CHAPTER V

Departure from Venice.—Parenzo.—Zara.—Ragusa,—Corfu.—Gulf
of Patras.—Isthmus of Corinth,—A monastery of Greek monks.—
Modone.—Island of Cythera.—Crete,—Rhodes.—The Knights
Hospitallers.—Arrival at Jaffa.

On Ascension Day, after receiving the blessing, we
departed and set sail at noon, and took the left side of
the gulf towards Esclavonia [Dalmatia], the greater
part of which is Venetian, and all along the coaft there
are many safe harbours and islands and ports for taking
in provisions. The next day we came to a town called
Parenzo, and from there we sailed for Zara, a town of
the Venetians. Thence we reached Ragusa which is
under the dominion of the Emperor. All this time
we kept passing islands belonging to Esclavonia, some
populated and some uninhabited. The country is
very mountainous and bare; and the inhabitants are
the talleft I have ever seen, but what a barbarous people
they are! In these parts are bred the beft falcons in
the world, except the Norwegian, and it is said that
silver is to be found in many places.

We continued our voyage along the Gulf, passing
Valona, a large city, which had recently fallen into the
hands of the Turks, and then, leaving Esclavonia, we
sailed by Albania, which is part of the same coaft,
and left Italy and the Cape of Spartivento on the right
hand. The Gulf of Venice runs for 800 miles between
Italy and Esclavonia, and at the end of it is the island
of Corfu, which the Venetians call their door, although
Venice is in faft 800 miles away. On the right hand is
that part of Italy called Apulia and the Tierra di Lavoro,
and, on the left, Esclavonia, formerly called Dalmatia,
and a great part of Albania.    The island of Corfu is

48