ater running down a chasm in the shore is made to turn the wheels.
About 5 m. from Argostoli is the castle of St George, a building of
Venetian origin, and the strongest fortification in the island. On an
eminence east-south-east of Argostoli are the ruins of the ancient
Cranii, and Lixouri is close to or upon those of Pale; while on the
other side of the island are the remains of Samos on the bay of the same
name, of Proni or Pronni, farther south above the vale of Rakli and its
blossoming oleanders, and of an unknown city near the village of Scala.
The ruins of this city include Roman baths, a brick-built temple,
rock-cut tombs, and tessellated pavements; and Cranii, Proni and Samos
are remarkable for stretches of Cyclopean and Hellenic walls, partly of
the most irregular construction, and partly preserving almost unimpaired
the results of the most perfect skill. The inhabitants of Cephalonia
have all along been extremely active; and no slight amount of toil has
been expended in the construction of terraces on the steep sides of the
hills. Owing to the thinness of the population, however, but a small
proportion of the soil is under cultivation, and the quantity of grain
grown in the island is comparatively meagre. The staple is the currant,
in the production of which the island surpasses Zante. The fruit is
smaller than that of the Morea, and has a peculiar flavour; it finds a
market mainly in Holland, Belgium and Germany. The grape vine also is
grown, and the manufacture of wine is a rising industry. The olive crop
is of considerable importance, and the culture of cotton in the low
grounds has been successfully attempted. Manufactures are few and
undeveloped, but lace from the aloe fibre, Turkey carpets and
basket-work are produced by the villagers, and boats are built at both
the principal towns. Of all the seven Ionian islands Cephalonia and
Zante are most purely Greek, and the inhabitants display great mental
activity.

In the Homeric poems Cephalonia is generally supposed to be mentioned
under the name of Same, and its inhabitants, among the subjects of
Ulysses, to be designated Cephallenes (see, however, under ITHACA). In
the Persian War they took but little part; in the Peloponnesian they
sided with the Athenians. The town of Pale was vainly besieged by Philip
of Macedon in 218 B.C., because it had supported the Aetolian cause. In
189 B.C. all the cities surrendered to the Romans, but Same afterwards
revolted,