelago. It exports about 22,000 castors of grapes, about 15,000 barrels of raisins, and wine in such quan tities that the duty amounts to 36,000 piastres. The other duties amount to about 12,000.
Although the island is under the power of a gover nor appointed by the Porte, who pays 180 purses for his office, yet the island is under the jurisdiction of three chiefs chosen annually, elected by three persons from each village called primates. There are about eighteen large and twenty small villages, and the po pulation of the island, according to Mr. Turner, is about 60,000. East Long. 16° 50'. North Lat. 37° 43'.