J.M. Tancoigne, consul in Chania, writes on Ios of 1812
"There is a settlement with 200 houses perched on the almost inaccessible rock with 15 small churches at least and over 150 chapels on the hills and the valleys. The islanders live on barley bread, figs, honey, good wine, olives of medium quality, oranges and lemons. […] The men are almost exclusively fishers and sailors […] The women are pretty; they show the hand-made bonnets and the stockings they are constantly knitting".
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