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CYPRUS- 
 
 Jistamal an^ Jcstriptilie.- 
 
 FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY. 
 
 ADAPTED FROM THE GERMAN OP 
 
 TEANZ YON LOIIEE 
 
 WITH MUCH ADDITIONAL MATTER BY 
 
 MES. A. BATSON^ JOYXEE. 
 
 WITH TWO MAPS AND SEVENTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 NEW YORK : 
 K. WOETHINGTOK, 750 BROADWAY. 
 
 1878. 
 
New York: J. J. Ijttle & Co., Printers, 
 10 to 20 Astor Place. 
 
URL 
 
 II^TEODUOTIOIS". 
 
 The sudden Interest created by recent political 
 events in everytliing relating to Cyprus, an island 
 which, from its geograj^hical position, seems destined 
 to play no unimportant part in modern history, has 
 ]-endered the appearance of Herr von Loher's naiTa- 
 tive of his recent iourneviuirs throuerh the leno-th 
 and breadth of that country exti'eniely welcome. It 
 is therefore with much pleasure we have received 
 permission from the Author to lay before the Brit- 
 ish public an adaptation of his book (only published 
 during the last few days) which seems Nvell suited 
 to supply information, such as is at present much 
 needed in England. 
 
 The island of C^'prus, from the first dawn of civil- 
 ization, has T>een classic ground, extremely interest- 
 ing to antiquaries, and its history throughout the 
 Middle Ages is largely blended with tales of chiv- 
 ahy and romantic incidents, such as in these matter- 
 of-fact times ai-e scarcely cared for by speculators, 
 whose ol>ject is to obtain reliable information on 
 subjects of more practical importance, such as the 
 
Tl INTRODUCTION. 
 
 resources of the country, the character of its soil, 
 the capabilities of its surface, and the industry of its 
 inhabitants. Lessons upon these points are only to 
 be learned from a careful survey, sucli as that ac- 
 complished by our author, who, uniniluenced by pre- 
 judice, describes in simple narrative the actual con- 
 dition of the island, the scenery of the interior, and 
 the every-day employments and pursuits of the peo- 
 ple, thus removing many erroneous impressions as to 
 the condition of the Cypriotes, and leaving the 
 reader to form his own 02)inion as to the status and 
 prospects of our new acquisition. All information 
 connected with these points we have carefully ren- 
 dered, only omitting such matter as appeared irrele- 
 vant, and calculated unnecessarily to increase the 
 size of the book. Additional information fcleaned 
 from various sources, relative to the general history 
 and statistics of the island, is to be found in the 
 Appendix. 
 
 That the climate of Cyprus is delightful, the soil 
 prolific, and the landscape in some parts of the coun- 
 try of surpassing beauty, we have abundant testi- 
 mony in the writings of classic authors, and there is 
 no reason to suppose that in these respects its atti'ac- 
 tions have deteriorated. A late writer, J. Jasinides, 
 who died at a good old age at Koutzovendi, in Cy- 
 prus, in 1871, at the conclusion of his work "Les 
 lies Mediterranee," thus expresses himself: "For 
 forty years 1 have been wandering from isle to isle, 
 
INTEODUCTION. VU 
 
 ascertaining their political, commercial, and social 
 aspect, and this island (Cypi'us) notwithstanding the 
 barbarism of its present rulers, through which it is 
 cut off from the rest of the world, is my favorite. 
 . . . . It is a little world in itself; here do I wish 
 to die. My limited means will keep me in compara- 
 tive luxury. Although old, I am strong and feel 
 young, no wild beasts or reptiles disturb my solitude, 
 the water is sweet and cool, the wine is nectar, and 
 the food plain but good ; above all I know that my 
 grave will be respected, and that kind hands will 
 close my eyes." 
 
 M. A. J. 
 
 London, 1878. 
 
COI^TEI^TS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 LABNAKA. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 First View of Larnaka— Arrival — The Haven — The Town — Catholic 
 Church — Fine Carving — Kissing Relics — Marble Sarcophagi — 
 Tombs — Derivation of Name of Larnaka — Phoenicians — Kiti — 
 Language — Shallow Harbor — An Ancient Graveyard — Relics — . 
 Nursing Bottles— Schools — Church of St. Lazarus — A Compro- 
 mise in Ecclesiastic Architecture — St. Lazarus's Morning Walk 
 — Ride out to Curious Building— Strange Doors — Phaneromene 
 Panagia — Female Superstitions — Salt Lake — Marshes Source of Ill- 
 health 1 
 
 CHAPTER IL 
 
 ATHIENTT. 
 
 Streets of Larnaka — Game Birds — Mountain of Olympus — Negro 
 Slaves — Natives of Athienu — Attack on Famagusta — Repulse of 
 the Turks — Six Months' Siege — Honorable Terms — Meeting of 
 Rival Generals — Treachery of Mustapha — Butchery of the Garri- 
 son — Bragadino Flayed Alive — Triumphant Return of Mustapha — 
 Dinner with an Athenitan — Dali — Two Largest Rivers — Neglected 
 Land — Character of a Cypriote — Silkworms — Planting of Mulberry 
 Trees — Silk Factories — Forests — Carob-tree — Cyprus a Miniature 
 India— Fruits — Sugar — Cotton — The Garden of the World— A 
 Guard of Honor — First View of the Capital — Lepers — Visit to the 
 Governor 9 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Morning Impressions — Easter Eve— Gardens of Fruit Trees— Society 
 — Costume of the Ladies — Beauties of Cyprus — Adoption of Turk- 
 A* ix 
 
X CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGB 
 
 ish Customs — Language— Cathedral of St. Sophia — Church of St. 
 Nicholas— Archbishop's Chapel— Visit to the Lord Archbishop— 
 A Rising Man— Greek Priests— Church of St. Katherine— Memori- 
 als of the Dead— St. Paul in Cyprus— Ely mas, the Sorcerer- 
 Prisons— Courts of Justice— Wanton Destruction— Wealthy ^'obles 
 —Enormous Establisnments— Great Riches of Merchants 23 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CTPEUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES, 
 
 German Kingdom— Richard Coeur de Lion— Cyprus Sold to Lusig- 
 nan— Knights Templars — Amalrick— Becomes a Vassal to Henry 
 the Sixth, of Germany— From a.d. 1285 to a.d. 1373— Conquest 
 of Smyrna and Alexandria— Commerce— Wealth and Luxurj' — 
 Death of James the Second — Origin of Italian Title of Kings of 
 Cyprus and Jerusalem — Turks — Erection of Fortifications — Selim 
 the Second — Attack on Limasol — Arsenal at Venice Burnt — Niko- 
 sia Besieged — Heroic Defense — Spoil and Captives — Result of 
 Intemperajice 35 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 DKAWING UP OF THE STATtTTES. 
 
 Social Positions of the Various Classes — Vassalage — Form of Govern- 
 ment — Marriage of Lady Vassals — Law Courts — Assizes of Jerusa- 
 lem — Custody of the Book of the Law — John d'Ibelin — Knightly 
 Law-makers — Philip of Navarre — Grand Statute Book of Cyprus. 44 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 BAN CHKIS08T0M0. 
 
 Cyprus, European or Asian ? — Buffavento — Excursion to Inspect Buf- 
 favento — Carrying Fire-arms Prohibited — A Quiet Morning Ride 
 — An old Turk and his Wives — The Northern Range of Mountains 
 — St. Chrisostomo — Monastic Economy — Maria of Molino — Precau- 
 tions against Fever — Ea-ster Decorations — A Remedy for Leprosy 
 — Fortresses Erected to Command Passes and Roads — Spirit Haun- 
 ted — Unger and Kotschy 49 
 
CONTE>'TS. Xi 
 
 CHAPTER YIL 
 
 BUFFAVENTO. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Bee-tives— The Qnecn's Castle— Paradise — Take a Guide — Gradual 
 Ruin — Eu Avant — The Guides suspect Treasure Hunting — The 
 Fortress — Zaptiehs and their Masters — Plucky Guide — Tlie High- 
 est Tower — View from the Summit — A German Female Recluse — 
 Peculiar People in Carpasia — The Descent — Fortresses destroyed 
 by Venetians — Sale of Crown Lands — Decline of Old Nobility. ... 56 
 
 CHAPTER Vin. 
 
 TITRKISH 60VERN0KS. 
 
 Visit from the Pacha — One Hundred Years Ago — How Governors 
 feathered their Nests— Poll-tax — Expostulation — Report to the 
 Sultan — Arrival of the Imperial Envoy — Public Reading of the 
 Sultan's Commands — Fall of the Floor of the State Chamber — 
 Explanation of the Trap — The Governor will not be Governed — 
 Attacked by the Populace — Death of the Governor — A New 
 Governor — Intrigues and another Poll-tax— Popular Refusal — 
 Preparations for Rebellion — The "Water cut off — The Edict with- 
 drawn — Again a Poll-tax — The Nobles head the Insurrection — 
 Blockade of Nikosia — Again the Tax withdrawn — Arrival of a 
 New Governor — Disappointed Hopes — Proposals — Order again 
 restored — The Poll-tax again demanded — General Revolt — Attack 
 on Famagusta — Siege of Nikosia — Eastern Wiles - Mediation by 
 English Consul — Fighting continued — Arrival of Corsairs — A 
 Strong Argument — Arrival of Special Envoy to Compel Order — 
 Deserters from the Rebel Camp — Rebels retire to Keryneia — The 
 Castle Besieged — An Open-hearted Turkish Sailor ! — Betrayal of 
 HalU Aga — Capitulation — Smiles — Treacherous Execution — Two 
 Hundred Salted Heads — Order restored 65 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE PLAINS OF CYPEtTS. 
 
 Expedition to ascend Olympus — No Information to be Obtained — 
 Neglected Districts — Game — Prompt Action of my Zaptieh — Faith- 
 ful Obedience of Mussulman Servants — Akazi — Easter — Fasting 
 Extraordinary — Abstinence of the Greeks — Heat 80 
 
xii CONTEXTS. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 EVBYCHU. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Cool Waters— Evrycliu— In Church— Healthy Population— Graceful 
 and Interesting Custcms— Greek Houses— Our Ucst and his Family 
 — An Easter Dinner— Classic Christian Names — Absence of Large 
 Tiees — Cypriote Clergy 86 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 MOUKT OLYMPtrS. 
 
 A Mountain Pass— Lost our Way — Heroism of the Dragoman ! — 
 Sight of a Glacier— Absence of Large Timber at Base of Mountain 
 — Dragoman again ! who Fairly Bolts— Horses and Zaptieh left 
 Behind— Heavy Work in the Snow— Scene from the Summit — 
 Alone I — No Trace of Ruins 03 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 
 
 Descent of Olympus — A Retrospect — The Busy Phoenicians — Ship- 
 builders for the Euphrates — The Goddess Astarte — The New 
 Religion — Trojan War, the first Struggle between East and West 
 — Grecian Warrior Colonists — Evidence of Ancient Inscriptions — 
 The Nine Kingdoms of Cyprus — Attacks by Continental Nations — 
 Cyprus appealed to for Assistance — The Cyprian Navy — Philip of 
 Macedon — Alexander the Great — Cyprian Shipwrights on the 
 Indus— Artisans of Cyprus- -Ptolemies — An Egj-ptian Ruler — 
 Cyprus a Roman Province — Under Roman Dominion— Aphroditissa 
 — The Idol Stone — Little Images of the Madonna — Revolution of 
 the Jews — Great Slaughter — A Land of Saints 100 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THOADITISSA. 
 
 Dangerous Ground — Disappointment — Easter-Eve Festivitiss — An 
 Official Menace — Hear of a Gentleman — Demons and Kobolds — 
 Fini — Arrival — Stable Accommodation— The Dragoman again — 
 Hunger — Cloister Rations — Wine makes the Heart Glad — A 
 Village Congregation — After Mass — Hospitality of the Church — 
 Beautiful Girls — Doctors Required — Fasting — Precious Relic — 
 Russian Gift — The Picture endowed with Healing Powers — 
 Gratitude — Mountains and Trees— Heat— Shepherds 116 
 
CONTENTS. XIH 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 CYPRIAN WOODS AND FOBESTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 Neglect of Forests — Preservation by former Rulers — Gradual De- 
 struction — Shipbuilding — Exportation of Timber — Wanton De- 
 struction — Forest Fires — Resin and Pitch -Process of Extracting 
 Resin — Suicidal Revenge — Protection Required — British Legis- 
 lation — The late Governor of Cyprus — Sad Prospects for the 
 Island — Eucalyptus 126 
 
 CH.1PTER XV. • 
 
 PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS. 
 
 Locusts in Olden Times — An Egyptian Plague for Two Tears — 
 Gradual Increase — Young Locusts — Devastation^Energy of Turk- 
 ish Pacha — Troops are Called Out — A Remedy is Found — M. Mattel 
 — The Locusts effectually Stopped 133 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 CHBYSOROGIATISSA. 
 
 River of Southern Cyprus — Rippling Waters — ^View of the Monastery 
 of KLkku — A valuable Picture — Panagia — Wild Fruits — The 
 Monks Disturbed — Pine Figure of the Saviour — Carvings — Break- 
 fast with the Abbot — Deserted State of the Country — Robbers — 
 Alarm of the Servants — Prisons —Execution of Criminals — An 
 interesting Prisoner — A Cypriote Robin Hood — Dowries to a 
 Thousand Girls — A romantic Thief — Prison Life — Stalwart Monks 
 — Turkish Women — Miserable Huts —Approach to Paphos— 
 Ktima — Advent of Venus 135 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 
 Bishop of Baffo — ^\'iew of the Ruins — Gigantic Stones — Old Temple 
 — Curious Holes in Stones, producing Echo — Mosaics — Sacrificial 
 Rites — The Idol Stone — Ruins of former City— View from the 
 Temple — An Admirer of Sappho — A Turkish Farmer — Queen's 
 Cave— An Inscribed Stone Slab~Rock-cut Tombs— Watch-tower 
 — Dinner : Bill of Fare — A Turkish Housewife — Nocturnal Re- 
 flections — Worship of Venus — Holy Cloth for the Caaba — The 
 Cone-shaped Stones — Doves of Venus — Meteoric Stones 145 
 
XIV CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 SirMMEK RESIDENCE IN CYPRUS. 
 
 FACE 
 
 Donkeys and Mules — Muleteers — Starting on a Journey — Mounted ! 
 — Commissariat of Traveling Cypriote — General Cesnola — Village 
 of Dali — Out-door Nights in Summer— A Delightful Retreat 155 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE. 
 
 Family Affection — Female Influence — Modem Greeks — Bad Qualities 
 — Simony— Flatterers — Luxury — Taking his Ease — Shameful 
 Effeminacy 161 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE. 
 
 Syrian Heat — Cool Mountain Breezes — Fevers — Wine, a Remedy for 
 Ague— Seasons— Excessive Heat — Hot Winds — Scarcity — Spring 
 — September — L'Imbat — Snow 167. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 
 
 Dealer in Curiosities — Ktima— Rock-cut Tombs — Palaeo Castro — 
 Graves — Antiquities — Ossuaries — Relics of Funeral Feasts — Ruins 
 of a Temple — St. Paul — Koloni— Asbestos — Sacred Garden — Bath 
 of Aphrodite — Icroskipo — Kapath — Ancient Harbor — Ruins of 
 Churches — Buried Treasures — A Cyprian Dinner — Tombs — Arsinoe 
 — Loadstone Temple — Berenice — Treasures for Naturalists — Tax- 
 gatherers 173 
 
 CHAPTER XXn. 
 
 EPISKOPI. 
 
 Coffee-house — Thistle Seeds — Snake — Game — Adimu — Apollo 
 Hylades Guard Houses — Pirates — Lycos — Egyptian Beauties— No 
 Accommodation 186 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 KOLOSSIN. 
 
 A Turkish Farmer — Square Tower — Oxen — Norman Architecture — 
 An Old Fortress — Knights Templars— Wine — Bcccaficos 191 
 
CONTENTS. XV 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 BOIL AND MINEKAIi PRODUCTS. 
 
 FAGB 
 
 Mountains — Eicli Soil — Alluvial Deposits — Gardens — Copper 
 Mines — Gold and Silver — Salt — Volcanic Eruptions — Precious 
 Stones — Amber — Asbestos — Robes of the Priests 198 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 NATURAL PRODUCTS. 
 
 Under the Lusignans— Wine, Oil, etc. — Carob-tree — Cyprian Dves 
 — Grasping Policy of Venice — Olive-trees — Government of Cyprus 
 — A valuable Farm — Sultan of Egypt — Tribute — Turks — Flowers 
 — Tobacco — Corn — Timber — Flowers — Fertility of Soil — Jujube- 
 tree — Distilled Oils— Cotton — Silk — Game — Wine — Taxes — De- 
 cline of Cultivation — Poor Fare — Potatoes — Spiders — Beef and 
 Mutton 301 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 ST. NICHOLAS AND LIMA80L. 
 
 News of Marble Relics — Off to Search — Heavy Weatheu— Church of 
 St. Nicholas — Ancient Temple — Monastery Garden — Salt Marsh — 
 Building Houses — Turkish Women, Coquetry — Franciscan Con- 
 vent—Monastic Graveyard — A new Church — A Smart Man — Man- 
 ufacture of Antiquities — A Parade round the Town — Hospitable 
 Priests — School — Domestic Economy of Cyprian Family — A 
 Cyprian Lady — Chinese NobUity — Prospects of Trade — Popula- 
 tion — Revenue — Bribery 209 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIL 
 
 AMATHCS. 
 
 A Morning Ride — A Sudden Change — The devouring Lion — Heat- 
 Favored Tracts — Site of Amathus — Export of Stone — A Natural 
 Fortress — Hamath — French Antiquarians — A precious Relic — 
 Vandalism by French Officers — Gigantic Vases— Adonis — Ane- 
 mones — Feasts — Pygmalion — Paphos, Son of Pygmalion — Under 
 the Ptolomies — Remains of the City — Excavations — Amathus the 
 City— Mania for Destruction— Capo deUe Qatte — Cats 218 
 
PAGE 
 
 Xvi CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 KAKUBIEH AND MAZOTOS. 
 
 Cape Karabieh— Deserted Village-Fmit Ships— Fruit-Carob-trees— 
 A Cyprian Farm-liouse— Our Worthy Hostess— Light Soil— Farm 
 Laborer— Cost of Living— Priests— Hospitality— Kiti — Mount of 
 the Holy Cross— St. Helena— Sacred Relic— Game— Wine 223 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 IA8T DATS IX L.\JJIfAKA. 
 
 Dancing Girl— Aphrodite— St. George the Martyr— Patron Saint of 
 England — Legend of St. George — Tenets of the Greek Church — 
 Clergy — Churches — Servia — Panagia — Sunday Trading— Hand- 
 some Girls — Cypriote Husbands— Turkish Houses — Departure 
 from the Island 235 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 EFFOKTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRrS. 
 
 Frederick the Second — An imperial Marriage — Cyprian Opinions — 
 Barons — Knights — Importance of Cyprus as a Military Position — 
 Regency — Quarrels — Promises of Amendment — Form of Govern- 
 ment — Departure of the Emperor — The Emperor Denounced — Se- 
 dition — Terms of Peace— The Emperor is Crowned — State of Cyprus 
 — Civil Wars— Rebellion — The Verse-maker — Success of Ibelin . . . 244 
 
 CHAPTER XXXL 
 
 MARSHAL FELINGHER. 
 
 Cyprus Lost — A Fleet Sent — Ibelin at Beyrut — Internal Disaffection 
 — Defeat of Ibelin — Strenuous Efforts to raise Money — Bank 
 Notes — The Genoese Rise — Defeat of the Imperialists — Death of 
 Queen Alice — Peaceful Proposals — Renewed Hostilities— Papal 
 Interference — The Last of the German Influence 207 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 CYPRUS AND THE ECPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 
 The Projected Railway — Cyprus a Terminal Station— Sir F. Gold- 
 smid — Position of Cyprus — Ports — Commerce — Harbors— Differ- 
 ent Routes for Line— Mr. W. P. Andrew^Political Importance of 
 Line — Fertility of Adjacent Country — Re-opening a Neglected 
 Country — India nearer Home 280 
 
 Appendix 295 
 
LIST OF ILLUSTEATIOATS. 
 
 1. Map of Ctpkus Facing Title-page 
 
 2. Map sHOwrxG Relation of Cypkus to the Adjacent Coasts, ix 
 
 3. Laknaka. 2 
 
 4. COUKT-TAKD OF BkiTISH CONSULATE AT LaBNAKA G 
 
 5. Lahxaka 8 
 
 6. Fasiagusta 8 
 
 7. MosQVE OF St. Sophia at Xikosia ■, 26 
 
 8. NiKOsiA 80 
 
 9. St. Hilakion 54 
 
 10. Cape Greco 54 
 
 11. NoBTH Coast View from: St. Hilarion of the Mountain 
 
 Chain op Keeyneia 56 
 
 12. Ruins of the Governor's Palace at Famagusta 68 
 
 13. The Chain of Mount Olympus 80 
 
 14. Mount Olympus 94 
 
 15. A Sarcophagus 114 
 
 13. The Mosque of Mahomet's Xukse 114 
 
 17. View between Leokosia and Cerina ll'J 
 
 18. Keeyneia. 258 
 
 19. Cape Kormacite £93 
 
 20. The Cathedral at Famagusta 203 
 
CYPRUS, 
 
 HISTOEIOAL AIS'D DESOEIPTIYE. 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 LARNAKA. 
 
 The first approach to Larnaka, the chief sea-port 
 of Cyprus, is well caloulated to impress the traveler. 
 The boundless expanse of blue sky and sea, the bold 
 outline of the hills and mountains, brought out as 
 they are into sharp relief by the clearness and bril- 
 liancy of the atmosphere, seem to throw the works 
 of man far into the background and boldly assert 
 the simple grandeur of nature. 
 
 Such were my involuntary reflections as we dropped 
 anchor in the roads of Larnaka on April 21st, 1877. 
 This entrance to the island displays an expansive 
 bay, the yellow sands of which are bordered by an 
 extensive plain, broken by bare and rocky hills, and 
 in the blue distance backed by a chain of moun- 
 tains. A landscape was before me, in which the 
 towns, gardens, and buildings constituted only minor 
 1 
 
2 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTR^E. 
 
 accessories. Larnaka appeared as a mere speck 
 on tlie bosom of the open country. Tlie haven con- 
 tains about fifty houses, built in the centre of the 
 curve of the bay, and above them wave the varie- 
 gated flasrs of the difterent consulates, surmounted 
 by pointed minarets and a new belfry. The town 
 of Larnaka itself lies far behind, and is separated by 
 wide fields from the haven. Thanks to the kind- 
 ness of the German consul, a friendly welcome 
 awaited me at the landing-place, where I found a 
 dragoman ready to conduct me to my destination. 
 Before leaving the haven, however, I inspected its 
 streets, which presented an animated appearance. 
 Artisans plied their trades in all directions, and dirt 
 reigned supreme. The rows of houses, interspersed 
 with stately mansions, churches, and gardens filled 
 with waving palms, constitute its principal attrac- 
 tions ; all else is strictly Oriental, namely, its filth, 
 rags, and miserable huts of wood and clay. 
 
 In the Catholic church we found a solitary monk, 
 who showed us some fine carvings. The pictures 
 upon the partition which separates the altar from 
 the rest of the church are diligently kissed by the 
 worshippers. I could not but approve this custom, 
 if only from the fact that a law of the church re- 
 quired that no one should salute the sacred pictures 
 without previously washing his face. This ceremony 
 takes ])lace once a week, so that, happily, the gold 
 and silver covered panels are not distinguished by 
 
LAENAKA. 
 
 a hlack circle in tlie spots where they are kissed. 
 Witli tlie exception of an occasional block of marble 
 built into the walls of a house, or a sarcophagus, 
 utilized as a receptacle for water, I saw nothing to 
 lecall the ancient power of the busy crowds that 
 once animated this spot. Their tombs, excavated 
 in the stratum of chalk, which lies below the sur- 
 face, were once tilled with marble sarcophagi, which 
 century by century have been dragged out and em- 
 ployed for building purposes. Hence the revolting 
 name given to this town, for Larnaka, literally in- 
 terpreted, means simply a coffin. Others, however, 
 assert that the name is derived from the fact that 
 the houses were built uj^on the site of an ancient 
 graveyard. 
 
 The Phcenicians are believed to have first founded 
 a town here and called it Kiti ; by the Greeks it 
 was known as Kition, and from this source was de- 
 rived the Asiatic desio-nation of Kitier, for the in- 
 habitants of Cyprus. At a later date Grecian set- 
 tlers took possession of it ; artists, weavers, and 
 artisans in large numbers poured in, and dwelt side 
 by side with the Syrians, but occupied their own 
 part of the town, gradually introducing their own 
 language to common use as in Antioch and Alexan- 
 dria, and giving a Grecian tone to the education of 
 the higher classes. The Latin tongue, on the con- 
 trary, seems never to have gained a footing in the 
 East. Cyprus, however, formed an exception to 
 
4 CYPEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCMPITTE. 
 
 this rule, and during the four centuries that the 
 island was subject to the sway of the Lusignan dy- 
 nasty and Venetian rule, Latin was in general use. 
 Not a trace of it, how^ever, now remains. Modern 
 Greek is spoken, even in most of the Turkish houses, 
 and is understood in every part of the country. The 
 consulate body in Larnaka has representatives from 
 every state in Europe. Its haven is the best in the 
 island, although on account of the shallowness of 
 the water, vessels are compelled to steer clear of the 
 sand and ride at some distance from the town. 
 
 The whole of this interesting island may be re- 
 garded as one huge graveyard, the treasures of 
 which are disclosed at every turn of the spade. In 
 Idalion, the Greeks, it appears, had formerly made 
 their graves three feet below the surface, and, prob- 
 ably unknown to themselves, only some three or four 
 feet above those occupied by the Phoenician colonists. 
 In these graves, now filled up by the drifting earth 
 of successive centuries, are found embedded small 
 earthen articles, trinkets, coins, and a great variety 
 of interesting]^ trifles. Amono-st other articles shown 
 me, were elegant little figures, sucking bottles for 
 children, and every variety of vases and cups in clay 
 and glass.* What struck me most, however, were 
 some delicate gold chains and ear-rings, and some 
 yellowish-blue vases of Phoenician glass. 
 
 * General Cesnola gives a most interesting^ description of Cyprian 
 antiquities in a work published in 1877. 
 
LARNAKA. 
 
 Toward evening I visited the chief part of the 
 town, which is about a quarter of an hour's walk 
 from the haven, and called upon the bishop. Here 
 T learnt many interesting facts concerning the re- 
 cent improvements made in means of popular educa- 
 tion. Until thirty years ago, schools were strictly 
 prohibited, whereas now, every town has its train- 
 ing school ; whilst in three of the chief towns, Lar- 
 naka, Nikosia, and Limasol, these are of three 
 grades, and in them are taught, history, geography, 
 and Grecian literature, even to the reading of Homer 
 and Xenophon. The prices for these classes are 
 from 100 to 300 marks. Anything over and above 
 this charge is covered by the bishop and a toll upon 
 the exports and imports of the town. 
 
 I then visited the church of St. Lazarus, which is 
 surrounded by fine rows of pillars, with pointed 
 arches, which give an impressive and sacred aspect 
 to the building. The main part of the church is 
 built in the form of a cross, with a dome in the 
 centre, and is evidently of great antiquity. The 
 building comprises three long large vaults, sur- 
 mounted by three small cupolas. It seems that the 
 Pacha Kudschuk Mehemed commanded the demoli- 
 tion of these domes, on the ground that only a 
 mosque should be so adorned, but after long and 
 earnest entreaties, at last yielded so far as to con- 
 sent to their being only half torn down, and the 
 openings filled up with planks. They were after- 
 
6 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 wards restored, and fifteen years ago a Landsome 
 clock tower was erected, surmounted by the Rus- 
 sian double eao-le. 
 
 Wlien I issued from tbe cliurch, evening had 
 closed in, and the priests, robed in black, with lights 
 in tlieir hands, lent an air of solemn mysteiy to this 
 fine building. St. Lazarus is supposed to have died 
 in Cyi^rus, and his marble coffin, adorned with one 
 rose, stands in a narrow recess. The tomb is emj^ty ; 
 the bones, in all probability, having been taken pos- 
 session of by the Venetians as sacred relics. Next 
 morning I wandered out to explore the environs of 
 the town. The air was spring-like and balmy, flow- 
 ers, amongst which I observed tulips and hyacinths, 
 enlivened the ground, and the blue waves danced in 
 the light of the sun. Waving palms and high hedges 
 of Indian cactus hid the haven from my sight, and 
 lent an air of solitude and repose to the whole scene, 
 whilst as far as the eye could reach, the fields were 
 filled with fruit trees, and the landscape enlivened 
 by flocks of goats and sheep. The whole scene 
 formed an Oriental picture of great beauty, and I 
 could not helji exclaiming to myself, "If this is the 
 worst part of the country what a paradise the in- 
 terior must be ! " 
 
 In the evening, having obtained the loan of a 
 fine Arab horse, I rode off to investigate a curious 
 building, at no great distance from the town. This 
 remarkable structure, Avhich is half embedded in the 
 
LAENAKA. 7 
 
 eurtli and rock, resembles a baker's oven, and is high 
 enough to permit a man to stand upright within it. 
 The sides are formed of large blocks of stone, and 
 the roof covered by one huge slab. This erection is 
 divided into three parts. A small chamber is hewn 
 in the bare rock, which forms a natural wall at the 
 back of the structure. Formerly a similar chamber 
 opened upon the front of the large centre portion, 
 but this is now destroyed. These apartments seem 
 to have been closed by slabs, let down from above 
 into grooves, which are still visible. This ruin was 
 probably first used by the Phcenicians as a burial- 
 place, and at a later date consecrated to the virgin 
 mother Phaneromene Panagia. This spot has a great 
 attraction for the peasant women of the surrounding 
 country, who believe that its sacred walls possess a 
 peculiar virtue for those suffering from grievous 
 sickness or for childless women. These latter often 
 make pilgrimages hither, carrying a lamp concealed 
 under their garments. At the entrance the lamp is 
 kindled, and the suppliant steps barefooted into the 
 third chamber, wdiere she offers her prayers to 
 Panagia, and leaves her lamp as a votive offering. 
 Turkish women, I am informed, also practice this 
 ceremony. 
 
 At a very short distance from this interesting 
 relic, and almost close to the sea, lies the celebrated 
 lake from which the Phcenicians extracted the salt 
 they so largely exported. Its value has in this re- 
 
8 CYPEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCREPTTVE. 
 
 spect by no means deteriorated. During the winter 
 rains it becomes filled with brackish Avater, wliich 
 evaporates as in a vast cauldron, under the burning 
 sun of July and August, and deposits a thick coat 
 of fine salt at its bottom. Kiijht soon closes in in 
 these latitudes, and as I left the spot, the sun sud- 
 denly lit up sea, sky, and earth in one blaze of 
 glowing color, and then rapidly sank to rest. Dark- 
 ness at once set in, and I rode home through a si- 
 lence as complete, and a solitude as profound, as if 
 I were traversing the open desert. 
 
 The cause of unhealthiness in most towns in Cy- 
 pms is quite local and easily removed. Thus, 
 round Larnaka and Famas^usta are marshes which 
 infect the air, and are apt to induce fever and ague 
 in summer. 
 
LAKXAKA, 
 
 FAMAGUSTA.— See Page 11. 
 
CHAPTER IL 
 
 ATniENU. 
 
 At seven o'clock the followins: mornins: I started 
 for Atliieim, and as I passed through the streets 
 of Larnaka, the town was still quiet, and almost 
 empty. 
 
 The better class of houses stand within a court- 
 yard and garden, and are furnished with large ve- 
 ]-andas, supported by light j)illars. Women and 
 girls of the lowest class were to be seen lounging 
 about the narrow, crooked streets. As I quitted 
 the town, the day became all that a traveler could 
 desire. The air was bright and pure, and a balmy 
 breeze s^vept over the green plains. The swallows 
 were skimmino: throusrh the air, and countless larks 
 were trilling their sweetest notes. 
 
 Cyprus, I must here observe, is very bountifully 
 supplied with birds. I was told that many thou- 
 sand larks were offered in the market-place of Lar- 
 naka. The eggs of the partridge are still more 
 esteemed, and I have often heard the call of these 
 birds in the gi-ass toward evening. 
 
 As I pursued my journey, I soon found myself 
 between ranges of chalk hills, and then passed for 
 9 
 
10 CYPEUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 miles over bleaclied and barren highland s. These 
 form part of a chain of hills connected toward the 
 south Avith the western range of mountains, and 
 extending in a long line to the sea. Yery rarely 
 we passed a little hut, standing in a blooming gar- 
 den, and forming a veritable oasis in this miniature 
 desert. As I reached the last height, I obtained a 
 peep of the sea near Larnaka, whilst before me, 
 toward the northern portion of the island, towered 
 a superb range of mountains, bristling with innu- 
 merable peaks, and tinted with various shades of 
 brown. This chain extends north of the western 
 mountains to the coast, where, passing onwards into 
 the sea, it forms the groundwork of the Carpasian 
 peninsula. To 1113' left were also broad, dark, stu- 
 pendous mountains, running through the whole 
 western portion of the island. One peak, the 
 " Troados," formerly the Cyprian " Olympus," reared 
 a snow-covered ci-own. At my feet lay the exten- 
 sive plains of Messaria, watered by mountain 
 streamlets, and forming one huge cornfield. A 
 group of thirteen camels, tended l)y two negroes, 
 stood in a pasture-ground beneath me, and imparted 
 a still more Eastei*n character to the scene. These 
 negroes were probably paid servants, but formerly 
 black slaves were commonly employed in this island. 
 Tlie Government has forbidden this trafiic in human 
 flesh ; but as a negro will do a better day's work 
 than five Cypriotes, their introduction is winked at, 
 
ATHIENU. 11 
 
 and many are landed in the northern havens, and 
 are taken by night to the neighboring mountains. 
 
 About noon I reached the town of Athienu, the 
 inhabitants of which are considerably above the 
 average Cypriote in manliness and intelligence, 1 
 learnt that they trace their descent from the fam- 
 ous defenders of the powerfid fortress, Famagusta, 
 which, in the Middle Ages, stood upon the western 
 part of the island. Famagusta is encumbei'ed with 
 debris, and the covered pits from which the Turks 
 assaulted the walls in the sixteenth century are now 
 stagnant marshes. After the fall of Nikosia, this 
 fortress had resisted the Turkish arms for more than 
 a year, under the command of the brave Yenetian 
 captain, Bragadino. In vain the Turkish General 
 Seraskier Mustapha stormed the place. Six times 
 liis men rushed on, their swoi'ds between their 
 teeth, fascines and ladders in their hands, and six 
 times they were driven back with great slaughtei*. 
 Mustapha was furious, his best troops w^ere gone, 
 and he well knew his head must pay the penalty at 
 Constantinople should he return unsuccessful. The 
 town was inv^ested, and six months later, when 
 every scrap of food and ammunition was exhausted, 
 the starving people forced their captain to surrender. 
 Mustapha at once proposed the most honorable 
 terms. The garrison were to retain their arms and 
 baggage, and be sent in Turkish ships to Crete. 
 Whoever desired to go to another part of the island 
 
12 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 jiiiglit do SO with all his possessions, whilst those 
 Avho preferred to remain, were to be perfectly un- 
 molested, both as regarded their religion and prop- 
 erty. 
 
 On the 5th August, 1571, the fortress was taken 
 possession of by the Turkish fleet, and Bragadino at 
 once rode down to tlie shore, accompanied by three 
 generals, to deliver up the keys to his captors. Over 
 his head was a red silk umbrella, and on his shoul- 
 ders a purple mantle that swept the ground, in to- 
 ken of his distinguished rank. Mustapha received 
 him, at first, with all honor; but in the course of 
 conversation, became so insolent that Bragadino re- 
 plied to him in angry tei'ms. The four generals 
 were at once attacked, Bragadino's nose and ears 
 cut off, and his companions hewn to pieces. Three 
 hundred men of his garrison were mercilessly butch- 
 ered, and a scene of carnage and pillage ensued 
 which lasted three days. Only a small remnant of 
 the higher classes were allowed to escape, on condi- 
 tion that they should separate and settle in the prin- 
 cipal towns. 
 
 Bragadino was fastened to a rope and dropped 
 into the sea, from which he was again fished out, 
 laded with two baskets of earth and sent to the 
 new Turkish entrenchments. On his arrival he was 
 seized, thrown down, and slowly tortured to death, 
 amidst the gibes and brutal laughter of Mustapha 
 and his followers. He died as he had lived, like a 
 
ATHIENU. 13 
 
 hero, but this did not protect his body from insult. 
 His skin was stuffed with hay. placed on a cow, and 
 led throughout the camp and town, and was finally 
 attached to the mast of Mustapha's ship, and taken, 
 to Constantinople, where the pitiless conqueror was 
 received with open arms. 
 
 I dined at the table of an Athenitan, and have 
 seldom been better entertained ; the room was small 
 but clean, and my hostess young and charming. Our 
 fare, which Avas admirably cooked, consisted of fried 
 eggs, roast fowl and pillau. For dessert, oranges, 
 artichokes, and some excellent dark wine, were set 
 before me. After dinner I enjoyed a refreshing 
 sleep, and then bidding adieu to my good hosts, pro- 
 ceeded on my way. 
 
 Dali, the ancient Idalion, was my next resting 
 place ; here was formerly the Temple of Venus, now 
 a mere heap of I'uins, but I saw little worthy of 
 note. These plains of Cyprus are watered by two 
 streams, one of which flows east, and the other west. 
 Both are named after the towns toward which they 
 flow, the larorer beins; called the Dali and the lesser 
 the Morfu. In ancient times these rivers were 
 known as the Pedias and Satrachos, and both much 
 resemble the Nile in appearance. Dui'ing the rainy 
 season these streams run rapidly, spreading their 
 yellow waters over the surrounding country, and 
 when they retire, leave a thick deposit of slime or 
 mud. I am told that the Pedias was formerly called 
 
14 CYPBUS, HISTOBICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 the Cyprian Nile. The table-like rocks of the plain 
 of Messaria, through which I now journeyed, form a 
 very peculiar and interesting feature of its scenery. 
 , These rocks, called Tpaoos^ai^ fi'oni their table-like 
 appearance, are considered by the Cypriotes to be 
 useless for agricultural purposes; I rode over several 
 of them to test the truth of this assertion, and found 
 the chalk only visible in certain parts, the rest of 
 the surface being well fitted for the growth of vines 
 and other plants. But of what avail is it, that a 
 few hills might be cultivated, in a country whose 
 plains for generations have not been touched by a 
 plow or lioe? Not a sheep or goat was to be 
 seen in the plains, once called l)y tlie ancients 
 fjiaxapia, or the blessed. Now that Cyprus again 
 enjoys the comforts of a judicious government, she 
 will speedily bring forth all the fruits of the earth 
 with profusion. This, however, will not be done 
 without difficulty and patient perseverance. 
 
 A Cyprian ox ! (/^ou? nvQopio<i) was the ancient 
 nickname conferred upon the Cypriotes in derision 
 of their stolid obtuseness. Dirty, but contented, 
 they lounge through life without making the slight- 
 est effort to imj^rove their condition, All emulation 
 or pride in their professions seems to have died out 
 under the weight of a tyrannical and unsympathetic 
 government. 
 
 The followino; short sketch of the cultivation of 
 Cyprus, under the various dynasties, will show its 
 
ATHIENU. 15 
 
 extraordinary natural resources, and the field for 
 enterprise that will be opened out under British 
 sway : 
 
 During the long centuries of Byzantine rule, 
 many circumstances conduced to the animation of 
 trade and proper cultivation of the fertile soil. 
 Cyprus was long regarded as a veritable harbor of 
 refuge, not only by those inhabiting the neighbor- 
 ing Asiatic continent, but by the persecuted victims 
 of various religious denominations, many of Avhom 
 being quiet, industrious men, settled down at once 
 in the country of their adoption as skillful tillers of 
 the soil; whilst the Armenian and Syrian refugees 
 taught and improved the arts of trade and com- 
 merce. 
 
 The introduction of the silkworm into Cyprus 
 must, however, be regarded as a main cause of its 
 long prosperity. Until that time the wearing of 
 silk was confined entirely to the highest classes, and 
 it could only be procured, at enormous cost, of 
 merchants travelinor from India and China. In the 
 year 557 two monks brought a quantity of silk- 
 worms' eggs from India to offer them to the Em- 
 peror Justinian, ^vho, appreciating their commercial 
 value, caused them to be distributed over diflferent 
 provinces. In no place did their culture succeed as 
 in Cyprus; the warm, soft air, rarely agitated by 
 wind and storm, exactly suited their requirements, 
 and in a very short space of time the southern 
 
16 CYPEUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 coasts, and other parts, were covered witli mulberry 
 trees for tlieir sustenance, and the celebrated silk 
 Victories established and in full work. The rule of 
 the Arab in Cyprus brought on the contrary deca- 
 dence and misfortune in its train. These sons of the 
 desert destroyed all before them, churches and tem- 
 ples were laid in ruins, and books committed to the 
 flames. Once, however, settled in the conquered 
 dominion, they gave themselves up to the enjoy- 
 ment of their new possessions. Jews and Cliristians 
 were employed in building new palaces, and in trans- 
 lating into Arabic the poetry of Persia and works 
 of Eastern lore. For their own share of improve- 
 ment the Arabs devoted themselves to the cultiva- 
 tion of plants, and arranged splendid and well -irri- 
 gated gardens, which they filled with trees and 
 shrubs brought from Egypt, Syria, and Arabia. 
 
 We learn that, as far as the island has been yet 
 explored, it contains no less than one thousand dif- 
 ferent sorts of plants. The forest growth is more 
 especially luxuriant. According to Herr Unger, 
 the " Pinus maritima," in Cyprus, covers the hills 
 and mountain regions to the height of 4,000 feet, 
 and one of the commonest trees, th§ " Pinus laricio," 
 which covers all the heights to 4,000 feet above the 
 sea, is met with on the western mountains of the 
 island to 0,000 feet, and gives them a dark appear- 
 ance from the coast. The wild cypress, " Cupressus' 
 horizontalis," is the third tree which grows com- 
 
ATHIENU. 17 
 
 monly in the eastern part of tlie island, and in some 
 places forms, by itself, whole woods. On the en- 
 tire northern chain of mountains this wild cypress 
 often grows at the height of 2,000 feet to 3,000 
 feet above the sea. Great forests of wild cj^presses 
 must have covered the whole of the south of the 
 island, interspersed with a shrub, the " Juniperus 
 Phcenicea." In the north several varieties of oak 
 are found, and throughout the island the arbutus 
 abounds. The carob-tree, " Ceratonia siliqua," and 
 olive flourish on the banks of all the rivers, and up 
 to an elevation of 1,000 feet above the sea. The 
 succulent pods of the carob-tree are exported to 
 Egypt and Syria, while the pulp, which is called 
 St. John's bread, from its resemblance to manna, is 
 used as an article of food. Orange and lemon 
 trees, and date-palms, are also met with in great pro- 
 fusion. 
 
 The cultivation of Cyprus during the thirteenth 
 and fourteenth centuries was carried to great per- 
 fection, and was still flourishing in the two succeed- 
 ing centuries. During the chivalrous dominion of 
 the Lusignans, inconceivable wealth and almost un- 
 precedented luxury overspread the whole island, 
 and in all the neisrhborina: countries of the Mediter- 
 ranean, Cyprus was spoken of as a miniature India, 
 overflowing with treasure. Knights, philosophers, 
 and adventurers streamed into the island. The 
 prosperity of Cyprus must not, however, be attrib- 
 
18 CYPRUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 iited to these new and able inimio^rauts, but to the 
 fact that its revenues were no longer drained by its 
 tributes to foreign potentates, and that its princes 
 ruled with prudence and justice. These new-com- 
 ers to the island at once commenced cultivatinir the 
 fruit-trees of their native lands. Apple, pear, plum, 
 and medlar trees, however, did not tlirive, but cher- 
 ries, peaches, bananas, and apricots came to great 
 perfection, and Cyprus is still noted for its walnuts. 
 x\n attempt was next made to introduce the sugar- 
 cane, with much success, and Cyjirian sugar was 
 soon in great request. The art of refining had, 
 however, not been introduced, and the sugar only 
 took the form of small blackish o-rains. 
 
 The cultivation of the grape, which had dated 
 from most ancient times, acquired new vigor under 
 these influences, and was speedily recognized as the 
 choicest vintage in the world. In no less esteem 
 were held the silks and velvets woven in Cyprus, 
 and the extended cultivation of the mulberry and 
 the perfection of the art of weaving went hand in 
 hand.* Syrian industry was united with European 
 talent, and operatives from Persia, who came to 
 give their services, brought with them seeds of the 
 cotton-plant. So marvelously did this new venture 
 prosper, that cotton was commonly known as the 
 gold-plant, on account of its great commercial suc- 
 
 *Tbe white mulberry -tree does not thrive in Cyprus. 
 
ATHIENU. 19 
 
 cess. In Nikosia, the capital of Cypras, large weav- 
 ing establisliments were at once formed for the pro- 
 duction of the fine calico, for which Cyprus was 
 soon noted. During the whole of the Middle Ages,' 
 CyjDrus must be regarded as the garden in which, 
 tropical plants of all kinds w^ere carefully acclima- 
 tized, and from thence introduced and distributed 
 over Greece, Italy, S. France, Spain, the Canary 
 Islands, and America. 
 
 A short distance fromNikosia, I observed a party 
 of soldiers standing in a court-yard on the roadside. 
 As I approached they quietly sprang into their sad- 
 dles, and rode toward me with their sabres in their 
 hands. On reaching me they saluted, and one of 
 the party advancing, informed me, with a graceful 
 wave of his hand, that he had been sent -by the 
 Pacha of Cyprus to meet and conduct me to the 
 lodging he had found for me. My new companion, 
 who Avas a Catholic Armenian, speaking both 
 French and Italian, chatted gayly to me as we rode 
 on side by side. Our path lay through a valley be- 
 tween the hills which still hid the city from our 
 eyes. As soon as we reached the rising ground, 
 hundreds of weaving palm-trees were before us, in- 
 terspersed with slender minarets, whilst here and 
 there a fine dome, towering high, announced to me 
 that the capital of Cyprus lay before us. A verita- 
 ble gem of Eastern beauty it looked in the bright 
 sunlight, its white walls and painted minarets stand- 
 
20 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIYE. 
 
 ing g^iyly out from tlie green, well watered plain 
 and graceful palms, whilst fine belfries and Gotbic 
 churches gave an air of grandeur to the view. As 
 we approached the sun went rapidly down, gold 
 and purple clouds rolled over our heads, and the air 
 was filled with a soft and delicious breeze. 
 
 At the gates of the town we were met by a party 
 of lepers begging for alms ; the revolting sight 
 seemed to throw a feelincc of horror over the whole 
 scene. Happily the unfortunates are not permitted 
 to enter the city. We were now requested to form 
 ourselves into a file in order to make our entrance 
 in a becomins* manner. Two soldiers went first 
 with naked sabres in their hands, then followed the 
 captain, then myself, and in my rear, our servants 
 and baggage. In this wise we galloped along as 
 rapidly as our mules would carry us, and as we 
 passed the bazars and streets the people gathered 
 about us and offered a respectful welcome. A nar- 
 row dirty street brought us to the door of my lodg- 
 ing, where I was received by the liost and his ser- 
 vants with many impressive genuflections. 
 
 Here I parted with my friendly conductors, after 
 offering them a return, in solid cash, which they 
 evidently expected, for their civilities. The captain 
 of the party shortly after returned to invite me to 
 visit the governor, who belonged to a noble Bosnian 
 family, at his residence. This gentleman had trav- 
 eled much, and had visited both Paris and Vienna. 
 
ATHIENU. 21 
 
 He received me witli all tlie grace of a European, 
 and gave me much valuable information respecting 
 this interestinoj town. What delisrhted me most, 
 however, was the gift of an excellent map of the 
 country, a treasure I had vainly attempted to obtain 
 ever since my arrival, and which proved invaluable 
 to me in all my journeyings. 
 
 As I returned home the city lay in perfect rest, 
 not a creature was to be seen, and the streets were 
 only enlivened by the gambols of a few wretched, 
 homeless dogs. 
 
CHAPTEK III. 
 
 KIKOSIA. 
 
 This city, called by the Greeks Levkosia, and by 
 the Turks Lefkoscha, impressed me more than any 
 other Oriental town I have visited. An indescriba- 
 ble blendino; of Eastern and Western characteristics 
 meets the eye at every turn, ^nd imparts a familiar 
 appearance to the strange and interesting scene. 
 
 How shall I give an idea of the uj^roar that 
 roused me from my slumbers early next morning? 
 Trumpets were sounding, muezzins were chanting in 
 drawling tones from the tops of all the minarets, 
 countless crows and ravens combined with cocks 
 and hens to outvie in their performance the braying 
 of asses and groaning of camels. Whilst over all 
 clanged the bells from every belfry in the city. 
 The follo\ving day being Easter-eve, this music com- 
 menced at midnight, and continued without inter- 
 ruption till morning, varied, however, by the firing 
 of every old gun that could be mustered for the 
 occasion. 
 
 In passing through the streets of the town, I ob- 
 served throu2;h the crates of the hio-h-walled c:ardens 
 
 many varieties of fruit trees, apples, pears, and figs ; 
 
 22 
 
NIKOSIA. 23 
 
 orange, lemon, mulberry, and pomegranate trees also 
 lent their blossoms to o-ive the finishing: touches to 
 the scene. The garden Avails are high, but not so 
 lofty as to exclude from view the slender white 
 minarets, dark cypresses, and waving palms that 
 they inclose. Half Nikosia is made up of tliese 
 lovely gardens. Everywhere water-pij^es are gently 
 pouring forth their offerings to the thirsty ground, 
 and the whole town is redolent of perfume. The 
 C3'2irian sky resembles that of the Nile Valley in its 
 cloudless, deep blue, and is equally beautiful in its 
 clear expanse ; while as for the climate, a very few 
 days in its soft, delicious, balmy air makes one un- 
 derstand why, of all the Grecian islands, Cyprus 
 should have been allotted the privilege of being re- 
 garded as the favorite residence of the Goddess of 
 Love. At first I felt inclined to linger in this lovely 
 spot and make myself acquainted with its literature; 
 but a nearer view showed me my time would not be 
 profitably spent. Society there v. as none, the few 
 Europeans the city contained being entirely engaged 
 in striving to make a little money. 
 
 Domestic life in Cyprus is generally confined 
 within the precincts of its beautiful gardens, and in 
 most of its relations is strictly Turkish. Women of 
 the hisrher classes in Nikosia wear a delicate w^hite 
 veil and silken garments, instead of the bright blue, 
 yellow, and red veil usually seen in the other 
 towns. 
 
24: CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Dr. Clark, in lils "Trav(3ls," says:— "The inter- 
 esting costume presented in the dress of the Cyprian 
 ladies ought not to pass unnoticed. Their head 
 aj)parel was precisely modelled after the kind of 
 calathus represented upon the Phtenician idols of 
 the country and Egyptian statues. This was worn 
 by women of all ranks, from the wives of the con- 
 suls to their slaves. Their hair, dyed of a fine 
 brown color by means of a plant called ' henna,' 
 huno: behind in numerous lono: straio-ht braids; and, 
 in some ringlets disposed near the face, were fast- 
 ened blossoms of the jessamine, sti'ung together up- 
 on strips of leaves of the palm-tree in a very curious 
 and pleasing manner. Next to the Calmuk women, 
 the Grecians are, of all others, best versed in cos- 
 metic arts. They possess the valuable secret of 
 giving a brown coloi' to the whitest locks, and also 
 tinge the eyebrows the same hue, an art that would 
 be highly prized in London and Paris. The most 
 splendid colors are displayed in their habits, and 
 these are very becoming to the girls of the island. 
 The iipjDer robe is always of scarlet, crimson, or 
 green silk, embroidered with. gold. Like other 
 Greek women, they wear long scarlet pantaloons, 
 fastened round the ankle, and yellow boots, with 
 slippers of the same color. Around the neck and 
 from the Lead are suspended a profusion of gold 
 coins, chains, and other trinkets. About their 
 waists they have a large belt, or zone, fastened in 
 
NIKOSIA. 25 
 
 front by two large and heavily-polished brass plates. 
 They endeavor to make the waist as long as possi- 
 ble, and their legs consequently short. Naturally 
 corpulent, they take no pains to diminish the size of 
 their bodies by lacing, but seem rather vain of their 
 bulk, exposing their bosoms at the same time in a 
 manner highly unbecoming. Notwithstanding the 
 extraordinary pains they use to disfigure their natu- 
 ral beauty by all manner of ill-selected ornaments, 
 the women of Cyprus are handsomer than those of 
 auy other Grecian island. They have a taller and 
 more stately figure, and the features, particulai'ly of 
 the women of Nikosia, are regular and dignified, 
 exhibiting; that elevated cast of countenance so uni- 
 versally admired in the works of Greek artists. At 
 present this kind of beauty seems peculiar to the 
 women of Cyprus." 
 
 The women of Nikosia walk lightly and gracefully, 
 instead of presenting the appearance, as do many of 
 their country-women, of stuffed sacks rollino; along, 
 and unlike most Turkish ladies, can often boast neat 
 and slender figures. In my own opinion the town 
 does not contain more than 12,000 inhabitants, many, 
 Jiowever, estimate their number as 18,000. 
 
 In former times Nikosia Avas some miles in circum- 
 ference and was three times as lai'ge as it is now. 
 Ruins of churches and cloisters are to be seen in all 
 directions outside the present town. Of late years 
 
 the Greek and Turkish inhabitants associate much 
 2 
 
26 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 more freely tlian formerly. Turkish servants are 
 often met with in Greek houses, and intermarriages 
 are by no means uncommon. The dress of the peas- 
 antry is almost Turkish, and pillau, essentially a 
 Turkish dish, is commonly seen on every taljle in 
 the island. Many of the professed Mussulmans are 
 actually Christians, and have their children bap- 
 tized in secret. Their forefathers were followers of 
 the Prophet through fear and compulsion,, and it 
 would expose any one to much persecution and ob- 
 loquy, who openly declared that he no longer be- 
 longed to that faith. 
 
 During the days of Venetian rule, many Italian 
 words became orrafted into the lanoua^-e, whilst 
 French, on the contrary, is entirely forgotten in 
 Cyprus. In Nikosia, the Turkish inhabitants pride 
 themselves on the purity ^vitli which they speak 
 their own language ; indeed, I am informed that 
 nowhere, except in Constantino2:)le, can this l)e heard 
 in greater perfection. The Grecian population speak 
 Greek. This desire on the part of the Turks to 
 keep their language pure and undefiled, must l)e re- 
 garded as a lingering attempt to preserve the ancient 
 renown and dignity of ^N^ikosia in a time when its 
 homes were palaces, and their inhabitants wealthy 
 and esteemed. Of their ancient mansions but little 
 is now left beyond a few stately ruins. Many of 
 the fine old walls have been broken down within 
 some feet of the ground, and upon them wretched 
 
NIKOSIA. 27 
 
 little huts of wood aud clay erected to serve as a 
 liasty refuge for some indigent family. If asked 
 why they do not bestow more care upon their houses, 
 the indolent workmen will inform you, that, " it is 
 not worth while to build better on account of the 
 frequent earthquakes." On these occasions I have 
 often felt tempted to incpiire if earthquakes were 
 only known to the modern Cypiiotes ? The ancient 
 buildings of the island are readily recognized by 
 the lar£ce blocks of brown freestone of which the 
 walls are built. 
 
 The Cathedral of St. Sophia forms the centre of 
 attraction in Nikosia. This fine edifice is built in 
 the Gothic style, and richly decorated ; of this or- 
 namentation, only the carved stone-work remains. 
 The pillared interior of the church is approached 
 from the portico by three arched portals. The avails 
 of this noble building are decorated by whitewash, 
 and, to ])lease the Turkish taste, pillars and capitjils 
 are streaked and daubed with red, green and yel- 
 low. Happily the beautiful ai'ched windows are 
 still framed in rich carving. The base of the bell 
 to\ver is adorned with two unusually higli minarets. 
 Close to the Cathedral is the Church of St. Nicho- 
 las, with its three noble entrance gates ; here all the 
 niches are charmingly decorated with a living tracery 
 in the shape of a great variety of stonecrop. The 
 fine interior of this church is now used as a gran- 
 ary. The Archbishop's chai)el is another interesting 
 
28 CYPEUS, HISTOEICxiL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 building, of ^vliicli the walls are covered with an- 
 cient pictures. The archiepiscopal throne with its 
 gilding and the handsome altar-screen, are but dimly 
 seen in the mellow half-light. 
 
 As I left the Archiepiscopal chapel, I was met T)y 
 a young j)i'»«st, who "brought me a friendly invita- 
 tion to take a cup of coffee with the Lord Arch- 
 bishop. I had so much still to see that I felt com- 
 pelled to decline this courtesy. The young priest 
 modestly urged that it was the custom for all stran- 
 gers to pay their respects to his Grace, and that I 
 should not willingly be the first to decline. My 
 time only permitted me to make a hurried call, 
 which fact I, however, since much regretted, as I 
 afterwards found that the head of the Cypriau 
 Church is a worthy and distinguished man, who 
 well deserves his title of ^axapiooraroz. 
 
 A dignitary of the Greek Church may certainly 
 be considered as much more fortunately situated 
 than any other official in Europe. During his en- 
 tire life he can mount a perfect Jacob's ladder of 
 preferments and emoluments, and may don every 
 shade of color, in robes of black, green, yelloAV, and 
 red to rich purple ; he can also exhibit a variety of 
 crosiei's and mitres. The Archbishop of Cyprus, 
 who has now obtained the highest rank, signs his 
 name with red ink, seals with the imperial double- 
 headed eagle, carries a shepherd's crook, surmounted 
 by a golden orb, and bears a title enumerating his 
 
NIKOSIA. 29 
 
 saintly and lordly attributes. The income of this 
 dignitary is derived from two sources — voluntary 
 offerings and tithes, and suras paid for dispensa- 
 tions, mai'riages, and masses. The archbishop has 
 many claims upon this revenue, and has annually to 
 send money to Constantinople, the Archbishop of 
 Cyprus being a vassal of the Sultan's. The four 
 bishops of Cyprus, though chosen from its capital, 
 are also compelled to obtain the consent of this 
 potentate to their election. The Greek priests are 
 said to average two per cent, of the Avhole popula- 
 tion ; it may therefore be supposed that their posi- 
 tion is a degraded one, and their incomes very 
 small. Many of those in Nikosia can scarcely do 
 more than i-ead the services and perform the vari- 
 ous ceremonies with proper intelligence and deco- 
 rum, whilst those in the village cures are so re- 
 duced that they must often resort to the mending 
 of shoes, and tending of sheep and cattle, to earn a 
 bare livelihood. 
 
 The church of St. Katherine, now turned into a 
 mosque, has a fine entrance, adorned with three 
 arches and pillars, with Corinthian capitals. Two 
 stately marble columns lie in the coui-t-yard ; these, 
 with their fine carved escutcheons, have been torn 
 down by the Turks and employed as seats. The 
 graves of the brave defenders of the city are still 
 held in honoi', and small cupolas are erected to mark 
 their resting-places. The spot where the first Turk 
 
30 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 mounted and fell when the city was stoi-med, is also 
 distinguished by a small dome. The gravestone is 
 marble, and the coiSn of wood, overshadowed by 
 the green flag of the Prophet. Nikosia can boast a 
 very unusual number of churches and mosques, and 
 we are told that, when the city was at the height 
 of its glory, there were no less than two hundred 
 and fifty chapels and churches. Cyprus is also 
 especially remarkable for the number of graves of 
 its saints. 
 
 In all asres the island was rej^arded as a harbor 
 of refuge from persecution or tyranny, and its close 
 proximity to Syria and Palestine attracted many 
 suffering Christians to its shores. In the thirteenth 
 century Cyprus joossessed no less than fourteen 
 bisho2)rics, each of which were founded on some 
 memorable or sacred spot. Paul and Barnabas, we 
 know, preached the Gospel in Cyprus, and we learn 
 that many were turned from the error of their ways 
 to commence a new life. Accompanied by John, 
 the Apostles landed at Salamis, and traveled over 
 the whole island, preaching especially in the syna- 
 gogues of the Greek Jews, who were then veiy 
 numerous. In Paplios they encountered the Roman 
 consul Sei'gius Paulus, who speedily became a con- 
 vert, and here Elymas, the sorcerei', ^vas struck by 
 them with temporary blindness, as a chastisement 
 for his endeavors to turn away their converts from 
 the true faith. The Apostle Saul here adopted the 
 
KIKOSU. 31 
 
 Roman fasliion and cliano-ed Lis name to Paulus. 
 St. Barnabas afterward suffered martyrdom in Sal- 
 amis, Avliere lie Avas burned to death. Durine the 
 reign of Justinian, his grave was opened and a copy 
 of the Gospel of St. MattheAv found lying on his 
 breast. Salamis was also the birthplace of the cele- 
 brated St. Katherine. 
 
 The royal palace of Nikosia was built in the Nor- 
 man-Gothic style and must have been a noble edifice. 
 "With the exception of an arched doorway, however, 
 but little now remains beyond the outer walls, with 
 gaps where the Avindows once Avere, and balconies 
 Avith Avooden latticeAvork and Avooden roofs. This 
 ])alace Avas formerly the residence of the pacha. 
 Dui'ing my visit to the city the jails Avere full of 
 prisoners; the majority of these, I Avas told, were 
 sent over from Syrian prisons to Avork out their 
 terms of impi-isonment. The Cypriotes themselves 
 bore the character of being peaceable in their habits, 
 and not easily roused to acts of violence and crime. 
 
 In the court of the palace stands a high pillar, 
 AA'hich tradition says criminals used to be compelled 
 to mount before receiviiif): their sentences. I could 
 fancy this ancient pillar, ornamented Avitli Avinged 
 lions, must resemble that in the market-place in 
 Venice. I observed also the shattered remains of 
 another Yenetian lion, Avhich, a feAv years ago, Avas 
 Avantonly destroyed by one of the ])achas. Near 
 the pillar above alluded to are reared three grave- 
 
32 CYPEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCEITTIVE. 
 
 stones, decorated with knightly escutcheons and 
 Latin inscrii:)tions. 
 
 In the evening I dined with the pacha, a gentle- 
 man of great intelligence, who has had a most thor- 
 ough European education. Our conversation hap- 
 pened to turn upon those interesting relics of past 
 ages. My host spoke with much regret of the dam- 
 age constantly and wantonly done to them l>y Turk- 
 ish soldiers, and bitterly deplored his own inability 
 to check their destructive propensities, which are 
 all the more difficult of restraint, as they pi'oceed 
 fi'om religious enthusiasm ; followers of ^lalionuned 
 being strictly prohibited, by the Koran, to make any 
 image; this prohibition being not only confided to 
 works of wood and stone, but including the precious 
 works of the sculptor and the painter. Before quit- 
 tins: this interestins: citv, I cannot refrain from add- 
 ing the testimony of a writer of the fourteenth cen- 
 tury to the salubrity of the climate around this 
 city. " Nikosia," he tells us, " lies beneath the shel- 
 ter of surrounding hills, and is noted for the health- 
 iness of its air and the purity of its balmy breezes. 
 For this reason it was selected as the i-esidence of 
 the court, nobility, bishops, and in fact all sucli as 
 were free to choose where thev misrht settle. Tour- 
 naments and huntino: formed their chief amuse- 
 ments; leopards and a species of mountain goat being 
 the favorite objects of chase." The same authority 
 states that the nobility of Cyprus were at that 
 
NIKOSLl. 33 
 
 period the richest in the world, an income of 3,000 
 gidden being regarded with no more respect than a 
 few shillings would be in other places. All these 
 fine fortunes seem to have suffered severely from 
 the heavy expenses attendant on their favoiite pas- 
 times. We are told of a count of Jaffa, that he 
 kept five hundred hounds and a servant for every 
 two dogs. Many of these nobles did not have less 
 than two hundred men as falconers and huntsmen. 
 Durinor their huntins: excursions it was no uncom- 
 mon thing for them to camp out in the woods and 
 mountains for a month at a time, sleeping in their 
 tents, and taking camels and mules with them, over- 
 laden with all the necessaries of life. These nobles, 
 we are told, were men of education and experience, 
 speaking many languages, and hearing all the news 
 of the world from the intercourse they had with the 
 constant stream of travelers who visited this richly- 
 endowed and famous land from all parts. The 
 same writer tells us that the city of Famagusta was 
 still more noted than Nikosia for its riches, and 
 enumerates the followinsr instances of reckless ex- 
 penditure and rich possessions. 
 
 " The daughter of a citizen in this city, is stated 
 at the time of her betrothal to have been endowed 
 with Jewels that exceeded in value those in the 
 croAvn of the King of France. One of the mer- 
 chants of Famagusta, we are told, sold to the Sultan, 
 for the sum of 60,000 gulden, an imperial ball of 
 
34: CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 gold set with four fine stones, an emenild, a carbun- 
 cle, a pearl, and a sapphire; some years after, desir- 
 ing to repossess it, he oifered the monarch 100,000 
 gulden, if he -would return it, but was refused. Of 
 the profusion of gold cloth, rich stuffs, and jewels 
 of all kinds, he tells us he feels sure his statements 
 would be recfarded as incredible. The wood of the 
 aloe alone, which is elsewhere regarded as very val- 
 uable, is so common here as to be held in no es- 
 teem." 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CYPRUS I]Sr THE MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 WiiEX standing amidst tLe grand relics of a past 
 age wbieli meet the eye at every turn in the capital 
 of this beautiful island, or when wandeiing about 
 its dirty narrow streets, I could not but reflect on 
 the manifold changes this fine city has undergone, 
 and picture the days when she stood in the zenith 
 of her fame and beauty. 
 
 The career of Cyprus is without a parallel in the 
 history of the world. Here we find established in 
 the very heart of the East, on Phoenician Grecian 
 foundations, a mighty kingdom distinguished by its 
 high display of all that adorned the finest age of 
 chivalry, and in spite of all the agitations Avhich be- 
 set the outer world, retaining these traditions till 
 the close of the sixteenth century, when the Turks 
 swej^t down upon her, carrying ruin and destruction 
 in their train. 
 
 It will be worth one's while to linsrer for a few 
 minutes whilst we note the history of Cyprus dur- 
 ing these four centuries. "This sweet island," as 
 the poets of the country are fond of calling her, was 
 
 for nine hundred years under the dominion of the 
 ^ 35 
 
36 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Byzantine kings, until in 1191 it was seized upon in 
 a burst of anger by our own impetuous and rasb 
 Coeur de Lion, whose indignation had been excited 
 by a refusal to allow his queen, Berengaria, to land. 
 He at once forced a landing at Liraasol, stormed the 
 city, overthrew the prince's army, and overspread 
 the whole island, compelling the people to submit 
 to him. 
 
 A j^rince of the house of Comnena was at this 
 time on the throne. Bichard, for the first time aware 
 of the value of his new possession as a gathering 
 point and resting-place in any further attempts upon 
 the Turks, and yet unable to take the government 
 upon his own shoulders, resolved to make money of 
 his lucky acquisitions, and offered the crown to 
 "Wido (Guido) Lusignan, ex-king of Jerusalem, for 
 the sum of 100,000 ducats. During the time of 
 Richard's possession he conducted himself with 
 much severity to the inhabitants. Half the land 
 was at once appropriated to the use of himself and 
 his followers, a certain portion was set aside for his 
 personal expenses and the endowment of churches 
 and monasteries, and the rest divided and allotted 
 as feudal tenures to his followers. 
 
 Such an El Dorado was not to be regarded with 
 indifference by the adventurous knights of Christen- 
 dom, and numbers followed in the wake of Bichard 
 to receive their share of the titles and baronial fiefs 
 that were being lavished around. 
 
CYPRUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 37 
 
 As years went on, and one place after anotlier 
 was wrested from Christendom, monks and priests, 
 to find a comfortable resting-place, turned their 
 steps to Cyprus. 
 
 Wido de Lusignan had brought no less than three 
 hundred knights and two hundred squires in his 
 train. These Knight Templars at once erected a 
 lodge to their order in Limasol, and twenty years 
 afterward their numbers had greatly increased ; 
 some were English and German, but the majority 
 Italians and Frenchmen. A reign of chivalry now 
 arose ^vhich drew the eyes of Europe to this small 
 and famed island. Wido, the first king of the Lu- 
 signan dynasty, only reigned three years, but his 
 reign was marked by strenuous efforts to complete 
 the subjection of the Cypriotes by the building of 
 sti'ong castles and fortresses. Order and justice dis- 
 tinguished his sway. 
 
 Am al rick, his brother and successor, was no sooner 
 installed than he summoned his folloAvers and an- 
 nounced his intention of at once offering his crown 
 as a fief to some monarch powerful enough to pi'o- 
 tect him from all enemies. An embassy was sent to 
 offer allegiance to the Emperor Henry the Sixth, of 
 Germany, Avho recognized the importance of the step, 
 and consented to uphold Amalrick as his vassal. 
 The Archbishop of Trami and Brindisi was dis- 
 patched to liear a sceptre to the royal vassal, and 
 desire that the coronation might take place in the 
 
38 CYPKUS, HISTORICAL iVND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 emperor's presence when lie visited the Holy Land. 
 Amalrick, however, was averse to this delay, and 
 his royal master therefore consented that the cere- 
 mony shoidd be performed before a de2:)uty. 
 
 In Sei)tember, 1107, Bishop Hildesheim, the Im- 
 perial Chancellor, arrived, and received the oaths of 
 the new Iving. The coronation w^as then celebrated 
 before him in the principal church in Nikosia. Now 
 commenced a long career of knightly deeds and 
 chiv^alrous enterprises, led under the banner of the 
 King of Cyprus, and many notable feats were per- 
 formed by sea ayd land. 
 
 From 1285 to 1373 must be reijarded as the most 
 glorious period of this career of enterprise, the reigns 
 of Henry the Second, Hugo the Fourth, and Peter 
 the First being particularly distinguished in the 
 annals of the times ; Smyrna and Alexandria were 
 conquered, and the emirs upon the coast compelled 
 to pay tribute. 
 
 At this epoch, Cyprus was the centre of Eastern 
 commerce, and merchandise was brought thither 
 from Asia and Europe, either for exchange, or to be 
 forwarded to other hands. The toAvns of Limasol, 
 Paphos, and Keryneia, were crowded witli merchan- 
 dise from Constantinople, Beyrout, Damascus, and 
 Alexandria, from Venice, Pisa, Genoa, Bai-celona, and 
 Marseilles. Famagusta was regarded as the princi- 
 pal mart of the Mediterranean, and a constant stream 
 of pilgrims enlivened all the havens of Cyprus. 
 
CYPRUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 39 
 
 With tlie improved cultivation of tlie land and 
 siicli developed commerce large sums of money were 
 made, and in proportion as the wealth of the island 
 increased an equal change in its inhabitants arose, 
 and self-indulgence and gross extravagance began 
 to sap the strength of the upper classes. The high- 
 est prosperity of Cyprus may be said to have con- 
 tinued for two hundred years. In 1337 its misfor- 
 tunes recommenced. The Genoese fell upon the 
 island and met with little or no resistance from the 
 inhabitants, who Avere quite unprepared for the at- 
 tack. Famagusta became the head-(j[uarters of these 
 merciless oppressors, who at once stretched forth an 
 iron hand upon the trade of the country. C3'pi'us 
 never rallied from this blow. A feeble attempt 
 was made to drive out the invaders, but the Geno- 
 ese called in the assistance of the Egyptian Mame- 
 lukes, who compelled the Cypriotes to pay them 
 tribute. 
 
 Now arose a scene of anarchy and rapid decline ; 
 every man's hand was against every man, and pri- 
 vate revenge took the place of law and order. The 
 interposition of the Venetian rule at this time must 
 be regarded as a decided improvement on such a 
 state of things. Katherine, the daughter of a lofty 
 Venetian patrician, w^is given in marriage to James, 
 the now insignificant prince of the unfortunate 
 island, and jointly shared his throne. The marriage 
 was celebrated in 1421, and the Venetian Senate 
 
40 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 adopted the queen as a daiigliter of St. Mark. In 
 1473 James died, and the Venetian Government at 
 once assumed charge of his son. This child, how- 
 ever, dying, Katherine was persuaded by the Senate 
 to abdicate in their favor. JMeau while Charlotte 
 Lusignan, only daughter of John the Third, who 
 had married her cousin Louis, son of the Duke of 
 Sav^oy and Anna of Cyprus, went to reside in Rome, 
 ■where she died in 1487, bequeathing her claims to 
 Charles, Duke of Savoy, in consequence of Avhich 
 the sovereigns of that dynasty assumed the titles of 
 kings of Cyprus and Jerusalem. (This interesting 
 fact will explain the feeling ^vitli wdiich our inter- 
 ference with the island has been regarded in Italy.) 
 The Venetian rulers at once attemj^ted to restore 
 order and foster expiring commerce, but w-ithout 
 much success. 
 
 In 1571 the last traces of Cyprian glory disap- 
 peared under the blighting shadow of the Turkish 
 banner. The people did not surrender without a 
 struggle, but they were much enfeebled, and their 
 Venetian rulers had already more possessions than 
 they could maintain by force of arms. All Europe 
 trembled before the successful troops of Suliman 
 the Third. In 1566 the Cypriotes were commanded 
 to fortify their capital, the city was to be reduced 
 to a third of its then size, and surrounded by walls, 
 moats, and eleven bastions, all buildings beyond 
 these limits to be destroj'ed. The nobility and 
 
CYPRUS IN THE MIDDLE AGES. 41 
 
 people willingly obeyed, and consented not only to 
 execute the order, but bear all attendant expenses. 
 Mansions and villas were torn down to make way 
 for the fortresses. Even the Dominican cloister, 
 which contained the graves of their kings, was sac- 
 rificed, and of the eleven gates that then surrounded 
 Nikosia only three were allowed to remain stand- 
 in fj. 
 
 Selim the Second, Suliraan's successor, had a 
 strong taste for Cyprian wine, the companion in his 
 carousals beins; a Portucjuese Jew called JNIiijuez 
 
 CI? o o 
 
 Nassy. This man had once professed Christianity, 
 but had found it convenient to renounce his faith. 
 He is said to have incited Selim to put his son ou 
 the throne of C^piais. In order to accomplish this 
 end Selim appeared before Limasol in 1570, with, 
 the Turkish fleet. The arsenal in Venice was set 
 in flames at this time; this act is suj)posed to have 
 been committed by incendiaries sent thither to 
 Nassy for that purpose. The Venetians in Cyprus 
 had no force to withstand the Turkish troops, and 
 the Cypriotes were too spirit-broken to fight for the 
 land that was only cultivated to enrich their merci- 
 less taskmasters. 
 
 The Proveditore, Nicolaus Dandolo, decided to 
 surrender the whole of the island, with the excep- 
 tion of Famagusta and Nikosia. The Turks landed 
 without any further hindrance and marched at once 
 to the capital with 100,000 men, wdiilst their fleet 
 
4^ CYPEUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 kept guard, lest assistance might be sent from 
 Europe. For seven weeks the city sustained the 
 siege, and the nobility, ably supported by the lower 
 orders, bore themselves like brave and desperate 
 men. Twice the Turks led an assault, and twice 
 were gloriously repulsed, until they were obliged to 
 send for a reinforcement of 10,000 men, including 
 many sailors, to aid them in the desj^erate struggle. 
 The bold defenders of the capital were at no time 
 more than 100,000 strong. 
 
 In the night on the 9th of September began the 
 third general storming of the doomed city. The 
 whole ai'my threw itself as one man against the 
 walls, and before sunrise three bastions were in the 
 enemy's hands ; l!0,000 men fell at the first shock, 
 but their places were soon filled by those avIio 
 pressed behind. The unfortunate women, as soon 
 as they saw that all was lost, flung themselves in 
 numbei's from the roofs of the houses, and many 
 daughters, we are told, met their death at the hand 
 of their father or mother to save them from a worse 
 fate. The carnage and woi'k of destruction lasted. 
 for eight days, and when it ceased, Avhat had once 
 been a fair city was a mere ojien space, covered 
 with blackened ruins, with only its still towering 
 cathedral dome looking down upon the scene. Two 
 thousand Turks remained to keep possession, whilst 
 the rest of the army marched on to Famagusta. 
 
 Nikosia was in the hands of the Mussulmans, and 
 
CYPEUS m THE MIDDLE AGES. 43 
 
 the last Christian city in the East entirely destroyed. 
 Enormous booty, comprising an immense amount of 
 jewels, gold cloth, and fine works of art, and nearly 
 a thousand of the fairest and noblest maidens, were 
 put on board three ships to be sent to Constanti- 
 nople as tribute from Cyprus to the Sultan. A 
 Greek lady on board, preferring death to the fate 
 that awaited her, found her way to the powder 
 magazine, which she ignited. The ship at once ex- 
 ploded, setting fire to its companion vessels, which 
 were also totally destroyed ; only a few sailors 
 saved themselves by swimming. Four years later, 
 Sultan Selim, having enjoyed the choicest Cyprian 
 "wine to his heart's content, happened one day to 
 take a fuller cup than usual before entering his 
 bath, his foot slipped and his skull was fractured 
 on its marble floor. He only survived this accident 
 eleven days. 
 
CHAPTER Y. 
 
 DRAWING UP OF THE STATUTES. 
 
 We will now give our readers a brief sketcli of 
 the position held by tlie various classes during these 
 three centuries. The knights and citizens, the for- 
 mer principally French and Italian by birth, and 
 the latter Greeks, Romans, Syrians, and Jews, were 
 free. The patrician families in the towns took 
 rank with the knights, and the household slaves 
 were under the protection of the Government. The 
 peasantry, on the contrary, -were all held in bond- 
 age, and may be divided into three classes. The 
 first class gave their lord two days' service in the 
 week, paid a poll-tax, and a third of all profits. 
 The second class only paid the poll-tax, but were 
 compelled to remain upon the land, whilst the third 
 class (eXevOepa) Avere free to change their master, 
 but were compelled to pay the half of their earn- 
 ings to the lord under whose protection they pre- 
 ferred to live. 
 
 The king held his crown in the character of vas- 
 sal to the German Emperor, and the heir-apparent 
 was called Prince of Antioch. The chief ofiicials of 
 
 the crown were the Seneschal, Marshal, Chamber- 
 
 44 
 
DRAWING UP THE STATUTES. 45 
 
 ]ain, and Constable ; after them came the baronial 
 vassals {les hommes da royaiune), and next in order 
 their dependants {les hommes liges). The barons 
 were privileged to carry a square banner, with the 
 motto " Cour, coin, justice," to indicate that they 
 enjoyed the homage and tribute of their serfs, and 
 had power to chastise the latter by right of law. 
 The eldest son inherited the fief, and in default of 
 male issue, the eldest dauo^hter. Homas-e had to 
 be rendered for feudal tenure, and was perfoi'med 
 in this wise : The vassal, male and female, knelt 
 before the king, who took their hands in his own, 
 whilst tliey declared themselves his true vassals, 
 "ready to protect and revenge him to their last 
 breath." To which the king replied : " In God's 
 name and my own I receive your homage." 
 
 If the vassal was a lady above twelve years old, 
 her feudal lord was obliged to give her the choice of 
 three knights, one of whom she must marry within 
 a given time ; should she refuse, her fief was for- 
 feited for a year and a day, and she was called upon 
 every year to yield until she was sixty years of age. 
 Should the feudal chief on the contrary neglect this 
 part of his duty, the lady was privileged to demand 
 a choice of three knights, aijd bestow her hand on 
 the one she preferred. All the barons appeared in 
 stated times at the high court, accompanied by their 
 vassals. In these assemblies all kind of weighty 
 business was discussed in presence of the king, dis- 
 
46 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 putes arranged, and sentences of death passed for 
 heavy crimes. There was also a lower court for the 
 decision of legal suits. One of the decrees is worthy 
 of note : " Whoever shall apj^ear in this court and 
 bear false witness, l)e he the noblest in the land, he 
 shall lose his head." The court was composed of 
 the king's vicomte or de23uty, and twelve sworn 
 justices chosen from the free citizens. All questions 
 of the privileges of the citizens and commercial 
 rights, as well as of theft and falsehood, were 
 brouGfht before this court. The laws and statutes 
 in force were contained in a volume called " The 
 Assizes of Jerusalem," the " Livres des Assises et 
 Bons Coutumes," a splendid memorial of painstak- 
 ing wisdom and anxious thought. 
 
 It has been stated that this fine collection of 
 statutes was compiled by Godfrey de Bouillon, with 
 tlie assistance of the wisest and noblest of his fol- 
 lowers, after the conquest of Jerusalem. This was 
 most probably a mere fable. Certain, however, it 
 is that a double volume of laws, one for the upper, 
 and the other for the lower court, Avas comj^iled 
 in Jerusalem, inscribed in large letters, and sealed 
 by the king, patriarch, and vicomte. This work 
 was inclosed in a chest and deposited in the church 
 of the Holy Sepulchre. It was decreed that the 
 volume should not betaken from the chest except in 
 the presence of those who had signed it, two priests 
 belono^ins: to the church, and four maiiristrates. 
 
DEAWING UP OF THE STATUTES. 47 
 
 This collection of statutes was also known as the 
 "Lettres clu Sepulcre." After the loss of Jerusa- 
 lem this volume disappeared, but the same statutes 
 \vei'e enforced in the high court at Akkon or Ptolo- 
 mais, and were adopted in Cyprus. From thence 
 they were taken to Constantinople in 1204, and to 
 the Morea in 1210. 
 
 In the schools of jurisprudence in Nikosia the 
 statutes contained in the " Assizes of Jerusalem," 
 were brought to great perfection with the aid of 
 many able and leading men in the island; of these 
 latter a long list of names has been preserved. The 
 founder of this famous school of law, John dTbelin, 
 Baron of Beyrout, was called John the Old, to distin- 
 guish him from his nephew, who bore the same name. 
 
 This noble, and Philip of Navarre, who boasted 
 of having been present at every siege and attack 
 of any importance in his time, Avere the most cele- 
 brated of this noteworthy group of public benefac- 
 tors. Amongst other names, were those of Balph 
 of Tiberias, Godfrey le Tort, Gerard of Montreal, 
 and John of Ibelin, Count of Jaffa and Askalon, 
 and nephew of John the Old. The ehler Ibelin 
 and Philip of Navarre had been leaders in the long 
 and bloody strife, in whicb French chivalry in the 
 East had frustrated the plans of the Emperor Fred, 
 erick the Second,* who was anxious to combine the 
 
 * Emperor of Germany. 
 
48 CYPRUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTTV^E. 
 
 political and military strength of Cy^^rus under Lis 
 own imperial rule. 
 
 All the other knightly law-makers above enumer- 
 ated took part in this war. This emperor, Avho had 
 already overcome the unruly nobility of his Italian 
 dominions, had attained so high a reputation for 
 wisdom and justice during his sojourn in the East, 
 that many of the highest in rank and intellect sup- 
 ported his claims either openly or secretly. Philip 
 of Navarre, who had dilisrentlv searched throuo-h 
 many collections of laws, set himself to obtain all 
 possible assistance from tlie law courts of Nikosia, 
 Akkon, and Beyrout, and completed his arduous 
 labors l»y arranging his materials into one grand 
 statute book. This valuable Avork was afterward 
 considerably improved and enlarged by John of 
 Ibelin, Like the "Lettres du S^pulcre," this work 
 was sealed up and placed in the cathedral in Niko- 
 sia, and might only be opened in the presence of 
 the kins: and four barohs. In this volume we iind 
 the entire code of the Middle Ages, and might take 
 to heart many a lesson from the careful wisdom and 
 far-seeino: acuteness with Avhich its laws were com- 
 piled. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 SAN CHEISOSTOMO. 
 
 Cyprus, the most eastern island of the Mediterra- 
 nean, must be resrarded as belonc^inir to Western 
 Eui'ope, if we are to class it by its architecture, its 
 Gothic cathedrals, lordly castles, and ruined abbeys ; 
 yet its mountain ranges would seem to connect it 
 with Syria and its open plains with Egypt, Of all 
 the ruins of the age of chivalry, that of the castle of 
 Buffavento, " the defier of storms," is certainly the 
 noblest and most interesting. Never, even in Spain 
 or Italy, have I seen a finer combination of rugged 
 grandeur and romantic charm than is to be found in 
 this extensive ruin. Most ancient castles stand on 
 an eminence of some few hundred feet, but the crest 
 of Buifavento is reared as high as the Lion Moun- 
 tain, a dark rocky pyramid 3,000 feet above the 
 level of the sea. Early on the morning of the 24th 
 of April I rode forth followed by my dragoman, zap- 
 tieh, and other servants, to visit this interesting 
 ruin, the foot of the mountain on which it stands 
 being about four leagues from Nikosia. My drago- 
 man and I carried our guns with us, and as we left 
 the town were at once stopped by some soldiers 
 3 49 
 
50 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL A]ST) DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 "wlio wished to take them from ns, it not being 
 legal, they told us, for foreigners to carry arms iii 
 Cyprus. 
 
 After a lengthened parley, and many assurances 
 from my men that I was under the protection, and 
 a personal friend, of th.e pacha's, we were allowed to 
 proceed, and went on our way rejoicing. Our road 
 now lay through the broad and fruitful plain of 
 Messaria: golden corn was waving in the breeze, 
 and not a living creature was visiljle on the vast 
 expanse ; only the song of the lark was to be heard 
 as it rose and fell in the blue sky above us. 
 
 It was still early morning, and the Cypriotes have 
 an opinion that it is not safe to visit their fields and 
 pastures till later in the day. The silence was so 
 intense as to be almost painful, and the lovely land- 
 scape did not seem to coincide with the deathdike 
 quiet that reigned around. 
 
 We passed two small villages, which appeared 
 deserted, but for the crowing of a cock which -was 
 perched on a mud ^^'all. AVlien we reached Manilla, 
 Ave had to ride throucfh the bed of the ancient river 
 Pedias, the Avater of which, it T)eing the end of April, 
 was low enough to admit of our crossing in safety. 
 As Ave landed on the other side, Ave saw, for the 
 ■first time that day, some laborers in tlie fields. 
 These Avere the four Avives of an amply-l)earded old 
 Turk, Avho calmly smoked his pipe, keeping his eye 
 on his family meauAvhilCj to see they did not shirk 
 
SAN CHRISOSTOMO. 51 
 
 tlielr AYork, wliicli consisted of lopping off the ears 
 of corn with a small sickle — mere child's play. As 
 we approached, the old man shouted out something 
 to his better halves, and one of them, a negress, im- 
 mediately threw part of her garment over her face, 
 and turned away. With the other three, however, 
 curiosity overcame their bashfulness, and their veils 
 were only slowly drawn down after we had enjoyed 
 a good look at their very ordinary faces. As we 
 continued our way, the line of mountains that bor- 
 dered the coast lay before us in an uninterrupted 
 line, thirty leagues in length, forming a natural bul- 
 wark along the northern portion of the island, and 
 terminating in the Carpasian peninsula. This range 
 reminded me of the Yosges mountains, but is much 
 more varied in form, and is far richer in its produc- 
 tions. 
 
 The highest peak of this range is only from 2,000 
 to 3,000 feet high, but passing as it does through an 
 extensive open plain, the effect of its height is very 
 deceptive, the mountains appearing very much higher 
 than they actually are. The crests of 'this range 
 display every form of rocky beauty, and its peaks, 
 chasms, precipices, and bold bluff's are covered in 
 some parts with tints of reddish brown, and in 
 others with a purplish blue mist that gives them an 
 indescribable charm which I have never seen else- 
 where. As we approached these mountains, the 
 ground rose gradually, and we perceived the rocks 
 
52 CYPBUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 were quite bare, every variety of tint being pro- 
 duced by the play of the sunbeams on the rugged 
 stones. 
 
 We now di-ew nigh the monastery of St. Chrisos- 
 tomo, and very refreshing was the sight of its walls 
 standing embowered in green trees at the base 
 of bare and rugged mountains. Olive-trees were 
 planted in some of its declivities, and oleanders, 
 Avhich had finished flowering, bordering a small riv- 
 ulet. Everything around seemed to woo us to re- 
 pose ; the air was fresh and balmy, and from the 
 mountain heio-ht we heard from time to time the 
 tinkle of the bells of the sheep and goats browsing 
 down below. Two old monks stood at the door to 
 bid us welcome, and insist upon our dismounting 
 and accepting their hospitality. These ajipeared to 
 be the only inhabitants of the half- ruined pile. I 
 liave since learned that the number of monks is 
 steadily decreasing in all the monasteries of Cyprus. 
 In the cloister garden were three lofty cypresses, 
 and a fine palm-tree. Masses of ivy were clinging 
 about the branches of the old apple and orange- 
 trees. This garden is at the height of 1,300 feet 
 above the sea, backed by a wall of rock fully 2,000 
 feet high. The eye turned with relief from this 
 vast, lofty, and rugged expanse, and the dry parched 
 plain beyond, to the soft green of the shady garden, 
 and its rippling water. 
 
 The t\vo old men apj^eared delighted to meet 
 
SAN CHEISOSTOMO. 53 
 
 with an inliabltaiit of the outer world, and earn- 
 estly pressed me to remain for some days. My time 
 was too valuable even for lingering in this delight- 
 ful retreat. Our fare consisted only of vegetables. 
 Cyprian monks would appear to be always fasting 
 — one day they eat turnips and onions, and on the 
 next pumpkins and beans. This fashion is none of 
 the pleasantest in a country where the monasteries 
 are the only houses of entertainment that are always 
 open. As soon as my hosts learnt I was a Bavarian, 
 they informed me that the celebrated Maria of Mo- 
 lino was the foundress of theii- monastery, and a 
 Bavarian by birth. I think the simple-hearted crea- 
 tures had a sort of vague idea that she must have 
 been an ancestress of my own. Dinner over, I 
 seated myself in a cool corner, but was at once en- 
 treated, with outstretched hands, to take another 
 place, as I was still warm after my journey. This is 
 always the way in the East. If you are tired and 
 heated, you must not drink, you must not sleep, and 
 above all, in Heaven's name ! never sit in a draught, 
 without you want to have fever. The only thing 
 you are permitted to do is to throw a covering over 
 you and wait till you are cool. 
 
 These constant precautions are no doubt neces- 
 sary in these climates, still they produce an impres- 
 sion that danger is always at hand. This monastery 
 of St. Chrisostomo, which was, probably, founded 
 at a very early date, contains an ancient picture of 
 
64 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Panagin. Great additions liave been made to the 
 original edifice, including a fine entrance and portal. 
 The church is formed by two chapels with cupolas. 
 At the time of my visit the floors of the chapels 
 were thickly strewn with branches of myrtle in cele- 
 bration of the feast of Easter. It is probable that 
 Mary of Molino only beautified this edifice and in- 
 creased its revenues. Tradition says that the unfor- 
 tunate saint being a leper, was advised by St. Chris- 
 ostomo to bathe in the rivulet in the monastery 
 garden. She did so, and was healed ; her gratitude 
 being shown by munificent gifts to the brotherhood. 
 Certain it is that two hundred years ago crowds 
 of lepers visited this spot, in order to wash in the 
 monastery stream to be cured of their fearful dis- 
 ease. This pilgrimage is now never undertaken, 
 either because the water is not as abundant as in 
 days gone by, or because, happily, this hideous 
 malady is comparatively rare. During my stay in 
 Cyprus I did not see one leper except outside Niko- 
 sia. This same Mary of Molino, whose bones lie in 
 these mountains, according to another tradition, 
 built the castle of Buffavento, choosins: this ele- 
 vated situation, we may suppose, to remove herself 
 entirely from the haunts of men. If she executed 
 such an undertaking, she must have enjoyed the 
 revenues of a princess. Looking up at this grand 
 old pile one is struck by its strength and size, and 
 when, on closer survey, one finds that two similar 
 
SAINT HILARION. 
 
 CAPE GRECO.— See Page 297 
 
SAN CHEISOSTOMO. 55 
 
 fortresses are situated on the same cliain of moun- 
 tains, at about four leasfues rio:lit and left of Buifa- 
 vento, called respectively Kantara and St. Hilarion, 
 tliat these castles command the mountain passes 
 and the roads to the city of Keryneia, and that this 
 town had the l,)est haven on the north side of the 
 island, one is naturally led to conclude that these 
 fortresses were in fact erected by some entei'prising 
 conqueror, in order to hold the whole island under 
 his control. Buifavento, perched high upon the 
 Lion Mountain, looks down upon its companion for- 
 tresses with the air of a defiant spirit gazing down 
 upon the country that it formerly kept in check. 
 On my inquiring of my hosts if any one ever 
 climbed to the castle, they assured me the ascent 
 was some thousand feet high, and that they had no 
 guide to assist me. Their awe-sti"uck manner whilst 
 speaking of such an attempt led me to suppose that 
 they fancied the ruins Avere infested by evil spi- 
 rits. They, however, informed me that ten years 
 ago two Germans attempted the ascent, and that 
 the younger of the two reached the top. This was 
 no doubt the traveler Kotschy, an account of whose 
 ascent is given by his companion Unger.* Encour- 
 aged by this rejiort, I determined to make the at- 
 tempt myself. 
 
 * Uoger uud Kotscby. " Die lusdn Cypern." Wicn, 18G3. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 BUFFAVENTO.* 
 
 Our road (with my servants we were a party of 
 four) lay now for half a league along the declivity, 
 our path appearing and disappearing at frequent in- 
 tervals. As we passed along I observed many bee- 
 hives. These were formed by earthen pots placed 
 one upon another, with a small hole at the side. 
 Close against a rocky flight of ste])S we found a 
 small building in ruins. Here, I am told, there Avas 
 formerly a garden, so lovely that it was known as 
 " Paradise." Buifavento was previously called "the 
 Queen's Castle," Castello de Regina, from its having 
 been a favorite resort of the island queens during 
 the hot season. "We can ^vell imacrine that whilst 
 they held court above, their knights and squires had 
 Jovial times in the neighboring monastery of San 
 Chrisostomo. When we reached the house called 
 " Paradise," I dismounted and looked around. Cer- 
 tainly the spot was one on which the eye loved to 
 linger. Formerly the mountain w^as covered with 
 
 * The dcfier of storms. 
 
 56 
 
BUFFAVENTO. 57 
 
 trees, wlilcli have now disappeared. Below lay i-ip- 
 l>\mg Avaters and fertile pastures, and in the back- 
 ground the beautiful caj^ital of the island. As I 
 looked I saw in the distance a shepherd boy, who, 
 it occurred to me, might be willing to act as guide in 
 our adventurous undertaking. My zaptieh galloped 
 after him and brought him to me. The young peas- 
 ant seemed to regard the matter as an excellent joke, 
 and willingly agreed to conduct us, honestly assur- 
 ing us, however, that he had never yet reached the 
 summit himself. Our guide at once commenced 
 mounting with the agility of a young goat, and I 
 followed in his wake, whilst behind came my drago- 
 man and zaptieh, groaning and panting, with drops 
 of anguish upon their brows. My heart beat with 
 delight when, after half an hour's climbing, we 
 reached the mountain's ridge, and looked down from 
 a precipice several thousand feet high, broken in all 
 directions by enoi'mous clefts and gullies, whilst be- 
 yond lay a broad expanse of l)lue sea. The coast 
 from here is about a leaj^ue from the foot of the 
 mountain, and every inch of the ground is valuable. 
 Gardens, orchards, and meadows extended formerly 
 in all directions. Aloni? the coast are small villa<?es, 
 lying, as is very unusual in Cyprus, so near, that I 
 could see from the one to the other. In this narrow 
 strip of country are still to be found some traces of 
 the ancient beauty and fertility of this neglected 
 island. This is certainly rightly regarded as the 
 
58 CYPRUS, HISTOBICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 richest district in Cyprus, whilst its fine sea-breezes 
 and numerous mountain-streams render it one of 
 the healthiest. My gaze lingered long on Keryneia, 
 whose elevated fortress formed a most strikinj? oh- 
 ject on the line. Directly beneath us, so close that 
 I could have dropped a stone upon it, lay Bellapais, 
 imbedded in olive-trees, the finest monastic ruin, I 
 am told, in Cyprus. Cloisters, refector}", and the 
 knight-chamber are still recognizable. The abbot 
 was entitled to carry the spurs and dagger of a 
 knight, and his monastery was a favorite resort of 
 crusaders and pilgrims. As I turned toward the 
 interior of the island, I beheld a broad expanse 
 glowing in the sunlight. This, the extensive plain 
 of Messaria, occupies nearly half of the island, and 
 two centuries ago was one huge highly-cultivated 
 field, filled with corn, vines, fruit, and vegetables. 
 Kumerous cotton and silk-weavino^ establishments 
 also formerly flourished here. Every year this 
 once fruitful plain becomes more unfit for cultiva- 
 tion, and stones and marshes usurp what was once 
 a scene of the hisrhest cultivation. Nothinsj fills 
 the mind of the traveler in Cyprus with sadder 
 I'eflections than the si<]i;ht of this creueral ruin and 
 rapid deca3\ 
 
 I now commenced climbing the precipitous moun- 
 tain before me, which towered aloft in rugged maj- 
 esty, stretching its peaks and precipices to the right 
 hand and the left. My dragoman endeavored to fol- 
 
BUFFAYENTO. 59 
 
 low me, but sank down in dismay at the task before 
 Lim. Indistinct mui'nmrings reached my ear, and I 
 have no doubt that if I could have heard his words, 
 they were not prayers for my success, but maledic- 
 tions on my adventurous head. I believe he and my 
 zaj^tieh were fully convinced that my ascent was made 
 in the hope of finding concealed treasure ; for Avhen 
 at last they reached the ruin, my slightest movement 
 was jealously watched, and my every act evidently 
 regarded with suspicion. We entered the ancient 
 fortress by an arched doorway, which is stillin good 
 preservation, and mounted slowly from one ruin to 
 another ; many of the chambers in these being mere 
 excavations in the solid rock, and resembling baker's 
 ovens in appearance. 
 
 In such places as the nature of the rocks would 
 permit, hollow basins were formed and channels cut 
 to receive the springs that then flowed in all direc- 
 tions on the mountain. We came upon several of 
 these receptacles, and saw traces of what had evident- 
 ly been much more important water-tanks. In the 
 fortress itself, comparatively slight walls were inter- 
 spersed with rude masses of masonry, and both were 
 cemented to their foundations by mortar, literally 
 as hard as stone. The ruin appeared to consist of 
 six divisions rising one above the other, and all 
 connected by the ramparts. Such a fortress could 
 never have been reduced as long as its defenders 
 had bread and wine enough to support life. Per- 
 
60 CYPBUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Laps tliere are few stranger things than that of a 
 ruin situated thus in mid-air. Dansrer in cliniLinc: 
 there was none, beyond the risk of slipping, as we 
 seized at a piece of old masonry in mounting from 
 rock to rock and tower to tower. 
 
 One of the principal towers is still in tolerable 
 preservation, and to this I at once ascended, and 
 "was more than re^varded for the attempt. Before 
 me lay on the one side an awful precipice, at the 
 foot of which stretched green plains and a broad 
 expanse of sea, and on the other side a sunny plain 
 extending to the lofty mountains of the western 
 pjart of the island with Mount Troados showing its 
 snow-capped head. On one side a wall of rock rose 
 towering toward the sky and hid a portion of the 
 coast from my view. Observing the summit of this 
 rock attentively, I felt convinced that I could dis- 
 cern a building on its peak. My servants were 
 tired and refused to assist me in any further ex- 
 plorations. Formerly, no doubt, this eminence had 
 been reached by means of wooden bridges, but no 
 trace of them was left, and a sheer and rugged wall 
 towered above us and presented the appearance of 
 being perfectly inaccessible. In vain I sought for 
 anything like a foothold. At last a bright idea 
 flashed upon me ; I seized our guide by his shoul- 
 dei's and pointing out the building at the summit 
 of the rock, put my arms about a block of stone, 
 mounted upon it by this means, and then again 
 
BUFFAVENTO. 61 
 
 pointed to the summit. Tlie boy laiiglied and nod- 
 ded, and, without a moment's hesitation, commenced 
 scrambling up the face of the rock, pausing as he 
 every now and then reached a safe footing, to look 
 down upon us, after the manner of the mountain 
 goat, Avhose agility he emulated. My zaptieh gazed 
 upon me with a countenance highly expressive of 
 the conviction that all chance of his sharing any 
 hidden treasure I might find was now over ; but I 
 have no doubt comforted himself with the hope of 
 getting from the boy a full, account of all that was 
 done above. I now commenced following my nim- 
 ble guide, and, thanks to a steady head, found the 
 attempt by no means as dangerous as it had ap- 
 peared from below; reaching the summit consider- 
 ably sooner than we anticipated. Here I found a 
 tower and the remains of a wall with apertures 
 where windows had once been, and chambers exca- 
 vated in the rock. The view from this point amply 
 repaid me for all my exertions. A long greenish- 
 yellow line of coast lay between the sea and the 
 mountain, whilst the towering rocks of Asia Minor 
 were visible on the horizon. At first they appeared 
 like clouds, but gradually I distinctly recognized 
 the Caramanian rans^e and the Cilician Mount Tan- 
 rus, and could distinguish their various outlines and 
 fields of snow. 
 
 The most remarkable feature in this scene, how- 
 ever, was the range of mountains on which I stood, 
 
62 CTPBUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 and of wliicli the peak of Buifavento, rising some 
 3,000 feet above the sea, appeared the highest point. 
 Seen from this view the ransjes resembled enormous 
 furrows, extending along the coast and stretching 
 far into the sea. The narrow neck of land, the 
 tongue of the island, as the Greeks call it, which 
 extends toward the opposite continent, forms the 
 Carpasian peninsula. The inhabitants of this part 
 of the island are of fairer complexion, and are 
 stronger and of more lively disjiosition than the 
 rest of their countrymen ; they have also, Ave are 
 told, many customs peculiar to themselves. It is 
 supposed this peninsula was formerly colonized by 
 a band of German crusaders. In St. Andronika a 
 fete is annually held in honor of a German lad}", 
 who came over from Syria and settled in this spot, 
 where she lived as a recluse, and died in the odor 
 of sanctity. Other authorities tell us that many 
 traces of ancient Greek are to be met with in the 
 dialects spoken by the inhabitants, which are quite 
 unknown to the languages sj^oken in other parts of 
 Cyprus. A gentleman Avho visited this peninsula 
 informed me that the people are very inhospitable, 
 dirty, and shy of strangers. Their food consists 
 principally of barley bread ; their clothes are made 
 of sackcloth, and their dwellings formed in caves, in 
 the rocks, and other equally wretched situations, and 
 are without either tables or beds. The uortli-Avestei'n 
 declivities are covered with fig-trees. Altogether, 
 
BUFFAVEXTO. 63 
 
 the description did not tempt me to make my own 
 observations in this but rarely-explored spot. As 
 I descended from my lofty perch I noticed that the 
 walls and towers had been blown up with gun- 
 powder. This was done by the Venetians, shortly 
 after they took possession of the island. In 1489 
 they proceeded to destroy all the noble castles and 
 fortresses of the interior, in the fear that they might 
 be used as stronffholds in case of rebellion asrainst 
 their rule. These fortresses were, therefore, thrown 
 down as dangerous, and useless to the Venetians 
 themselves, Avhose iine fleet enabled them to land 
 men at any part of the island. Some few fortresses, 
 however, on the coast, such as Famagusta, were kept 
 in tolerable repair. The crown lands were put up 
 to the highest bidder, and were, in many instances, 
 bought by the lower class of nobles, who in this 
 manner became a power in the land, opposed to the 
 barons of long descent, who had been the pride of 
 Cyprus under the dynasty of Lusignan. These 
 latter felt themselves highly injured, but what could 
 they do ? The Venetian Senate gave them the title 
 of allies, and made no attempt to interfere with the 
 book of statutes, but left the barons no occupation 
 beyond that of hunting and feasting. They, there- 
 fore, retired to their castles or abbeys, and com- 
 menced leaving the country. The Venetians had 
 rendered Cyprus defenseless and taxed her so heav- 
 ily that a strong desire arose among the inhabitants 
 
64 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 for a cliange of government. Such Avere tlie de- 
 stroyers of Buffavento; as to who actually built the 
 noble fortress in such a commanding situation opin- 
 ions greatly differ. 
 
CHAPTER Vlir. 
 
 TURKISH GOVERNORS. 
 
 I HAD scarcely readied my lodging in Nikosia 
 ■\vLen tlie paclia came to return my visit, accompan- 
 ied l)y Lis dragoman and first secretary. He in- 
 quired Avith great interest what I Lad been doing 
 since we met, and seemed mucL surprised on L ear- 
 ing tLat I Lad reacLed tLe summit of Buffavento,Le 
 Laving always been given to understand tLat it was 
 (jiiite inaccessible. In tlie evening I called upon 
 Lim, and we talked far into tLe nigLt on tLe liistory 
 of tLe past. 
 
 My kind friend Lad traveled far and read deeply, 
 and in all points of political Listory sLowed Limself 
 an excellent autliority. As we sat cLatting I could 
 not Lelp contrasting tliis LigLly educated gentleman 
 witli tLe paclias wLo formerly inLabited Lis palaces. 
 Only 101 years ago a most curious scene was enacted 
 under tliis very roof. 
 
 In July, 1704, tLere came to Cyprus as governor, 
 
 a necessitous and avaricious man, named Izil Osman 
 
 Aga. TLe first decree lie issued was to tLe effect 
 
 tLat every Christian sLould pay Lim 44^ piastres (10 
 
 francs) ; and every Mussulman 22 piastres (about 5 
 
 65 
 
66 CYPEUS, HISTOKICAL AND DESCEIPTIVE. 
 
 fi'iiiics). This impost was exactly double the usual 
 poll-tax reipiired from tlie subjects by their gover- 
 nors. The begs, agas, and bishops assembled shook 
 their heads and declared the charge to be beyond, 
 the capacity of the people. Tzil Osman Aga replied 
 that the money must be forthcoming, and sent out 
 officials in all directions to make fresh extortions. 
 All remonstrances were met by the remark, tliat if 
 the people considered he was acting illegally they 
 were at liljerty to report him at Constantinople. 
 Deputies were, therefore, sent at once to tlie Bos- 
 phorus. Week after week passed but nothing was 
 heard of these emissaries. Tlie bisliops, after some 
 consideration, decided to follow the delegates, but 
 were seized and prevented by the govei-nor from 
 executing their j^lan. In the meantime the unfor- 
 tunate citizens secretly found a po^verful advocate 
 at Constantinople, and on October 31st an emissary 
 from the Grand Vizier landed in Cyprus, cited the 
 governor to appear l)efore him in his palace, at Ni- 
 kosia, to receive the commands of his prince. These 
 commands were threefold: he was to return half the 
 poll-tax, his other extortions were to l)e incpiired 
 into, and his advisers punished. Izil Osman Aga 
 affected to apologize, and suggested that it would 
 be more worthy the dignitary who had to repri- 
 mand him if he were to read his decrees 2)ublicly in 
 the state-chaml)er of his residence, before the assem- 
 bled body of his accusers. On this suggestion the 
 
TUEKISH GOVERNORS. 67 
 
 Tscliokodar* invited begs, agas, bishops, and noble 
 Greeks to attend. On the 5tli of November these 
 assembled, followed by a dense crowd, who filled 
 the grand hall, and crowded the courts and stair- 
 cases. At least three hundred people were in the 
 chamber, and on every countenance commendation 
 of the Sultan's justice was to be read. The Tscho- 
 kodar seated himself beside the governor, on the 
 divan, which was placed at the upper end of the 
 hall, drank his coifee, and after handing his cuj) to 
 an attendant, began his announcement. The first 
 sentence was read, and the people nodded their ap- 
 proval, when suddenly the entire floor gave way 
 directly in front of the divan, and the w^hole crowd 
 fell pell-mell into the space below. Cries and 
 shrieks filled the air. Shaken and bruised the 
 frightened crowd scrambled to their feet, for the 
 fall had not been great, and a few broken legs was 
 all the damao^e done. When the three hundred vie- 
 tims of this strange occurrence had recovered them- 
 selves, they proceeded to investigate the cause of the 
 accident ; a very simple explanation was at once 
 discovered — all beams and supports below the floor 
 of the state-chamber had been sawn a^vay, and were 
 ready to fall the moment a cord was pulled. Cries 
 of rage £nd vengeance resounded through the streets, 
 and all agreed that the governor had contemplated 
 
 * Envoy. 
 
68 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 nothing less than the destruction of the whole as- 
 sembl}' ; the Tschokodar also felt uneasy, for certain 
 sharp pains felt after drinking his coffee led him to 
 suppose that it had been poisoned. Under these cir- 
 cumstances a protocol was drawn uj") by the Tscho- 
 kodar, mollahs,'-' kadis, and other citizens of rank, 
 containing a statement concernins: the accident in 
 the state-chamber, requiring the governor to answer 
 for it to them. Their messenger was received with 
 mockery and insult ; a second and a third delegate 
 were sent, but with the same result. The mollahs 
 pronounced the governor an offender against the law 
 and the Sultan. 
 
 Scarcely was this sentence declared than the 
 populace rushed to the palace. The governor, how- 
 ever, had foreseen this. All the entrances were 
 closed and soldiers with guns in their hands placed 
 at the open windows, who shot down any men who 
 ventured to approach as coolly as if they had been 
 cocks and hens. Enraged beyond endurance the 
 people now rushed on, and a fight ensued which 
 raged for two hours. At last, bundles of straw and 
 brushwood were placed against the grand entrance 
 and ignited. In a very short time the door gave 
 way and the people crowded in, killing all tliey 
 found, amongst them the governor himself. Nine- 
 teen of his attendants fell on this occasion and the 
 
 * Mussulman priests. 
 
TURKISH GOYEENOES. 69 
 
 rest fonnd safety in flight ; the treasury Tvas rifled 
 and evervthini? of value secured. This done the 
 crowd quietly I'eturned home. In three hours' time 
 the town looked Just as usual, and the Grecian feast 
 of St. Demetrius was carried on next day as if 
 nothing had occurred. Five days later the Tscho- 
 kodar returned to Constantinople, leaving perfect 
 order and discipline behind him. 
 
 So matters stood till the following year, when a 
 new governor, Hafiz Mahommed Effendi, landed ; a 
 shre^vd and prudent man, who speedily won the 
 confidence of his people. Shortly after his arrival 
 some of those around him, wishing to curry favor, 
 laid before him a list of all those who had attacked 
 the palace, and tried to convince him that tliese 
 should not go unpunished, if only for the sake of his 
 own position and dignity. After long consideration 
 the governor at last decided to issue an edict, an- 
 nouncing that he had been sent to Cypiiis for the 
 preservation of order, and that any attempt to dis- 
 turb the same would be punished by the loss of the 
 offenders' heads, and that in consideration of past 
 events he must demand a poll-tax of fourteen pias- 
 tres from all Turks and Greeks, old men, women, 
 and children being excepted. After payment of 
 this fine all was to be forgotten and forgiven. 
 
 The Greeks were delighted to be let off so easily, 
 but the Turks laid their heads together and asked 
 each other by what right the new governor inter- 
 
70 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL .^T) DESCRITITVE. 
 
 fered Avltli what had occurred before liis time. Izil 
 Osman As-a had been declared an offender ao^ainst 
 the Law and the Sultan, and in executin<? him thev 
 had only acted as protectors of law and justice. 
 They therefore replied to the demand that they had 
 only acted as faithful servants of the Sultan in re- 
 venging themselves upon his enemies, whilst the 
 governor on his side responded that his dignity 
 would not permit of his withdrawing the edict. 
 
 On this some hundreds of the malcontents assem- 
 bled in the village of Kytherea and took possession 
 of the mill at "svhicli corn was ground daily for all 
 the inhabitants of Nikosia. They also cut off the 
 water supply to the city. The greatest consterna- 
 tion prevailed, and the prudent governor thought it 
 best to send a deputy to Kytherea to offer to with- 
 draw the tine. This wise act was fully appreciated 
 by the people, and order and peace were once more 
 restored. The governor, however, felt deeply the 
 contempt shown for his authority, and at once set 
 himself seriously to bring some of the higher officials 
 to his way of thinking. He laid in a good store of 
 weapons and powder, and then considering himself 
 strong enough to maintain his authority, again 
 issued the edict. 
 
 The men of the city were less inclined than 
 before to submit. On this occasion they chose as 
 their rallying point the famous fortress on the 
 coast, called Keryneia, five leagues north of Nikosia. 
 
TUEKISH GOVEENORS. 71 
 
 This castle was inliabited by a ricli and respected 
 noble named Halil Aga, wlio was as ambitious as 
 he was resolute. His castle was soon bristlinsr with 
 arms, and occupied by 2,000 men, who at once an- 
 nounced to the governor that they proposed to do 
 battle with hira, to decide the question of the four- 
 teen piastres. Some days later they again cut off 
 the mill at Kytherea from the use of the city, and 
 appeared before the walls of the capital. Hafiz 
 Mahommed Effendi thousrht it best to strike a de- 
 cisive blow without further delay. He therefore 
 fell upon the attacking party, but met with a severe 
 and bloody repulse. The rebels followed hira up 
 and endeavored to storm the town. The walls and 
 defences, however, proved too strong for them, and 
 Halil Aga therefore decided to blockade the city 
 and summon the whole island to his assistance. 
 People flocked to him from all parts, and such as 
 refused to join him were treated as enemies of their 
 country, and their houses burnt about their ears. 
 Whole villao-es were set in flames. The unfortunate 
 governor of Kikosia was at his wit's end, for the 
 citizens were suffering severely from famine. For 
 the second time he was compelled to announce that 
 he^ would withdraw his claim. The desired effect 
 Avas at once obtained, and the besiegers laid down 
 their arms, but not before the ringleaders had bound 
 themselves by an oath to stand by each other in 
 case of future necessity. 
 
72 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Whilst these events were taking ])lace in Cyprus, 
 the three archbishops of Nikosia, Baffo, and Kery- 
 iieia, had privately sailed for Constantinople, laid 
 their complaint before the Porte, and had so far 
 succeeded in their mission that a new governor was 
 to be sent out; Soliman Effendi, a very worthy old 
 man, was appointed for this purpose, and he, they 
 hoped, would prove a mere pujipet in their hands. 
 Acting under these advisers the new governor 
 landed at Keryneia, and sent Halil Aga some mag- 
 nificent jDresents, highly comj)limenting him on his 
 zeal for the public good. On this, Halil Aga 
 allowed Soliman Effendi to land and proceed at 
 once, without any opposition, to the capital. A 
 serious complication now arose Avitli the old and 
 new governors of Cyprus, and the former declared 
 he would not resign until he had quelled the insur- 
 rection. The weak but good-natured Soliman at 
 once agreed to this view of the case, and put him- 
 self completely under the advice and influence of 
 the man he ought to have supplanted. He sent 
 messenger after messenger to Halil Aga with the 
 most dazzling proposals, and assured him that if he 
 would come to Kikosia he should be j)ut in com- 
 mand of the cavalry. Halil Aga was, however, too 
 wise to put liis neck in such a noose. Further steps 
 were taken on either side ; the insurgents gradually 
 returned to their homes, and order was again re- 
 stored. This haj)py state of things continued until 
 
TCBKISH GOVEENORS. 73 
 
 early in tlie following year, when tLe two gover- 
 nors, wlio could not let the (piestion of the fourteen 
 piastres rest in peace, again issued an edict com- 
 manding tlie immediate payment of the sum in ques- 
 tion. Hafiz ]\Iahommed had now a strong party, 
 and many in the city w'ould willingly have paid the 
 fine for the murdered governor's death sooner than 
 aid and abet in fresh disturbances. The mass of 
 the inhabitants, on the contrary, declared that the 
 carrying out of the edict must be prevented, even 
 at the risk of fresh bloodshed, and made the matter 
 a question of their civil and religious liberty. The 
 governor had his proper sources of revenue, and the 
 Sultan his import duties and tithes, but such a 
 thing as a fine for the death of a murdered person, 
 could be claimed only by the relatives of the vic- 
 tim, and the demand, they maintained, was in direct 
 opposition to the Koran. In these terms the mol- 
 lahs had condemned the action of the cjovernors, 
 and the janissaries, as the ancient defenders of free- 
 dom and reli2:ion, had confirmed their iudo^ment. An 
 open revolt at once took place, the citizens flew to 
 arms and hurried to Keryneia, and in a very short 
 space of time II alii Aga had 5,000 men mustered 
 under his banner. In order to obtain possession 
 of two out of the principal fortresses, Halil Aga 
 suddenly appeared before Famagusta, the famous 
 sti'onghold on the opposite side of the island, but 
 was speedily repulsed. He now encamped before 
 4 
 
74 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Nikosia, and put the capital in a state of sieg(3, 
 announcing that he demanded, himself, to be ap- 
 pointed governor of the island. Neither Mahom- 
 med nor Soliman would agree to tlie proposition, 
 and Ilalil Aga tlien infoi-nied them that he liad pri- 
 vate commands from the Sultan, and I'equested they 
 ■would visit him in his camp and hear them read. 
 This "wily message met with no response beyond 
 such as came from the mouths of the defenders' 
 guns. Meanwhile disturbances arose all over the 
 island. After many attempts to storm the capital, 
 and many sallies on the besieging army from within 
 her fortifications, Ilalil Aga also obtained some 
 cannon, and at once commenced a merciless attempt 
 to force a passage through the walls. Distress and 
 alarm filled the unfortunate town. At the earnest 
 petition of such of the inhabitants as desired peace 
 the English consul came over from Larnaka and 
 endeavored to mediate between the opposing par- 
 ties. Halil Aga demanded on his part that a sealed 
 deed should be given him, offering free pardon to 
 all Avho had fought under his banner, and that all 
 the janissaries and ofiicials who had joined his flag 
 should be reinstated in all their former j)osts. Sec- 
 ondly, that the people of Nikosia should accept 
 him as their governor if he could obtain the appro- 
 val of the Sultan. The besieged governors "would 
 only give way as to the free pardon, so the fighting 
 continued as before. Meanwhile ne^ws of what "was 
 
tuBkish governors. 75 
 
 golDg on in tlie island liad reached the adjacent 
 lands and seas, and foreign powers, who Lad suffi- 
 cient troops to carry out the undertaking, began to 
 speculate as to the advisability of taking advantage 
 of such a tempting opportunity to appropriate the 
 island. The Porte could be readily a2:)peased, it 
 was supposed, by offers of gold, and plentiful doses 
 of flattery, and would not refuse to confirm any new 
 government in its acts. Ibrahim Bey was the first 
 ^v\lo arrived in Cyprus, having crossed over Avith 
 his men in two small galliots, but finding his forces 
 too weak to attempt anything, he at once retired. 
 Directly after this, another corsair, Dschassar Bey, 
 appeared upon the scene with a frigate and three 
 small munition vessels. Having speedily landed 
 his men, he took possession of the castle, near the 
 salt works of Larnaka. Halil x\2:a havinoj heard of 
 this new arrival marched to remonstrate with him, 
 and his overpowering force proved such an excel- 
 lent argument that this invader also hurried from 
 the field. The third adventurer Avas Giergil Oghlu, 
 the governor of Karamania, situated on the oppo- 
 site coast to Cyprus. On the 27tli of June he ap- 
 peared before Famagusta with a few hundred men, 
 Avho overran the adjacent country, plundering and 
 destroying Avith the utmost brutality. Before the 
 very gates of the fortress, they are said to have 
 speared seven Greeks and beheaded two Turks. 
 Happily on this same day Kyor Mahommed Pacha, 
 
76 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 of two tails, landed at Larnaka with 2,000 foot soldiei's 
 and 500 cavalry, bearing orders from the Sultan to 
 restore peace. He requested the consuls of the var- 
 ious European Powers to meet him, and seems to 
 have much astonished them all by permitting them 
 to sit in his presence during the discussion that en- 
 sued. Having heard a full account of the state of 
 things, his first step was to command Giergil Oghki 
 to place himself and his troops under his standard. 
 He then requested the English consul to write a 
 letter to the camp around Nikosia, stating that the 
 pacha commanded all to retire quietly to their homes, 
 promising to show Justice to all, and announcing 
 that his commission was only intended to restore 
 peace. On the 1st of July, shortly after the dis* 
 patch of this letter, the pacha marched toward 
 Nikosia with all his men, and accompanied by the 
 Karamanian troops. 
 
 Terror and consternation went before him, for 
 report had much exaggerated the number of his 
 followers. Deserters streamed out of Halil Aga's 
 camp until only about two hundred faithful follow- 
 ers were left; with these he retired to his fortress of 
 Keryneia. This castle, Avhich is situated on the coast, 
 is backed by steep rocks, with the sea in front, whilst 
 the country round is so plentifully supplied with 
 flowers and fruit as to form a veritable paradise. 
 
 Ample means of entertainment for the garrison 
 were provided, and they thought themselves pre- 
 
TURKISH GOVEKNOKS. 77 
 
 pared to make an obstinate resistance. Should the 
 worst come to the worst they ti-usted to save them- 
 selves readily by sea, as the fortress had an entrance 
 which opened directly on the shore, and some small 
 nKips Avere anchored in the haven. Message after 
 message was sent from the pacha, commanding 
 Halil Aga to surrender in the name of the Sultan, 
 to which he replied that he was defending the cas- 
 tle for that j^otentate. On the 28th of July, Kyor 
 Mahommed encamped about Keryneia, and at once 
 commenced filling up the moats and making breaches 
 in the walls for the purpose of mounting the latter 
 with their scalino: laddei-s. The besieojed knew how 
 to use their guns, and behaved with so much spirit, 
 that every attack was repulsed. 
 
 The troop ships of the pacha now arrived and 
 opened fire on the fine old fortress, trying it most 
 severely. Behind them were seen Dschassar Bey, 
 with his frigate and two other ships ; and last, though 
 not least, Ibrahim Bey and his three little galliots. 
 These new arrivals completely closed Keryneia on 
 the sea side, and rendered escape that way utterly 
 hopeless. The efforts of the besieged were now 
 2)rompted by despair. The pacha was becoming 
 uneasy at the long delay, fearing daily that there 
 would be a general rising against him in the island, 
 and had recourse to base cunning to overcome his 
 brave antao-onist. 
 
 The captain of the line ships, Meleky Bey, was 
 
78 CYrRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRITTIVE. 
 
 desired to demand a secret interview witli Halil 
 Aga. This meeting took place on the night of tlie 
 14th of August, on which occasion Meleky forcibly 
 iir2^ed that it would be advisable for Halil A^a to 
 come on board the ships of tlie line, and trust to 
 liis fiiendly intervention for favorable terms. Tliei'e 
 could be no question of safety, for was it not well 
 known that Turkish sailors would be hewn in pieces 
 before they would betray a man wlio had trusted 
 to their honor? Meleky spoke with so mucli appar- 
 ent fi'ankness that Halil Aga fell into the trap, and 
 before niojht he had taken shelter on one of the 
 ships. Next day he was handed over to the pacha, 
 who, however, received him kindly, and offered Lim 
 a tent for his own use. 
 
 As soon as this reception was known in the castle, 
 the garrison surrendered at discretion. The position 
 was at once chano^ed. All the women were allowed 
 to retire with baix and ba2:2:a2:e, but the men were 
 declared prisoners. Halil Aga's officers were thrown 
 into chains, and he himself closely watched. 
 
 On the 19tli instant, the unfortunate captive was 
 brought before the pacha, who received him kindly, 
 and requested to hear from his own lips who had 
 been implicated in the rising. This done, the pacha 
 changed his tone, and angrily demanded Avhether 
 Halil Aga supposed that the Sultan intended that 
 his fortresses should be used for seditious purposes ? 
 As he spoke, some of his minions entered, and the 
 
TURKISH GOVERNORS. 79 
 
 unhappy victim of his treachery was strangled on 
 the spot. 
 
 On the 21st of Auc^ust, Giero-il Oirhlu and his 
 wild crew Avere desired to set sail, without having 
 been allowed to land. The pacha retired with his 
 ])iisoners, and his myrmidons at once spread over the 
 island. All those who had been implicated in the 
 revolts, and were still free, quitted Cyprus. Many^ 
 however, were captured before they reached the 
 coast. Investigations into the recent events were 
 set on foot in Nikosia, and at its conclusion two 
 hundred of the accused were decapitated. Their 
 heads, with that of Halil Aga, were salted down, 
 and sent to Constantinople, with a full account of 
 what had occurred in this island. 
 
 Kyor Mahommed was made a pacha of three tails 
 and governor of the pachalik of Koniah, Hafiz 
 Mahonnned had been previously desired to leave 
 Cyprus, and Soliman Effendi reigned in his stead. 
 So ended a sad page in the history of this unlucky 
 island, which during these three years of insurrection, 
 had lost the flower of her Turkish population, and 
 seen her castles and buildings destroyed. 
 
 These ruins were never rebuilt ; successive misfor- 
 tunes and the insecurity of the future prospects of 
 the island seem to have quenched all spirit of emu- 
 lation and pi'ogress in the much-tried pojxilation, 
 and Cyprus appeared to have finally lost her proud 
 place in the ^vorld's history. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE PLAINS OF CYPRUS. 
 
 Early on the morning of tlie 25tli of April, I 
 bade adieu to Nikosia, the capital of Cyprus — a 
 fair city even in these days of her ruin and decay. 
 As I look back at her, as she appeared to me, I 
 always find myself comparing the image with that 
 of a stately and beautiful dame over whose faded 
 charms, faint and occasional flashes of former loveli- 
 ness are now and then visible. The da}^ was glorio.us 
 as I left the dark city gates and stepped fortli upon 
 the bright and boundless plains; corn-fields extended 
 to the feet of the long chain of mountains, which 
 glowed with deepest purple in the foreground, and 
 towered black and shadowy in the far distance; 
 whilst straight before me, from behind the dark, 
 cloud-like masses, peeped the snowy head of Mount 
 Olympus. This name "Olymp," which is conferred 
 in almost every Gn^cian island upon the no])lest 
 snow-capped mountains, has the same signification 
 as our word "Alp." 
 
 I had determined to ascend the Cyprian Olympus, 
 
 and to this end had made many inquiries concerning 
 
 it. Had I desired information about some unknown 
 
 80 
 
THE PLAINS OF CTPBUS. 1 81 
 
 "and unexplored region, tlie few particulars I gained 
 could not have been more vaijue and triflinir. I 
 could meet witli no one who Lad ever made the 
 ascent of Troados, as the mountain is now called, or 
 even learn whether the monastery of Troaditissa 
 was situated on its summit or lay below in one of 
 the neighboring valleys. The Cypriotes love their 
 ease too well to undertake these kind of excursionSj 
 and only ridicule what they consider such imneces- 
 sary exertion on the part of the traveler. Our 
 2^arty had not ridden more than a mile and a half 
 before cultivation ceased, and on all sides nothing 
 was visible but a dry and barren waste. On this oc- 
 casion I traveled over about fifteen leagues of coun- 
 try, and did not see more than two or three small 
 villaores in the whole distance. One of these was 
 built upon a stream which certainly must contain 
 water enou£rh to irrio-ate the neiiT^hborinsr fields and 
 gardens during the winter and spring, yet all the 
 dwellings were in ruins, and no plow had turned the 
 pastures for certainly ten or twenty years. 
 
 With his usual kindness, my good friend tlie 
 pacha had sent a zaptieh who was to accompany me 
 throughout the island and give an account to his 
 master on his return. This was a great convenience 
 to me, as it is usual to exchange the zaptieh at every 
 successive district. The country was very plenti- 
 fully stocked with game; quails, partridges, and 
 larks rose in lai'ge quantities into the air, disturbed 
 
82 CYPEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 by our approach. In the presence of this, my body 
 guard, the pacha had explicitly stated that I was at 
 liberty to shoot where and as I pleased, so my dra- 
 goman, who had some experience of sport in his 
 leisure hours, and I, were able to obtain some good 
 shooting on our journey. Zaptieh Hussein, my man, 
 was a fine fellow in his way, prompt and quick at 
 expedient. Like most other Turkish soldiers, his 
 mind was rude and shallow, but his frame strong, 
 muscular, and enduring. Those who understand 
 the manaofement of these men will find them faith- 
 ful and contented serv^ants. In either mounting or 
 dismounting, when going after these birds, I had 
 managed to lose my tobacco pouch ; this pouch and 
 contents were a little memento of my visit to Cav- 
 alla, on the Roumelian coast, where the finest Turk- 
 ish tobacco grows. In the East, where the slave 
 smokes equally with the noble, from morning till 
 night, to lose one's tobacco may be regarded as a 
 real misfortune. My dragoman pulled a long face 
 when he heard what had happened, and my horse- 
 boy informed me that he had only a little very bad 
 tobacco to offer me. Hussein did not say a word, 
 but put sj)urs to his horse and was out of sight in a 
 moment. 
 
 We rode on slowly for an hour before my zaptieh 
 overtook us, and when he reached me, he drew my 
 pouch from his breast pocket. When a pacha or a 
 kaimakau has half a dozen such men on his staff he 
 
THE PLAINS OF CYPRUS. 83 
 
 Avill not fail to be obeyed in his district. A zaptieli 
 Avill ride ten leagues to secure an offender, seize Lim 
 in the midst of his own friends, fasten his prisoner to 
 llis saddle-girths, and bring him, dead or alive, to his 
 master. These are the men whose obstinate and 
 manly spirit has so prolonged the agonies of their 
 country in its struggles with its enemies. Call it 
 fanaticism if you will, but one can but admire the 
 courage and devotion that will sacrifice life and 
 property, if their rulers or religion are in danger. 
 On such emergencies the scanty earnings of a life 
 are drawn from the chest, where they have been 
 hoarded for years, to assist in procuring what is neces- 
 sary for the strife. Sabres and guns are girded on, 
 and for weeks these devoted servants of the Prophet 
 will fight without pay and deprived of every com- 
 fort, under the very guns of the enemy's batteries. 
 
 We now rode directly for the foot of the moun- 
 tain over ground covered with short grass, stunted 
 shrub, and dwarf palms. Now and again we passed 
 spots covered with a variety of red, yellow, and blue 
 flowers, beside many tulips and bulbous plants. It 
 was a glorious ride and the air delightful, so clear 
 that the eye was never weary of endeavoring to 
 penetrate farther and farther into the horizon. 
 
 About 11 o'clock, having never passed an inhab- 
 ited dwelling, we reached a village that lies about 
 five miles from Nikosia, called Akazi. I can only 
 give its Grecian name, as, though I found the place 
 
84 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Oil the map the pacha had given me, none of our 
 party could read its Turkish designation. We 
 breakfasted in this village, and after a two hours' 
 I'est j)roceeded on our way. 
 
 It being Easter every one was taking advantage 
 of the fete to lounge or lie about in the open air, 
 while some stood in groups round the church where 
 the village priest was celebrating mass. This fete 
 lasts four days, but the people generally manage to 
 make a Avhole week's holiday of it, and give up 
 themselves to hearing masses and perfect idleness. 
 The population of this village looked strong and 
 healthy, which is the more surprising when one con- 
 siders the amount of fasting imposed ^upon them. 
 Kot only are there two fast days in every ordinary 
 week, but on all sorts of extraordinary occasions. I 
 am told that the number of these fast days amounts 
 to no less than a hundred and fifty in the course of 
 the year ! I must here remark that this is no child's 
 playing at abstinence — only bread and green stuff 
 are permitted, not even milk or oil may be partaken 
 of. Wonderful indeed is it to our minds to observe 
 on how few meals a Greek family can subsist. Even 
 in the houses of tolerably well-to-do people they 
 never cook more than twice or three times in the 
 week, and fish or flesh are rare delicacies. This fact 
 will partly explain the slight degree in which the 
 island is now cultivated. Fruits in great variety 
 and vegetables of many kinds grow wild and form 
 
THE PLAINS OF CYPRUS. 85 
 
 staple articles of food. It is no iiiicommon tiling to 
 see tLe Cypriotes gathering tlieir repast as tliey go 
 along and eating it without further ceremony. 
 
 When we once more started on our way, tlie sun's 
 rays beat down upon us with terrible power, and as 
 I panted beneath it, I could not but compare it ivitli 
 that monster of the African desert, the yellow lion, 
 prowling about with ravening jaws "seeking whom 
 it may devour." 
 
 I had heard much of the unbearable heat of the 
 island duriui]: the summer season, when the air is 
 heavy and damp, when foliage and grass are with- 
 ered up, a drop of water scarcely to be obtained, 
 and man and beast panting for a breath of fresh air. 
 We felt the sun oppressive, but seeing the country 
 as we did in its pride of verdure and covered w^ith 
 flowers, one could scarcely picture the spot under so 
 different an aspect. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 EA^KYCIIU. 
 
 TowAED eveninsj we came in si<?lit of Mount 
 Olympus. Water, as clear as crystal, was trickling 
 down the lower rocks in all directions, and a de- 
 licious breeze blowing from Olympus cooled our 
 weary frames and raised our drooping spirits as we 
 lay, surv^eying the scene around us, upon the banks 
 of a rivulet, completely suri-ounded by oleander 
 bushes. Thus refreshed, we continued our way 
 alonaj the course of the stream under the shade of 
 numerous trees which became more luxuriant and 
 various as we advanced. 
 
 This delightfully Avooded valley contrasted well 
 with the bare naked rocks above. All day I had 
 seen the snowy crest of Mount Olympus towering 
 above its dark comj)anions, and had imagined that 
 it could only boast a snowy cap. Noav, as it rose 
 before us, clearly distinguishable fi-om the rocks 
 around, I found that the snowy vail extended far 
 down its sides and slopes. All true Alpine features 
 ai'e entirely Avanting, and to me there seemed some- 
 thing harsh and unattractive in the bare and un- 
 broken character of its naked rock. 
 
 86 
 
EVBYCHU. 87 
 
 Whilst it was still light we reached Eviychn. 
 This, the prettiest and most populous village iu 
 Cyprus, is situated iu a lovely valley surrounded by 
 fruitful and luxuriant pastures, whilst above it 
 tower majestic groups of picturesque mountains. 
 Evrychu lies 1,700 feet above the level of the sea, 
 and contains seven hundred inhabitants; amonsrst 
 these, however, not more than a hundred families 
 pay taxes. This luxuriant valley might readily pro- 
 duce enough to support ten times the number of 
 people now dwelling there. When we arrived, 
 evening service was being performed in the church, 
 and it is no exaggeration to say that the whole of 
 the inhabitants were around its walls, from the 
 youngest child to the most infirm of its old men and 
 women. This open-air gathering had a fine and 
 solemn effect. The people themselves appeared to 
 me to differ in many respects from the short, stout 
 inhabitants of the coast and plains, who look as 
 though heat and perspiration had baked the dust 
 and dirt into their skins. The people of Evrychu, 
 on the contrary, are well grown and finely made, 
 and their complexions fi-esh and blooming. Amongst 
 the Avomen and irirls I noticed a meat number of 
 pretty faces. There can be no doubt as to the fact 
 that these people are descended from the old Greek 
 settlers, whilst those in the open country and on the 
 sea coast are descended from a mixed race of Ital- 
 ians, Syrians, and Negroes. In the more frequented 
 
88 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 parts of tlie island, traces of successive races were 
 rapidly swept away, whilst here in the mountain 
 valley the people have for generations lived com- 
 paratively unchanged and undisturbed. My opinions 
 concerning the descent of the people were strength- 
 ened by further observations, and all along the 
 mountain rans-e I noticed a strono" likeness to the 
 Greeks of several islands in the Archipelago ; the 
 type, however, not being quite so Y>^ve (no doubt 
 owing to intermarriage), nor faces and figures quite 
 so })eautiful and slender. As for manners, well 
 Avould it be if our awlvAvard English race could imi- 
 tate the grace with which these villagers performed 
 the most ordinary act. When Ave arrived amongst 
 them the appearance of such an unexpected party 
 might have been supposed to have created quite a 
 feensatiou. Nothing of the kind occurred ; the men 
 and women were grouped about, and evidently eyed 
 us with much curiosity, but no movement betrayed 
 their feelings or ruffled their respectful politeness. 
 The girls stood at some distance and observed us as 
 closely, but with graceful dignity. Such natural 
 propriety of behavior is very striking in this popu- 
 lation, and seems to leave the impression on the 
 luind of their having, as we say, " seen better days." 
 Their peculiar customs are numerous and interest- 
 ing; no sooner is a guest lodged than a woman or 
 girl appears and offers him an apple, with the most 
 winning grace; this is intended as a hospitable wel- 
 
EVEYCHU. 89 
 
 come. If you are given any kind of solid food a 
 napkin is placed over your knees. A glass of water 
 is presented to you on the open palm of the hand, 
 and is always accompanied by a good wish,. the giver 
 remainino^ standinof until the fflass is returned, when 
 another Avish is expressed that the water may do 
 you good. When you are about to leave, women 
 and girls appear and throw the leaves of the olive 
 and other fragrant plants into the fire. The parting 
 guest is expected to go through the form of smelling 
 these leaves, in token of his bearing away in his 
 mind a sweet impression of the kindness he has 
 received. 
 
 AVho could compare our parting act of raising the 
 hat with the picturesque obeisance of these villa- 
 gers, as they laid their hands upon their hearts and 
 gracefully inclined their bodies toward us as they 
 wished us farewell ? 
 
 Whilst I reposed, my indefatigable zaptieh had 
 been exploring the village and inquiring for its 
 principal inhabitant, for the purpose of securing 
 lodgings for me at his house. This man, who proved 
 to be a Avell-to-do peasant, soon appeared, accompa- 
 nied by his sons-in-law, and offered to escort me to 
 his home. The domicile consisted of three small, 
 one-storied buildings lying close together and stand- 
 ing in a small court surrounded by stabling and 
 sheds. The principal attractions of this dwelling 
 were its strono^ walls and water-tio-ht roof, recom- 
 
90 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 mendatlons possessed by very few other houses in 
 the village, these latter being generally mere ilat- 
 roofed huts, with walls formed of clay and interlaced 
 branches. The accommodation for the cattle is, of 
 course, equally rude and simple ; everything about 
 these dwellings is poor except in one respect, name- 
 ly, their house linen. The excellent order in which 
 this is always kept, speaks highly for the industry, 
 housewifery, and skill of the women. 
 
 The landlord's four dauj^hters offered me aheartv 
 reception, and made it evident by their sparkling 
 eyes and their delightful manner, that they felt all 
 the pleasure and dignity of hospitality. Everything 
 the place could offer was at our disposal, and they 
 seemed as if thev could not do enoucrh to make us 
 comfortable. Various members of the family ap- 
 peared in turn, in order to be introduced to me, and 
 all, even the children, conducted themselves with 
 the most unembarrassed courtesy. The sons-in-law 
 of my host and a young relative, who was the vib 
 lage schoolmaster, sat down to table with the head 
 of the family and myself, whilst the daughters 
 Avaited upon us. Luckily for me I had chanced 
 upon them just at Easter-time, so we were allowed 
 to partake of meat. The table was ornamented 
 with a great variety of colored Easter eggs, and 
 after dinner the " egg-touching " cei'emony began, 
 each person offering the small end of an e^^ to his 
 neighbor, saying as he did so, " Christ is risen." 
 
EYBYCHU. 91 
 
 This appeared to be a favorite amusement witli tlie 
 children, and many eggs were broken by their little 
 liands. I was delij^hted with the charminir manner 
 in which the youngsters grouped together, and, after 
 the repast was over, sang us an Easter hymn. 
 
 I cannot refrain from giving my readers the very 
 Grecian names of my kind entertainers. My host 
 was called Gavril, one of the sons-in law was Kleo- 
 bulas Christophagu Gavrilidis, and the other Socra- 
 tes. The schoolmaster was Michel Ivanidas, and 
 the four daughters respectively Minerva, Terj^sich- 
 ore, Penelope, and Zoisa; another maiden present 
 was called Evanthia. How can we account for such 
 classic names, if I am not correct in asserting that 
 these people are the direct descendants of the early 
 Greeks ? 
 
 Next morning: I was astir at about four o'clock, 
 and walked out into the fresh and balmy air. A 
 gentle wind was wandering about the mountains, stir- 
 ling the waving foliage of the trees, and rippling the 
 bright water of the streams as it passed. Thrushes 
 and nightingales poured forth their sweetest melody 
 on all sides, and a delicious perfume Avas wafted 
 around from innumerable flowers, and the hedges of 
 myrtle by which the fields are surrounded. Only 
 one thine: was wantins: to the scene — where was 
 the rustling sound of trees on the declivities of the 
 mountains ? As I looked up, the first glance told 
 me the soil was in the hio:hest desjree fitted for their 
 
92 CYPEUS, HISTORIC^U:^ AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 culture, and yet the eye could only discover a vari- 
 ety of slirubs and mountain plants interspersed with 
 a few blackened stumps. 
 
 When I returned to the villa2:e I found the whole 
 population again at their devotions. In the Eastern 
 Church the worshippers do not attend to hear ser- 
 mons and pour out their own prayers and thanks- 
 givings; it would apj^ear as though even the most 
 earnest worshippers considered that their mere pres- 
 ence and genuflections during the masses said and 
 sung by their priest was all that could be required 
 of them. For more than a thousand years no 
 change whatever has taken place in the creed and 
 liturgy of the Christian Church in the East, and it 
 may, therefore, be regarded as more closely allied 
 to the Primitive Church than is the Catholic Church 
 of Rome. With the excej)tion of its bishops, Cyprus 
 has no active and learned priesthood, and nothing 
 can be simpler than "the life and theology of its 
 country cures. Books they have none, and for their 
 livelihood have to depend upon the bounty of their 
 flocks. Under British rule new life will be 2;iven to 
 the Christian Church in Cyprus, and to the educa- 
 tion and training of her people. 
 
 When we left Evrychu, our host and his sons- 
 in-law, as is the custom here, accompanied ns to 
 the extremity of the village, when they took their 
 leave. 
 
CHxVPTER XI. 
 
 jrOUXT OLYMPUS. 
 
 We now pursued our way toward Olympus. At 
 every stage fresli beauties met our view, and every 
 object was smiling with the first fresh loveliness of 
 spring. Oaks, plantains, olives, vines, myrtles, and 
 laurels grew in rich profusion on the banks of the 
 stream along which the road lay ; whilst here and 
 there Ave caught glimpses of sloj)iug banks entirely 
 covered with white lilies. Before us towered steeps 
 and broken rocks, upon which a few scattered pines 
 were to be seen. 
 
 GiTidually we began to ascend a mountain pass, 
 
 which was too rous^h and dano-erous to admit of 
 
 our ridino*. Mv draQ:oman therefore took the three 
 
 horses, and, fastenino: them toofether, led them alonir. 
 
 We had not gone far before we lost our way. My 
 
 zaptieh at once began to reconnoitre, whilst the 
 
 dragoman gave us a good specimen of his Italian 
 
 origin and French manners by uttering cries of grief 
 
 and distress, coupled with 2:)rayers for his wife and 
 
 family, and fervent maledictions on his own folly in 
 
 accompanying me; his misery was so intense that I 
 
 could scarcely refrain from laughing in his face. 
 
 93 
 
94: CYPKUS, fflSTORICAL AIST) DESCEIPTIVE. 
 
 Had we not been obliged to help our horses along, 
 Ave should not have had any serious difficulty, as our 
 Avay, tliough rugged and steep, was not more so than 
 on many other mountain passes I had successfully 
 climbed. A few strenuous efforts and a little cau- 
 tious steerino; at last brought us to a safe footincr, 
 and we could look aloft at the fine scene that tow- 
 ered above us. 
 
 An hour's riding brought us within view of a 
 broad extent of glacier, whilst on one side the brown 
 and purple mountain extended to the sea, beyond 
 
 Avhich ai^ain the Cilician rans^e of Taurus was dis- 
 cs o 
 
 tinctly visible, looking like snow-covered bastions 
 extending along the opposite shore. The whole 
 scene was one never to be forgotten, and this ascent 
 of Mount Olympus Avill ever be regarded by me as 
 one of the most richly-rewarded experiences of my 
 ti-avels. 
 
 I had been led to imagine that this famous moun- 
 tain was still thickly wooded, but such is not the 
 case ; only here and there we came upon a group of 
 trees standing far apart. The sides and peaks of 
 the mountain exhibited a considerable growth of 
 stunted shrubs, with an occasional fir-tree or broken 
 stump. Flowers there were in abundance, and 
 whole tracts Avere covered with hyacinths and nar- 
 cissus. Not a man or a beast was to be seen either 
 on the mountain or in the valleys beneath ; it would 
 have been easy to believe that some destroying 
 
MOTTN'T OLYMPUS.— See Page 81. 
 
MOUNT OLYMPUS. 95 
 
 army had devastated the mountain, and then passed 
 on its victorious path, leaving the spot to barrenness 
 and desolation. 
 
 As we approached the summit of this famous 
 mountain, I oljserved that the trees became more 
 numerous. On our right the path led directly to 
 the cloister of Troaditissa, and on our left lay a val- 
 ley extending to the foot of Olympus. Hussein in- 
 formed me that the cloister was about two leagues 
 distant, whilst, if I were desirous of reaching the 
 crest, we might do it in about three hours' time. 
 My dragoman no sooner heard this latter suggestion, 
 than he poured forth a volley of assurances as to 
 the folly of the attempt, and drew a vivid picture of 
 the various dangers that would beset our path, wind- 
 ing up by informing me that many travelers had 
 already lost their lives in attempting this ascent. 
 Night would 1)6 coming on, and then Avhat would 
 our position be ? Why not go direct to the cloister 
 where we could refi'esh ourselves, and after a good 
 night's rest make the attempt in the morning? 
 
 I informed my hero that it was now only two 
 o'clock in the afternoon, and that I had neither the 
 wish nor the time to retrace my steps next day ; to 
 this I added a strong appeal to his vanity, urging 
 upon him the honor it would be to him and his 
 house foreve]', if by his skillful guidance I was ena- 
 bled to reach the top. He wavered for a moment, 
 but fear got the better of him, and whilst I was send- 
 
96 CYPEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCEIPTIVE. 
 
 iiig on the servant and Lorses to Troaditissa, he 
 started off upon the road, shouting back to me that 
 " there was nothing in his agreement about ascend- 
 insr such a mountain as that." \ 
 
 I was not sorry to get rid of the cowardly rascal, 
 and contented myself with desiring him to wait for 
 me at the cloister. Hussein and I at once started 
 to make the final ascent, and succeeded in riding 
 safely over the rocks and stones until we began to 
 reach the snow. At this point my horse refused to 
 stir, apparently terrified by the blinding glare of 
 the snow. Blows and persuasion alike failing to 
 move him, I Avas compelled to leave Hussein behind 
 in charge of him, and continue my way alone. It is 
 probably many years since any one, excejit myself, 
 has made the attempt. If Mount Olympus were on 
 the European continent, Luudreds would climb to 
 its summit in the course of the year; but the Cypri- 
 otes are indolent, and all strangers visiting the 
 island feel the influence of its climate, and become 
 disinclined for active exertion before the end of six 
 months. 
 
 The snow, which, unluckily for me, was thawing, 
 formed frequent streams of water, which rendered 
 my footing so insecure that I sank many times up 
 to my knees. The higher portion of the ascent was 
 worst of all ; again and again, after hard climbing, 
 I found myself slipping back, some twenty paces at 
 a time. The rocks became steeper, and the snow 
 
MOUNT OLYMPUS. 97 
 
 being ligLtly frozen over, and very slippery, my 
 only clianee was by patiently persevering and slowly 
 mounting step by step, digging my stick deep, and 
 planting my feet firmly, as I passed from one spot 
 to another, all the time following: a ziixzao: direction, 
 and experiencing all those various sensations of 
 hope and despair, inseparable from this kind of ex- 
 ertion. Alpine travelers alone can appreciate the 
 enthusiasm that filled my heart, as I inhaled deep 
 di'aughts of ozone and gazed upon the scene beneath 
 me. The landscape was one of the grandest upon 
 earth, and quite peculiar in its characteristics. 
 
 Cyprus, the third largest island in the Mediterra- 
 nean, looked from this point of view like a green 
 and lovely gem, washed by the blue waves of the 
 surrounding sea, whicli met the horizon on every 
 side. Toward the north-east the dazzling^ rangre of 
 Taurus is distinctly visible, extending along the 
 Cilician coast toward Kurdistan, and opposite on 
 the south-east the dark purple heights of Lebanon. 
 Upon the summit of Olympus one stands high above 
 every other object in the island, and looks down 
 upon miles of varied and enchanting country. 
 
 The peculiarity of this landscape is the strong 
 contrast offered by its principal features: the blue 
 sea, the snowy mountains, and the island itself; 
 Avhilst the latter again jiresents three distinct fea- 
 tures, the dark mountains covering the western half 
 of the country, the long chain of hills traversing the 
 
98 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Cai'pasiaii peninsula, and between these tlie brown 
 and golden-tinted j^lains. Only once in my life 
 could I hope to gaze upon a scene of such magnifi- 
 cent beauty. The highest point of the mountain, 
 which was entirely free from snow, is divided into 
 three peaks closely resembling each other in appear- 
 ance. The centre one of these, according to my own 
 measurement, was 6,1 CO feet (instead of 7,000 feet) 
 above the level of the sea. linger makes this peak 
 only 5,897 feet high, according to the map contained 
 in his w^ork on Cyprus. It is true I had only my 
 little aneroid to go by, but it has never, to my 
 knowledge, failed me yet. 
 
 In vain I searched in all directions for any trace 
 of ancient ruins ; I found nothing save unheaped 
 stones, and rubbish. I do not hesitate to assure my 
 readers that as I stood at that immense height 
 above the surrounding scenery, entirely cut off as it 
 seemed from every living creature, an indescribable 
 dread, that was almost fear, crept over me. Not 
 even a bird disturbed the air; and beneath me, as 
 far as the eye could reach, not a sign of animation 
 was to be seen. On some of the neisfhborino; hills I 
 could fancy I saw small villages ; but what ap- 
 peared to be houses were probably only rocks. 
 The sun began to set, and a chilly breeze Avarned 
 me that I had better descend. I had not gone far 
 before I saw Hussein waitino- below with the horses. 
 I waved my hat to attract his attention, as I ob- 
 
MOUNT OLYMPUS. 99 
 
 served him looking upwurd, but strong as were Lis 
 eyes, he could not distinguish me at such an eleva- 
 tion even in that clear atmosphere. Our vray to 
 Troaditissa proved much farther than we expected, 
 and niixht had lone: closed in before we reached 
 our destination. 
 
CHAPTEK XII. 
 
 CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 
 
 As we journeyed, in twilight and solitude, around 
 the mountain, and darkness approached, I could 
 not forget that, even to the highest peak of this 
 very Olympus, at least 6,000 feet above the level 
 of the sea, festive bands of worshippers had in by- 
 gone times ascended, when visiting this sacred, 
 ground. Nothing, however, either of temple or 
 worship remained. The veiy remembrance of them 
 was blotted out, and even the name of the moun- 
 tain is almost imknown to the present population. 
 The changing fortunes of the country next pre- 
 sented themselves to my imagination. Already ten 
 dynasties have ruled in Cyprus — first the Phceni- 
 cians, then the Greeks, to these succeeded the Per- 
 sian, the Egyptian, the Roman and the Byzantine 
 "ages, next came the Arabian, the Prankish, and the 
 Venetian rulers, and lastly, for nearly three hun- 
 dred years, the Avhole country has been subject to 
 the rule of the Turk ; the worst period of its his- 
 tory. The earliest condition of Cyprus is involved 
 in misty obscurity. On blowing away these clouds 
 
 a little, we see a large welWooded countrA^, alto- 
 
 100 
 
CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 101 
 
 gether covered with waving trees. A large towa 
 next becomes apparent, situated upon the southern 
 coast, and out of its haven, numerous small long- 
 prowed ships are putting to sea, manned by a bold 
 crew, who with oars and snowy sails are gradually 
 making their way across the distant sea. The 
 sailors are Phoenicians, the large town is called Kiti, 
 and we descry, moreover, the abodes of numerous 
 settlers upon the island's southern shore. Kiti, ac- 
 cording to the Bible, was founded by a grandson of 
 Japhet — such is the venerable antiquity which sur- 
 rounded the first history of the country. 
 
 The inhabitants of Syria next appeared upon the 
 scene, coming over from the oj^posite mainland, to 
 cultivate these delightful plains, to cut down their 
 luxuriant woods, wherewith to build ships, and to 
 obtain from the earth the metallic treasures there 
 hidden. The mines were worked by the Korybantes 
 and the Daktyles, between whom, apparently, a trade 
 partnership or family connection existed. 
 
 The industry of the inhabitants of Cyprus, even 
 at that early period, attained such celebrity, that 
 8emiramis obtained shipbuilders from Kiti to be em- 
 ])loyed on the banks of the Euphrates. With the 
 Phoenicians, the worship of the Syrian goddess, 
 Astarte, was introduced into Cyprus, to whom altars 
 were erected at Paphos, Amathus, and Idalion. How 
 beautiful must then have been the forests reflected 
 in the waters, the verdure of the plains, the rich 
 
102 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 color of the Llossoms, soon however to be invaded 
 Ly the scorching heat of summer, whereby tlie last 
 leaf, the last blade of grass would be dried up, not 
 inaptly symbolizing the new divinity, the teeming 
 T)ut merciless goddess Astarte. Cyprus became 
 her most celebrated sanctuary, and the worship of 
 Astarte, which was imported from the banks of the 
 Euphrates, the Tigris, and the Nile, into Phoenicia 
 and Cyprus, thei'e took root, and put forth new 
 branches, making its way toward the northwest, 
 and at last reached the Greeks, a lively, imagina- 
 tive, and energetic people, who readily embraced 
 the new religion. After this came the Trojan war, 
 the history of which never will be obliterated from 
 the memory of mankind. All the noble warriors 
 and chiefs who took part in the strife with their 
 ancestry, descendants, and personal prowess, are 
 freshly remembered even in the traditions of the 
 pi-esent day, but the chief thing to be recollected 
 is, that this memorable strife was the commence- 
 ment of the strucfo'le between the East and the 
 West. 
 
 At length the princely city of Troy was over- 
 powered. A long and bloody strife was fought 
 out before her walls, and upon her whitened plains 
 are still assembled the shades of her heroes, while 
 their fame is emblazoned in the most beautiful of he- 
 roic poems. Soon after the Trojan War, the Greeks 
 took possession of Cyprus under the leadership of 
 
CTTBUS m ANCIENT TIMES. 103 
 
 Teiicer, Akainas, Demophon, Agapenor and KepLas. 
 Praxander, and numerous other petty chieftains 
 seized upon the quiet baj's, wherever the scenery of 
 the coast had a tempting appearance, and speedily 
 Ijrought their armed ships to land. They then 
 plunged into the dense forests, hewed down the 
 trees, and building intrenchments, awaited armed 
 with shield and spear, to see whether the islanders 
 Avho were assembled in the distance, dared to at- 
 tack them. All round the coast similar inroads 
 were continualh^ repeated, until at length, they ven- 
 tured up the rivers and there established their 
 domiciles ; the nucleus of a petty state. The Greeks 
 occupied Cyprus for a considerable period, and 
 mixed with the Syrians of Phoenician or of Jewish 
 extraction, until at lenfjth becoming: assimilated 
 both in speech and manners, they formed but one 
 people. Certain inscriptions found in the country 
 were at first quite impossible to decipher, inasmuch 
 that they were thought to belong to some very an- 
 cient people older even than the Phoenicians ; these 
 liave however been proved quite recently to be of 
 Grseco-Cyprian origin. 
 
 Under the masric touch of Grecian refinement, 
 the goddess of luxury and wantonness, Astarte, 
 became the most beautiful of ideal creations, the 
 mother of the Graces, the charming Aphrodite. In 
 the imagination of the times, Cyprus appeared rising 
 above the blue waves, and tinted with roseate hues. 
 
104: CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 There dwelt the glorious goddess in the midst of 
 bloomiug gai'deDS, and shaded by the green foliage 
 of the woods, under the shadows of which her ^vor- 
 shippers were supposed to dwell in happiness, en- 
 nobled by religious fervor. 
 
 This enervating period past, we find Cyprus di- 
 vided into nine petty kingdoms, whose capitals 
 were the cities Kition, Salamis, Amathunt, Kurion, 
 New Paphos, Kerynia, Lapithos, Soli, and -Chytros. 
 Numerous rivers and brooks, streaming down from 
 the wood-crowned hills, and enlarging as they de- 
 scended, everywhere distributed life and fertility. 
 At the mouth of each river or stream w^as a town or 
 cultivated district; industry seemed to have reached 
 its highest point, and out of thirty havens, ships 
 went forth to earn a reputation, which made the 
 island dreaded throughout the Eastern seas. Mean- 
 while in those continents, between which Cyprus is 
 situated, great empires had been established. The 
 Assyrian, Egyptian, and Persian, each cast covetous 
 eyes upon the Cyprian shores, and obstinate battles 
 were fought for their possession in the sixth cen- 
 tury, B.C. Partly owing to the persistent attacks 
 from without, partly from internal dissensions, tlie 
 inhabitants succumbed and submitted voluntarily 
 to the rule of the Egyptians. 
 
 When, however, in the course of years, the Egyp- 
 tian yoke became too oppressive, and the name of 
 Cyrus outshone all others, the Cyprians appealed 
 
CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 105 
 
 to him for assistance. No fewer than a himclred 
 and fifty large Cyprian galleys assisted Xerxes in 
 his passage over the Hellespont. Not long after- 
 -svard Cyprus took part in the great national war 
 against Persia. The Greeks spared no money to 
 defend the island on account of its mineral wealth, 
 and the rich supply of wood which it afforded 
 wherewith to build their ships; and also for its 
 rich harvests of fruit and its manufactured wares, 
 but principally on account of its excellent position, 
 in case of war with the nations inhabiting the Asi- 
 atic shores. 
 
 Great battles were fought in Cyprian waters, by 
 fleets under the command of Kimon and Enagoras, 
 the latter of whom had expelled the Persians from 
 all the cities of the coast, and assisted Cyprus in a 
 ten years' war against the whole strength of Persia ; 
 a glorious example, which did not fail to make a 
 deep impression, throughout the whole of Greece. 
 At length, however, the Persians once more got the 
 upper hand, and a courtesan in Persepolis was en- 
 abled to squander in a single night the entire rev- 
 enue derived from the tribute of nine Cyprian kings. 
 
 Next the great Macedonian conqueror appeared 
 upon the world's stage. Had it not been for his 
 powerful and crafty father, Philip, the union of the 
 Greeks would never have been accomplished ; they 
 had nefcotiated and foucrht, and foui^ht and necjo- 
 tiated, but were never ready to act in concert, but 
 
106 CYPKUS, HISTOEIC.\L AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 now the streno-tli of Macedoii had united their 
 forces under the conduct of Philip's heroic son, and 
 set out upon their great campaign in Asia. 
 
 When Alexander laid siege to Tyre, the Cyprian 
 kings, of their own accord, sent to him their p>o\ver- 
 ful fleets and warlike engines, and strove, amongst 
 themselves, who should most richly contribute to 
 the festive games with which they celebrated the 
 news of his victories. Some accompanied him even 
 as far as the Indus, where the Cyprian shipwrights 
 had built the fleet, in which he intended to ascend 
 the mighty river. The great conqueror himself 
 was presented with a dagger, made by the artisans 
 of Kiti, that was regarded with admiration on ac- 
 count of its keen edge and masterly workmanship. 
 When the chief officers of Alexander's army, from 
 being genei-als were exalted into kings, bloody bat- 
 tles were again fought for the possession of Cyprus. 
 Whoever possessed this island, could command the 
 shores of Asia ! Whoever possessed the shores of 
 Asia, but not the island, was always open to attack! 
 Ultimately, however, it became the property of the 
 Ptolemies, and remained for two hundred years 
 under the dominion of Egypt. Heavily was the 
 hand of Egypt laid upon poor Cyprus; the taxes 
 imposed upon its cities and villages Avere grievous 
 to be borne; its nine kings dwindled into mere 
 shadows, an Egyptian governor resided at Salamis, 
 and lorded it over the land like an independent 
 
CYPRUS IN ANCIEXT TDIES. 107 
 
 moiiarcli. But now the Western continent for the 
 third time prepared a great expedition against the 
 East. 
 
 Already in Italy the heavy tread of Roman co- 
 hoi'ts resounded, and Avherever they were heard the 
 wreaths that ornamented Greek or Asiatic places 
 trembled, or fell withered to the ground. Not a 
 word was heai'd of right, or wrong, either toward 
 the j)rince, or people ; Egypt was taken possession 
 of, and Cyprus became the province of a Roman 
 proconsul, who established his residence in Paphos. 
 The Roman system of government in a subdued 
 territory differed but little from that of the Turks. 
 Unlike the Turks, however, the Romans recom- 
 pensed their subjects with higher political culture, 
 with substantial rights as citizens, with domestic 
 peace, with excellent roads and harbors, with free 
 trade throughout all their vast emj^ire, and — with 
 what the Turks do not vouchsafe, and, in spite of all 
 their promises and experimental trials, only in a 
 very limited degree can offer to their subjects — every 
 inhabitant of Cyprus under the dominion of Rome, 
 gifted with industry and genius, had the oppor- 
 tunity of raising himself, even to the highest offices 
 in the state. Throughout all the earlier periods of 
 its history, this island was the place where impor- 
 tant l)usiness, both in connection with its mines and 
 agricultural produce, was cariied on. It was the 
 abode of luxury and voluptuous enjoyment, and 
 
108 CYPBUS, HISTOEIC.\L AND DESCREPTTVE. 
 
 deeply as tlie Romans helped tliemselv^es from the 
 pocktt^ of the Cyprians, there was always much re- 
 maining:. 
 
 At the end of the Koman epoch a remarkaWe 
 change took, place. It has long been a recognized 
 fact, though dismal enough, that the instincts of 
 sensuality, cruelty, and mystical superstition, are 
 entwined together as if they grew from the same 
 root. In Cyprus this law of nature seems to hav^e 
 asserted itsfc?lf throughout the land. In ])resence 
 of the mysteries of Astarte, in Avhich abominable 
 lust, bloodshed, and depravity reigned triumphant, 
 "we gladly shut our eyes. But, behold, at the magic 
 touch of Grecian art, the gloomy Astarte becomes 
 transformed into the fair ooddess, that, risins; from 
 the sea-foam, assumes the beauteous shape of Ve- 
 nus. The lovely Aphrodite, whose worship, how- 
 ever, still retained enough and more than enough of 
 the ancient rites. And now she undergoes a third 
 transformation. How at the present day do the 
 Cyprians name the Mother of God, simply " Aphro- 
 ditissa." She is often represented in the oldest 
 pictures, with her dark features veiled and glitter- 
 ing with gold and silver; exactly as in ancient time, 
 the great black meteoric stone — the idol of Venus — 
 Astarte, was solemnly veiled by her priestesses. 
 
 From the very ground, upon which formerly 
 stood the temple of the Cyprian Venus, little images 
 of the Madonna are frequently dug up, as, for ex- 
 
CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TIMES. 109 
 
 ample, tlie five goddesses, sitting upon throne-like 
 seats, each Avitli a cliild upon its bosom, obtained 
 from the excavations at Idalion, and now pre- 
 served in the Ambrose collection at Vienna. Here, 
 indeed, the figures are altogether of an antique 
 character, nevertheless every one of the five has so 
 completely the charactei-s of a Christian Madonna, 
 that the observer involuntarily thinks them counter- 
 feits. The conversion of the Aphrodite into the 
 "Aphroditissa" occurred during the earliest days of 
 Christianity, "when the sensual culture of Tenus 
 gave place to the pure worship of the Virgin Mother. 
 The Jews, meanwhile, Ions; o:roanin<]^ under the 
 weight of Roman taxation in Cyprus, as in Palestine, 
 and overwhelmed with rage and despaii', conspired 
 together, and collecting into a formidable army slew, 
 as it is stated, 250,000 men, a number which indi- 
 cates how densely populated the island must have 
 been. Since this fearful slauo-hter no Jew has ven- 
 tured to reside in Cyprus. Chi-istianity now made 
 such rapid progress, that the country Avas divided into 
 no less than thirty l)ishoprics. The island became a 
 land of saints ; Barrabas, Lazarus, Heraclides, Hila- 
 i-ion, Spiridion, Epiphanes, Johannes, Lampadista, 
 Johannes the Almoner, Catherine, Acona, Maura, 
 and a long list of holy persons stand in the calendar 
 as belonging to Cyprus. 
 
 After the Roman epoch ensued the long and 
 tedious uniformity of Byzantine rule. The manage- 
 
110 CYPEUS, HISTORICAL A2sT) DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 meiit of the island of Cyprus was for the most part 
 intrusted to the care of military and civil governors, 
 although, sometimes, both these functions Avere 
 united in the hands of a satrap, who bore the title 
 of duke or kaimacan (one set above all). The 
 supreme governor next endeavored to make the 
 succession hereditary in his own family, and for a 
 time succeeded — a result which soon tempted him to 
 aim at complete independence; for, relying on his 
 position, and the extent of his internal resources, he 
 deemed the island strong enough to defend itself. 
 His independence, however, only lasted until the 
 imperial forces could be got together. 
 
 A fleet from Constantinople soon arrived, which, 
 putting on shore a sufficient iiuml)er of troops, over- 
 threw all his schemes and punished his temerity. In 
 the fourth centur\', during which Cyprus was sink- 
 ing sloAvl}-, but surely, into political and domestic 
 ruin, great misfortunes fell upon her. Earthquakes 
 destroyed her towns, and repeated droughts almost 
 completed her destruction; it is said that no lain 
 fell during thirty years, when, as tlie few surviving 
 inhabitants were endeavoring to escape from the 
 death-stricken country, there appeared among them 
 the holy St. Helena, Avho carried with her, wherever 
 she Avent, refreshing showers ; after which the towns 
 and cloisters were once more filled by the returning 
 inhabitants. 
 
 From the middle of the seventh to the middle of 
 
CYPRUS IN ANdEJsT TDJES. Ill 
 
 the tenth century, the hand of man caused fearful 
 devastation. Hordes of pirates appeared upon the 
 coast, who, landing at every avaikible place, set iire 
 to the towns and villages, and when the inhabit- 
 ants fled to save themselves, laid hands on every- 
 thing within their reach. Money and fruit, men 
 and cattle, all ^vere hurried on board their ships. 
 Swiftly as they liad come they departed ; in vain 
 tlie fleet sent out by Government endeavored to 
 follow them. 
 
 Among the islands and havens of the Grecian 
 Archipelago concealment and shelter were easily 
 obtained; the only resource was to place watchmen 
 upon commanding points of the coast, from whence 
 they could see to a distance; and to build towers 
 and beacons, whence signals could be made by means 
 of fires and smoke, so soon as any suspicious craft 
 made its appearance. On seeing this signal, all the 
 inhabitants of the coast fled into the interior, takinir 
 their children and cattle and their money and valu- 
 ables with them; and there they remained con- 
 cealed until another sij^nal from the watchman told 
 them that the coast was clear, TSext came robbers 
 of a still worse description ; the former only sought 
 f(jr what could be readily carried oif in their ships: 
 these others were land robbers. The pirates only 
 struck down or burned whatever hindered them in 
 their proceedings ; the others destroyed for destruc- 
 tion's sake, and collecting men like sheep, drove them 
 
112 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCREPTIYE. 
 
 into slavery. These were Arabs ; from tlieir sandy 
 and rocky deserts tliey brought with them a sav- 
 age hatred against all religious edifices, which they 
 leveled with the o-J'ound. It was now that the an- 
 cient buildings of Cyprus suffered : the old temples 
 were reduced to ruins, the towns were destroyed, 
 and everything Greek or Koraan perished. The 
 Arabs wished to estaldish their new government in 
 the island, and for this purpose they only required 
 bare ground. 
 
 In Constantinople every endeavor was made 
 once more to seize upon and maintain possession of 
 the rich island. In despair a command was issued 
 by the Sultan that all these fierce intruders should 
 leave Cyprus. The howl of the Arab was uo longer 
 heard in the country, and the population began 
 again to gather itself together, first in the plains 
 and towns upon the coast, and afterward, little by 
 little, the hills became once more peopled. To this 
 Arab peiiod succeeded a respite, during which the 
 island ^v^as enabled in some desrree to recover itself. 
 
 The rule of the Byzantine continued, however, for 
 two hundred years. Frequently did the Cyprians 
 endeavor to fi-ee themselves from bonds which pin- 
 ioned the arms of industry, but all in vain ; the 
 island seemed to have settled down in that slow 
 decay, which was the fate of all the Byzantine prov- 
 inces. When we reflect what a system of robbery 
 was practiced throughout the western Eoman em- 
 
CYPRUS m A^'CIENT TIMES. 113 
 
 pire, and tlie absolute poverty of the eastern states, 
 and consider that the Grecian people for thirteen 
 centuries had to submit to such rulers ; that in that 
 time so many insurrections broke out among the 
 German, Slav, Arabian, and Turanian nations; we 
 must perforce recognize the excellent material of 
 Avhich they are composed. It is a wonder that after 
 so many centuries of oppression, spoliation, and 
 misery, so many of them survive. 
 
 We have now arrived at the end of the twelfth 
 century, and for the fourth time the Western Con- 
 tinent is assembled to do battle as^ainst the East. 
 France and Germany take the lead in the crusade, 
 Italy and England assist. For nearly a century the 
 coast of Asia opposite to Cyprus, from Cilicia to 
 Egypt, had again become. Christian. The centre of 
 the group was the kingdom of Jerusalem. Its sup- 
 porters were the principalities of Tripoli, Edissa, and 
 Antioch, the dominions of Caesarea, Beyrut, Sidon, 
 and Tyre. Only Cyprus remained under the By- 
 zantine yoke. Then came Richard Cceur de Lion, 
 and in one Avild attack he subdued the island and 
 depai'ted. Cyprus once more had her own king, and 
 by a single stroke order and peace was restored to the 
 ishmd. Baronial castles, abbeys with stately halls, 
 and beautiful Gothic cathedrals, sprang up in all 
 directions. The slopes of the hills were covered with 
 vineyards and orchards, and the fields were sown 
 with corn and profitable vegetables. Rich works, 
 
114: CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 and a trade that extended all over the Mediterra- 
 nean, o^ave life to the whole co«ntrv. Famao;usta 
 and Limasol at once took their places as large sea- 
 23orts. 
 
 After havino; been for fifteen hundred years a 
 mere dependency on either Memphis, Persepolis, 
 Alexandria, Rome, or Constantinople, Cyprus now 
 for three hundred years enjoyed the blessings of 
 self-government, and was prosperous and in high 
 repute. She built a new capital city, and, when the 
 Holy Land was abandoned, became the rendezvous 
 of the knights, who brought with them their laws. 
 
 As in the days of Cymon and Enagoras, Cyprus 
 became the arsenal where the fleets and armies of 
 Greece armed themselves to invade Persia. She 
 now shone across the blue waters of the Mediterra- 
 nean as the centre of knighthood and chivalry, from 
 Avhence the unbelievers were incessantly attacked, 
 and for a long time victoriously fought against 
 whenever they ventured to establish themselves 
 upon the coast from Symrna to Alexandria, 
 
 This glorious change in the condition of Cyprus 
 was effected, not by the inhabitants of the island, 
 but by the knights, monks, and citizens who came 
 to her from foreign countries, bringing with them 
 knowledge, activity, and industry. 
 
 When the Venetians took possession of the coun- 
 try, it once more sank into its former insignificance, 
 it became merely the treasure chest and the granary 
 
CYPRUS IN ANCIENT TDCES. 115 
 
 of a foreign nation. The entire population soon 
 lost its cliivalrons character, and gradually sank into 
 a sloth and stupidity from which it again never 
 recovered ; and, to add to the general misery, a fear- 
 ful scourge now visited the unhappy land. In the 
 jdaces left desert by diminished cultivation, lo- 
 custs multiplied to such an extent that vegetation 
 disappeared from the face of the ground. A still 
 gi'eater misfortune was the incessant destruction of 
 the trees and woods; the very mountains were left 
 bare, and, as a natural consequence, the rivers and 
 brooks ^vere dried up, so that the parched land ^vas 
 no longer capable of cultivation. This state of 
 things has now existed for nearly three hundred 
 years. Each successive season appears worse than 
 that which j^receded it, the rulers more rapacious, 
 and the climate more unhealthy. In our day, the 
 inhal.)itants seem to be slightly roused from their 
 apathetic slumber, ^vhich is principally owing to 
 foreign interference. This amelioration exists par- 
 ticularly in the vicinity of the sea coast, once so rich 
 and beautiful, now so wretched and unfortunate. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 TROADITISSA. 
 
 The stumbling of my horse roused me from tlie 
 forejxoinir reflections on the history of the famous 
 mountain beneath the shadow of which we now 
 rode. Our path lay over steep and rugged rocks, 
 and after a long course of scrambling, my horse at 
 last refused to stir from the spot on which he stood. 
 We dismounted in hopes of discov^ering liis cause of 
 alarm, and found ourselves on the very brink of a 
 yawning precipice. By a vigorous effort we again 
 found our path, and after some hard climbing, de- 
 scended into a valley through which ran a small 
 stream. 
 
 In the distance I observed lights, and felt con- 
 vinced they must proceed from the monastery we 
 were in search of. As we approached they turned 
 out to be bonfires, lit to celebrate the Easter fete, 
 and that the supposed cloister was only a small 
 village. We plunged our horses into the midst of 
 the rushing stream in order to gain the opposite 
 bank, but found it far too high. We now rode up 
 and down the bed of the stream shouting for assist- 
 ance till we were hoarse, but all was useless. Al- 
 
 116 
 
TROADITISSA. 117 
 
 most In hopeless despair, Hussein made one more 
 viijorous effort to rouse tlie indolent inhabitants, 
 and shouted at the top of his voice for some one to 
 come with torches and show us our way. * 
 
 Xo one answered, and ^^e souglit in vain for some 
 means of reaching the bank. At last, as a final 
 effort, Hussein gathered himself together and once 
 more exerted his powerful voice. This time the 
 shout was a menace. In the name of the pacha, he 
 commanded the villagers to appear and conduct a 
 noble stranger to the cloister of Troaditissa, under 
 the penalty of having their houses pulled about 
 their ears should they refuse to comply. This had 
 the desired effect; two men immediately appeared 
 bearing torches and led ns on our way. From them 
 we learnt that a foreign gentleman, who spoke good 
 Greek, had called at the villafre about two hours 
 jireviously with his servant, and had requested to 
 have a guide to the cloister; this could have been 
 no other than my courageous dragoman, and I pic- 
 tured to myself his anguish when he found himself 
 lost and belated. 
 
 When our guides heard I had ascended to the 
 summit of Olympus they assured me I might con- 
 sider myself lucky to have escaped any attack from 
 the deiQons and kobolds ^vho haunted tlie spot. 
 Had I not heard, they inquired, that the temple 
 of Aphroditissa had been removed lower down 
 because of the machinations of these evil ones ? 
 
118 CTPBUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCKIPTIYE. 
 
 The village of Fiui, whicli we now left, lay aLout 
 1,000 feet below the monastery, and was separated 
 therefrom by a steep and rocky road. My whole 
 frame was exhausted, and had I had any idea of 
 the distance we must still traverse before reaching 
 our destination, I should certainly have insisted on 
 I'emainino; for the niixht in anv one of the villaofe 
 huts, however squalid it might be. As it was, I was 
 in the hands of my energetic zaj^tieh, who hurried 
 on our guides with all possible speed. For myself I 
 was quite past everything, excejit clinging on to 
 my horse, to keep myself from falling, letting him 
 stumble on by himself, guided only by his instinct 
 through the j)itchy darkness of the night. I 
 thanked Heaven loudly when about eleven o'clock 
 we reached the gate of the cloister. An Easter 
 bonfire was also burning: here, formed of two huo-e 
 'trees, which, as tliey slowly burnt, wei-e pushed fur- 
 ther into the flames in order that the fire might not 
 die out before sunrise. 
 
 I was at once conducted to my apartments, which, 
 though the best in the house, bore a most disgust- 
 ing resemblance to a stable ; and had scarcely set 
 my foot upon the floor, when my dragoman's head 
 appeared out of his bedclothes, and he commenced a 
 woeful tale of sufferings and alarms. He was starv- 
 ing with hunger, and the monks had only given him 
 a piece of wretched bi'ead that he could scarcely put 
 his teeth into ! For my supper, the worthy brethren 
 
TROADinSSA. 119 
 
 Lrought me an eartlieu pot of tlie dirtiest, contain- 
 ing some cold turnips and a small piece of salt beef. 
 Hungry as I was I could not have touched them. 
 Luckily for us the superior of the cloisters apj^eared 
 and ordered some wine and eirsrs to be broucfht. 
 The wine, whicli was excellent, revived us, and 
 loosened the tongues of the two monks who bore us 
 company, and we chatted gayly far into the night. 
 This capital wine (^lavro) is of a very deep red 
 color, and is made in the neighboring village of Fiui. 
 Its effect upon my exhausted frame was marvellous. 
 I have often found during ray journey in Cyprus 
 that a glass of Commanderia was the finest remedy 
 for over-fatigue, and I quite understood the popular 
 idea of its being by far the best medicine in many 
 cases of illness. 
 
 Early next morning I was roused by the bells, 
 which were hung almost directly over my head. 
 Mass was being celebrated in the little church ; this 
 was far too small for its villaore conficreccation, and 
 the men were standini; outside with liejhts in their 
 hands, whilst the women kept farther in the back- 
 ground. When the celebration was over, the women 
 and girls seated themselves upon the trunks of some 
 trees, and began eating the food they had brought 
 with them, whilst the men mounted to a rough bal- 
 cony in front of the cloister, and sat down upon 
 some benches. The two monks now appeared with 
 baskets and earthen vessels, and after the men had 
 
120 CYPRUS, HISTOBICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 kissed their hands, presented each with a linen clotli 
 to spread over his knees, and then gave a plentiful 
 supply of bread, cheese, and wine. This repast was 
 followed by a cup of coffee. 
 
 Amongst the women I noticed many with truly 
 classic features, but in most cases they had heavy 
 figures. Two girls, however, were perfect t}pes of 
 statuesque beauty, and would have made a sculp- 
 tor's heart leap Avith joy. 
 
 Whilst I \vas enjoying this scene, a third old 
 monk appeared who was suffei'ing terribly from a 
 wound in his leg, which had not been properly at- 
 tended. I showed the poor old soul how to make 
 some lint, and lay it on the sore, thickly overspread 
 with tallow from the fat of a goat. This act of 
 charity performed, I followed the good brothers into 
 the chapel. Like most cloister churches in Cyprus, 
 it appeared to date from very ancient times, and 
 was probably built when Cliristianity first reached 
 the island. K^ear this little edifice stood two rough 
 buildings, containing a few rude chambers which, 
 with the chapel, formed the whole monastery. 
 Should any one wish to pass a week in this spot he 
 must accustom himself to the pangs of hunger, as 
 the worthy monks practice the abstinence on fast 
 days, which they require of their flock. 
 
 This cloister can boast one most curious and val- 
 ualde relic, namely, a picture of the Madonna 
 worked in silver and gold, with the heads of mother 
 
TROADITISSA. 121 
 
 and child painted on ivoiy. This cnrioslty is five 
 and a half feet long, l)y three and a half feet wide. 
 When I raised the veil that (as is usual in the island) 
 hung over the face of the Mother of God, I observed 
 two large silver plates, bearing t]ie device of the 
 Russian double eagle, and the date 1799, from 
 Avhich it would appear that this fine work had been 
 the gift of imperial piety. This was no doubt an 
 act of wisdom, as the whole surrounding country 
 still seems pervaded by a host of superstitions dating 
 from heathen times. This monastery is the constant 
 resort of pilgrims on account of the healing powers 
 with which this picture is sup2:)osed to be endowed, 
 and the jooor brotherhood are often hard pressed 
 to find food for themselves and their numerous vis- 
 itors. 
 
 When we were leaving, the old monk again ap- 
 peared ; his leg was much better, and he fell upon 
 my neck and embraced and thanked me with much 
 gratitude. Our road lay through the scene of our 
 last ni^rht's troubles, and I trembled as I saw the 
 pitfalls we had passed in the pitchy darkness, and 
 yet escaped with our lives. 
 
 I was now desirous of riding through the country 
 to the monastery of Chrysorogiatissa, which I under- 
 stood to be about seven or eisrht leasrues distant ; wo 
 found, however, that it took us an entire day to 
 reach the spot. 
 
 Shortly after leaving the village of Fiui we 
 
122 CYPEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 entered a magnificent valley, inclosed by reddish- 
 brown mountains, witli trees scattered liere and 
 there npon the declivities. These reminded me of 
 the trees upon the open ])rairies of America, Aviiich 
 are only met with at about every 200 or 300 feet. 
 On the ])rairies, however, the trees Avhen they do 
 appear, form pleasing objects in the landscape, 
 whilst the stunted growth upon the Cyprian moun- 
 tains only gives an impression of barrenness and 
 decay. We saw a few firs at an elevation of 4,000 
 feet, and in some of the upper peaks a few pines are 
 still to be met with. A very different scene pre- 
 sented itself in the valley beneath us. From every 
 stone and rock hung long grass and clumps of flow- 
 ers, and in some places these were entirely covei-ed 
 with brilliant mosses and a variety of creeping 
 plants. Bushes of sage, marjoram, cistus, arbutus, 
 laurel, and myrtle covered the ground, whilst oaks, 
 juniper, and mastic trees spread their i-oots in all 
 directions near the rippling waters of the stream 
 that irrigated this beautiful valley. The soft foli- 
 age of the tamarisk contrasted finely with the dark 
 branches of the j^ines and the silver-gray of the wild 
 olive. 
 
 On the trees and bushes were perched a host of 
 feathered songsters, and every cleft and fissure in the 
 low-lying rocks streamed and rippled with sparkling 
 water. Every here and there ^ve came upon a spot 
 where the moist swampy earth was covered with 
 
TROADITISSA. 123 
 
 peonies, tulips, and a variety of bulbous plants, 
 whilst every decaying tree stump showed a luxuri- 
 ant crop of orchids and rare creepers. The whole 
 air was so charged with heavy perfume from these 
 multitudinous flowers, that I breathed more freely 
 when we reached a slight eminence and Avere met 
 by a refreshing breeze, which bore with it the de- 
 licious odor of some neifrhborinir fiir-trees. 
 
 In passing through one of these valleys Ave found 
 the sun intolerable. It actually seemed as if the 
 heat were rising from the ground and Avould scorch 
 our legs. I have, however, never felt in Cyprus, 
 except on this occasion, that over-powering sultriness 
 which is so often exj^erienced in Sicily ; still, it of 
 course must be thoroughly understood that I tra- 
 veled through the island in the freshness of early 
 spring. 
 
 Let no one imagine that our path through these 
 picturesque valleys was Avithout its difficulties and 
 annoyances. Over and over again Ave lost our Avay, 
 and at last Ave Avere compelled to plunge into the 
 bed of the stream and let our horses swim and 
 struggle as best they could over the loose stones that 
 beset them at every step. When Ave again landed, 
 our Avay lay along the edge of a steep declivity and 
 over walls of rock, Avithout a trace of roadAvay or 
 anvthino; to indicate the course we ous^ht to take. 
 A tedious ride at length usually brought us to a 
 deep gully, beyond Avhich lay another luxuriant and 
 
124 CYPEUS, mSTOJlICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 laiigliing valley. In tliis manner we journeyed all 
 day, following the course of the stream and the goat 
 paths, whenever it was possible, and stumbling on 
 as best we miijht when these were not available. 
 
 At noon we stopped to rest upon a hill above the 
 murmurino; waters of the mountain stream, and for 
 the first time that day heard the distant sound of 
 sheep-bells. Gradually the tinkling became more 
 distinct, and in a short time two shej^herds with 
 guns on theii" shoulders appeared upon the scene. 
 They were fine fellows, and gave me many interest- 
 ing particulars of their life on the mountains, whilst 
 gratefully sharing the meal we were enjoying. They 
 belonfjed to a nomad race, wanderino- durino^ the 
 greatest part of the year about these mountains 
 with their flocks, and sleeping in little huts roughly 
 made of branches for the occasion. On my asking 
 if many shepherds lived this life, they laughed, and 
 assured me that not only men and boys, but women 
 and girls passed whole months in this manner 
 among the mountains, the women carrying a light 
 spindle about with them, and plying their wool- 
 spinning, a work they much prefer to laboring with 
 the hoe and sickle in the fields. Exactly such a life 
 as this I have often witnessed in the Greek islands 
 of Samothrace and Thasos, and exactly such fea- 
 tures, build, and dress as these men exhibited. Like 
 their Grecian brothers our Cyprian friends imitated 
 the shriek of the vultures and the calls of a great 
 
TEOADITISSA. 125 
 
 many birds, in the most perfect manner. I inquired 
 of these shepherds, if they could give me any par- 
 ticulars concerning the mufflons, a species of wild 
 goat, but could only learn that it was but very 
 rarely met with. From what I could gather, I im- 
 agine that it is nearly extinct. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 CYPRIAX WOODS AND FORESTS. 
 
 Cyprus, of late years, has been gradually sinking 
 to decay through the supine indolence and indiffer- 
 ence of her degraded population. In no particular 
 does the whole surface of the country suffer so se- 
 verely as in the utter devastation of her mountain 
 forests. All the former rulers of this beautiful 
 island, Greeks, Persians, Egyptians, Romans, x\rabs, 
 and Byzantines gave particular attention to the cul- 
 tivation of the fine trees that contributed so largely 
 to her prosperity. Oaks, firs, fig-trees, and nut-trees 
 covered the entire island, even to the sea-shore. 
 During the two first centuries of the Lusignan dy- 
 nasty the first formidable attack was made upon the 
 luxuriance of Cyprian forests, and timber was em- 
 ])loyed in enormous quantities for the building of 
 merchant vessels, and the construction of the fine 
 fleets that Cyprus sent forth to the coasts of Asia 
 Minor, Syria, and Egypt. 
 
 Then came the Venetians, equally bent on ship- 
 building, but their prudent foresight forbade them 
 to hew down without planting again, and under 
 
 their rule the forests flourished almost as luxuri- 
 
 126 
 
CYPRIAN WOODS AND FORESTS. 127 
 
 aiitlyas ever. A very different state of things arose 
 under the improvidence and carelessness of Turkish 
 rule. If a hundred trunks were wanted, a tliousand 
 were hewn down, it being easier to select the finest 
 trees as they lay upon the ground than when tower- 
 ing among their companions. The best were taken 
 and the rest left to rot where they had fallen. 
 Every maritime disaster entailed fresh destruction 
 to the Cyprian forests. Pachas, kaimakans, and 
 agas year ])y year increased their revenues by cut- 
 ting down the trees, and leaving w'hat they could 
 not sell to be ajipropriated by whoever chose to 
 take them. The fine forests were under no protec- 
 tion from Government, and the poorer classes drew 
 a considei'able part of their livelihood from the sale 
 of tiie trees they cut down. Mehemet Ali, the first 
 Viceroy of Egypt, gave the finishing stroke to this 
 work of folly by permitting or rather encouraging, 
 any one who chose, to fell the trees and send them 
 to Egypt to assist in the construction of ships, wa- 
 ter-wheels, and canals. 
 
 All over the island this wanton destruction of 
 their trees by the Cypriotes is observable. Every 
 village or occupied spot is remarkable for the spolia- 
 tion of its surrounding timber ; small trees are cut 
 down at the roots, whilst the giants of the forest, 
 whose huge trunks could only be ovei-thrown by 
 patience and exertion, have had all their branches 
 and bark lopped off and hacked awa}". 
 
128 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AXD DESCIlIPTrV'£-. 
 
 Anotlier powerful cause of destruction is to be 
 traced to the constant occunence of lires in the 
 woods and forests. These arise principally fi'om the 
 carelessness of the wandering shepherds and their 
 families, who kindle a Llaze withont the slightest 
 attempt to avoid the destruction that so frequently 
 ensues. During the course of our ride I have often 
 passed several of these charred and blaclcened dis- 
 tricts, where it was quite evident the progress of 
 the fire had only been arrested by there being no 
 more trees or shrubs to devour. When the value of 
 this rich source of wealth to the island is again a]> 
 preciated a very short space of time will be required 
 before the forests are ac^ain floiirishinj]^ in all their 
 former l)eauty. The fertility of Cyprus is truly 
 marvellous, and should a tract of countiy be left 
 unravaged for three years, trees of every vari(;ty 
 will as^ain rear their heads. Even on the most arid 
 part of the mountains, I frequently observed a fnie 
 growth of young firs and pines ; these, however, 
 would not be allowed to reach maturity, for what 
 the hand of man does not sweep away is destroyed 
 by the sheep and goats as they wander uni'estrained 
 about the hills. 
 
 Forests of dark pines were once numerous upon 
 the higher ranges of mountains, but these have also 
 fallen victims to the recklessness of the islanders. 
 Resin and ])itcli are marketable articles, and to ob- 
 tain these the trees have been mercilessly destroyed. 
 
CYPRIAN WOODS AND FOBESTS. 129 
 
 Operations are commenced by stripping off the bark 
 on one side, the finest trees being ahvays selected, 
 as liigli as the man can reach, and the resin taken. 
 Fire is then applied to the base of the trunk, and a 
 few hours suffice to lay it low. The branches are 
 then lopped off, and, with portions of the trunk, are 
 heaped into a roughly constructed oven formed of 
 quarried stone. Fire is then applied to the wood 
 and the resin pours forth into a little channel cut to 
 receive it. The first-fruits of this process is called 
 kolophonium, and the second resin, whilst the last 
 result forms a kind of tar. Half the resin is, of 
 course, wasted in this rough process, and when the 
 devastators have taken of the best the hill-side af- 
 fords, they climb down to another green and luxuri- 
 ant spot, there to recommence their work of destruc- 
 tion. A sort of mania for this wanton mischief 
 seems actually to possess the Cypriotes. Quarrels 
 are of constant occurrence between the inhabitants 
 of different villages and communities, and no better 
 way to avenge themselves occurs to the contending 
 parties than to burn down and hack each other s 
 trees under the concealment of night. To burn 
 down a fine tree, merely for the pleasure of seeing 
 and hearinor it crackle and blaze, is an amusement 
 constantly practiced by the ignorant and unreflect- 
 ing shepherds as they lounge away their days upon 
 the mountain side. I made many attempts to open 
 the e^^es of the people to the utter folly of such a 
 
130 CYPByS, HISTORICAL AlW DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 course of action, and was generally met with the 
 answer that it was done by the wish of the Turkish 
 Government. The Cypriotes have become so accus- 
 tomed to attribute every evil of their lives to this 
 source, that they actually appear to consider their 
 late rulers responsible for their own reckless indo- 
 lence. 
 
 In order to restore the forests of Cyprus to their 
 pristine luxuriance only one course can be adopted : 
 All woods and forests must be put under the im- 
 mediate protection of Government, and every act of 
 wanton destruction made punishable. The present 
 trade in resin must be entirely put down, or only 
 permitted under heavy restrictions. Should this 
 course be pursued under British rule many distiicts 
 will rapidly prove its wisdom. Whole tracts of 
 country, I feai-, must be entii'ely replanted. The 
 land around the villages should be allotted to the 
 inhabitants, and boundary lines permanently fixed. 
 A little encouragement from their priests and school- 
 masters would induce the vain and envious Cypri- 
 otes to vie with each other in the cultivation of their 
 new possessions. I had a long and interesting con- 
 versation on this subject with the late governor of 
 Cyprus, a most enlightened and high-minded gen- 
 tleman. His opinions on this point were not less 
 decided than my own as to the imperative necessity 
 of replanting and cultivating the Cyprian woods 
 and forests if the island is ever as^ain to rise from 
 
CYPMAN WOODS AND FORESTS.. 131 
 
 Ler present degraded condition. If this is not done, 
 rivers and streamlets will year by year dwindle 
 away, and waste ground entirely take the place 
 of what were once well-watered plains. The pacha 
 strongly urged the desirability of introducing the 
 eucalyptus upon all the plains and the table rocks 
 before alluded to. I inquired if this was likely to 
 be done, but my only answer was a deep sigh. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 PLAGUES OF LOCUSTS. 
 
 Happily for this unfortunate island, tlie plagues 
 of locusts -which formerly were very common, are 
 now unknown. An old chronicle informs us that 
 from the year 1411 to 1418 every tree in the coun- 
 try was pei'fectly leafless. During the last century, 
 this terriljle scourge — which came with the north 
 wind from the Caramanian mountains — appeared 
 every few years, and was principally attributable to 
 the fact that in the nesrlected state of the countrv, 
 these pests of the farmers were perfectly unmo- 
 lested, and having once taken possession of the 
 eastern table lands, laid their eorors there from sea- 
 son to season. 
 
 When locusts are first hatched, at the end of 
 March, they are no larger than spring-tails, and con- 
 gregate in innumerable myriads upon every bush 
 and plant. A fortnight later, when they have 
 twice changed their skins, they are fully half a 
 finger long, and have already commenced their hop- 
 ping and creeping westward, destroying every leaf 
 as they pass. In the next fortnight they again cast 
 
 their skins twice, and have their wings fully de- 
 
 132 
 
PLAGUES OF LOCUSTS. 133 
 
 velojied. Now commences tlieir triumphant prog- 
 ress, and the air is filled with the riishinf; sound of 
 their destructive presence. Their rapacity is siin- 
 1^1 y marvelous ; fields of corn are devoured to the 
 very roots, and within a few minutes after their ap- 
 pearance, fruitful gardens are entirely laid waste. 
 Every edible thing is destroyed, and it is not at all 
 uncommon for these hideous swarms to enter the 
 houses and devour everything that they obtain ac- 
 cess to. The work of devastation ended, they fall 
 dead in thousands of thousands on the sea-shore and 
 open country, filling the air with their pestiferous 
 breath. 
 
 In the present day, Cyprus is mercifully entirely 
 free from this overwhelming plague. This happy 
 state of things was brought about, partly, by the 
 energy of the then ruling Turkish pacha, who com- 
 manded that a certain measure of locusts should be 
 collected by every one for the Government and then 
 buried. The whole population were at once awak- 
 ened to the urgency of the case. Trees and shrubs 
 were set on fire whilst their devouring host passed 
 over, and soldiers, horses, and oxen were called into 
 requisition to stamp out the enemy. The districts 
 -where the eggs lay were plowed, and no stone 
 left unturned to render the general purification as 
 complete as possible. Only money and people 
 were wanting, to make the attempt sufficiently gen- 
 eral. 
 
134 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AXD DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 At tliis crisis, a large landowner, M. Mattei, resid- 
 ing at Laruaka, Lit upon a simple plan of ridding 
 the country of this annual pestilence. It had been 
 observed that a locust could not ascend a smooth sur- 
 face. The walls of IS^ikosia to a certain height were 
 therefore made smooth and whitewashed. ]\Iattei 
 Lad also calculated that, even wlien fully winged, 
 the creatures were compelled to seek the earth at 
 short intervals, and continue their way l)y ci-eeping 
 and hopping. He caused ditches to be dug and 
 behind these, strips of linen and oil-clotli were 
 stretched in such a manner as to form low walls ; or 
 slight partitions of planks or other smooth materials 
 ■were erected. Behind these, other ditches and simi. 
 lar walls were made at o;iven distances. The locusts 
 came, and finding it impossible to scale these arti- 
 ficial walls, fell in masses into the ditches dug for 
 their reception, where tLey were eitlier covered witL 
 eartL, and at once destroyed, or were sLoveled out, 
 tLrovvn into sacks, and buried in otLer spots. Such 
 as managed to rise above tlie first wall, rarely got 
 over tLe second, and in no instance readied the 
 tLird intrencLment. TLis simple metliod of fi'eeing 
 the country of these terrible pests, ^vhich was de- 
 sci'ibed to me by M. Mattei himself, Avas at first 
 only tried about Larnaka and Nikcsia, but so ex. 
 traordinary Avas the success of this ingenious experi- 
 ment that the example was shortly followed all over 
 the island, with the most satisfactory results. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 CHKYSOROGIATISSA. 
 
 As we gradually emerged into tbe open country, 
 I recognized our geographical position, and expe- 
 rienced fresh astonishment at the number of fine 
 streams, by which, if proper justice were done to 
 them, the island would be once more readily fertil- 
 ized. From this place we observed numerous tribu- 
 taries of the ancient Lycopotamos (River Kurio), 
 which flows into the sea at Episkopi (Curium), and 
 of the Keysoypotamos (River Diorizos), which dis- 
 charges its ^vaters near Kuklia (Palea Paphos), and 
 a little farther on passed the principal branch of 
 the latter river. Every mountain gully and valley 
 seemed filled with the sound of rippling water, and 
 I could not but compare the whole range of hills, 
 to one huge rocky spring or reservoir. 
 
 x\t this season, the country Avas saturated with 
 
 the late snows and winter rains, but in summer, 
 
 doubtless, these numerous sources rapidly dry up 
 
 under the burnins: sun, and the earth asrain becomes 
 
 scorched and arid. From the eminence upon which 
 
 I stood, I could see innumerable streamlets coursing 
 
 down the sides of the mountains, ^vhlch extended 
 
 135 
 
136 CYPRUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCEIPTIVE. 
 
 their undulating brown-tinted declivities as far as 
 the eye could reach. In the distance, on our right 
 Land, we saw the monastery of Kikku (the richest 
 and most extensive cloister in the island, and the 
 very stronghold of Cyprian brotherhoods), towering 
 like a pyramid into the air. This monastery is four 
 or five leagues fi'om Troaditissa, and is perched so 
 high on the upper ridge of the mountains as to be 
 very difficult of access. This does not prevent nu- 
 merous jiilgrims visiting her shrine, which possesses 
 a very valuable and ancient picture of the Ma- 
 donna. 
 
 Toward evenino; we reached the villas^e of Pana- 
 gia, and again found all the inhabitants assembled 
 around their church; on this occasion, however, old 
 and young were enjoying a little social intei'course. 
 The men and women chatting and laughing, whilst 
 the youngsters sported around under the shadow of 
 the trees, and lent an animated charm to the scene. 
 Again I could not fail to remark that almost every 
 kind of fruit tree flourishes, and bears good fruit in 
 a Avild state. Mulberries, aj)ricots, almonds, and 
 cheri'ies were here in great profusion. 
 
 Our arrival at the monastery of Chrysorogiatissa, 
 which Avas delayed until after dark, did not appear 
 to please the worthy brothers. Monks and servants 
 were all in bed ; but after much knocking and de- 
 lay, a monk and negro appeared, who admitted us 
 and brought out some bread and bony goats' flesh 
 
CHEYSOROGIATISSA. 137 
 
 for oiu' delectation. Next morning, wlien I left my 
 hard and comfortless bed, I found that hoth cloister 
 and mountain were enveloped in a tliick Mhite 
 mist. This monastery, which for size ranks next to 
 Kikku^ contains fifteen monks, and employs fifteen 
 servants, who cultivate part of the land belonging 
 to tlie monastery, the rest is let out on lease. All 
 the Cyprian cloisters are richly endowed, and are re- 
 quired to pay but few taxes to Government ; but iu 
 s])ite of this wealth, these religious houses can bear 
 no comparison with the abbeys of England. The 
 church, which reminded me of the archiepiscopal 
 cliapel at Nikosia, has a fine figure of the Saviour, 
 with nimbus, and right arm and hand of silver (the 
 latter is raised as though in the act of blessing). 
 Among the representations in wood carving, I no- 
 ticed Eve holding the apple, and Adam with a fine 
 moustache. 
 
 As the mist disappeared I was able to observe 
 the scene that lay beneath me. The cloister stands 
 back toward the south upon the liighest range, and 
 commands a magnificent view. This monastery was 
 formerly called Kogio. 
 
 At bi-eakfast, which was a much more appetizing 
 repast than our supper could have led us to expect, 
 we were honored by the presence of the Father- Ab- 
 l)ot, who came accompanied by the negro and an- 
 other servant. From him I learnt that this place 
 had formerly been the seat of the bishopric, until 
 
138 CYTEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 about thirty years ago, wlieii the bishop jireferred 
 removing his residence to the more busy to"svn of 
 Baffo. This worthy priest also gave me some valu- 
 able information concerning the j)resent deserted 
 state of the surroundinc: districts. For seven leagues, 
 north, south, and west, the country, he informed me, 
 was almost uninhabited. 
 
 Whilst I was chatting witli the friendly abbot, 
 my dragoman appeared with consternation written 
 on every feature. The whole mountains he assured 
 me, were infested by robber hordes; Michaili, my 
 Lorse boy, substantiated the statement, and both 
 refused to leave tbe monastery. On inquiry I found 
 that three men had been making requisitions on the 
 cloister at Troaditissa, and after other acts of vio- 
 lence had been lodged in the jail at Nikosia. This 
 prison, which is situated beneath the late governors 
 palace, often contains as many as a thousand con- 
 victs, guarded by a strong force of police. In the 
 centre of this square is a forlorndooking tree, from 
 the branches of which many wretches have been 
 banged by order of the Governor-General of Cyprus. 
 At the present day the governor cannot put a man 
 to death without special orders from Constantino- 
 ple; when this order arrives a policeman is sum- 
 moned, wliose duty it is to pass a rope round the 
 victim's neck, and, without more ado, to drag him 
 to the fatal tree, Avhere he is left hanging for sev- 
 eral hours after life is extinct. 
 
CHEYSOROGIATISSA. 139 
 
 "Whilst upon the subject of Cyprian prisoners, we 
 must not fail to lay before our readers the great 
 severity of punishment now being undergone by an 
 unfortunate now in the fortress of Famagusta. To 
 Mrs. Cesnola, the amiable wife of the well-known 
 author from whom we quote, the unhappy man was 
 indebted for obtaininojsome miti<2:ation of his suffer- 
 ings. 
 
 It is scarcely too much to hope that under British 
 rule these terrible dungeons may be investigated, 
 and the hands of mercy in many instances extended 
 to their suffering occupants. 
 
 " On one occasion."' Avrites the general, " when 
 visiting the armory of the prison, the attention of 
 the ladies of my party was attracted to some trail- 
 ing crimson flowers which overhung a parapet. To 
 their astonishment a short, broad-shouldered man 
 who had remained near them, and who had attracted 
 the attention of all, by his commandinc^ fissure and 
 fine, manly face, sprang to the parapet with the 
 agility of a cat, broke oft' some of the flowers, and 
 leturning, presented a spray to each of the ladies 
 with the utmost grace. As he did so, they ob- 
 served to their horror that he was shackled with 
 heavy iron chains from the wrist to the ankle." 
 
 His large, sad blue eyes, and hair prematurely 
 sti'eaked with gray, seemed to plead in his favoi-, 
 and on inquiring his crime the general learned that 
 he was no less a personage than the celebrated 
 
140 CYPEUS, EISTOKICAL AXD DESCEIPTIYE. 
 
 Kattlrdje Janni, the Robin Hood of the Levant. 
 This robber chief, it is stated, never committed a 
 murder, or permitted one to be perpetrated l)y his 
 band. It appears, that whilst in the service of a 
 gentleman in Smyrna he fell in love with his mas- 
 ter's danghter, with whom he planned an elopement, 
 but having been betrayed, he was overtaken and 
 thi'own into j)i'ison. From thence he escaped into 
 the mountains, near the ruins of Ephesus, and en- 
 tered upon the wild career which finally brought 
 him to Famnsjnsta. He and his band were in the 
 habit of lying in wait for the parties who they 
 knew were traveling with large sums of money, and 
 kindly relieving them of their charge. They also 
 frequently captured persons of wealth and detained 
 them until a ransom had been paid. Kattirdje 
 Janni would often give this money in alms to the 
 poor, and we are told he presented about one thou- 
 sand young Greek girls with mari'iage portions. 
 No one ever dreamed of informing against him, 
 owing to a superstitious belief amongst the peas- 
 ants that evil would befall the man who did so, and 
 all attempts of the government to take any of the 
 band were long futile. 
 
 " At the time of the Crimean war, whilst the 
 English army was at Smyrna, five hundred soldiers 
 went out, assisted by the Turks, in order to secure 
 him, but were entirely unsuccessful. The followinij 
 authentic incident will testify to the boldness of 
 
CHRYSOROGUTISSA. 141 
 
 this robber cbief, and the terror in \Yhich he was 
 held. One evening, when a family near Smyrna 
 were sitting at supper, they were amazed at behohb' 
 ing tAvelve men armed to the teeth enter the apart- 
 ment, headed by the bold outlaw. These uninvited 
 guests quietly seated themselves, remarking that 
 they would wait until the family had finished eat- 
 ing, and then they would have some supper. When 
 Kattirdje Janni had finished his repast, he told his 
 tremblino; host that he and his familv Avere hence- 
 forth free to hunt and travel where thev liked, 
 as he, Kattirdje Janni, never forgot a kindness. 
 
 " Tiring of this wild life, he gave himself up to 
 the Turkish authorities, on the understandins^ that 
 he was to be exiled to Cyprus, and not otherwise 
 punished. The Turks would probably have lieen 
 merciful to him, but, unfortunately, a young French- 
 man, connected with the consulate of Smyrna, had 
 been very badly used by his band. On this ac- 
 count the French ambassador insisted, that Kattirdje 
 Janni should be imprisoned and treated in the most 
 ]'igorous manner. He was immured in a dungeon, 
 and for seven years chained like a wild beast to the 
 walls of his cell. He was afterward removed to 
 the fortress of Famagusta, where he is still con- 
 fined." 
 
 The two superiors of the monastery accompanied 
 me to the gates, where I found eight stalwart gray- 
 bearded brothers waiting to bid me farewell. I 
 
142 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 could not refrain from commenting on tlieir fine 
 fi^-ures, when thev lano-bins-lv assured me there were 
 many more of their stamp to be found in these 
 mountains. Their faces were sunburnt and ruddy, 
 and contrasted strangely with the white robes of 
 their order. I may here mention that these moun- 
 taineers love their native hills with an ardor not 
 to be surpassed by any people in the world. As 
 w^e descended the steep face of the mountain the 
 whole scene was still enveloped in a thick mist. 
 At the bottom we saw two Turkish women tendini? 
 their cows, and looking in their white veils like a 
 couple of substantial ghosts. About a league and 
 a half farther on, Ave passed a deserted church, 
 Avhich was perched u2:)on a rock, and completely in 
 ]"uins. We also observed some sheep, with broad 
 flat tails, crrazinji: on the mountain side. Durincr 
 the whole of this journey to the coast I could read- 
 ily have imagined I was traveling over one of the 
 rocky parts of Northern Germany, whilst the scenery 
 to the noith-east, with its craggy peaks, strongly 
 recalled to my remembrance some parts of the Yos- 
 ges mountains. I must, however, admit that the 
 Cyprian sceneiy is decidedly finer than that of 
 Upper Alsace. Such human habitations as Ave 
 passed Avere miserable in the extreme ; mere mud- 
 roofed hut» Avith a small aperture to admit of in- 
 gress and egress. These structures closely resemble 
 those I have seen in the north parts of Saniothrace, 
 
YIEW BETWEEN LEVKOSIA AKD CERIXIA. 
 
CHRTSOEOGIATISSA- 143 
 
 Lut the latter are somewhat larger and certainly 
 cleaner. 
 
 After four hours' hard ridins: we at length de- 
 scended into a narrow valley which opened upon 
 the plains beyond, and afforded us a good view of 
 the sea, with its yellowish-green coast. Our journey 
 through the mountains was almost over, and on the 
 whole, I must confess to a feeling of disappoint- 
 ment, as I looked back over all I had seen. Durinir 
 the last four days the neglected state of the country 
 and the wretched condition of its people seemed to 
 have thrown a veil of depression and melancholy 
 over every spot I visited, whilst even the grand and 
 imposing mountain ranges I had traversed, would 
 not bear comparison with those of Crete or the 
 Canary Islands. 
 
 As we now approached the coast I saw before 
 me the portion of country formerly dedicated to 
 the Goddess of Beauty. This tract, which is about 
 one and a half leagues broad, extends for three or 
 four leagues along the shore, and slopes gently to 
 the sea. Directly before me lay the small town of 
 Ktima, whilst somewhat lower down, nestled.a small 
 fort. On this spot formerly stood the city of New 
 Paphos, and on the left, about two leagues distant, 
 the village of Kuklia, which stands upon the site of 
 Old Paphos. The scenery at this spot possesses 
 much quiet l)eauty. In the rear tower the dark 
 hills, looking down upon an extensive open tract of 
 
144 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AOT) DESCREPTIYE. 
 
 fields, "whilst in front spreads tLe sea, tLe waters of 
 "vvhicli encroacli upon the land in a picturesque va- 
 riety of cui'ves and tiny Lays. At this spot, the 
 ocean-born goddess was supposed to have been 
 borne upon the waves to shore, and here, upon a 
 slight eminence, the most famous and ancient of her 
 numerous temples was erected. Crowds of j^ilgrims 
 and eager worshippers hurried to the spot and joined 
 in the excited processions tliat passed backward and 
 forward between Old and New Paphos. 
 
CHAPTER XVn. 
 
 THE TE3IPLE OF TENUS. 
 
 My journey terminated for the present at the 
 house of the Bishop of Baffo, who resides in Ktima. 
 The bishop, who is a young and stately man, re- 
 ceived me with the greatest kindness and affability. 
 He at once conducted me to a luxurious apartment, 
 where we seated ourselves upon soft cushions placed 
 on a costly Turkey carpet, and my host resumed 
 the ten feet lone: chibouk, filled with choice tobacco, 
 he had been smoking when I was announced, and 
 courteously offered another to me. It was quite 
 evident the worthy bishop was a man of substance, 
 and thoroughly enjoyed the good things of this life. 
 From the roof of the house I obtained a mas^nificent 
 view of the sea and neighboring coast. 
 
 The Temple of Venus, foi-merly a great olgect of 
 interest on this coast, was situated on a small hill at 
 a distance of about twenty minutes' walk from tin) 
 sea. Some parts of its colossal Avails are still stand- 
 ing, defying time and the stone-cutter, although 
 badly chipped by the latter. The stones, of whicli 
 these walls are built, are most gigantic, one of them 
 being fifteen feet ten inches in length, by seven feet 
 7 145 
 
146 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 eleven inches in width, and two feet five inches in 
 thickness. Strange to say, the stone was not quar- 
 ried in Cyprus, but is a kind of Ijlue granite which 
 must have been imported from eitlier Cilicia, or 
 Egypt. This teni]:)le, as rebuilt by Vespasian, seems 
 to have occupied the same area as the former one, 
 and was surrounded by a peribolos, or outer wall. 
 Of this wall, a few huge blocks are now only extant. 
 On the west of this outer wall there was a oatewav, 
 still plainly visible; its width was seventeen feet 
 nine inches : the two sockets for the pivots on which 
 the doors swuno: are of the followins; dimensions — 
 length six inches, width four and a half inches, depth 
 three and a Jialf inches. The south-east wall was 
 excavated, and its whole length ascertained to be 
 090 feet. The length of the west side was only 
 traced as far as 272 feet, as the modern houses of 
 Kuklia Avere erected above it ; the length of the 
 other two sides were also for the same reason not 
 ascertained. The Avails of the temple itself, which 
 are constructed of the same kind of blue granite, but 
 not in such large blocks, Avere only traced with 
 mucli difficulty, and although veiy little is to Ije 
 seen above the surface, yet strange to say, the four 
 corner-stones are still stand in o;. The north-east 
 corner-stone forms part of the wall of a house in 
 Kuklia, while the north-Avest corner-stone stands in 
 a cross street of the A'illage by itself ; the south- 
 east corner-stone stands also by itself in the open 
 
THE TEMPLE OF YENUS. 147 
 
 field, where the Christian population of Kuklia burn 
 lamps and little wax caudles, but in honor of whom, 
 or for what purpose, is uncertain. The south-west 
 corner-stone,likewise, forms part of a modern dwell- 
 ini2:-house. 
 
 The temple was oblong, and of the following di- 
 mensions: the eastern and western walls measured 
 221 feet, and the two other sides 167 feet. 
 
 The north-west corner-stone has a hole in it thir- 
 teen inches in diameter, and a similar hole also exists 
 in the south-west coi-ner of the outer wall. As this 
 temple possessed an oracle, it is more than probable 
 that the use of these strange holes w^as connected 
 with it. If a person stand upon one of these huge 
 perforated stones, he can produce a clear and fine 
 echo of a sentence of three or four words, if pro- 
 nounced in a distinct but moderate tone of voice. 
 
 Abundant indications of mosaic pavement, both in 
 the area of the temple and in the court-yard, exist, 
 where can be found many prettily-designed pieces 
 of various colors — yellow, white, red, rose-color, and 
 brown. About three feet beneath these mosaics 
 w^ere also found several large pedestals of colossal 
 statues, bearing Greek inscriptions, and many other 
 pedestals were lying about, possibly having been 
 left by former excavators ; most of those, which 
 Cesnola discovered under the mosaics, were of the 
 same kind of stone as that of Avhich tlie walls of 
 the temple were built, but of a finer grain. The in- 
 
14S CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 scrlptions were of the Ptolemaic period, from wLicli 
 is probable that Vespasian only repaired the Tem- 
 l)le of PaphoSj or if he rebuilt it entirely, it was with 
 the former stones. The foundations are only six 
 and a half feet deep, l)ut upon having other borings 
 made anotlier foundation was discovered beneath, 
 l)ut evidently of an earlier period and very massive. 
 Singular to say, in boring no sculptured remains 
 were found, and but few fragments of pottery.* 
 
 Tacitus gives us the foUo^ving representation of 
 the sacrificial rites employed in this temple. 
 
 " The victims to be sacrificed must be carefully 
 selected, males only being chosen. The safest augu- 
 ries are obtained from the entrails of goats. It is for- 
 bidden to sprinkle blood upon the floor of the tem- 
 ])le, and the altar must be purified with prayer and 
 fire. The image of the goddess is not in human 
 shape, but is a rounded stone tapering upward like 
 a cone. Why such a shape should be adopted is 
 not clearly explained." At that time, therefore, the 
 worship of this goddess was shrouded in mysteri- 
 ous seci'esy. The people only knew that it had been 
 handed down to them from very ancient times. The 
 
 * We are indebted to General Cesnola's valuable woik on tlie anti- 
 quities of Cyprus for a principal part of the above facts respecting the 
 ruins of the Temple of Venus. Reference to his high authority was 
 indispensable, and we have thought it best to give in a great measure 
 his own words, instead of laying his account before the public in a 
 garbled form. — M. A. J. 
 
THE TEMPLE OF YENUS. 149 
 
 only answer tliey received to tlieir inquiries wliy it 
 was so, being " It is a mystery." 
 
 We learn from other sources that this cone- 
 shaped stone, erected in the innermost sanctuary of 
 the temple, was black. Upon the festivals of the 
 great goddess the stone Avas carefully Avashed by 
 the priestesses, and Aviped dry with clean towels: 
 possibly its ugliness was set off by golden orna- 
 ments and jewels. In the darkness surrounding the 
 Cy2)rian deity other mysteries were concealed, ad- 
 mission to which was doubtless only obtainable at 
 a high price. Three i-uined walls and a few frag- 
 ments of an ancient building, scattered here and 
 there over great heaps of rubbish, are all that re- 
 main of Avhat once was Paphos. The stones of 
 which it Avas built have disappeared long ages ago, 
 used, probably, as materials wherewith to build the 
 lordly castles of the Middle Ages, or broken in 
 j^ieces for the construction of humbler edifices. 
 
 During the period that the island was occupied 
 by the Franks, a new city spi-ang up on the site 
 of ancient Paphos, which has also disappeared ; but 
 of this a ruined church, now used as a cattle-shed, 
 is all that remains. Still, melancholy as is the 
 present condition of the spot, so suggestive are the 
 general features of the locality, that it is not diffi- 
 cult to reconstruct the beautiful landscape it once 
 presented. The temple Avas situated upon a broad 
 eminence Avhich sloped gently toward the sea, 
 
150 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTB^E. 
 
 wbicli formed, as it were, a border to tlie picture. 
 The slope was all covered with luxuriant vegeta- 
 tion. 
 
 Toward the interior of the country are a few. 
 outlying hills, l^acked by picturesque mountain 
 scenery of a much gi-ander character than at Baffo. 
 As I looked upon them the sky became overcast, 
 and the sea oversj)read by long masses of rain 
 clouds, through which at intervals streamed the 
 rays of the western sun, Avhich falling on the water, 
 covered its surface with c-leams of dazzlino; lirio-ht- 
 ness. Some portions of tlie lovely scene seemed 
 bathed in gold, only made more conspicuous by the 
 darker tints of deepest blue and purple. The play 
 of light and shade was continually changing, form- 
 ing altogether a scene of tranquil loveliness not 
 easily to be forgotten. I should not like, however, 
 to live here alone. Every place to which the repu- 
 tation of antiquity attaches itself, has its guide and 
 dealer in curiosities, although he knows no more 
 about them than the crows know about Sunday. 
 The man who accompanied me in my explorations 
 came, as he said, from Mitylene, and was educated 
 enough to be able to quote the poems and rhapso- 
 dies of Sappho. The owner of a neighboring 
 farm here made his appearance, a stately Turk, in 
 frock-coat and boots, with a head of hair like that 
 of a plow-boy. We went together, al)oiit a quar- 
 ter of an hour's walk, to see the "Queens Cave" 
 
THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 151 
 
 {GTri'fXaiov ri)z pi) \ivai\ Avliicli was iipon Lis estate. 
 This gentleman informed me that until ahout i^w 
 years previously it liad been almost entirely filled 
 up, l)Ut that when the French came to explore, he 
 had had it ojiened. Xothiiig, however, was found 
 in it except a great stone slab, about five feet 
 square, which was leaning against one of the walls, 
 and was covered with inscriptions on both sides. 
 The Fienchman, after a great deal of trouble, suc- 
 ceeded in getting it out. It was, however, so heavy 
 that they l>roke it to pieces, before taking it Avitli 
 them in their boat. Cesnola tells us that on de- 
 scending into the cave he found that it consisted of 
 four chain l>ers or tombs excavated one behind the 
 other in the solid roclc. Each of the two first con- 
 tained four graves ; the third had fewer, and in the 
 last and smallest there were none. " We found," 
 he continues, " several other tombs upon the side of 
 the hill, some of them open and some of them filled 
 up. ^ly guide told me that before his time they 
 had been thoioughly ransacked, and their contents, 
 which consisted of several gold chains and sundry 
 earthen^vare vessels, were taken away. There were 
 also remains of Iniildings upon the highest point of 
 the hill, around the foundations of which considera- 
 ble excavations had been made, revealing, that the 
 edifice had l)eeu a square tower, one side of Avhich 
 had been cleared of rubbish, but the hoped-for 
 treasures, which had been the incentive to all this 
 
152 CYPEUS, HISTORICAL .VND DESCRIPTWE. 
 
 ]abor, had not been forthcoming. The tower seems 
 to have nothing in common with the ather huikling, 
 and appears to have been simply a watch-tower 
 used in former times to give warning of the ap- 
 proacli of pirates." 
 
 With still increasing pleasure, I continued to 
 gaze upon the vernal landscape in which all the 
 great historical features of the place were distinct- 
 ly traceable, and I would willingly have lingered 
 longer uj^on this enchanting spot, had I not been 
 recalled to more practical matteis l)y my landlord, 
 Avho summoned me to table, where I was soon en- 
 joying a meal consisting of excellent soup, fresh 
 eggs, maccaroni, and bean salad, together Avitlj some 
 exceedingl}- good wine. 
 
 After dinner the landloi'd took a seat beside us 
 upon the terraced roof of the house, and we enjoyed 
 a most delightful evening. Close to us, in a neigh- 
 boring court-yard, sat a Tui'kish family, who laughed 
 and joketl, apparently in high spirits. Our hostess 
 Avas still quite a young girl, and very pretty, her 
 ■larsre flash in<]j eves, white olisteniuo: teeth, and deli- 
 cately-shaped limbs, formed quite a picture. xVt 
 first, when spoken to, she seamed embari-assed and 
 bashful, and only giggled, but as conversation went 
 on she became more companionable, seated herself 
 upon the doorstep, and chatted away merrily. It 
 is a pity that in these Eastei'n climes female l)eauty 
 is so evanescent ; even before girlhood is passed 
 
THE TEMPLE OF VENUS. 153 
 
 their cliarms liave disappeared, leaving nothing be- 
 hind but a tawny skeleton. 
 
 The night was delightful, the air balmy and soft, 
 and each breath of Avind seemed to bring with it 
 the perfume of a thousand flowers. The silver 
 stars so sparkled and flashed in the clearness of the 
 atmosphere that they seemed to have descended 
 toward the earth. 
 
 Owing to the warmth of the night the door of 
 my apartment was open, and as I lay in bed con- 
 templating the dark blue sky, I could fancy that my 
 vision penetrated beyond the stars into the depths 
 of the firmament. My mind was so filled with re- 
 flections on the worship of the Cyprian goddess that 
 I could not sleep. Scenes that I, not long before, 
 had witnessed in Egypt, during the feast of Mach- 
 mal, presented themselves vividly to my mind. Ac- 
 cording to ancient custom the ruler of Cairo sends 
 every year a valuable piece of cloth, in which to 
 wrap the holy stone, the Caaba. The setting-out 
 of the great caravan which bears^this cloth to its 
 destination is celebrated by a general festival, dur- 
 ino; the continuance of which the fanaticism of the 
 Mohammedans fully displays itself. It was impos- 
 sible to think of the great black meteoric stone, and 
 the ceremonies connected with it, without being 
 forcibly reminded of the cone-shaped stone wor- 
 shipped with similar rites by the Paphian priest- 
 hood. The Caaba stands surrounded by a wall, 
 
154 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 exactly as did the Cyprian idol : even the doves of 
 Venus are not wanting in the temple court of the 
 Caaba, where they are regarded as sacred birds. 
 In the sanctuary of Jupiter Amnion, in the Lybian 
 Desert, the idol was a stone of a conical shape, 
 ornamented with emeralds and other jewels. In 
 the temple at Delphos a similar stone was Avor- 
 shipped, was daily anointed with oil, and on high fes- 
 tivals was wrapped in white wool. In the same man- 
 ner we find that in ancient temples, more especially 
 in Syria and Asia Minor, Bethylia were worshipped; 
 sacred stones, whose name, derived from Bethel 
 (the place of God), indicates their Semitic origin; 
 these stones were all meteoric;, and it is natural 
 enou2:h that when such masses have fallen amid 
 thunder and lightning, they should be believed to 
 be of heavenly origin, and to possess extraordinary 
 attributes. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 SUMMER RESIDENCE IN CYPRUS. 
 
 In an account given l>y General Cesnola of a sim- 
 ilar journey to mine, across a j^ortion of the island, 
 he states that travelers in Cyprus ^vill find it much 
 more convenient to purchase than to hire animals, 
 and speaks in high terms of the well-broken mules 
 and donkeys he found. These donkeys, of a breed 
 peculiar to C^^prus, are glossy and sleek, with large 
 eyes ; they are very intelligent and can travel as 
 fast as a mule. 
 
 The same authority tells us the muleteers are as 
 a class excellent and trustworthy, even under the 
 temptation of conveying large sums of money from 
 one town to the other. When a native is about to 
 proceed on a journey he goes to the khan, a kind of 
 inn, and there selects a mule to his liking, and bar- 
 gains with the owner of it for a lump sum for the 
 entire trip, or at a rate of so much a day. The latter 
 mode is preferable, for should the mule prove un- 
 suitable, the traveler would be at liberty to change 
 it on the road if he found a better. The former 
 method, however, is generally adopted by the na- 
 tives for the sake of economy. He appoints the 
 
 155 
 
156 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIYE. 
 
 Lour at Avliicli lie desires to start, and the muleteer 
 as a I'ule arrives at the house an hour or two later. 
 A kind of native saddle is placed on the l^ack of the 
 mule, called " stratouri," across which are hung, in 
 such a manner as not to incommode the traveler, 
 two larsre canvas baijs, which contain his iii'ivate 
 effects, and provisions for the first day's journey. 
 Several colored blankets or quilts, according to the 
 season, are then piled on the stratouri to be used as 
 a bed at night. 
 
 The muleteer, who acts also as guide, is mounted 
 upon a small but strong donkey in the same fashion 
 as the traveler, and carries the extra bao;2:afre of the 
 latter, besides food for himself, provender for both 
 animals, and often several parcels intrusted for de- 
 livery to his care. At first it seemed to me cruel to 
 see such little animals so overloaded, but I soon be- 
 came convinced that the Cyprian donkey is stronger, 
 and resists the fatigue of a long journey better than 
 a mule. 
 
 When everything is in readiness for departure, 
 the traveler is helped to ascend to the top of his 
 quilts, and two rusty stiiTups attached to the ex- 
 tremities of a rope are handed him, into which he 
 introduces his feet. By sitting upon the rope, he is 
 enabled to keep his equilibrium; once safely i:>erched 
 he opens a }'ellow cotton umbrella, lights his cigar- 
 ette, receives the blessings of his household, and 
 starts upon his journey. 
 
SUMMEK RESIDENCE IN CYPRUS. 157 
 
 The Cypriotes are in general a frugal people, 
 and wlieu ti-aveling, can accommodate themselves to 
 almost every exigency. More than once during my 
 excursions in the island I have found, on entering a 
 small village, some wealthy merchant of my ac^ 
 quaintance, seated cross-legged on the threshold of a 
 hut, with a straw trav, resemblinsr the lid of a 
 basket, placed before him, on which were a few 
 black olives, a hard piece of brown bread, and some 
 sour milk, apparently enjoying his repast. It is no 
 uncommon thing to find the muleteer seated opposite 
 the merchant, eating from the same dish, and drink- 
 in rr from the same ius:, ^ ^rlass beins;, in the interior 
 of the island, considered a useless luxury. 
 
 Whilst giving our readers the benefit of the above 
 interesting particulars we cannot refrain from quot- 
 in2: General Cesnola's own account of his summer 
 residence in the interior of the island. The question 
 of the possibility of enjoying life in our new posses- 
 sion is now so much discussed, that the testimony 
 of a gentleman, Avho has recently resided in the 
 island for ten years, must carry much \veight. 
 
 " On the occasion of a visit to Nikosia, the capital 
 of the island, I had passed a night in the village of 
 Dali, which is about half-way between Nikosia and 
 Larnaka, and had remarked on its outskirts a grove 
 of lemon and orange trees, amidst which nestled a 
 small white cottage, connected with several out- 
 buildings. This, I decided, miglit be converted into 
 
158 CYPEUS, HISTOKICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 a pleasant retreat, and soon induced tLe proprietor 
 to cede it to iis for small remuneration during tlie 
 liot season. This he did the more readily, as the 
 peasants live almost entirely out of doors from June 
 to September, it rarely ever happening that a drop 
 of dew, and almost never a drop of rain, falls dur- 
 ing these months. The Cypriotes place their l)eds 
 under the trees, making the bi'anches of the latter 
 do duty as clothes-press and larder. They will fre- 
 quently throw a handkerchief on the ground and lay 
 their infants to sleep upon it, satisfied that neither 
 moisture nor creeping thing will harm the child, for 
 Dali is wonderfully free from noxious reptiles. 
 
 " This simple abode became our summer resort for 
 several years. It was surrounded by about six 
 acres of ground, laid out in alleys of lemon and 
 orange trees, and the favorite caisha,''* from the 
 blossoms of which exhaled a delightful perfucie. 
 Two noble walnut-trees overshadovred the tradi- 
 tional alakahjf and extended their shade to our out- 
 of-door saloon, where Ave sat the day long, i-eading, 
 writing, and chatting, with the grateful breeze at all 
 hours coming through the long verdant alleys, hung 
 with luscious fruit. A small rivulet of the purest 
 water found its way from cold sources to the feet of 
 tliese Avalnut-trees, the broad leafy branches of which 
 formed the ceiling; of our drawincj-room, and beino; 
 
 I * A delicious species of nectarine, f The Oriental or common well. 
 
SUMMER EESDDENCE IN CYPRUS. 159 
 
 blocked by a j^ile of rough stones, tumbled, cascade 
 fashion, into a basin, scooped out to receive it, 
 which served as our wine cooler and refrisrerator. 
 We soon adopted the housekeeping system of the 
 peasants, and hung our plate-baskets and table-linen 
 among the trees ; and spreading out the thick mats 
 of the country with a wooden settle, dining-table, 
 and some rouirh chairs, we soon arrano-ed a dinins:- 
 hall, where our Turkish attendants served us with 
 as much attention as if at a state dinner, though not 
 with quite the same ceremony. A little farther on 
 a few Turkish rugs and divans formed the reception 
 room of state for the notables of Dali, consistinsr of 
 an old cadi, an illiterate Greek priest, and three 
 wealthy Turks of Potamia. who inhabited what was 
 once a royal palace, and the summer residence of 
 the Lusignan queens." 
 
 We cannot refrain from quoting a still stronger 
 testimony borne by this gentleman to the charms of 
 this beautiful island as a summer i-esidence : 
 
 "Having obtained a six months' leave of absence, 
 we took our last walk in the environs of Larnaka, 
 Avhere the Marina* appears to its best advantage. 
 Passino; the Salines, and the ruins of Phaneromene 
 on our right, we were sooij in the fields, which Avere 
 yet in all their vernal glory. Pink and Avhite ane- 
 
 * That portion of Larnaka which lies along the sea-shore is called the 
 " Marina," while Larnaka j^roper is about three-quarters of a mile in- 
 land. 
 
160 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AOT) DESCRIPTIVE. " 
 
 mones, dark Line irises, intensely scarlet poppies, 
 golden Marguerites, and a thousand lovely blossoms, 
 of which I do not even know the names, embroid- 
 ered the plains with the most brilliant colors imag- 
 inable. We crushed the wild thyme and mignon- 
 ette beneath our feet at every step, yet they seemed 
 to offer us their incense at parting. A torrid sun 
 would soon leave all this a dreary waste. Mount 
 Santa Croce seemed to follow us throughout our 
 walk, ever changing in aspect, now cool and brown 
 as clouds floated over it, now glowing with crimson 
 in the setting sun. The lighted minarets of Larnaka, 
 and the Marina, shone in the distance, and, as we 
 neared the latter, we heard the voice of the muez- 
 zin calling the faithful to prayer. As we entered 
 our own spacious garden, which had been reclaimed 
 from the sea-shore, with its lovely roses — such as 
 bloom only in Cyprus — and its vine-colored walls, 
 a slight shade of regret passed over us as we thought 
 how soon neglect might turn the spot, then the ad- 
 miration of visitors, once more into an unsightly 
 waste. An extensive terrace overlooked the garden, 
 and as we walked on it in the moonlight, a magical 
 charm seemed to have been thi'own on the scene, 
 and on the rippling gleaming waves of the Mediter- 
 ranean, so that while gazing we almost forgot the 
 dark side of life in Cyprus, and a sense of tender- 
 ness stole into our hearts for the land we were leav- 
 ing: on the morrow." 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE. 
 
 In Cypms we encounter a i^opulation wlucli es- 
 sentially ]-eseral)les tlie modern, rather than the an- 
 cient Greek in character. 
 
 One of tlie most pleasing features of the island is 
 the every-day domestic life of its inhabitants. The 
 members of every family cling inseparably together, 
 and share among themselves whatever good or evil 
 fortune awaits them. To pay for tlie education of a 
 son or brother parents and children will suffer both 
 want and hunger. Brothers will not marry until 
 their sisters are provided for, and it is often truly 
 touching to see how the gi-ay-headed fathers and 
 mothers, who seem here to be particularly numerous, 
 are honored and cared for by their children. 
 
 Among the ancient Greeks the men allowed them- 
 selves much freedom in love affairs and worshipped 
 at the shrine of beauty. The women, on the con- 
 trary, were chaste and modest, and lived retired, 
 industriously employed in their household duties. 
 Such are the Cyprian women at the present day. 
 The influence of the female part of the community 
 
 has, moreover, of late remai'kably advanced. Per- 
 
 161 
 
162 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 liaps among no otlier people do women liolJ a more 
 influential position. The mother is the mistress of 
 the household, and it is principally l)y her that the 
 family is held together. It is a common saying, 
 that men make laws, but women regulate the man- 
 ners of a j^eople. The laws, however, are dependent 
 upon the manners, and the more strictly these latter 
 are watched over, so much the better for the well- 
 beino; of the state. The modern Greeks make the 
 best sailoi's, and the most discreet and prudent men 
 of business in the world ; they are good hands at 
 f.ue work, are fond of horticulture, and are skilled 
 manufacturers and money-dealers. Although fond 
 of the warm slopes and sunny climate of their na- 
 tive land, they are ever ready to (piit it at a mo- 
 ment's notice to seek their fortune elsewhere. They 
 are remarkable amonsr all the dwellers in the East 
 for their activity and the elasticity of their spirits, 
 which nothing seems to subdue, and which, when 
 repressed, is continually breaking out more cheer- 
 fully and brightly than before, like their own sunny 
 sky after the storm has passed away. They are 
 fond of literature, and are delighted with a graceful 
 expression, or a Avitty saying. They take an inter- 
 est iu everything and delight in talking and tell- 
 inc: tales. Their understandino: and imao-ination, in 
 short, are extraordinarily powerful and active. 
 
 And now, havini^ said so much on the briarht side 
 of their character, we must turn to their vices and 
 
CHAKACTEB OF THE PEOPLK 163 
 
 faults. Their laughable conceit, AvLicli displays it- 
 self in a thousand unexpected forms, might be passed 
 over, as also the grasping avarice which is conspicu- 
 ous in. most of their dealings, for vanity may rise 
 into ambition, and niggardliness be refined into 
 praiseworthy economy, were their other vices not so 
 numerous and so grave. In social life we may place 
 falsehood and faithlessness, knavery and lying, at 
 the head of the cataloijue. Of insatiable covetous- 
 ness, heartless roljbery and implacable revenge, ex- 
 amples are numberless. Justice is so totally set 
 aside that, if a man be placed upon a Jury, he is 
 compelled to acquit the offender, because he thinks 
 in his heart that he himself may shortly be placed 
 in the same unfortunate predicament. 
 
 If we are asked what is the political condition of 
 Cyprus, we can only say that it is busied with small 
 matters — in important affairs it is all baseness and 
 subserviency. Xo one can deny to the modern 
 Greeks the possession of political cunning. Never- 
 theless, in the great and necessary virtue of obedi- 
 ence, they are altogether wanting, and officers and 
 soldiers will discuss and quarrel over political ques- 
 tions, forgetting that it is the duty of the one to 
 command and of the other to obey. No sooner is 
 an important proclamation issued, than it becomes 
 the subject of criticism and mockery, but no one 
 thinks of obeying it. 
 
 The modern Greek is one of the slyest, most ac- 
 
164 CYPEUS, HISTORICAL AXD DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 tive, and most persevering of rascals, but his efforts 
 are all for the purpose of overreacliing his antago- 
 nist, and cheating the state. In like manner, bare- 
 faced simony is practiced throughout the Eastern 
 churches. The whole country is full of combinations 
 and parties, not employed in establishing pi'inciples, 
 but mei'ely in endeavoring to obtain power in oj-der 
 to reward theirpartisans with places and emoluments. 
 
 These evils cast so deep a shadow over the mod- 
 ern Greek that the few bright points remaining — 
 liospitality, puljlic spirit, courage, and patriotism — 
 almost disappear in the general gloom. 
 
 In ancient times the effeminac}' and luxury of the 
 Cy];)riotes had passed into a proverb. The worship 
 of Venus assumed the character of unbridled sensu- 
 ality, and the young of both sexes, brought up in 
 the midst of these luxurious festivals, soon learnt to 
 look upon pleasure as the end and aim of their 
 existence. 
 
 Clearcus de Soli gives the following account of 
 the effeminate manners of the Cyprian kings : lie 
 says, "There were women attached to the household 
 of the ladies of the royal family who were called 
 'Flatterers;' at a later date their name was changed 
 to ' Clemacides,' because they were in the habit of 
 curving their backs into a sort of step for the use of 
 the ladies as they got into, and came down from 
 their litters." Clearcus speaks angrily of this ab- 
 ject and despicable practice, which tended to increase 
 
CHABACTER OF THE PEOPLE. 165 
 
 tlie iudolence and liixiirloiisness of the princesses 
 who kept these women. " But," he adds, " these 
 ' Clemacides,' after having spent the early part of 
 their lives in the midst of luxury and refinement,* 
 are left to an old age of misery. Decency will not 
 allow me to relate to what degree of libertinism 
 these women brought the princesses and ladies of 
 the court. I m ill only add that practicing upon 
 themselves and upon others all sorts of al)ominable 
 witchcraft, they offered by their shameful conduct 
 a spectacle of the most repulsive vice." 
 
 Clearcus, too, has given us the following descrip- 
 tion of a youno^ Panhian kinsr: "This younsr man 
 carried the refinement of luxury to the exteat of 
 lying on a bed, or sofa with silver feet, overspread 
 with a splendid carpet or rug ; under liis head were 
 three pillows covered with very fine linen of a rich 
 color, and handsomely trimmed. His feet rested 
 uiDon two purple cushions, and lie was dressed in a 
 white robe. At some distance from the bed stood 
 slaves and near the young king were his flatterers, 
 men of good position." Clearcus adds : " Each of 
 these devoted himself in some way to add to the 
 indolence of the prince. One seated at the foot of 
 the bed had the young man's feet resting upon his 
 knees; another seated near the bed, bent over the 
 hand which the king allowed him to caress, and 
 gently stretched out one finger after another; the 
 third, who was highest in rank, stood at the head 
 
166 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 leaning over tlie ciisliions and passing liis left hand 
 through the young prince's hair, whilst with the 
 right he gently waved a fan." 
 
 To such a height of notorious extravagance had 
 the princes of Cyprus attained, that Antijihanes, a 
 comic poet of Rhodes, wrote a most amusing comedy, 
 in which lie caricatured the folly of the Cypriotes.* 
 Manners such as we have described had their origin 
 in the luxurious example of neighboring Persian 
 satraps, and were brought to the utmost refinement 
 of self-indulgence by the subtle mind of the Greek. 
 
 * In tliis play the King of Cj-prns is described as reclininij on a couch 
 with doves lining over his head, and fanning him with their wings. 
 Attendants were represented as standing around in order to keep the birds ' 
 at a respectful distance from the prince. We meuiion this fact, as we 
 have seen it recently stated that what was simi^ly intended as a carica- 
 ture was an actual custom iu Cyprus. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE. 
 
 The climate of Cyprus is just now the subject 
 of so raucli discussion in England, that we cannot 
 do Letter than lay the following facts before our 
 readers, only premising that we have left our read- 
 ers to decide between many slight discrepancies in 
 the various statements. In most respects the tem- 
 perature and climate of Cyprus are similar to that of 
 the neighboring countries. The great heat of Syria 
 is felt here, as also the violent winds and extreme 
 dryness of Cilicia; but to compensate for this, there 
 are most refi'eshinij sea breezes and nii^ht dews. 
 During the summer, as in India, those who can 
 afford it, seek the cool air of the mountains, return- 
 ing to their homes in the plains and on the coast for 
 the winter months, the cold at this season being far 
 more severe than (judging from the situation of Cy- 
 pnis) one would imagine. In the northern parts of 
 the island, the icy winds from Taurus are keenly 
 felt, and the summits of the Olympian range are en- 
 tirely snow-capped. Old writers have said that the 
 climate is unhealthy ; in proof of this assertion, they 
 
 mention the epidemic which attacked the army of 
 
 167 
 
168 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AXD DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 St. Louis, in tills island, in 1239, Init many who 
 Lave lived there are not of this opinion. 
 
 Abbot Mariti, in his work "Travels in Cyprus," 
 says, " I must own that quartan fever is very preva- 
 lent in this island, as in most parts of the Levant ; 
 but this is not altogether caused by the climate. 
 "Willie in Cyprus," he continues, "I suffered ten 
 whole months from an attack of this kind of fever, 
 and I have since learnt, my own indiscretion was 
 the cause of the long continuance of my ague." The 
 great heat of the climate occasions a continual per- 
 spiration, and if, while this lasts, one subjects oneself 
 to the least chill the result is infallibly an attack of 
 fever. Another cause is the immoderate use of 
 strong ll(piors, and the eating of certain fruits, par- 
 ticularly cucumbers and melons. Natives of this 
 country rarely escape this epidemic, more especially 
 in summer, but they cure themselves without any 
 other remedy than a little bleeding, thus allowing 
 nature to act. I grant this method would not suc- 
 ceed in the case of Europeans, for to them the 
 malady has its dangers, and needs rather careful 
 treatment, but It can be cured by a rigid system of 
 diet. The Greeks and Turks ward off an attack by 
 continued horse exercise, and the latter adopt the 
 not unpleasant remedy of a large glass of good, 
 Cyprian wine." 
 
 Li C3'prus, as in almost all countries of the Levant, 
 rain is periodical. It commences falling toward the 
 
CLLMATE AKD TEMPERATURE. 169 
 
 middle of October, and continues until the end 
 of January. Fel)i'uaiy is a less rainy month, and 
 the sky is sometimes cloudless. The author before 
 quoted remarks that "toward the middle of March 
 the rains commence heavily, and last till the end of 
 April. May is a delightful month, the refreshing 
 dews aid vegetation and temper the heat of June. 
 After this season, the sun has quite a scorching 
 power upon the ground, which is moistened by 
 neither rain nor dew.'' 
 
 This state of things would be unbearable, were it 
 not for the refreshing sea-breeze, which is felt on all 
 shores of the Mediterranean. About the middle of 
 September this wind ceases, and for six weeks the 
 heat is excessive, until, toward the end of Octoljer, 
 the sky becomes covei'ed with rain clouds. Thus 
 we see in the summer, the south wind is refreshing, 
 T)ecause it is from the sea, and on the contrary, the 
 north wind from Asia Minor brings all kinds of un- 
 healthy vapors. True it is, that the northern j^arts 
 of the island suffer less, because the wind has been 
 partly cleared by its passage over the sea ; but it is 
 simply unendurable to the people of the southern 
 districts, to whom it brings the parching heat of the 
 hot diy countries, which it has scoured in crossing 
 the Olympian chain. Should this wind rage for 
 seven or eight days continuously, all vegetation is 
 injured, every fruit-tree and plant withered, and 
 the looked-for harvest wholly at an end. For this 
 8 
 
170 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AXD DESCRrPTIVE. 
 
 reason, scarcity is so often felt in Cyprus, notwith- 
 standing its fertility and good soil. These burning 
 Avinds, and scorching heat, are the scourges of the 
 country. 
 
 Tlie lower classes of Cypriotes w^ear large fig or 
 cabbage-leaves upon their heads to protect them 
 from the rays of the sun. Strict attention to clean- 
 liness and careful avoidance of excess in stimulants 
 are necessary in this island as elsewhere. 
 
 It Avould seem that in the climate of Cyprus there 
 must be something entirely different from that of 
 all the three countries between which it lies. The 
 climate is, however, subject to great changes; dur- 
 ing one-third of the year, rain falls aljundantlj', and 
 during a second third, it is as delightfully cool, and 
 lovely, as on the coasts of Italy, whilst the rest of 
 the year is as hot as in the desert of Sahara. 
 
 During the winter season it rains incessantly ; 
 about the middle of October, the rain clouds begin 
 to obscure the sky, and from that time until Fe])ru- 
 ary the water falls down in abundance. To this 
 succeeds an exquisite spring, bringing with it the 
 perfumes of a thousand flowers, and a fresh and de- 
 lightful atmosphere. 
 
 About the middle of March rain asrain beo^ins to 
 fall in passing showers, which, although less violent 
 than those of winter, continue with more or less in- 
 termission until the middle of May, when they are 
 replaced by the heavy dew which falls during the 
 
CLIMATE AND TEXPERATUEE. 171 
 
 night. During this season, which lasts for about a 
 quarter of a year, the country is a paradise, until at 
 leno-th comes summer with its burninj? heat. In 
 June, all moisture seems to have departed from the 
 atmosphere, and. toward the end of the month, the 
 heat is fearful, and the sky becomes a changeless 
 expanse of glorious deep blue. Only from time to 
 time, a fresh sea breeze finds its way to the land, to 
 indulge the inhabitants with a fresh breath of air. 
 The worst, however, has yet to come, for toward 
 the end of September, even these light breezes die 
 away. The air becomes thick and obscure, and the 
 whole atmosphere damp and sultry. The grass and 
 vegetation generally are dried up even to the roots, 
 and the leaves fall from the trees, which now stretch 
 out their naked arms like ghostly forms, scarcely 
 visible through the surrounding fog. Xot a drop 
 of water remains in the brooks and river sources, 
 and traveling is only possible during the night. 
 Business is at a standstill, and the people do noth- 
 ing but inquire how long it will be before the rain 
 will come again. 
 
 It is thought by many that the summer is hotter 
 in Nikosia than it is in Cairo, notwithstanding that 
 the sea and the snow-clad hills of Asia Minor are at 
 so short a distance. I can only account for this cir- 
 cumstance by the fact that in the valley of the 
 Nile, when the water of the river is rising, there is 
 always a gentle breeze perceptible, and moreover, 
 
172 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 from the broad expanse of water wliicli covers tLe 
 country, much more moisture is given off tlian in 
 the drier atmosphere of Cyprus. 
 
 Mariti tells us, that the intensity of the summer 
 heat is often modified by a cooling Avind called im- 
 bat.* This wind, which generally commences blow- 
 ing at two o'clock in the morning on the first day, 
 increases till noon, then gradually falls, and toward 
 three o'clock in the afternoon ceases entirely. The 
 imbat, which begins early in summer, and continues 
 nntil September, appears to last about an hour 
 longer each succeeding day, for five days, when it 
 recommences the five days' course. If the horizon 
 should be clear the wind will be weak, but if dark, 
 heavy weather may be expected; occasionally a 
 dangerous north wind succeeds the imbat, which 
 commences at seven o'clock in the morning, increases 
 steadily till noon, and continues blowing till even- 
 ing. Should this wind last for any length of time 
 the crops suffer severely. 
 
 The same authority mentions, that the cold is 
 never so crreat as to necessitate fires in the houses, 
 these being only kindled to obviate the effects of 
 the excessive moisture. From this description he, 
 however, excepts the country immediately around 
 Olympus, where the snow often lies to midsummer. 
 
 * This wind has been erroneoiiply called " limbat " from, we presume, 
 a coufusiou of a French article with its uoun, " I'imbat." 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 
 
 Early next morning, on leaving my sleeping 
 apartment, I f(^un(l my dragoman, in company witli 
 a Youno: dealer in Papliian curiosities, liano-ins: about 
 the door, and evidently on the watch to fasten their 
 company on me, should I attempt to visit any of 
 the surrounding ruins. Not being desirous of their 
 interference, or assistance, I evaded them, and qni- 
 etly strolled down to the ser.-shore. As I, looked 
 around, I observed, against the horizon, the small 
 houses and slender minarets of Ktima, a little town 
 standing upon raised stone dikes. Somewhat lower 
 down, a huge mass of sandstone extended for some 
 little distance along the shore, the appearance of 
 Avhich at first puzzled me exceedingly. On the side 
 facino^ the sea larc^e and small chambers were hoi- 
 lowed out, and every hei*e and there, roughly hew^n 
 steps led to the top of the rock. Cesnola has made 
 some of his interesting excavations on this spot, and I 
 Avill therefore explain these workings in the solid 
 sandstone in his own Avords : 
 
 " A little to the north-east, and half-way between 
 
 these ruins and Ktima, there is a rockv eminence 
 
 ' 173 
 
174 CYPRUS, HISTOKICVL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 sloping toward tlie sea, and called Palieo Castro, 
 the surface of wliich is perforated with thonsamls 
 of ancient tombs, some cut vertically, and otheis 
 horizontally, in the calcareous rock. Some are made 
 to contain only one body, while others are large 
 enou2:h for a score or more. These c:raves are all 
 evidently pre-Roman. I had the rubbish Teraoved 
 from one of the largest, and found it to be an ob- 
 long building, Avith an atrium supported by three 
 monolithic columns, roughly hewn out of the lime- 
 stone, and with a court-yard in front. The tomb is 
 divided into three chambers, which communicate, 
 inside, with each other, but have separate entrances. 
 They have a large number of niches, seven feet by 
 two, each to contain one body. Near the wall fac- 
 ing the doorway of each chamber, there is a low 
 platform hewn in the rock, on ^vhicli apparently 
 stood a sarcoj^hagus, but nothing of it now remains. 
 The court-vard contains also several simple c^raves, 
 but all have been opened long ago. This must have 
 been the family sepulchre of a great personage, and 
 possibly that of one of the kings of Pa2:)hos." 
 
 Tlie same authority gives the following particu- 
 lars concernino^ the contents of some similar tombs 
 he examined at Amathus, and other excavations 
 made by him at Paphos, with, however, but little 
 result. 
 
 "The quantity of objects in copper and bronze 
 discovered in these tombs, though mostly destroyed 
 
BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 175 
 
 by oxidization, is mucli greater tlian tliat found in 
 tlie extensive necropolis of Idalium. I observed 
 that in the localities where copper mines are known, 
 to have existed, as at Aniathus and Curium, more 
 ancient utensils and figures in tliat metal are found. 
 The fact that these bronze objects are roughly made, 
 is sufficient proof that they have not been imported, 
 but are of native manufacture. Many curious little 
 rings in bronze and in silver were met with in these 
 tomljs, the use of which is not easy to determine. 
 Some cylinders of soft glazed clay, probably of 
 Babylonian or Egyptian manufacture, also came to 
 lio-lit, too-ether with several rinc^s of solid sfold of 
 very rough workmanship, and entirely without 
 artistic merit ; broken earthenware jars, bronze 
 bowls, copper hatchets, ancl a few iron arroAv-heads 
 were found, but all oxidized, so as to fall into pow- 
 der, and entirely without inscriptions. West of 
 these tombs, facing the sea, are to be found nine 
 oven-shaped caverns, which contain a great quan- 
 tity of human bones, besides those of oxen, camels, 
 and sheep. These nine caverns are far too small 
 to have contained the amount of bodies indicated 
 by the skeletons (I counted no less than sixty-four 
 human beads), but were more probably simply os- 
 suaries for bones removed from rock-cut tombs, so 
 soon as the tomb was required for another occupant, 
 and its tenant dried up and forgotten. The fact 
 that no sepulchral .vases or any other such relics are 
 
176 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 to be found, sufficiently bears out such a, supposi- 
 tion. In the tombs on the sea-shore, only the bones 
 of ])igeons and egg-shells in clay dishes Avere to 
 be found with the human remains, these being evi- 
 dently the relics of the funeral feast." 
 
 During: the week Cesnola remained at Ktinia, he 
 made many excavations ; one of these was upon the 
 site of a tem])le of which three large granite col- 
 umns Avei'e still standing ; lie also discovered the 
 bases of nine other columns, only a few inches be- 
 low the surface, and still occupying their original 
 j^osition, whilst all around were strewn architec- 
 tural frafifments which had beloncred to that struc- 
 ture. On the other spot he investigated is a broken 
 column, to which it is asserted St. Paul was tied 
 and scourged when he came to preach the Gospel in 
 this city ; but the tradition is said, to be only cur- 
 rent amongst the Greeks of Ktima. In this locality 
 there were also shafts of columns, some blocks or 
 ti'iglyphs and volutes lying on the ground, proba- 
 bly also the remains of a temple. A silver coin of 
 Vespasian, with the Temple of Paphos upon it, and 
 a few Roman lamps, were all the relics that were 
 found after a week's exploration. 
 
 Before quitting the neighljorhood of Paphos, the 
 same authority visited the village of Koloni, which 
 is situated upon a plain, stretching down to the sea, 
 overshadowed by hills covered with juniper-ti-ees. 
 In these rocks sue situated the " asbestos " tpian ies, 
 
BAFFO AND KUKLIA. - 177 
 
 of which we have already spoken, and the much 
 lauded " Paj^hian diamond," which, howevei", is only 
 a superior quality of rock crystal. These hills, we 
 are told yield fossil shells in large quantities ; and 
 earths in different colors, green, carmine, and yel- 
 low, are occasionally met with in the surrounding 
 district. 
 
 Ten minutes' I'ide from Koloni, in a north-west 
 direction, is Ieroski2:)o, now a mere group of houses. 
 This name is evidently derived from the ancient 
 Hieroskejii, " Sacred Garden," the well-known gar- 
 den of Venus, who Avas regarded l)y her worshippers 
 as tlie goddess of gardens and flowers. Cupid was 
 supposed to have lived with her in Cyprus. 
 
 " There is," says Cesnola, " a large cave which 
 seems to have heen artificially scooped out of the 
 rock through which a spring makes its way, and 
 after filling the basin, overflows and forms a rivulet 
 suflScient to Avater the neighboring fields; this is 
 known as the ' Bath of Aphrodite.' I must say, he 
 would be obdurate indeed who would not be capti- 
 vated l)y the great beauty of the spot. The ground 
 generally slopes gently toward the sea, but here it 
 seems to have been cut into large plateaux or ter- 
 races, which are suri'ounded. by a thick grove of 
 olive-trees many centuries old. Among the olives 
 is a sprinkling of carob-trees, which, with their dark 
 green and lustrous foliage, form a striking con- 
 trast to the pale hue of the olive leaf. In closer 
 8* 
 
178 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 proximity to leroskipo, are a niimher of rock-cut 
 tombs, but no vestii^es cf buildinixs «ire visible." 
 
 After wauderinc: some distance farther alono; the 
 sand, I reached Kapatah, a fortress built upon the 
 shore by the Genoese, and here came upon more 
 tombs cut in the rock, and entered by means of 
 roughly-hewn steps. Over the largest of these 
 chambers, I observed an inscription in ancient Cyp- 
 rian characters, and in the grotto itself, which is di- 
 vided into two apartments, the hindermost of which 
 has a small cupola at its top, I also noticed half 
 effaced characters upon the walls. Near this spot 
 was the ancient harbor, the dams of which were 
 formed of blocks of stone ; a stream now discharges 
 itself here. I was told that the harbor had for- 
 merly extended much further inland, and had grad- 
 ually fallen into ruin, and been filled up with sand. 
 The sea was sjilashing against the stones in the 
 foreground, the flowerino; shrubs of all kinds filled 
 the air with fragrant perfumes, and in the distance 
 towered the dark and lofty jnountains. 
 
 Proceeding onward, after leaving this fort, I 
 came upon a village embowered in trees and in- 
 habited 1)y Greeks and Turks. The walls, as is 
 commonly seen in the district, appeared to be con- 
 structed principally of stones taken fi*om the sur- 
 rounding ruins, and I noticed many a piece of broken 
 column peeping out from its liiding-place, among 
 waving palms and flowering shrubs. Near a little 
 
BAFFO AND KUKT.TA. 179 
 
 cliurcli I observed some small pillars, two of white 
 marble, and two of beautifully polished granite. Of 
 another church only a square tower and the portion 
 of an arch remain. In the midst of the village is a 
 roomy 1)asin foi-med of large blocks of stone, which. 
 Avas, no doul)t, the bath of the fair Cyprians of an- 
 cient times ; now it is merely a receptacle for refuse. 
 As I proceeded farther into the village I found huge 
 blocks of marble and gi'anite lying in all directions. 
 The French, we are told, in the course of their ex- 
 plorations here, ten years ago, brought to light many 
 valuable relics, and carried off the best of all they 
 found. Knowing this, I was perfectly astonished 
 at the rich treasures of antiquity that met my eye 
 at every step, and I could only suppose the place to 
 be the site of a former city, over the buried temples 
 and palaces of which trees and shrubs had sprung 
 lip. and a few small houses for the present poor in- 
 habitants had been hastily erected. The people 
 still draw their water from the ancient limpid 
 springs. Even the higher class of Turkish houses, 
 which were comparatively modern, showed here and 
 there traces of walls and gateways of an early date. 
 During the time of the Emperor Augustus a violent 
 earthquake destroyed New Paphos, and in obedi- 
 ence to imperial commands the city that rose upon 
 its ruins was named after his wife, Augusta. At a 
 later period, a second earthquake destroyed the un- 
 foi'tunate town ; but we have no clue as to the date 
 
183 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AXD DESCRIPTTV'E. 
 
 of this second calamity. I could not but crroan in 
 spirit as I walked and thought of all the treasures 
 tliat probably lay buried beneath my feet. 
 
 That evening I dined at the table of my worthy 
 friend the bishop, whose liberal hospitality had 
 made me acquainted with a great variety of strange 
 dishes. On tliis occasion the repast seemed very 
 homelike to me, for it consisted of an excellent 
 roast leg of mutton served with some fine juicy let- 
 tuces, a tHsh of onions stuffed with rice, and a great 
 variety of sweet dishes, all excellent in their way, 
 and principally samples of Turkish cookery. This 
 was followed by toasted bread covered M'ith layers 
 of rich cheese, after which came coffee, and our ten 
 feet long chibouks. 
 
 During the evening many priests of various ranks 
 drop2:)ed in, said a few words, and again departed. 
 It seemed to me they had very much their own 
 way with their good-hearted bishop. These visitors 
 were followed by the kaimakan, or governor, who 
 appeared followed by half a dozen attendants. This 
 gentleman chatted with us for an hour, and then 
 left, begging me to allow him to send an escort with 
 me on my Journey of the following day. 
 
 Early next morning I proceeded on my w^ay, and 
 as we approached Hierokipu, I saw many grottos 
 hewn in the rock, and noticed as-ain and airain that 
 the ground ov^er which we passed sounded hollow 
 as it was struck by our horses' hoofs. I was in- 
 
BAFFO AND KUKLL\. 181 
 
 formed by a gentleman we met, who owned property 
 in the neigliljorliood, that two years ago he had 
 found a place in which were five chambers hollowed 
 in the rock, Avith a kind of entrance hall in front 
 neatly constructed of sqnare blocks of stone; within 
 this stood a round pillar which had no doubt served 
 as an altar. Many of the odd little flasks and ves- 
 sels were found here which have been supposed (in 
 my opinion most absurdly) to have been receptacles 
 for tears. These contained resin and ointment, the 
 perfume of which filled the whole chambei*. When 
 we Avere only some few hours' distance from Old 
 Paj^hos or Kuklia, I rode down to the shore and 
 took a survey of the surrounding view. The moun- 
 tain gullies were now dry, but at other seasons, it 
 was evident that the whole coast would be flooded 
 by the streams that flowed through them during the 
 wet season. I now ascended a slight eminence on 
 whicli once was the site of a temple built by Pto- 
 lemy Philadelphus, and dedicated to his beautiful 
 spouse Arsince, who was there worshipped under 
 the name of Venus Zephyritis. Dinochaus, the ar- 
 chitect who completed the temple of Diana Eplie- 
 sus, we are told, contemj^jlated making the temple of 
 Arsinoe of loadstones, with a statue of the queen 
 suspended in the air by the p>ower of magnetism, 
 but he died before the strangle idea could l)e carried 
 out. The daughter of this queen was the fair Bere- 
 nice, whose beautiful locks have been so celebrated. 
 
182 CYPKUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 This lady dedicated Ler liixiiriaut tresses to the 
 goddess should her husband, Ptolemy Evergetes, 
 whom she tenderly loved, return uninjured from 
 the war he was then engaged on. After three years 
 he did return, ladened with spoil. All the south 
 part of Asia Minor had submitted to him, and he 
 erected two temples in commemoration of his victo- 
 ries there, calling them Arsinoe and Berenika. 0;i 
 this successful issue of her petition the fair wife of 
 the conqueror at once cut off her magnificent tresses, 
 and had them suspended in the temple of her 
 luotlie]*, the so-called Venus Zephyritis, Cyprus in 
 those days being united with Egypt under the Pto- 
 lemies. 
 
 AVhat became of this wonderful hair is unknown-, 
 but Konou of Samos, the astronomer, announced, by 
 way of flattering the lovely queen, that '' Jove him- 
 self had stolen the tresses and placed them in the 
 sky as a constellation." 
 
 The " Sacred Poad," which took its name from 
 the number of worshippers carrying their offerings, 
 who formerly j^assed backward and forward l)e- 
 tween Old and Xew Paphos, gradually rose slightly 
 above the shore, and as I looked around I could not 
 avoid noticing the great beauty of the sea foam as 
 it rose in snowy wreaths from the stones on which 
 it beat. At some seasons, when a south-west "wind 
 is blowinof, this foam rises as hic^h as the feet of the 
 trees and shrubs, and presents the a])pearance of 
 
BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 183 
 
 small tracks of snow. The shore at this point, I am 
 told, would afford a lich field for the naturalist ; I 
 myself saw millions of crustaceans and microscopical 
 creatures lying upon the stones. Gazing upon the 
 scenes I could readily suppose how the vivid imagi- 
 nation of the Grecian temperament should have led 
 them to describe the Goddess of Love as havino^ first 
 reached the shores of Cyprus mounted on the foamy 
 crest of a wave. 
 
 Cesnola tells us that the two Christian churches, 
 now both in ruins, one of which was built within 
 the area of the temple, and the other within the 
 boundary wall, the palace of the Lusiguans, and 
 the entire village of Kuklia, have been constructed 
 with the stone from the ruins of the ancient city. 
 Attached to each house is a penfold, built without 
 mortar, of loose stones. The church that stands 
 within the temple limits has several fine marbles 
 imbedded in its walls, bearing inscriptions, Avhicli 
 had obviously belonged to some more ancient edi- 
 fice before they were placed in their present posi- 
 tions. 
 
 An old ruined castle, and a few miserable dwelling- 
 houses, are all that now remain of what was once 
 Old Paphos, now known as Kuklia. We rested for 
 a time in a wretched coffee-house, which was full of 
 zaptiehs, who were quartered here, whilst they collect- 
 ed over-due taxes. Groups of people stood around, 
 some looking pitiable objects with their wan, anx- 
 
184 CYPRUS, HISTOKICAL AND DESCEITTIVE. 
 
 ious countenances, wliilst others, again, were perfect 
 embodiments of cunning and stupidit}'. The chief 
 officer of the soldiers, -when I arrived, was address- 
 ing this crowd with polite dignity and a great vari- 
 ety of expressive gestures. It Avas whispered in my 
 ear, by one of the party, that rage and threaten as 
 their rulers might, no more money could be wrung 
 from this wretched population. In respect to their 
 extreme poverty these miserable beings appeared to 
 me to be no worse off than the inhabitants of Ktima 
 and other places we j)assed through- A few stal- 
 wart men were amongst the crowd, but for the 
 most part the people appeared weakly, and to blend 
 the Grecian, Syrian, and Italian t3'pes of counte- 
 nance. After vainly endeavoring to persuade some 
 Turkish family to give us lodging, we were glad at 
 last to take refuge in a very high shed, the mud 
 walls of which contained but one room. In this I 
 camped with all my three servants. A carpet and 
 coverings were procured, and with these we made 
 ourselves as comfortable as circumstances would 
 permit. After a short rest, I issued forth to exam- 
 ine this wretched place, and standing upon the flat 
 roof of a hut that stood below our<, I obtained a 
 clear view of my surroundings. The whole place 
 appeared to be a mere heap of ruins, the pillars and 
 foundations of ancient palaces. The heights around 
 exhibited a few yellow flowering shrubs, intei'spersed 
 Avith green palms and other trees, whilst around and 
 
BAFFO AND KUKLIA. 185 
 
 about this scene of desolation stood tLe dwellings of 
 the povert3'-sti'iclven inhal)itants. Beloiv me was the 
 court-yard of a Turkish house, in which I could see 
 the women at their work. They woi-e veils, and I 
 could not help noticing how much they seemed to 
 inconvenience them, as they threw them first on one 
 side and then to the other, to be out of their way. 
 
 I now descended and proceeded to explore the 
 Aditum, the only ancient sacred edifice in Cyprus, 
 which, thanks to the pictui*es of it found on gems 
 and coins, we can reproduce before our eyes. It 
 had, apparently, been a square building with a fine 
 entrance, and a low wince at either end. On each 
 side of the portal were two obelisks. This temple 
 ^vas surrounded by a barrier, in the centre of which 
 stood the principal altar. In the innermost recesses 
 of this edifice once stood the mysterious veiled 
 stones of Astarte Aphrodite. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 EPISKOPI. 
 
 Next mornlnir I could not resist taking: anotlier 
 
 n 
 
 look at Old Paphos, and accordingly made my way 
 to the liei2:lits behind the vil]a<2:e, in order to ini- 
 pi-ess the charming landscape as deeply as possible 
 upon my memory. The morning air was delight- 
 fully fresh, the far-reaching coast was fringed with 
 narrow lines of foam left by the rippling water, but 
 the sea itself lay heavy and motionless as a sheet of. 
 *nietal. The mountains were partially concealed l)y 
 a misty veil, only the villao-e beino; clearly seen 
 surrounded by its verdant fields. 
 
 On returning; I entered the little coffee-house, 
 which on the j)receding day had afforded me by no 
 means bad accommodation. The master sat before 
 the door smoking his chibouk. He immediately 
 i-espectfully made room for me, and I sat a short 
 time conversing with him by signs. On recom- 
 mencing our journey, we Avalked for about a mile 
 along: the sea-shore, after Avhicli we turned more in- 
 land and entered a myrtle copse. The farther we 
 advanced the more luxurious the country became. 
 
 The undergrowth of bushes was interspersed Avitli 
 
 186 
 
EPISKOPI. 187 
 
 wild roses, orchids, and many luxuriant flowers, the 
 varied colors of wbicli enlivened the green grass 
 over which our course lay. Here we encountered 
 some women eno-ac^ed in cuttinsr off the heads of 
 thistles. Hussein begged a handful of these in 
 order to let me taste the seeds, which he shelled 
 out from the husks. I found them rather dry Lut 
 not bad to eat ; in fact, almost all the vegetables in 
 the island afford somethiniic edible. A i^ravheaded 
 old woman sold us some wild artichokes, and told 
 us to eat them raw, but they were too coarse to be 
 palatable.''* The old dame was dressed after the 
 Turkish fashion, and kept her face closely veiled. 
 
 Our path now lay through a deep dell, and was 
 covered with brushwood, while around us weie 
 cypresses, olives, and various fruit-trees, but all 
 utterly neglected. A hundred thousand peoj:)le 
 might find ample sites here for most delightful resi- 
 dences. As I was walking along, I trod upon a 
 snake. It was of a gray color marked with black 
 rings, about a foot and a half long, and as thick as 
 my arm. A powerful scent of melons was percep- 
 tible here and there, and on seeking for the cause, 
 I found it came from some yellow berries, which 
 grew upon a, to me, strange plant. The underwood 
 was full of game, and many birds, whose names were 
 unknown to me, were flying about. One, I espe- 
 
 * The cauliflower was introduced to Europe from Cyprus. 
 
188 CYPKUS, HISTORICAI. AXD DESCEIPTIVE. 
 
 cially noticed, wliicli closely resembled a jay, but was 
 more brilliantly marked witli blue and red. 
 
 According to my map Ave ought to have passed 
 throus^h three villa2:es. Hussein either knew a 
 shorter way or participated in my love for solitude. 
 Isot a siiisrle villao-e did we see ; but we irot a 
 glimpse of Adimu at a great distance. Hussein, 
 instead of takins" me rio-ht over the heio^hts of Old 
 Kurion, brought me again into the plain, assuring 
 me most confidently that there was nothing to be 
 seen there but a couple of large stones. Koss in- 
 forms us that twenty years ago he saw there the 
 remains of an ancient race-course, and the founda- 
 tions, and some fragments of pillars^ belonging to 
 the Temple of Apollo Hylades. Except these, my 
 guide declared there is no longer the slightest trace 
 of these structures left visible. I will believe it, 
 for during the last few years all seem to have 
 been bent upon removing the last remnants of an- 
 tiquity left in Cyprus, as though anxious to make 
 the work of destruction complete. Whenever a 
 building is to be erected in Syria or Egypt, it is to 
 Cyprus they come for stone, taken from her okl 
 walls and bridges. 
 
 Riojht under the rock of Kurion, and not far from 
 Episkopi, we came again to the sea, whicli, during 
 the day, had so often delighted ns. As we wound 
 round the rocks, it sometimes seemed as though 
 its laughing blue waters, inclosed between the far 
 
EPISKOPL 189 
 
 extending capes, were contained in an enormous 
 bowl. 
 
 Cesnola tells ns that, along the southern coast of 
 the island are several guard-houses, built near the* 
 shore, on elevated ground, some of which, now dis- 
 mantled and roofless, are of Turkish construction, 
 and two or three hundred years old. Most of them 
 appear to have been erected for the protection of 
 the neighboring villages against Algerine pirates, 
 who, not more than sixty years ago, were daring 
 enough to land and cany off wealthy inhabitants, 
 and to detain them until the required ransom was 
 paid. 
 
 From the heights above Episkopi one could see 
 the long chain of mountains, looking as if they had 
 been carefully folded one behind the other. The 
 whole peninsula had the appearance of a great 
 plank, l)oth ends of which sloped off into the sea. 
 In ancient times it was named Kurias, and belonged 
 to a town of the same name, built upon the neigh- 
 borins: sandstone rock. 
 
 The hills are situated at the beo^innins: of the 
 peninsula, just whei-e the stream Lycos discharges 
 itself into the sea, amid thickets of orange and other 
 fruit trees, above which the slender stems of lofty 
 palm-trees rear themselves gracefully into the air. 
 Everywhere among the houses and gardens little 
 brooks make their way through the fruitful plain. 
 I could almost suppose the ancient Kurion must 
 
190 CYTEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 have been situated here, and that the rock above 
 us Avas merely its acropolis. 
 
 Hussein left us in this beautiful spot whilst he 
 went into the town to seek a lodging ; the inhabi- 
 tants Vi'ere of much higher grade than at Paphos. 
 The Turks find evervthino; here that their hearts 
 desire — quiet, green trees, and murmuring streams; 
 Several little groups of veiled Avomen passed us 
 ■with dark brown eyes gleaming above the covering 
 of their faces. I was informed that the Turks, who 
 jjrincipally inhabited this beautiful place, finding a 
 scarcity of women, had imported all these dark- 
 faced beauties from Egypt. 
 
 After we had wasted some time, Hussein came 
 l)ack with the news that the Greek 2:)023ulation of 
 Episkopi wei'e so poor that we could procure 
 neither beds, food, nor wine. The Turkish houses 
 Avere all full; nobody appeared AA'illiiig to receive 
 us, and to quarter ourselves upon them uninvited 
 was out of the question. Notwithstanding the 
 episcopal name of the town, so far from there being 
 any bishop there, the Turks had driven all the 
 Greek priests out of it, leaving only a few poor 
 huts at the disposal of the Christian population, 
 and even the occupants of these could not I'eceive a 
 stranger without permission of their Turkish neigh- 
 bors. 
 
CHAPTER XXm. 
 
 KOLOSSLN^. 
 
 Ox our approach to this village, I sent forward 
 my dragoman to secure us lodgings for the night. 
 As we followed him at the distance of about a 
 mile we saw a huge square tower standing on a 
 farmstead, and on advancing found that it was a 
 building belonging to mediaeval times, but whether 
 it had been j)art of a castle or a fortress I Avas 
 unable to determine. The owner received us at 
 the entrance of the court-yard in the kindest man- 
 ner. He was a man of substance and good deport- 
 ment, holding a position similar to that of the 
 owner of a vineyard on the Rhine, and his house 
 very much resembled that of a small farmer in the 
 South of France. The lower part of the house 
 was occupied by his numerous family. He himself 
 lived in the upper part, to which we ascended by a 
 wooden staii-case leading from a kind of entrance 
 hall. The furniture in these comfortable apart- 
 ments had something of a European aspect ; in the 
 room were some fine greyhounds of a light yellow 
 colo]-. Our host informed us that there were fifteen 
 
 yoke of oxen upon the farm, but there was land 
 
 191 
 
192 CITRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 enougli to give enij^loyment to ten times the num- 
 ber. 
 
 After a short rest, we went to inspect tlie tower, 
 under the guidance of the owner, who had ordei-ed 
 the servants to light it up from top to bottom with 
 torches. It is a massive square buiUling, with walls 
 so thick that benches were placed in the recesses of 
 the windows. A very simple coat-of-arms, carved, 
 in stone upon the exterior, shows that it was erected 
 in the thirteenth century. The whole is a fine speci- 
 men of the very few baronial castles that remain. 
 This structure is in excellent preservation, and fur- 
 nishes a good example of Anglo-Norman architec- 
 ture. 1 do not think that in all Europe there is 
 any building of the sort in such good condition, ex- 
 cept, perhaps, the well-known castle at Hedingham. 
 
 There are two lofty stories above the ground, and 
 a deep cellar-like excavation beneath the level of 
 the soil. The latter is divided into three compart- 
 ments, and each of the former into two roomy cham- 
 l)ers. Over the fij-eplaces are carved lilies, with- 
 out any ornamentation, exactly resembling those 
 represented in the coat-of-arras ujion the outer wall. 
 The portal is narrow, and a flight of small stone 
 ste2:)S leads from one story to another ; at the top 
 is a broad platform surrounded by l)attlements. 
 In the cellar there is a deep cistern or well partially 
 filled up. The owner talked of having it cleared 
 out, and I wished that he might have the luck to 
 
KOLOSSIN. 193 
 
 find some treasure at the bottom, to repay him for 
 the bad harvests of the last two years, "which, ow- 
 insf to want of rain, had been verv scanty. 
 
 Manifestly, the whole build iiiG: had been con- 
 structed, not so much for a residence, as for defen- 
 sive j3urposes. It is situated near the middle of the 
 peninsula, just where, on the one hand, the ground, 
 slopes toward the sea, and on the other spreads a 
 wide amphitheatre of hills; it thus at x)nce com- 
 mands the sea, the coast, and the surrounding moun- 
 tain region. This colossal structure must evidently 
 have been unassailable by fire, by ladders, or 1)y 
 breaching the walls, "while its defenders, if hard 
 pressed, could retreat from one story to another. 
 Under the battlements were numerous loopholes, 
 through which arrows might be shot with deadly 
 precision against an advancing enemy. 
 
 The prospect from the lofty platform was exten- 
 sive and beautiful. Sunset Avas rapidly approach- 
 ing, and the clouds, illuminated by the departing 
 rays of the glorious orb, were arranged in blood-red 
 masses and streaks, whilst beneath, the deep blue 
 tranquil sea was here and there lighted up by 
 broad patches of golden splendor. The mountains 
 however, were shrouded in a veil of gray mist. 
 Low beneath us was the old church, whose archi- 
 tecture seemed a mixture of the ancient Roman 
 with the earliest Gothic. 
 
 I learned that these old castles were crown prop- 
 9 
 
194 CYPRUS, niSTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 erty and belonged to the Sultan. During the 
 course of our conversation the ori<]jin and intention 
 of the buiklino; became manifest to me. I found 
 that I was in the very centre of the world-renowned 
 Commanderia. The Kni2;hts of St, John, after they 
 were obliged to quit the Holy Land, established the 
 headquarters of their order at Cyprus, just as at a 
 later period they did in Rhodes and Malta. From 
 Cyprus they issued forth under the protection and 
 leadership of its knightly king, to tight gloriously 
 against the Crescent, and very frequently the vic- 
 tory was due to the courage and prowess of these sol- 
 diers of the Church. The Bishop of Akkon, Jacques 
 de Vitrev, in his account of the Holy Land 2;ives 
 us the following sketch of the Knights Templars : 
 
 " Covered with their Avhite mantles, which were 
 embroidered with a red cross, with their black and 
 white banner ' Beauseant,' they rush forward to 
 battle in silence. They have no war-cry. As soon 
 as the generars.trumpet sounds, they lay their lances 
 at rest, and repeating from one of the Psalms of 
 David ' Lord, give us the victory, not for us but for 
 thy holy name,' they throw themselves upon the 
 strongest part of the enemies' forces. They never 
 give way! they must break through or die ! Does 
 one of the brotherhood lose heart, he is deprived of 
 his mantle and all his knightly honors for a year, 
 and must eat liis meals from the ground, without a 
 tablecloth, disturbed by the dogs that he is forbid- 
 
KOLOSSIN. 195 
 
 den to drive away." The order already possessed 
 a "commande" (as the possessions of the knights 
 "were called) in Cyprus, and important privileges 
 were conferred upon them by King Hugo I. in the 
 jear 1210. They were alio v/ed to acquire territory 
 wherever they wished, to import or export all sorts 
 of pi-oduce, and to grind their corn without charge 
 in the king's mills, which were situated on the 
 stream Kythrea, near Buffavento. They had resi- 
 dences and gardens in Nikosia and Limasol, where 
 the headcpiartei's of the order were established, and 
 in addition to this occupied Platanistia and Finika, 
 in the district of Paphos, and Mamgrallu and Ko- 
 lossin in the district of Limasol. 
 
 In Kolossin, a French proprietor had possession 
 of considerable domains, all of which were boucrht 
 by the king and presented to the knights. And 
 now Kolossin l)ecame the headquarters ; here dwelt 
 the o-eneral of the order, and here was built, durinc: 
 the first part of the thirteenth century, the strong 
 castle, which during war was their fortress, and in 
 peaceful times the place where the festivals and as- 
 semblies of the order were held. Toward the close 
 of the Middle Ages, not fewer than forty-one dis- 
 tricts belonged to them in Cyprus. Their knowledge 
 of husbandry and business-like habits enabled the 
 Kniiz-hts of St. John to brino- their estates into a 
 very thriving condition. The cultivation of corn, 
 oil, vines, sugar-cane, and cotton increased in a won- 
 
196 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 derful maiiDer, and because Avine was produced only 
 in the one district, or because the Avine of that dis- 
 trict surpassed the rest in quality, it was called 
 Coramanderia wine and Kolossin wasreo-arded as the 
 centre of the wine-2:rowin<i: reo-ion. 
 
 We thankfully remembered the brave knights as 
 we sat at table and tasted the excellent wine still 
 produced on these hills. From them, likewise, the 
 islanders learned hoAV to preserve the little birds 
 called beccaficos, by simply plucking thein, and 
 packing them in jars filled with Avine. The Avine 
 soaks thoroughly into the flesh, Avhicli becomes 
 slightly hardened, and of most delicious flavor. 
 Great numbers of these delicate little birds are 
 killed in Cyprus. 
 
 The export of Avine might easily be made a source 
 of great Avealtli to the inhabitants ; as matters at 
 present stand, the Aviiie imported has to pay a duty 
 of one-sixteenth of its A^alue, but fifty times more 
 than is now groAvn might be produced from the rich 
 lands, Avhich at present lie Avaste and useless. 
 
 It is a Avonder how, seeing the rude manner in 
 Avhich the Avine is made, that it is so good as it is. 
 Very little trouble is taken Avith it. Goats and 
 young donkeys Avander at their own Avicked Avill 
 through the vineyards dui'ing the early part of the 
 year, and feed upon the young grapes. The clusters 
 are gathered Avithout the slightest selection, and 
 throAVU upon the ground, Avhere probably they may 
 
KOLOssm. 197 
 
 remain until soaked witli rain. After lying for a 
 Aveek to rot, they are pressed in the roughest Avay; the 
 must is poured into large earthen vessels, which are 
 frequently put into a room where rancid oil, grain, 
 dried leaves, fruit, and all sorts of bad smellinir 
 thino-s are standinii: and hancrins: around. In this 
 polluted atmosphere the must has to undergo two 
 fermentations. Over the earthen pot that contains 
 the wine a flat slate is laid, or a cover with a little 
 hole in it, thi'ough which at intervals a straw is in- 
 troduced and a mouthful sucked out, partly as a 
 drink, but peril aps more properly to ascertain bow 
 the wine is getting on ; it may have grown sour or 
 it may not. Should the fermentation have proved 
 successful, the merchants come, ready to bargain 
 about the price. This wine is kept in casks, througli 
 Avhich the air is allowed to pass, and after a year is 
 considered to be in good condition. As in many 
 neighboring countries, it is the custom in Cyprus to 
 buy wine when a child is born and keep it to be 
 di'unk at its luarriaixe feast. 
 
 Commanderia is first the color of a topaz, and 
 then becomes deep red, finally attaining the liue of 
 good curagoa. Muscadine, the second quality of 
 Cyprian wine, is very sweet and has a slight violet 
 tinge when new, after, some years it attains the 
 thickness of syrup. Mavro, a dark red wine, is also 
 much drunk in C3'prus; it is very dry and resembles 
 Chateau Margaux. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 SOIL AND MINERAL PRODUCTS, 
 
 A GLANCE at the map shows us that the island of 
 Cyprus is naturally divisiWe into three regions, all 
 widely differing from each other. Along the entire 
 length of its northern division there runs a long 
 range of low hills, close to the sea, varying in height 
 from two to three thousand feet, composed of Jui'a 
 limestone, flanked on either side by Vienna sand- 
 stone. 
 
 The western and southern portions, constituting 
 at least half of the island, are covered with moun- 
 tains from two thousand to six thousand feet high. 
 These lofty ridges and projecting peaks, as well as 
 the ^vliole northern half of the district, consist of 
 greenstone, Avhile toward the south they are princi- 
 pally composed of marl and tertiary limestone. 
 
 Between these two ranches of mountains there is 
 an extensive plain covered with i-ich alluvial soil, 
 which in mdny places is from ten to fifteen, or even 
 twenty feet deep, through which run streams, con- 
 verging into two rivers, one of which takes its 
 course to the eastern, the other to the western, side 
 
 of the island. Both of these streams during the 
 
 198 
 
SOIL AND MINERAL PRODUCTS. 199 
 
 rainy season overflow their hanks, inundating the 
 country far and wide, so that a man unprovided, 
 witli a boat may be detained foi* Aveeks together, 
 unable to pass from one place to another. When 
 the water evaporates, or is drained off, it leaves a 
 slimy deposit which, in its properties and chemical 
 composition, resembles in a remarkable manner the 
 sediment deposited from the inundations of the Nile. 
 
 All round the island extends a naiTow level beach, 
 flanked l)y gently rising hills, consisting of post ter- 
 tiary strata mixed with gypsum, lime, and marl. 
 Here we find a most productive soil, watered by in- 
 numerable streams and brooks, which pour down 
 from the hills ; moreover, between the hills ai'e 
 many fruitful valleys and stretches of fertile land, 
 which would richly repay proper cultivation. 
 
 On account of its many capes the map of old Cy- 
 prus somewhat resembles a horned head, and the 
 very peculiar narrow peninsula, along which the 
 northern chain of mountains is continued, may be 
 compared to the tongue, Avith Avhich it seems to be 
 licking the corner, between Syria and Asia Minor. 
 
 The extensive plains have been celebrated from 
 the remotest antiquity for their gardens and coi'n- 
 fields. On the slopes, around the coast, and in the 
 deep valleys among the hills, may be found all the 
 plants and trees that are met with in Europe, West- 
 ern Asia and Egypt; these thrive prodigiously in- 
 deed. 
 
200 CTTEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Ill foi'mer years, the island was celeLrated for its 
 valuable copper mines, lience is supposed to be de- 
 I'ived its ancient name nvnpo^^ from ^vllicll we get 
 Cyprus. The most important copper mines Avere 
 formerly at Taraassus, in the centre of the island ; 
 at Soli, on the north coast ; and Amatlius and Cyri- 
 cum on the south coast. Gold and silver were occa- 
 sionally found. Salt is still made in large quan- 
 tities, and coal is found occasionally. Volcanic 
 eruptions, which were formerly not infrequent, have 
 not occurred for many years ; the island is, however, 
 subject to earthquakes. Precious stones in great 
 variety, including the diamond, emerald, jasper, 
 opal, and agate, "were formerly found in this island. 
 Yellow ochre and amljer are also amouii^st the min- 
 eial pi'oductions. Baffo produces a very superior 
 kind of asbestos, which is known as " stone-cotton " 
 in Cyprus. It is quite white and as ilexiljle as silk. 
 The ancients made it into cloth, which was incom- 
 bustible. This manufacture is still carried on in 
 some parts of the island, where the cloth is em- 
 ployed to make the sacramental robes of the priests. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 NATURAL PRODUCTS. 
 
 We will now give our readers a general sketch of 
 the rise and decline of Cyjirian agriculture under 
 different rulers. 
 
 For nearly three hundred years the d3masty of 
 Luslgnan ruled over a flourishing and Important 
 country. Monks, knights, merchants, and priests 
 thronged to its hospitable shores, on their way to 
 and from adjoining countries, and many fair dames 
 Avere conducted so far, and found pleasant refuge In 
 Cyprus, Avhilst their chivalrous husbands journeyed 
 farther east, to assist in the vain attempt to obtain 
 jiossesslon of the tomb of Christ, and earn either an 
 early grave, or return covered with wounds and 
 glory. ToAvns sprang up In all directions. Wine, 
 oil, silk, cotton, the carob-tree (Ceratonia slliqua), 
 and the various plants used for the famous Cyprian 
 dyes, were again largely cultivated, and in the over- 
 floAvIng markets of the towns upon the coast, shlj^s 
 In adjacent seas found the readiest means of victual- 
 ing for distant voyages. Mining operations were 
 recommenced with ardor, and Cyprian merchants 
 again sent forth the rich products of the island Into 
 all parts. 
 
 9* 201 
 
202 CYPEUS, mSTOKICAL AXD DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 "VYe liave still to notice wliat was the fate of tLe 
 island under Venetian and Turkish domination. The 
 Venetians, anxious to derive every possible emolu- 
 ment from their possessions, urged the population 
 to the most strenuous efforts in the culture of the 
 land, and when the weary laborers sank under the 
 burden and heat of the day, used every incentive, 
 and even punished them, in order to increase their 
 exertions in bringing their fields and gardens to the 
 required perfection. There is still a tradition in the 
 island that the Venetians paid a zecliin for every 
 olive-ti'ee that was planted. Generation after gen- 
 eration, . however, the population degenerated, and 
 became weaker and more idle. 
 
 The Venetians would appear to have considered 
 the island in the lifijht of a o-reat and valuable farm, 
 Avhicli they endeavored to make as productive as 
 possible. They appointed three governors, t\vo treas- 
 urers, a superintendent with two thousand men under 
 him, placed a captain and a company of soldiers 
 in each of the twelve districts into which the land 
 \vsLS divided, Avho kept everything in oi'der, and took 
 care that the fields and gardens were well (jultivated, 
 and the taxes regularly paid. After deducting all ex- 
 penses, Cyprus yielded to Venice a clear yeai-ly pio- 
 fit of two millions of ducats (golden dollars). The 
 Italian revenue oflScers seem not to have been much 
 trusted in their dealings with the Cypriotes, and 
 were changed every two years. 
 
NATURAL PRODUCTS. 203 
 
 "When the Sultan of Egypt subsequently took 
 Cyprus, the yearly tribute exacted amounted to 
 eight hundred thousand ducats (golden dollars) ; it 
 now produces only seven millions of marks, a very 
 small sum, in comparison with what it produced to 
 its Venetian masters. 
 
 During the fifteenth century, the blighting influ- 
 ence of successive wars was keenly felt, and the best 
 energies of the Lusignans were devoted to ward- 
 ing off the repeated attacks of the Mussulmans. 
 Since the New World had arisen in the West, strong 
 and visrorous immicrrants no lonsjer lent their aid to 
 prop a, declining s^tate. The conquest of Cyprus by 
 the Turks cost the island the last remnant of its 
 industrious, enterprising, and independent inhabit- 
 ants, and the bloodstained and desolate country 
 "was no longer cultivated. The Turks, always pas- 
 sionate admirers of flowers, introduced a few tulips 
 and hyacinths, and planted date-palms in the spots 
 they occupied ; but the soil was not congenial to 
 them, and in Cyprus the date-palm rarely produced 
 its sweet and highly-prized fruit. 
 
 The tobacco plant was also introduced at this 
 period, but its cultivation was never carried on to 
 any great extent, owing to the necessity of planting it 
 in gardens surrounded by high walls, in order to pro- 
 tect the plant from the depredations of the locust. 
 No attempt was made on the part of the Turkish 
 Government to rouse the dying energies of the peo- 
 
204 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 pie; slowly, but surely, every ai't and industry 
 declined, and the locust swarmed over the barren 
 and neglected country. 
 
 Thus, in ancient times, Ave see that the island of 
 Cyprus was celebrated for its varied vegetation, l)ut 
 of the plants that once grew there, many are totally 
 lost, others are now cultivated witli difficulty, and 
 very few new ones are added to tlui li>t. The vege- 
 tation of Cyprus, like its histoiy, seems to have un- 
 dergone many changes, and from the nature of tlie 
 soil, is very diversified in different parts of the island. 
 At the present day, corn is still extensively cul- 
 tivated ; wheat, barley, oats, and beans flourish Avell. 
 Upon the mountains grow fir and jiine-trees, and in 
 the valleys we find fine oaks, ashes, orange, fig, citron, 
 date, walnut, and a great variety of other trees. 
 Overhanging shrubs crowd the deep dells and pre- 
 cipitous cliffs, and amongst them grow the oleander, 
 myrtle, arbutus, juniper, and mastic. Xot less sti-ik- 
 ing is the lovely carpet of flowers, which clothes 
 the face of the country with ever-vai-ying beauties. 
 Roses and jasmine, tulips, hyacinths, narcissus, and 
 anemones, are but a few of those that I might enu- 
 merate. 
 
 In Cyprus the use of manure is unknown, but 
 nevertheless there is but little change in the luxu- 
 riant fertility of the soil, and wherever the earth 
 is sufficiently supplied with moisture, a thousand 
 plants spring up in rich profusion. One of the prin- 
 
NATUEAL PRODUCTS. 205 
 
 cipal difficulties in the field is to keep the corn from 
 being smothered by weeds. This task of weeding 
 falls entirely to the lot of the women. 
 
 Olive-trees were formerly very numerous, as is 
 proved by the large resei'voirs for oil to be seen 
 near Larnaka. The trade was at one time very ex- 
 tensive, but the island now consumes all that it pro- 
 duces. This decline would appear to date from the 
 era of Venetian rule, when the trade in oil was 
 almost ruined, and the cultivation of the olive 
 abandoned for that of cotton. Saffron, rhubarb, 
 and many other natural and valuable productions 
 are also neglected. 
 
 Cyprus had once a lucrative trade with Syria in 
 the oil extracted from the seed of the jujube tree. 
 Oil of glasswort was also forme'/ly extracted. Cucu- 
 mis colocynth, from the pulp of which colocynth is 
 made, is also largely cultivated : this plant grows 
 like the water-melon, and belongs to the same family. 
 The cotton plant, which was formerly so important 
 a production, is now comparatively but little culti- 
 vated. The seeds of the cotton-plant are sown eai'ly 
 in April, three or four being planted together, at 
 equal distances. When the shoots appear above 
 the ground, the strongest plant alone is allowed to 
 remain, the rest being weeded out. The plants are 
 hoed in June or July, and the cotton collected in 
 October and November. The cottons of Cyprus, 
 which are four qualities, are much esteemed on 
 
206 CYPKUS, HISTOEIC.VL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 account of tlieir whiteness and thickness of their 
 texture ; a fifth quality, called scovazze, is entirely 
 consumed on the island. The total export of cotton 
 in 1871 was 770,850 lbs. 
 
 During the time when the silk trade flourished, 
 mulberry trees were objects of most careful atten- 
 tion, and still abound upon the island. The finest 
 and whitest silk is now obtained from the neighbor- 
 hood of Famagusta, and Karpasso ; the lemon, or 
 sulphur-colored, comes from Citereau, and most of 
 the northern villages, whilst that made about Baflb 
 is of a golden color. 
 
 The Greek females oi some of the towns and vil- 
 lages work exquisite embroidery, and make a kind of 
 silk net, which will bear comparison with the finest 
 European lace. On the west side of the island the 
 peasants distill rose, orange, and lavender water, and 
 myrtle and ladanum oil. 
 
 Amongst the birds, snipe, pheasants, partridges, 
 quails, and thrushes are very abundant, as are also 
 most of the birds of passage that make Africa their 
 home durins: the winter. 
 
 Until the commencement of the seventeenth cen- 
 tury 150,000 kilderkins of wine were annually pro- 
 duced ; whilst at the beginning of the present cen- 
 tury, only a sixtli part of that quantity was made. 
 The manufacture of wine has considerably increased 
 in the last few years, but principally for foreign 
 consumption. The lower order of Cypriotes find 
 
NATURAL PBODUCTS. 207 
 
 the wiue too strong for tlieir lieads, and too dear for 
 their pockets, and drink little or none. The taxes 
 upon w ine are at present very heavy. 
 
 The utilization of the fruit of the island as a 
 means of profit is now never thought of; even the 
 celebrated vegetables of Cyprus are now almost un- 
 known, and the inhabitants content themselves with 
 gathering wild cresses, artichokes, purslane, and as- 
 paragus. The olive-tree, however, as we have said, 
 is still largely grown — cultivated Ave cannot call 
 it, as not only the planting, but gathering the fruit, 
 and expressing the oil, are carried on in the most 
 careless manner. Without the olive, however, sorry 
 indeed would be the fare of the Cypriotes. 
 
 Potatoes flourish in the mountainous districts and 
 kolokasia in low-lying regions. Melons, pumpkins, 
 and gherkins are also found in great profusion. 
 During the last forty years, Greek and French en- 
 tei'prise has made various effoi'ts to bring aljout a 
 better state of things. What may not now be 
 hoped for Avhen this luxuriant island is again under 
 a patei-nal dominion and the safety of individual 
 risjhts secnred ? 
 
 At all times, snakes, which, however, are not dan- 
 gerous, tarantulas, and venomous spiders abound in 
 the island, and Dr. Clarke gives a forcible descrip- 
 tion of its insect pests. Speaking of the tarantula, 
 he describes one species of aT)Out an inch long, as 
 having " a body of bright yellow, and beset with 
 
208 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 long and prickly Lairs. It runs Avitli prodigious 
 swiftness, and thus more easily escapes its destruc- 
 tion, in which mankind are interested; its bite being 
 very dangerous, and its venom very subtle. The 
 parts Avhich are attacked by it swell in an instant, 
 and occasion excessive pain, followed by death if 
 certain remedies be not speedily applied." 
 
 The cultivation of the sugar-cane is now quite 
 unknown in Cyprus, and the cotton-plant is only 
 grown in a few districts. 
 
 It has been erroneously stated that the natives 
 will not touch the flesh of the ox, from the idea 
 that it would be cruel to eat the com])anion of their 
 labors. Numerous small, but fat cattle are fed on 
 the plains, and their beef enjoyed as much by the 
 Cypriote as by an Englishman. Great numbers of 
 sheep and goats are also reared. The mutton is 
 juicy and tender. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 ST. I^ICHOLAS AND LIMASOL. 
 
 Whilst I was in Kolossin I learnt that some fine 
 marble pillars, which lav outside in the court-yard, 
 had heen brought from the Abbey of St. Nicholas, 
 which was only some few leagues off, upon the 
 neighboring j^eninsula. Everything I heard of this 
 interesting ruin made me more desirous of inspect- 
 ing it. Visions of European abbeys floated before 
 my eyes, and I determined to start at once to view 
 this Cyprian reality. 
 
 Next morning I sent on my dragoman and horse- 
 boy to Limasol, with orders to try and get lodgings 
 for me in the Franciscan cloisters, and then rode 
 forward with Hussein on the way to St. Nicholas. 
 After about an hour and a half's hard riding, we 
 reached the south portion of the peninsula. The 
 spot was a bare, open plain, and the water by which 
 it was surrounded full of reeds. We had scarcely 
 reached our destination than torrents of rain began 
 to fall, and Ave were forced to take shelter under a 
 ruined wall, standing our horses in front of us, to 
 prevent our being literally washed away. Hap- 
 pily the storm was only of short duration, and the 
 
 ground was soon diy again, and we could continue 
 
 209 
 
210 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 our investigations. The little cliurcli of St. NicLo- 
 las, which was evidently built in the fifteenth cen- 
 tury, is in good condition, and stands in the midst 
 of the ruined abl)ey, the rectangular walls of which 
 surround it. On closely examining tlie church it 
 was easy to trace the solid foundations of the an- 
 cient temple, on the site of which it had been built. 
 Rows of broken pillars, some extending along the 
 hinder walls, indicated what had once been a cov- 
 ered walk for the monks. Over the doorway was a 
 huge marble tablet, on whicli five coats-of-arms were 
 chiseled. The ancient temj)le which preceded the 
 abbey had evidently been very extensive, and I 
 could trace its foundations for some feet beyond the 
 cloister walls. In one corner stood what had been 
 an altar, and near it a very deep cistern. The old 
 walls here, which are as hard as iron, had been 
 taken in large masses to form, evidently, the abbey 
 w^alls. Marble pillars lay in all directions, but I 
 saw none as fine as the two that had attracted my 
 attention in the inn yard at Kolossin. No trace of 
 the abbey garden was left, beyond some olive-trees, 
 the roots of which were buried quite impartially 
 under the ancient and mediaeval walls. A few 
 goats were wandering about, and gave a touch of 
 animation to the melancholy and deserted scene^ 
 The water about this peninsula is as rich in salt as 
 is that near Larnaka. 
 
 I mounted a neighboring eminence, but could see 
 
ST. NICHOLAS AND LIMASOL. 211 
 
 no trace of life. Not a ship or boat appeared upon 
 the bosom of the sea beyond, and I could not help 
 asking myself, as I descended, if this whole countr}'- 
 was destined to remain desolate forever, or if we 
 could hope that, under a new government, it might 
 attain fresli vitality, and again take its place as one 
 of the animated spots of the eai^th. ^ 
 
 The road from the ruins of the temple and mon- 
 astery upon the southern peninsula, a distance of 
 about three and a half hours' ride, winds around 
 the salt marsh, and then turns toward the sea, Li- 
 masol is more European in its appearance tlian any 
 other town in Cyprus. Houses built of clay and 
 stone predominate liere, more especially in the part 
 inhabited by the Turks. 
 
 Clay and wood seem, at the present day, to be 
 the favorite building materials of these people, and 
 it is the same wherever they settle. Even a small 
 party of Turkish women that we encountered were 
 making a house exactly as in Smyrna or Constanti- 
 nople. When these women see a stranger approach- 
 ing at a short distance, they cover themselves up, 
 but as he draws nearer, the pretty ones always draw 
 their veils a little aside, so tliat he may have a peep 
 at tlieir fresh, smiling faces. This use of the veil 
 appears general tliroughout Turkey, and was prac- 
 ticed even durinfr the time of the Crusaders. 
 
 We rode through a long street, and as we ap- 
 proached a statelydooking house, Hussein called my 
 
212 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVIL 
 
 attention to a, flag emblazoned "witli tlie German 
 eaj^le, wliicli floated over the roof; witli delii^lit I 
 recognized it, and read the familiar inscription. I 
 then rode on to the Franciscan convent, where the 
 little monk, who stood before the door, came for- 
 ward to receive me with every demonstration of 
 joy and fatherly welcome. Hardly had I refreshed 
 myself with a cup of excellent coffee, than he arose 
 and insisted upon my following him to my chamber 
 and resting myself after my fatiguing Journey. He 
 afterward came to fetch me, in order that he might 
 show me over the convent. From the terrace Ave 
 had a noble prospect, looking toward the mountains 
 Avhich, although bare, rose grandly above the surface 
 of the plain. Behind the garden, Ave found a lit- 
 tle sequestered churchyard. The small number of 
 graves indicated that during a long period only tAVO 
 or three of the brotherhood had here found their 
 resting-place. It Avould seem that these monks had 
 been placed here, more to Avatch over the place, than 
 for any pastoral service. For the pur2)oses of Avor- 
 ship a ncAV and very beautiful church Avas in course 
 of erection ; the money to build this had come from 
 E-ome, Avhere gold is ahvays forthcoming to build 
 churches Avith in any part of the Avorld AV'here Ro- 
 man Catholics are to be found. 
 
 After AA'e had returned to the dinino-hall, there 
 entered a very smart merchant from Tyre, Avho, like 
 myself, Avas a guest in the convent. This man of- 
 
ST. NICHOLAS AND LIMASOL. 213 
 
 fered me a gem that Le said lie had j'lSt fonnd^ for 
 which he asked an enormous price. He was not at 
 all abashed when I told him that the value of the 
 article might possibly be a couple of piastres. The 
 manufacture of these pretended antiquities is carried 
 on in Smyrna, Beyrut, and Jerusalem on an exten- 
 sive scale, and appears to be very profitable. 
 
 And now the German consular agent appeared 
 with his canvass, dragoman, and staff of officers, to 
 greet me on my arrival, and when they departed, 
 Hussein marched after them, and thus they paraded 
 about the town, and through the bazaar. People 
 are very fond of show and parade of this descrip- 
 tion, a passion doubtless derived fi'om the customs 
 of the Komans and Byzantines. The German resi- 
 dent in Limasol seemed somewhat disappointed be- 
 cause we had passed his house without calling, and 
 urgently insisted on my accompanying him home, 
 whei'e, he said, everything had been j^repared for 
 my reception. The little priest, however, had laid 
 an embargo on my person, and declared that such 
 an affront should not be offered to his convent. The 
 Italian consul also paid me a visit, and also the mas- 
 ter of the Greek school, and I was highly amused, 
 knowing, as I did, that all these pressing invitations 
 were given with the full knowledge that the next 
 steamer for Constantinople left Larnaka in three 
 days, and that there was no chance of my waiting a 
 Vvhole week for the next. I then, in company with 
 
214 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 the Greek scLoolmaster, took a walk tlirougli the 
 town, and inspected the bazaar, the schools, and the 
 church. In the his/her school there were about 
 twenty scholars, in the lower upward of a hundred; 
 their number increases rapidly from one half year 
 to anothei". Behind the school I noticed a column, 
 the capital of which was very handsome, and which 
 I was told had been brought from the monastei"}' of 
 St. Nicholas. The interior of the town has a very 
 European appearance; it is, indeed, principally mod- 
 ern, and has been built — a good augury for Cyprus 
 — in consequence of the increased export of wines 
 grown in the country. 
 
 Limasol at the present day contains about six 
 thousand inhabitants, of whom one-third, and these 
 the poorest, are Turks. Among the Greek popu- 
 lation there are already several well-to-do merchants 
 who trade in flax and avooI. 
 
 In the evenins:, a visit to our consular aiicent ena- 
 bled me to observe the domestic economy of the 
 Cyprians, in a Greek house of some pretensions. 
 The agent himself is a young man of polished ad- 
 dress and very engaging manners, the mistress of 
 the house charmingly beautiful. There was also a 
 lady whose bright and sparkling eyes gleamed with 
 intelligence and persevering energy. Her family 
 belonged to the oldest nobility of the island, and 
 yet had not been resident there for more than a 
 century and a half. Under Turkish rule families 
 
ST. NICHOLAS AND LDIASOL. 215 
 
 do not easily attain to noljility or distinction. It 
 may also be remarked that, of late years, the higher 
 Turkish oificials who came from Constantinople, 
 were seldom people of such refined manners as their 
 predecessors. How can it be otherwise, seeing that 
 money is now the only key whereby admission to 
 office can be obtained ? Even the multitude of 
 green-turbaned descendants of the Prophet are 
 quickly disappearing. In China they manage bet- 
 ter. After the imperial family, ranks that of Kung- 
 fu-tso (Confucius), and there are about ten thou- 
 sand living descendants of the sage — but it is only 
 the real lineal head of the family, the Prince Kung, 
 who is benefited by the renown of his ancestry. In 
 Turkey, on the contrary, the canker-worm has been 
 long devouring the whole ancestral tree, root and 
 branch. The curse of the country is, that dignity 
 and work are thought to be incompatible with each 
 other, and the descendants of the Prophet consider 
 themselves too illustrious to do anything. 
 
 About ten o'clock we sat down to table, and our 
 first glass was dedicated to our country's noble flag, 
 which Avaved above the roof of the house. At this 
 time, however, there were few Germans in Limasol^ 
 and during the \\'hole year but two or three German 
 vessels had cast anchor in the roadstead. 
 
 I am, however, pretty well convinced that a good 
 trade miijcht be established here, even if the caro;oes 
 consisted entirely of wine. The convei'sation turned 
 
216 CYPRUS, HISTOmCAL AND DESCRITTR^E. 
 
 priucipally on tlie population and revenue, and I 
 succeeded in making a few additions to my knowl- 
 edge concerning the statistics of the country. As 
 iH'gards the population of Cyprus, I was told that 
 the Turks numbered about 200,000, and Gi-eeks 
 100,000. A European observer, who was long a 
 i-esident here, reckoned 100,000 Greeks, 40,000 
 Tui'ks, and 1,000 Maronites and Roman Catholics; 
 most prol)ably, however, if we estimate the total 
 at 150,000, of whom aljout a tliird are Turks, we 
 should not be far from the truth. 
 
 Equally at variance with each other Avere the ac- 
 counts that T* received concerning the revenue, al- 
 though my cpiestions were only put to persons who, 
 ex oflciOj were able at least to give approximate in- 
 foi'mation. The revenue derived from the' customs 
 and taxes, was estimated by one at thirty-five mil- 
 lions of piastres, by another at thirty millions, and 
 by a third at twenty-four millions; the figures set 
 down in the following table are, however, probably 
 nearer the mark : 
 
 Piastres. 
 
 Tithes upon all income ...... 7,000,000 
 
 land 400,000 
 
 T.and tax (tolls upon product) 5,000.000 
 
 Military taxes upon Christians 550.000 
 
 Head money upon sheep ...... 700,000 
 
 Weighing taxe.s upon sales . . . . , . 300,000 
 
 Customs upon salt 1,500,000 
 
 " wines 1,000,000 
 
 " exported silk 200,000 
 
 " " " fish 20,000 
 
 Total .... 10.G70.000 
 
ST. ^^cflOLAs and ldiasol. 217 
 
 Truly, for a country so large, so luxurious, and 
 so ricli (when we consider the small value of tlio 
 piastre), this is but a sorry income. From this, 
 moreover, must he deducted the cost of tlie mosques, 
 Mohammedan schools, and other similar institutions, 
 ^vhich even in Cyprus are distriljuted over a con- 
 siderable portion of the island. These are placed 
 under the superintendence of the Mohammedan 
 priesthood, and there is a proverb w-hich says, 
 " Sooner w ill the eyes of the dead slied tears, than 
 priests give up money." In Cyprus it is well un- 
 derstood that, of all these taxes, not above two or 
 three millions of piastres find their wHy to Constan- 
 tinople ; nay, that the inhabitants Lave, in addition 
 to these imposts, to pay considerable sums to the 
 Turkisli officials to keep them in a good humor. 
 Moreover, the Turks are constantly oldiged to 
 bribe one anothei*, in order to keep themselves in 
 office, and to maintain the dignity of their position. 
 The sums expended upon roads, bridges, and pub- 
 lic buildings, are of very trifling amount. Even the 
 cost of the military establishment is exceedingly 
 small. The population is too weak and too lazy to 
 require much of a garrison, and the Turks come 
 willingly from other places, to fulfill the military 
 duties in so quiet a spot. 
 10 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 AMATHUS. 
 
 Next morning we journeyed onward toward 
 Amatlius. The day was lovely, one of the most 
 exquisite I have ever experienced in any climate, 
 and as we galloped along, my veins seemed to 
 dance with every breath I drew. At such mo- 
 ments one readily comprehends why the inhabitants 
 of Cyprus have never taken any high place in the 
 fields of literature and art, and why its seductive 
 and enervating air has always proved attractive to 
 the Tuiks, as it did formerly to the ancient Ro- 
 mans. Our road lay through waving coi'n fields, 
 the rich golden hues of which were finely contrasted 
 with the deep blue waters of the sea, which in many 
 places reached the very borders of the fields. Sud- 
 denly a change arose, the sun mounted high into the 
 heavens, and beat down upon us with such fiery 
 foi'ce and fury, as caused me fully to appreciate the 
 appropriateness of the symbol stamped upon the 
 ancient coins of Cyprus, namely, a devouring lion, 
 backed, in some instances, by an image of the sun's 
 ra}^. Terrible, indeed, is the destruction worked 
 
 by the ravening jaws of Phoebus Apollo upon the 
 
 218 
 
AMATHUS. 219 
 
 fruitful gardens and flowery plains of this fertile 
 island. At these seasons, only such fields as lie 
 close to the sea can resist the parching Llight ; in 
 these tracts on the shore, plants of all kinds flour- 
 ish luxui'iantly, drawing the moisture which sup- 
 ports them from the refreshing dews l)orne to them 
 from the nei'o-hborinsr waves. In such of these cul- 
 tivated portions of the coast as also enjoy the mois- 
 ture brought by the smaller streams, as they dis- 
 charge themselves into the sea, the harvests and 
 crops are still more luxuriant. Not only the coun- 
 try near to Limasol, over which I was now riding, 
 but the coast about Episkopi, Kition, Larnaka, Fama- 
 gusta, beside the noi-th coast near Morphu and Laga- 
 tlios, and other places, possess many of these most 
 valuable ao-ricultural districts. Much land has al- 
 ready been reclaimed for the purposes of cultiva- 
 tion, and there is no reason wjiy so successful an 
 experiment should not be attempted uj)on many 
 other parts of the coast. 
 
 After about two hours' riding, we reached what 
 appeared to me to be the ruins of a church, stand- 
 ing close to the shore, and beside these a heap of 
 ancient hewn stones, lying ready to be shipped for 
 Port Said, Avhere they were to be employed in the 
 construction of a new harbor. On our left rose a 
 mountain, Avith fields of corn extending to a consid- 
 erable distance up its slopes. My dragoman was 
 most desirous to ride on, without my lingering to 
 
220 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 investigate the spot, and when T assured him that 
 this mount was certainly the site of the ancient 
 Amathus, positively asserted that not a trace of 
 anything ^vas to be seen. I believe the rascal ^vas 
 afraid he should again get more climbing than suited 
 his indolence, for he declared in piteous accents 
 that it would take us fully an hour to reach the 
 summit. By this time, however, I knew the gen- 
 tleman I had to deal with, and persisted in ray de- 
 termination to make the attempt. Our road was 
 certainly of the steepest, but the way was short, 
 and in about fifteen minutes we w^ere at the top. 
 Much did I rejoice that I had persevered in my own 
 course, for before me lay the spot that I had sought. 
 The mount was indeed a natural fortress of the first 
 order, and must have afforded most secure refuire 
 during the disturbed periods of the island's his- 
 tory. On the side facing the sea, by which we had 
 ascended, I could trace the foundations of an ancient 
 rampart. On the other three sides, such protection 
 liad been quite unnecessary, as the rock rose sheer, 
 and almost perpendicularl}^ from the fruitful val- 
 ley at its Ijase. Here had once stood a large city, 
 founded by the Phoenicians, Avhich is still called in 
 Hebrew, Hamath, or the fortified city. The build- 
 ing appears to have covered the eminence, and from 
 thence extended to the shores of the sea. Tacitus, 
 and other ancient writers, speak of Amathus as the 
 oldest city in Cyprus ; at the present da}', it may 
 
AMATHUS. 221 
 
 be described as tlie one of Avbicli tlie traces liave 
 been most ruthlessly destroyed. Witli tlie exce])tion 
 of the shattered pieces of a gigantic vase, of which 
 I shall speak presently, and the ruined church upon 
 the coast, no trace is left of its former greatness. 
 From the top of the mount to the very shores of 
 the sea, every sign has been removed, beyond that 
 afforded by heaps of broken stones and potsherds. 
 
 Twelve years ago, the last valuable was removed 
 by French antiquarians. This relic was one of two 
 gigantic vases, finely shaped in solid stone, with 
 sides almost a foot in thickness, and ornamented 
 with four gracefully arched handles, decorated with 
 palm branches, and adorned upon its sides by the 
 images of four bulls. Tlie interior of this delicately 
 chiseled but f-^ii^antic vase was about ten feet in 
 diameter, and so deep that an oi'dinary man, stand- 
 ing within, could just have looked over its edges. 
 At the time this spot Avas visited by the French 
 travelers we speak of, one of these two precious relics 
 stood above ground, and was quite perfect, whilst 
 the other was partially buried in the earth. Dis- 
 graceful as it may appear, the fact is certain, that 
 Avhen the French officers, Avho were overlooking the 
 removal of the perfect vase, found that its compan- 
 ion, imbedded in the earth, was somewhat in their 
 way, they at once ordered the sailors who were with 
 them to smash it to jiieces. This fact was related 
 to me by a gentleman of high position in Limasol^ 
 
222 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Avho was an eye-witness of this act of wanton destruc- 
 tion. My zaptieh, Hussein, it afterward appeared, 
 Lad been present with his master, my friendly pacha, 
 whilst this monster vase was being 'pulled down the 
 mountain, and spoke with enthusiasm of its enor- 
 mous size and beauty. He also informed me that the 
 French frigate, "La Perdrix," commanded by Comte 
 de Vogue, had a small steamship to assist in convey- 
 ing the valuable ^-elic. I found pieces of a handle 
 of the broken vase lying strewn about the mountain. 
 
 For a thousand years these giant mementos of a 
 former age had stood upon these mountains, to re- 
 cord the grandeur of past ages, and would have re- 
 mained untouched by the wear and tear of centuries 
 to come, had it not been for the barbarous vandal- 
 ism of a handful of French officers. What may 
 have been the use of these magnificent vessels is 
 quite uncertain ; the oxen sculptured upon them 
 would appear to give them a religious significance, 
 and we know that similar vases stood without the 
 Temple at Jerusalem. It is most probable they 
 were in some manner connected with the numerous 
 sacrifices that formed so large a part of the religious 
 ceremonies to Venus. 
 
 On these heights, the feasts in honor of Adonis 
 were held. This beautiful youth, the beloved of Ve. 
 nus, is said to have met his death in the Idalion forest 
 between Larnaka and Famagusta, where, according 
 to heathen mythology, he was killed by a wild boar 
 
AMATHUS. 223 
 
 lie had wounded. Anemones are said to Lave sprung 
 up from the ground .that was moistened by his 
 blood. These feasts to Adonis, which were first 
 celebrated at Byl)los, in Phoenicia, were afterward 
 introduced to Greece and Cyprus. In the latter 
 country they lasted eight days, of which the first 
 four wei'e spent in howling and lamenting, and the 
 four last in joyful clamors, as if Adonis had re- 
 turned to life. The orgies, in connection Avith these 
 feasts, were immoral in the extreme, and w^e are 
 told tliat Pygmalion, the celebrated statuary of Cy- 
 prus, was so disgusted by the profligacy of the 
 women of Amathus, that he resolved never to marry. 
 The aftection he had denied to the other sex, he, 
 therefore, liberally poured forth upon the creation 
 of his o\vn hands. He became enamored of a 
 beautiful marble statue he had made, and at his 
 earnest request and prayers, the Goddess of Love 
 changed the favorite statue into a Avoman, whom 
 the artist mari'ied, and by whom he had a son named 
 Paphos, who founded the city of that name in Cy- 
 prus. 
 
 The ascent of Amathus would well repay any one 
 who would attempt it, if only for the magnificent 
 view presented from its summit. On one side lies a 
 broad expanse of blue sea, and on the other a semi- 
 circle of dark heights and peaks, Avhilst between the 
 two extends the gay and luxuriant valley, stretching 
 its fruitful fields and gardens to the shore. 
 
224 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 " Under the Ptolemies," says Cesnola, " and in the 
 later history of Cyprus, Aniathus appears to have 
 lost the ancient importance wliich it enjoyed, when 
 ruled by its own kings, and when its natural allies, 
 the Persians, were all-powerful." 
 
 " On the hill on Avhich it stood nothins: is now 
 visible but a vast amount of stones, plaster, and 
 broken pottery. Even the hill itself is fast losing its 
 form, while the rock of which it is composed is being 
 cut awa}', to be shipped at Port Said, bringing to 
 the merchants of Limasol a profitable return. Fi'oni 
 the great amount of debris which covers the sur- 
 rounding fields, for the most part untilled, Amathus, 
 it would seem, though small in area, must have 
 been a thickly-populated city. Originally the upper 
 part of the hill had been encircled by a Avail, re- 
 mains of which are now scarcely percej^tible ; por- 
 tions, however, of another Avail of a later period 
 may especially be observed on the southern side 
 looking toAvard the sea, and following the sinuous 
 Avindinojs of the hill. I found imbedded in this wall 
 pieces of terra-cotta jars and fragments of granite 
 columns, Avhich had been used as building materials. 
 On the southern side, portions of it ran as far as the 
 shore. It is probable that the square-built ruin at 
 the southern end of the hill formed a gateway, since, 
 betAveen the city and the sea-shore, there Avas, and 
 still is, the high road to Paphos. On the crest of 
 this hill I dug at seA'eral places, until I came to the 
 
A3IATHTJS. 225 
 
 solid rock, hut failed to discover any sculptured re- 
 mains of importance. I found, hoAvever, sufficient 
 evidence to convince me that most of the buildins: 
 materials of "svhat I call the Phoenician city, had 
 been used for the construction of the later Greek 
 buildings." 
 
 " Amathus, when subsequently inhabited by a 
 Greek population, spread itself in a more south- 
 easterly direction, and nearer to the sea-shore, pro- 
 tected by the second wall, which I spoke of, and 
 though at the time of its destruction by King Rich- 
 ard of Enofland it was still the seat of the last Duke 
 of Cyprus, Isaac Comnenas, it had already lost most 
 of its splendor and importance." 
 
 " It was on the top of this hill, that M. de Vogue 
 discovered the large stone vase which is uoav depos- 
 ited in the museum of the Louvre. Near the same 
 spot, there are fragments of what seems to have been 
 a similar vase. In the immediate vicinity of the site 
 where these vases were found, I dug up, on a former 
 excursion, three large shafts of columns, of a hard 
 bluish stone, resembling granite. I left them half- 
 Vmried in the soil, with the intention of examining 
 them on a future occasion ; but when I returned, 
 the columns had disappeared, having been broken 
 up for building purposes. There are thousands of 
 stones on the top and sides of this hill, which Avould 
 equally well suit the purposes of these workmen, 
 
 but it seems that thev are possessed by some infatu- 
 10* 
 
226 CYPRUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 ation or evil maiiica for destroying whatever bears 
 the traces of man's handicraft. It is tlie more to be 
 regretted, since among the ruins very few architect- 
 ural or sculptured remains are now found." 
 
 Far away in the distance is the town of Limasol, 
 washed by the waters of its beautiful and rounded 
 bay, behind this, again, a long line of coast, and 
 then the eye just discerns the promontory of Curias, 
 stretchinir its lenofth far into the sea, where it termi- 
 nates in Capo delle Gatte. Cesnola gives an amus- 
 ing account of the origin of this name, which is too 
 interesting to be omitted. " On one occasion," he 
 says, " my mule was terrified by a sudden leap from 
 a bush, of Avhat appeared to me to be a cat ; my guide 
 assured me that both at this cape, and near to Ac- 
 rotiri, there are wild cats, which hunt and destroy 
 the asps abounding there, I at once recollected 
 havinof read that the ' Calovers' of the convent of 
 Acrotiri raised and trained a superior breed of cats, 
 which they imported from Constantinople, to kill 
 the asps in their neighborhood. That at the toll- 
 ing of a particular bell in the convent, these cats 
 would come in to be fed twice a day, and then re- 
 turn to their work of destruction. I suppose that 
 it is called Capo delle Gatte in reference to these 
 cats." 
 
 When we had descended the mountain, and were 
 once more on the shore, I observed a number of 
 black and half-black Egyptian sailors, all in rags, 
 
AMATHUS. 227 
 
 wlio were busily employed in carrying stones to 
 their ships wliicli were anchored in the roads. Their 
 captain looked on, smoking his pipe, and shaded 
 from the sun bv a small tent. Stones from the old- 
 
 ft/ 
 
 est city in Cyprus, going over to Port Said, to help 
 in the construction of the newest town on the op- 
 posite continent, near which a harbor is in course of 
 construction destined to receive the ships coming 
 from every quarter of the globe ; whilst here at my 
 feet lay the ancient harbor of Amathus, of which 
 nothing remains but its natural basin, formed by 
 rocks which extend some distance into the sea. 
 
CHAPTER XXVIIL 
 
 KARUBIEII AXD MAZOTOS. 
 
 Whet^ we left Amatlius, our road lay over a bar- 
 ren mountainous tract, entirely destitute of every 
 charm, but as we readied Cape Kariibieli, a scene of 
 great beauty opened up from the left to our view. 
 Before us lay a little town, looking as fresh and 
 bright as if but quite recently built, with houses 
 that appeared much more stately and substantial 
 than any I had yet seen in Cyprus. To our surprise 
 these attractivedookinor residences were closed and 
 untenanted, and not a human creature was to be 
 seen, except a solitary negro at a small inn Avhere 
 w^e got a cup of coffee. I aftei'ward learned that 
 the inhabitants of Karubieh, ^vhich number about 
 one thousand, only return to their homes in August. 
 At this season many ships anchor here to take in 
 large cargoes of fruit for Trieste, Marseilles, Smyrna, 
 Odessa, and St. Petersburg. The fields, from whieli 
 all this supei'abundant harvest is produced, cover 
 all the declivities of the sea-shore from Limasol to 
 Mazotos. The once-despised carob-tree (Ceratonia 
 siliqua) is now much esteemed, and tlie fi'uit, which 
 
 was foi'merly only used either as food for entile, or 
 
 228 
 
KARUBEEH AND MAZOTOS. 229 
 
 occasionally eaten tluiing seasons of fasting, Las be- 
 come of great value. Of late years it has been dis- 
 covered that the fruit is highly valuable for the 
 making of excellent brandy, and the tree is therefore 
 cultivated throucjhout this district with the utmost 
 assiduity. About April the branches ai"e lopped 
 off, numerous shoots from fruitful trees are grafted 
 ou the trunks, and in a very short space of time the 
 tree is covered with succulent pods. I mention this 
 interesting fact, to prove of what this once fertile 
 island is capable, when its products receiv^e the neces- 
 sary attention. In this instance, as in many oth- 
 ers, gold is literally lying on the ground in Cyprus, 
 ready to 1)e jiicked uj) by those who have enterprise 
 and energy. 
 
 Our road from Cape Karubieh presented nothing 
 of interest. The mountains gradually receded in- 
 land, and the eye found nothing to relieve the mono- 
 tony of the bare expanse of coast, until at length 
 our further progress in a direct line was stopped by 
 a rocky promontory, which projected far into the 
 sea. We were now obliged to turn inland, and 
 soon reached higher ground, from whence we once 
 more obtained a good view of the j^urple and deep 
 blue mountains, and could see their tints gradually 
 deepen under the shadow of approaching night. It 
 was late before we reached Mazotos, and I at once 
 endeavored to obtain a lodo-iuGT, in the house of 
 some well-to-do farmer, from whom I might hope to 
 
230 CTPEUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 learn many interesting particulars concerning tlie 
 manners and customs of the people. As we entered 
 the town, I observed a court-yard leading from a 
 stable to a small house within. At the left-hand 
 side was a flight of stone steps, conducting to an 
 upper chamber, which, it being harvest time, was 
 now filled with corn. 
 
 Opposite this was the large roomy apartment, 
 that served for living and sleeping room to the 
 whole family. The floor was covered with tiles, and 
 the room divided in the centre by an arch. A stone 
 ledge of imposing appearance projected from one of 
 the walls, and was well garnished with household 
 utensils, whilst upon the whitewashed walls hung 
 the clothes, nets, hammocks, and long baskets be- 
 longing to the family. Large pitchers of red clay, 
 and numerous calabashes, stood about, filled with 
 bread, eggs, fruit, maize, and vegetables. The kitch- 
 en was outside in the yard, and I could not avoid 
 noticing the cheerful alacrity and skill displayed by 
 our worthy hostess, whilst she prepared our evening 
 meal. Servants she had none, everything in the in- 
 terior of the house being done by the members of 
 the family, whilst out of doors they were assisted 
 about the farm and garden by day laborers. In 
 Cyprus, the soil is so light that a farmer will readily 
 plow over thirty acres of ground with one yoke 
 of oxen, and see his land reward his labors by bring- 
 ing forth its fruits thirty fold. The processes of 
 
KAEUBIEH AND MAZOTOS. 231 
 
 sowing and reaping are equally carelessly performed, 
 and when this is over, but few farmers toucli the 
 fields again. For this reason, without a farmer has 
 really extensive property, he does not incur the ex- 
 pense of board and wages to regular men. During 
 the harvest-time a day laborer receives three shill- 
 ings a day and three meals. Should a farmer not 
 be inclined to comply with their demands, he will 
 stand, as m ith us, a very good chance of having his 
 corn spoilt, before he can get it into his barns. At 
 other seasons the men cannot obtain more than from 
 elevenpence to one shilling and threepence, and the 
 women from about iivepence to eightpence per da)^ 
 Small as is the sum, it amj^ly suffices to provide all 
 that the lower class of Cypriotes require, sleeping as 
 they do for nine months of the year in the open air. 
 Food, such as they principally consume, is extremely 
 cheap, and we have it uj^on the authority of a gen- 
 tleman who know's the island w^ell. Consul Lang,, 
 that a family of six persons can be maintained in 
 perfect health and activity on an allowance of forty 
 pounds of flour and three pounds of olives per w^eek. 
 In ordinary seasons the cost of this quantity of pro- 
 visions would not. exceed three shillings and six- 
 pence. Cesnola mentions that he has frequently 
 seen Greek priests in Cyprus w^orking in the fields 
 like common peasants. 
 
 Contrary to all ray experience in Cyprus, when 
 we quitted the farmer's house, the worthy host at 
 
232- CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 once complied with my I'eqiiest, tliat lie would 
 make some cLaro-e for our accommodation. This I 
 accounted for by the fact, that the house standing 
 on the highway between Limasol and Larnaka, 
 would probably attract the attention of more stran- 
 gers than could be comfortably entertained without 
 proper remuneration. A present to the 2:)oor, if 
 your resting-place has been a convent, or a little 
 remembrance to the children of a family, is the most 
 that is expected throughout all those parts of the 
 East through which I have traveled, whilst should 
 your entertainer be a man of position and means, 
 you cannot, without giving offense, do more than 
 offer a " pour boire" to the four or five men-servants 
 who Avill appear at the door to see you start. 
 
 Our last day's journey, which was short but de- 
 lightful, lay over a wide tract of coi'nfields, in tra- 
 versing Avhicli we passed the village of Kiti, with its 
 little church, embowered in fruit trees, and not far 
 from it another church standing on a piece of barren 
 ground, without a shrub or tree near it. On our 
 left towered a magnificent mountain, which rises 
 abi'uptly to a height of two thousand feet, and bears 
 upon its summit the once celebrated monastery of 
 the Holy Cross, or Hagios Stavros, This building, 
 Avhich is rarely or never obscured by clouds or fog, 
 can be seen from a considerable distance at sea, and 
 has Ions; been known to sailors as a landmark. St. 
 Helena is supj^osed to have presented this cloister 
 
KAEUBIEH AND MAZOTOS. 233 
 
 witli a valuable relic, which brought many pilgrims 
 and gifts to the brotherhood. This was a piece of 
 wood, about as long as a finger, fashioned like a 
 cross, mounted in silver, and had the reputation of 
 being a veritable portion of the Saviour's cross. 
 
 AVhilst it was still light, we came in sight of 
 Larnakai; the cornfields were crowded with laborers 
 gathering in the harvest, and these, being princi- 
 pally Greeks, and therefore very conversational, we 
 could hear a lively hum of many voices long before 
 we reached the spot. We dined under the shadow 
 of a large fig-tree, which grew upon the brink of a 
 rippling stream. Numerous cranes, and whole hosts 
 of beccaficos, came Avithin such tempting reach of 
 our guns, that, as soon as our repast was over, we 
 started after them, over fields where horses and 
 camels were grazing, and over marshy ground, 
 until we reached the rolling, glittering sea. Our 
 sport was excellent, for my dragoman knew every 
 call and wile by which the birds could be allured, 
 and it required some determination, when it was 
 time to return, to quit our delightful but peculiar 
 shooting-ground. 
 
 On my return to Larnaka I had the luck to chance 
 upon some dear friends, with whom I supped. Our 
 host produced the best his cellar contained, in vari- 
 ous sorts of wine, winding up with a bottle fifty 
 years old, most delicious, but so strong that discre- 
 tion only permitted us to taste it in thimblefuls. 
 
234 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Next day I paid many visits in the town, and was 
 amused to find with what astonishment the history 
 of my little journey across the island was received. 
 I really believe that at that time there was not a 
 single, person in the island who had seen as much of 
 Cyprus as myself. 
 
CHAPTER XXTX. 
 
 LAST DAYS IX LARXAKA. 
 
 Ix my eagerness to obtain all possible informa- 
 tion concernino- the manners and customs of the 
 people, I had often to encounter mucli disaj)point- 
 ment. Imagine my disgust upon one occasion, when, 
 having heard that a very rare and charming perform- 
 ance was about to take place, and having hurried 
 to the spot indicated, a little coffee-house, I found 
 the anticipated treat was nothing more nor less than 
 the clumsy antics of a half-naked negress, probably 
 a new arrival from Egypt, who was performing one 
 of the hideous dances of which I had already seen 
 too much. A few Turks sat around, watching her 
 contortions and tremblings with unruffled dignity, 
 and amongst the spectators I noticed some really re- 
 spectable-looking Greeks. I speedily left the assem- 
 bly, and reflected as I retired, as to whether this 
 species of dance, might not have been the very kind 
 performed, but in more gi-aceful fashion, by the 
 worshippers of Aphrodite, in the sacred groves 
 that surrounded her temples. The next day was 
 the feast of St. George the Martyr, which is regarded 
 as a political as well as a religious celebration by 
 
 the numerous Grecians in the island. This day is 
 
 235 
 
236 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 chosen as beino; the fete of Kincc Greoro-e of Greece, 
 who they still regard as their lawful head. 
 
 It cannot but be regarded as a most strange coin- 
 cidence, that the tutelar saint of England and her 
 new possession, should be one and the same. St. 
 George was regarded by several Eastern nations as 
 their patron, and ancient Byzantine historians re- 
 late accounts of many battles gained, and miracles 
 wrought, by his intercession. Among other churches, 
 five or six Avere dedicated to him at Constantinople. 
 He was also celebrated in France in the sixth cen- 
 tury, and is said to have been chosen as the patron 
 saint of Eno-land under her Norman kino-s. St. 
 George of Cappadocia, " Martyr and Victor," as he 
 is sometimes styled, one of the seven champions of 
 Christendom, was, no doubt, brought into connec- 
 tion with Cyprus, under the influence of Richard 
 and his knights. 
 
 The legend of the saint is as follows : St. George, 
 who was born in Cappadocia, went with his mother 
 to Palestine, of which country she was a native, and 
 where she had considerable estates. These fell to 
 her son, who was a soldier, and became a tribune, 
 and was further promoted by the Emperor Diocle- 
 sian, to whom, however, he resigned his commission 
 when that emperor made war against the Christian 
 religion. He Avas thrown into prison for remon- 
 strating against bloody edicts, and was afterward 
 beheaded at Nicomedia. St. Georire became the 
 
LAST DAYS Ds LAENAKA. 237 
 
 patron of the soldiers who f ought for the faitli, and 
 liis apparition is said to Lave encouraged the Chris- 
 tian army in the Holy War, before the battle of 
 Antioch, ^vhich proved fortunate under Godfrey of 
 Bouillon, and he is also said to have appeared and 
 inspirited Richard Coeur de Lion, in his expedition 
 against the Saracens. St. George is usually repre- 
 sented in pictures as on horseback, slaying a dragon ; 
 but this is no more than an emblematical fio^ure, 
 purporting that by his faitli and Christian fortitude, 
 he had overcome the devil. 
 
 The great majority of the population of Larnaka, 
 as of the rest of the island, are members of the 
 Greek Church. 
 
 The chief points. of difference between the Greek 
 Church and that of Rome, are the following: 
 
 The Greek Church does not admit: First. The 
 supi'emacy of Rome. 
 
 Secondly. The Filioque clause in the creed. 
 
 Thirdly. The enforced celibacy of the parochial 
 clergy (the reason of this being that although the 
 monastic svstem had beirun before the schism, the 
 celibacy of the regular clergy had not been en- 
 forced till a later period, and this was adopted by 
 the Greek Church). 
 
 Fourthly. The doctrine of transubstantiatiou, in 
 the Papal i-ense of that term, is not held by the 
 Greek Church ; (Rome itself did not adopt this 
 strange tenet till the Council of Lateran in 1215). 
 
238 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Fifthly. The dogmas of purgatory and penance, 
 as taught by Kome, are not held by the Greek 
 Church, yet some of their views bear a close resem- 
 blance to the papal theories on these points. 
 
 Sixthly. The Greek Church disagrees with that 
 of Rome about the use of leaven in the Eucharist. 
 In almost all other respects there is little difference be- 
 tween the churches. The Greek Church is thorouorh- 
 ly hierarchal, holds the monastic system, worships 
 pictures (although it rejects the worship of images), 
 and gives to the Virgin Mary as high a degree of 
 worship as even Rome can do ; its theory of the 
 Panagia being scarcely distinguishable from that of 
 the Immaculate Conception. 
 
 The officiating clergy of the Greek Church are 
 the patriarch, archbishops, and bishops ; subordi- 
 nate to these are the papades or parish priests. All 
 the dignitaries are taken from among the caloyers 
 or monastic orders, and are not allowed to marry, 
 but the papades may be married, wn'th these special 
 limitations: That they are married previous to 
 their consecration, and may not marry a second 
 time, should they become widowers. Hence they 
 are commonly married before taking ordei-s, and in- 
 variably select young and healthy women for their 
 Avives. The revenues of the disinitaries are raised 
 by a tax imposed on each family, while the parish 
 priests are supported chiefly by means of Avhat 
 they can obtain from the superstitions of the peo- 
 
LAST DAYS IN LAENAKA. 239 
 
 pie, and perquisites of office, such as money paid for 
 absolutions, benedictions, exorcism, ceremonial sanc- 
 tifying of .water, sprinklings of streets and tombs, 
 granting divorces, and innumerable ritualistic obser- 
 vances. They are almost universally a base and 
 degraded class, themselves extremely ignorant, and 
 they keep the people in equal degradation and igno- 
 rance, partly because such is their own state, and 
 partly that they may secure their own influence. 
 Their places of worship are built generally in form 
 of a cross. The choir is always placed toward the 
 east, and the people turn their faces in that direc- 
 tion when they pray. Their public religious ser- 
 vice is liturgical, and exceedingly protracted. They 
 have four liturgies, and the service consists chiefly 
 of prayers, hymns, recitations, chants, and frequent 
 crossings, with such numerous i-epetitions that it 
 often occupies Ave or six hours, without any sermon. 
 During this long service, the people stand, lean, 
 ing on the supports of the few seats in the church, 
 or on a kind of crutches, provided for the purpose. 
 No imaores are alloAved within their churches, but 
 they are plentifully decorated with rough and glar- 
 ing paintings; the more rough and glaring these 
 are, the higher they stand in the estimation of the 
 worshippers. Their music is without any aid from 
 instruments, and is chiefly a kind of chanting, but 
 it is said to be often beaytiful and touchingly plain- 
 tive, although monotonous. The vestments of the 
 
240 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 clergy are very varied in form, often of fine texture, 
 gorgeous in color, and ornamented with jewelry of 
 great value. Each of these vestments has its m3S- 
 tic meaning and virtue, to which great importance 
 is attached. The w^oi-ship of saints, angels, and the 
 Virgin Mary, is carried to as great an excess as it 
 can be at Rome, and it is long since the Greek 
 Church held, that "the Mother of God" as they 
 term her, " was without original." It may be said, 
 indeed, that the Panagia, or Holy Virgin, is the 
 peculiar deity of the Gi'eeks, as much as ever Pallas 
 Athene was of the ancient Athenians. Eveiywhere, 
 in church, palace, or cottage, a little coarse picture 
 intended to represent the Holy Virgin, may be 
 seen, often wdth a lamp burning before it, as the 
 object of special adoi'ation. 
 
 Being desirous of seeing something of the festivi- 
 ties of the Cypriotes on their fete day, I Avalked out 
 to a church about half a league from the " Maiina," 
 and in spite of the scenery around me, could have 
 fancied I was ao-ain witnessins: one of the annual 
 markets T had seen as a boy in my native land. 
 Around and about the church, booths were ranged, 
 and peasants were wandering ai'ound, cliatting and 
 eagerly driving bargains, under an imjoression very 
 prevalent amongst them, that there will not be the 
 usual deceit and roguery so near a house of God. 
 Bells were pealing, and horses and asses neighing 
 and whinnying, as their owners, dressed in their Sun- 
 
LAST DAYS IN LAENAKA. 241 
 
 day best, galloped about in all directions. All 
 those of tlie better class wlio appeared on the occa- 
 sion, were also mounted, the elders looking on in 
 stately dignity, whilst the youngsters galloped 
 hither and thither like the wind. 
 
 In such a gathering as this in Central Europe, 
 one would, no doubt, see many more powerful men, 
 and. more blooming girls, than are to be met with 
 ^under similar circumstances in Cyprus. And as I 
 gazed at the crowds before me, I could not help 
 ao^ain noticius: the stranc^e blending^ of Syrian and 
 Grecian types in the faces and figures, whilst the 
 dress of most was a curious mixture of European, 
 Grecian, and Turkish fashions. Many of the girls 
 were remarkably beautiful, with magnificent large 
 flashing eyes ; in most cases their eyebrows were 
 blackened, and their hair, mixed with false, was 
 piled high on the head. Not a few, as it appeared 
 to me, had dipped pretty deeply into pots of cosmet- 
 ics, for the use and compounding of which the fair 
 Cypriotes have long been noted. One fashion 
 pleased me much — namely, the common use of natu- 
 lal flowers for decorating the head. The veiy poor- 
 est in the crowd wore some kind of metal orna- 
 ments, whilst the wealthier class of women displayed 
 ear-rings, chains, and medallions of heavy gold. 
 The Cypriote husband takes great pride in seeing 
 his wife thus decked, not perhaps so much fi-oni 
 sentimental reasons, as . because the extent of the 
 11 
 
242 CYPRUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCEIPTIYE. 
 
 show demonstrates what is the depth of his cash- 
 box, and the chances of his family in the matter of 
 dowries. For a Cypriote to invest his earnings in 
 Land would, under the late Government, have been 
 an act involving the utmost risk of capital. 
 
 As I returned home on this my last day in Cy- 
 prus, I could not but feel a shade of melancholy 
 stealing over me. The evening was lovely, the air 
 pure and clear, and the sun as it went down, tipped 
 the purple mountains with gold, and gave a tinge of 
 bronze to the palms and cypress trees of Larnaka, 
 as they stood clearly defined against the evening 
 sky. 
 
 When I reached the town, old and young were 
 sitting before the doors of the Grecian houses, or 
 chatting and laughing with each other in lively 
 groups about the streets. In the Turkish quarters, 
 on the contrary, not a living creature was visible, 
 and every house had the appearance of being a 
 dungeon. Yet, as I have before said, could I have 
 looked within the high walls, I should probably 
 have seen the entire family enjoying the fragrant 
 coolness of their gardens. 
 
 Next day, I bade farewell to this lovely island, 
 which still lay bound hand and foot, in the power of 
 her negligent and cruel masters, and entirely uncon- 
 scious of the great and important change that would 
 shortly burst her bonds. 
 
 May we not trust that under British rule her 
 
LAST DAYS IN LAENAKA. 243 
 
 barren wastes and plains may once more speedily be- 
 come fruitful fields, and her people again reap the 
 blessings and benefits of a pure Christian Church 
 and a paternal Government ? 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 EFFORTS OF THE GEKMAIS^S TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 
 
 So mucli attention has lately been called to tlie 
 concluding chapters of Herr von Loher's most in- 
 teresting work, that we feel compelled to present 
 them, in an English form, even at the risk of incur- 
 ring blame in some quarters, for unnecessary repeti- 
 tion. Throusrhout the whole of his travels in the 
 island, our author, shocked at the scenes of neglect 
 and mismanagement presented to his eyes, was con- 
 stantly indulging in reflections on what a different 
 fate might await its inhabitants could they be an- 
 nexed to the mighty empire of his fatherland. In- 
 dulging in this strain of thought, he presents us 
 "with a lengthy account of -what was done there by 
 his countrymen in former days. 
 
 In a short and I'apid sketch of these pages, Ave 
 will endeavor to give only such details as may be 
 new and interesting to our readers, and suppressing 
 as far as possible all such matter as has already 
 appeared in the body of the work. Long after the 
 Crusaders had been expelled from the Holy Land, 
 says Loher, they still retained the fortresses of Jaffa, 
 Akkon, Tyre, Sidon, Beyrut, Caesaren, Antioch, 
 
EFFORTS OF THE GEEMAX3 TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 245 
 
 Tripoli, and other strongLolcls, tlie governors of 
 which ruled over, and gave commands to, a multi- 
 tude of knights and people there resident. The 
 Christian forces, then dispersed over all Syria, 
 should have united under the imperial leadership, 
 and opposed their serried ranks to the forces of the 
 Crescent. This was manifestly the plan of the sec- 
 ond Frederick, Emperor of Germany, whose idea 
 was, to j)ut the Christian forces Tinder tlie command 
 of Hermann von Salza, the renowned Pj-eceptor of 
 the German order. This was he, who, in a confer- 
 ence at Ferentino, at which the Pope, the Emperor, 
 and King John of Jerusalem were present, proposed 
 that Fi'ederick should marrv Isabella, the daucfhter 
 of the last-mentioned sovereign, and thus ally her in- 
 heritance, the kingdom of Jerusalem, with his pos- 
 sessions, whilst her father should merely have the 
 honor of being nominally a king. The proposal 
 was received joyfully by all parties. The imperial 
 marriage took place in the year 1225, at Brindisi, 
 where the bride's father surrendered the sceptre of 
 Jerusalem into the hands of his new son-in-law — 
 not, however, without com2:)ulsion. Frederick forth- 
 with received the homage of all present, and sent a 
 herald with three hundred knights to the Holy 
 Land, to ratify and complete the homage paid to 
 the emperor — who, if lie intended to bring the cru- 
 sade to a successful end, must necessarily be the 
 legitimate lord of the soil. 
 
246 CYPRUS, HISTOEICiVL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 The Cyprians, liowever, thought that Frederick, 
 after a time, would be in a position to assume the 
 feudal sovereignty of their island, for the kingdom 
 had in former times been an appanage of the Em- 
 peror Heinrich the Sixth, his grandfather. The 
 late King Hugo the First had been for ten years en- 
 gaged in the crusade, and when he died, his only son, 
 the heir to the throne, was but nine months old. 
 
 The Emperor Frederick the Second at length 
 discovered how powerless he was to remodel the 
 affairs of the East. The knic^hts and merchants 
 had ordered matters according to their own pleas- 
 ure. The barons with tlieir feudal retainers occu- 
 pied their castles in perfect independence ; the king 
 was only their leader, and the feudal parliament the 
 court in which they decided everything according 
 to their pleasure. With these uncontrolled nobles 
 w^e must rank three oi'ders of knio;hts, formins: as 
 many well-established and wealthy brotherhoods, 
 in which the military and monkish characteristics 
 were united. These ecclesiastical w^arriors were 
 armed in complete steel, and claimed princely pre- 
 rogatives. In the towns were guilds and corpora- 
 tions, combinations of merchants and men of busi- 
 ness, wdio w^atched over their own interest, and re- 
 sisted the innovations of the arrogant nobility. 
 Among all these petty joowers, who were inces- 
 santly quarreling among themselves, Frederick 
 found it a difficult task to introduce harmony, and 
 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 247 
 
 harder still to bring them to acquiesce in his au- 
 thority. 
 
 Frederick had alieady proclaimed in Ferentino, 
 that tlie conquest of the Holy Land should no longer 
 be carried on in the name of the knights, but of the 
 king onl}', tljus intimating that the whole of it 
 should belong to himself. In Cyprus, matters were 
 arranged upon a very different basis ; here the su- 
 preme authority was shared among the barons, and 
 the power of the king jealousl}^ circumscribed. 
 
 So long as the authority of tlie emperor was main- 
 tained in Cyprus, he held the key of all the opposite 
 coasts of Syi'ia, Asia Minor, and Egypt, and con- 
 sequently, to possess the sovereign power in this 
 island, was fron> first to last tlie great object of Ori- 
 ental policy. In 1218 the last King of Cyprus died, 
 having on his death-bed appointed his wife, Alice, 
 regent. The knights, unwilling to submit to the 
 authority of a woman, compelled her to share her 
 rule in the island with Philip of Ibelin as co-regent. 
 Mean"while feuds sprang up on all sides, and every 
 occurrence seemed to increase the discord. The 
 Franks in the East had been vitiated by Byzantine 
 manners, and fought each other with the bitterest 
 hatred, quite unmindful of their original mission, 
 which was to deliver the Holy Land from the hea- 
 then. Quarrels soon arose between the Latin and 
 Greek Churches, and Cyprus became the arena 
 where bloody combats took place. 
 
248 CTPBUS, HISTOKICAL AND DESCKIPTTVE. 
 
 Frederick now entered the capital of Cyprus, and 
 there all the princes and barons interceded, for Ibelin, 
 who declared that he and all his followers were 
 ready to submit to the emperor, and atone for their 
 delinquencies. The emperor did not seek revenge, 
 but simple justice ; and was extremely desirous of 
 securing the support of Cyprus, and the wealth 
 obtainable from that source, and thus the affair was 
 soon arranged ; the barons, under the emperor's 
 command, accpiiesced, and a general amnesty was 
 proclaimed upon the following terms : 
 
 The eraperor was to be the sole guardian of the 
 young king until he completed his twenty-fifth year. 
 The government of Cyprus and its revenues should 
 be placed in the hands of the emperor, and all the 
 fortified places in the kingdom delivered up to him. 
 All the Cyprian knights who had not sworn fealty 
 to the emperor should immediately take the oath of 
 allegiance. Ibelin, in behalf of the ruler of Beyrut, 
 recognized the emperor as King of Jerusalem, and 
 did homage to him under that title, and agreed that 
 all claims relative to the castle of Beyrut should 
 be settled by the court of Jerusalem, and an account 
 of all revenues due, since the death of King 
 Hugo, should be laid before the court of Cyprus. 
 The hostages demanded by the emperor were set at 
 liberty. Ibelin and all the Cyprian barons, with their 
 followers, were to accomj)any Frederick to the Holy 
 Land, and serv^e him there till the end of the crusade. 
 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 249 
 
 All these conditions were punctually carried out, 
 the oath of allegiance administered, and the castles 
 as well as the revenue, given up. The emperor had 
 achieved a complete victory. Cyprus remained for 
 several years under his command, and its king was 
 formally declared a prince of the German empire. 
 The emperor next appointed revenue officers and 
 treasurers in all the castles and bailiwicks of the 
 island, and made arrangements that the money thus 
 raised should be sent after him into Syi'ia. To these 
 offices, as well as in garrisoning the castle, the em- 
 peror appointed his own knights by preference, and 
 these gladly accepted such desirable appointments. 
 
 After all these things were arranged, the emperor 
 came to Famas^usta, and the next dav, the 2d of 
 September, seven weeks after his landing in Cypnis, 
 embarked, taking the young king with him, and 
 accompanied by all the chivalry of the island. Their 
 landing was effected at Beyrut, Sidon, Sarepta, and 
 Tyre, as Frederick was desirous of becoming more 
 intimately acquainted with the coast of Syria ; he 
 probably likewise intended that the armies of the 
 Crusaders, employed upon the fortifications of Sidon 
 and of Caesarea, should enter Akkon while he re- 
 mained upon the coast. In the last-mentioned city, 
 the most populous and most important in the Holy 
 Land, the emperor was received with great cere- 
 mony. The Crusaders, more especially those from 
 Germany, Avere jubilant ; the clei-gy sang hymns of 
 11* 
 
250 CYPKUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 praise ; the Templars and the Knights of St. John 
 did homage to their sovereign by kneeling before 
 him and kissing his knees, according to the custom 
 of the times. Nevertheless Frederick was well 
 aware that, to use the words of an old writer, he 
 was in a land where neither God nor man had ever 
 yet found truth or loyalty. 
 
 The truth of this he soon found out. The Cy- 
 prians formed by far the greater part of the host 
 of Eastern warriors, led by the High-Marshal Feling- 
 her, but the number of these was not more than 
 two thousand. Rome had already taken her pre- 
 cautions. A Papal bull was issued denouncing 
 Frederick, and he was placed under an interdict. 
 Messages both from the Pope and the Patriarch 
 warned the knights not to obey the emperor's com- 
 mands, and it was promulgated amongst the sol- 
 diery, that Frederick was under the curse of God, 
 and of the Church, and that all his acts were of no 
 effect. Multitudes of the Crusaders, despairing of 
 the success of their undertakinfj, deserted. The 
 Knights of the Temple and of St. John fell away 
 from the emperor's standard, and the I'est of the 
 warriors of the Cross refused to be led to battle. 
 The Cypiian barons began to discuss the question 
 whether the oath they had taken to Frederick, was 
 not overridden by the feudal allegiance they owed 
 to their king. 
 
 The Germans who had come over with the em- 
 
EFFOETS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 251 
 
 peror under the command of their leader, Hermann 
 von Salza, kept their plighted faith, and were the 
 only supporters of the imperial authority; these, 
 however, taking them all together, knights and 
 squires, soldiers from Germany, Sicily, and Lom- 
 bardy, hardly amounted to twelve thousand men. 
 With so feeble an army — with the Eastern knights 
 partly at open enmity, partly vacillating, with the 
 clergy altogether inimical — it was quite impossible 
 for Frederick to think of giving battle to the unbe- 
 lievers. He established himself in a camp near 
 Akkon, and while he strengthened the defenses of 
 Joppa, gave all his attention to the establishment 
 of a secret understanding with the Sultan. Over- 
 tures to this effect had in tnith been already made 
 by him from Italy, and during his stay in Cyprus 
 had been still further advanced. 
 
 Immediately on his arrival in the Holy Land, it 
 became clear what were the necessities of his posi- 
 tion, and what there might be a possibility of his 
 obtaining. The possession of the holy places; a free 
 pass for pilgrims in Syria and Palestine, who must 
 necessarily be under Christian jurisdiction; peace 
 secured by the strength of the fortress and the sol- 
 emn oath of the Mussulmans; all these were se- 
 cured. Jerusalem, which for nearly half a century 
 had been in their hands, was, with the surrounding 
 country, again placed in the power of the Chris- 
 tians, who held, moreover, Bethlehem and the inter- 
 
252 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 vening land. Joppa and a strip of country between 
 that town and Jerusalem ; Nazaretli and the road 
 from thence to Akkon ; the fertile plain of Sidon ; 
 and in its neisrhborhood the castle Turon, command- 
 ing the entire coast; all these castles and towns 
 were permitted to be again fortified, and on the 
 other side the Sultan promised that he would raise 
 no new fortifications. All Christian prisoners, some 
 of whom had been a Ions: while in the hands of the 
 Mussulmans, were to be set free. This peace was 
 to last during ten years. All these arrangements 
 were to be confirmed by the solemn oaths of both 
 the contracting parties. 
 
 When the terms of this peace became known in 
 Joppa, great joy was manifested by the Christians 
 who accompanied the emperor to Jerusalem, where, 
 on the day of his arrival (March 18, 1229), he of- 
 fered up thanks in the church of the Holy Sepul- 
 chre. After this, approaching the high altar, he 
 placed the crown of Jerusalem upon his head, and 
 then returned to his place. No priest was allowed 
 to take part in the rejoicings, which included festi- 
 vities of every description. Their general, Hermann 
 von Salza, read before all tlie soldiers and common 
 people a manifesto by the emperor, explaining why 
 he had not been able to come before, and telling 
 them that the Pope had been compelled to publish 
 his ban by pressure of circumstances, and that 
 eveiything should now be arranged to secure peace 
 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CrPEUS. 253 
 
 among the heads of Christendom. Next day the 
 Patriarch of Jerusalem assailed him with the Papal 
 interdict. Frederick, in order to give no pretense 
 for suppressing public worship, returned to Joppa, 
 and from thence to Akkon. 
 
 Here the emperor remained for about five weeks, 
 doing everything which his position allowed to make 
 peace with the adherents of the Pope, at the head 
 of whom stood the Patriarch of Jerusalem. The 
 patriarch, however, found him, to use his own ex- 
 pression, " unhealthy from the crown of his head to 
 the sole of his foot," and seemed rather exasperated 
 tlian otherwise at all the good that Frederick had 
 achieved in so short a time. The proud Templars 
 and Knisjhts of St. John were furious because the 
 chief control lay no lousier with them, but with the 
 Germans. Even the ecclesiastics were principally 
 from France, very few of them from Italy. Prob- 
 ably at no period of the world's history has a body 
 of men existed so steeped in pride, so full of haugh- 
 tiness, luxury, and immorality, as the Templars. 
 Well might they think that in his heart the em- 
 peror had the intention of expelling them from the 
 Holy Land. The governors of the towns had in- 
 structions to watch them strictly, and from his first 
 arrival in Syria, the emperor had endeavored to 
 give the ascendancy to his German followers, while 
 he scarcely concealed his design of making the huge 
 possessions of the Temj)lars and Knights of Jerusalem 
 
254 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 subservient to the worship of Christ, instead of 
 ministering to their insatiable debaucheries. 
 
 No wonder, therefore, that the burning hatred of 
 the Templars was aroused. Were it now possible 
 to trace out all their conspiracies against the life of 
 Frederick, we should indeed have to deal with a 
 tangled web, while the enmity of the Pope still fur- 
 ther increased the danijers that surrounded him. 
 The whole land was filled with the Papal troops, 
 whose business was to plunder and to destroy, so 
 that all the energies of the emperor were put in re- 
 quisition to govern and defend the unhappy coun- 
 try. Balian of Sidon, a man universally respected, 
 a nephew of Ibelin, and Walter d'Allemand, Avho 
 deeply reverenced the Church, were appointed chief 
 governors, and all fortified places received efficient 
 gari'isons and abundant supplies of provisions. 
 
 Above everything else, Frederick had in his mind 
 the kingdom of Cyprus. That rich island must now 
 furnish him with money to pay his officials in the 
 Holy Land, and to supply his army with provisions 
 and warlike stores. The kino^dom of Jerusalem 
 was no longer in a condition to pay the heavy 
 costs; it now indeed consisted only of a few strag- 
 gling towns, and a narrow strip of the sea-coast of 
 Syria. Cyprus had already been made to pay con- 
 siderable sums, which had been forwarded to the 
 emperor, and in addition to these, the Archbishop 
 of Nikosia found himself compelled to contribute 
 
EFFORTS OP THE GERMAN'S TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 255 
 
 largely ; and now, before taking their departure for 
 Akkon, canie Amalricli von Balas, Hugo von Giblet, 
 Gavain von Chenichy, and Wilhelm von Rivet, all 
 belonging to the highest nobility in Cyprus, who 
 liad all of them conspired against Ibelin, and so rep- 
 resented him to the emperor, that he was deprived 
 of his lordship. Undoubtedly they had all been 
 sent for by the emperor himself, who thought that 
 the best way to insure the safety of the island, was 
 to put it into the hands of his most trusty friends, 
 under the auspices of the young king. These five 
 noblemen were instructed to form a regency, which 
 should continue for three years, during which time 
 they were to protect and govern the country, and 
 to send over year by year ten thousand marks to be 
 paid directly into the hands of Balian and Werner 
 in Syria. 
 
 And now, after these arrangements, the emperor 
 thought himself secure, and hoped that at least for 
 a few years he should be able, not only to hold 
 Cyprus, but also to defend his little kingdom of 
 Jerusalem. At the end of that time he trusted that 
 the people would have become accustomed to his 
 government, or that at least he should be able to 
 return with a greater force and more freedom of ac- 
 tion. 
 
 That Frederick did accomplish a great and good 
 work in the Holy Land there can l)e no doubt. It 
 is impossible to read the letters or records handed 
 
256 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AXD DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 down from those times, without remarking that 
 amidst the whirl of events, where ambition, hatred, 
 avarice, and national jealousy reigned on all sides, 
 obscuring and crippling all efforts to do good, the 
 honest endeavors of Frederick to ameliorate the 
 condition of the country, were not altogether un- 
 successful. 
 
 On the 1st of May, after a stay of not more than 
 eight months in the Holy Land, the emperor took 
 ship at Akkon, accompanied by the young King of 
 Cyprus and the Marquis of Montserrat. As the 
 boat which put him on board left the land, Ibelin 
 shouted after him a parting adieu, on which the 
 emperor called out to the assembled multitude, that 
 his mind was quite at ease, inasmuch as he knew 
 that he left them in good hands. 
 
 The imperial fleet crossed over to Limasol, and 
 here Frederick celebrated the marriasre of his ward, 
 the young king, with Alice, daughter of the Marquis 
 of Montserrat. He then put in order the affairs of 
 the island, arranging that the regency should regu- 
 larly transmit to the governors of Jerusalem or Ak- 
 kon money wherewith to supply the garrisons and 
 officials in the Holy Land. 
 
 The emperor attached great importance to the 
 possession of the Cyprian castles and fortresses. 
 Already in the preceding year he had made every 
 preparation for their defense, by putting each of 
 them under the command of some distiniruished of- 
 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 257 
 
 ficer, and had brouglit with him from Akkon Avhat- 
 ever could he spared in the waj of munitions of 
 war, for their safe keeping. As he was about to 
 leave the island for the second time, he stipulated 
 that the regents should have no power over the 
 castles until the transmission of the money to the 
 Holy Land had been regularly completed. 
 
 The seaboard of Cyprus at that time had no for- 
 tresses, with the exception of the capital city Niko- 
 sia ; even on the south-western coast, where a moun- 
 tainous district occupies nearly one-half of the island, 
 there was no castle of importance ; the hills more- 
 over must at that time have been covered with wild- 
 growing forests. The life and wealth of the island 
 consisted in the rich maritime slopes and fertile 
 plains, Avhicli extended along the shore from Fama- 
 gusta and Larnaka, as far as the mountainous tract 
 which extends all along the northern side of the 
 island. 
 
 Behind the chain of mountains, are naiTow slips 
 of fertile soil, producing abundance of excellent 
 fruit, in the midst of which is the principal haven, 
 Keryneia. From this town deep dells and rocky 
 gorges run up into the mountains, leading to the 
 fortresses St. Hilarion, Buffavento, and Kantara. 
 These three castles are built upon the smaller chain 
 of mountains, which, rugged and steep, rear them- 
 selves in innumerable peaks and crags to a consider- 
 able altitude. 
 
258 CYPRUS, HISTOmCAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Before the time of Frederick the Second, Biiffa- 
 vento is scarcely mentioned, but it then became one 
 of the principal defenses of the island ; indeed it 
 seems to have been quite impregnable, so long as 
 food and water could be procured on the summit of 
 the mountain upon which it stood. Victuals were, 
 however, much more easily obtainal>le on the heights 
 of St. Hilarion, a much larger place, situated a little 
 farther Avestward. Even Kantara, lying to the 
 north-east, could boast of more than one Avail. 
 
 The toAvn of Keryneia, however, Avhere the haven 
 Avas situated, Avas most strongly fortified, inasmuch 
 as it was Avell adapted to the reception of food and 
 military stores arriving from the coasts of Syria, 
 Asia Minor, or even Italy, Avhich could be immedi- 
 ately forAA^arded to the fortresses above mentioned. 
 
 Had the eagle eye of Frederick at once seen Iioav 
 Cyprus could best be defended by a limited body 
 of troops, he could not haA^e been better prepared 
 for the events which subsequently happened. A 
 Avar soon broke out, Avhich, during several years, con- 
 tinued to rage throughout the island, the history of 
 AA'hich giA'^es a most variegated picture of the doings 
 of the knights beyond the sea, chevalerie cVoutre-me)', 
 as they Avere called by the Eastern Avarriors. 
 
 Homeric combats upon a fair field, trials by bat- 
 tle, the beleaguering and defense of castles, codes 
 laying doAvn the nicest points of honor or of right, 
 biting satires and ncAV Avar songs, folloAved each 
 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 259 
 
 other as incessantly as did the victories or the de- 
 feats of the combatants. That all the knis^hts dis- 
 played wonderful bravery is undeniable. As the 
 head of the imperial forces, we may mention the 
 knightly Marshal Felingher, Balas, called by Navarra 
 in his history, " the Fox," and Hugo de Giblet, who, 
 on account of his grimaces, was nicknamed "the 
 Ape." Ibelin seems to have made himself more 
 conspicuous than the rest. His brave sons and 
 their friend, the merry pQet, Philip of Navarre, as 
 also the wild " fighting cock " Anselm de Brie, af- 
 forded materials for innumerable anecdotes. 
 
 All this time Cyprus suffered severely, owing to 
 the discord which existed between two parties of 
 nobles, whose enmity at length involved Syria and 
 Palestine, where the Templars and Knights of St. 
 John, together with what was left of the priesthood, 
 raged with unmeasured hatred against the emperor, 
 whose witty jests, aimed at the silly practices of the 
 monks, had given great offense, more especially when, 
 after the example of the Templars, they displayed 
 their insatiable avarice. The dissensions amonsj the 
 Cyprian nobles were, indeed, the cause why all the 
 ai-rangements made by the wisdom and care of 
 Frederick, in treating with the Mussulmans, fell to 
 the ground. 
 
 Still, for a time, the treaty which had cost so 
 much trouble continued in force, notwithstanding 
 that one of the two governors in the Holy Land, in 
 
260 CYPRUS, HISTOBICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 whom the Emperor had reposed so much trust, 
 Walter d'Allemand, joined the party of liis mortal 
 enemies, and himself became a Templar. Frederick, 
 meanwhile, had scarcely set foot in Italy, than he 
 fell like a thunderstorm upon the Papal soldiers, 
 and fairly swej)t them from his teriitories. lie then 
 began to diminish somewhat the possessions of the 
 Templars, who had multiplied in Italy with a ra- 
 pidity almost incredible. In truth, wherever a chap- 
 ter of the order was jestablished, the country 
 around was immediately put under contrib'ution, 
 and so many farms, mills, castles, and woods were 
 taken possession of, either by way of purchase or 
 exchange, or seized upon as donations, that their 
 power increased wonderfully. From the Templars, 
 more especially, a cry soon rose that Frederick in- 
 tended to make the kingdoms of Jerusalem and 
 Cyprus portions of his empire, so that they would 
 both belong exclusively to the Germans, a cry which 
 was incessantly repeated by the Jerusalem patriarch. 
 It is also said that, seeing that the kingdom of Je- 
 rusalem w^ould be inherited by Frederick's little son, 
 Conrad, his proper guardian would be tha nearest 
 relative of the last wearer of that crown, thev, there- 
 fore, wished to put him under the care of the Queen 
 Alice, and in this way prolong the duration of the 
 regency. 
 
 It now became evident that the rule of the em- 
 peror in the Holy Land would not be of long dura- 
 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 261 
 
 tion, and liis enemies next resolved to endeavor to 
 wrest from him the kingdom of Cyprus. Still, the 
 regency of five retained supreme command in that 
 island, and acted altogether in accordance with the 
 emperor's instructions. The young king wrote to 
 his imperial guardian to, say how delighted he was 
 at the advantages obtained over his enemies, but 
 that he was grieved to find that the emperor did 
 not write to him more frequently concerning his 
 views and projects, and still more so, that he could 
 not explain matters to him in 'propria per sonh. 
 
 The Ibelins, in the meanwhile, were in want of 
 some pretext for raising an insurrection in Cyprus. 
 About the spring of 1230, there was a call for an 
 extraordinary tax of about three thousand marks, 
 which the emperor had directed to be sent to the 
 Holy Land. The knights who were of Ibelin's party 
 declared against this, assigning as a reason that, 
 not having been assented to by the feudal court, 
 the imposition of a new tax was unlawful. As their 
 stewards refused payment, their goods were seized, 
 and the amount taken from them in corn and cattle. 
 
 And now Philip of Navarre appeared upon the 
 island, and secretly endeavored to raise adherents. 
 At first his answers to the inquiries of the authori- 
 ties seemed satisfactory, but as they became more 
 and more evasive, the regency thought fit to compel 
 him to show his true colors. All the barons were 
 invited to attend the feudal court, and there, in the 
 
262 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 presence of the youug king, were asked whether they 
 were friends to the emperor, the king, and the regents, 
 or whether they were to be regarded as enemies. 
 
 A New Testament was brought, and Phili]) of 
 Navarre Avas invited to swear true allegiance upon 
 the holy book. He wished to speak privately to each 
 of his questioners, but this was refused. He then 
 declared that his fealty was due to the queen-mother, 
 and to the lord Ibelin. At this Hugo von Giblet 
 exclaimed in a rage, " If I had my way, you should 
 be hanged, or I would have your tongue torn out," 
 and immediately ordered the arrest of the offender. 
 On this Philip hastened to where the king was sit- 
 ting, and, bending the knee, said that his safety had 
 been guaranteed by the regents, as he would prove 
 with his sword, and immediately taking off his 
 glove cast it on the ground. 
 
 Several knights endeavored to pick up the glove; 
 but Philip cried out that he would only measure 
 swords with the regents, as they only were his equals 
 in rank; fetters were, however, soon brought into the 
 hall, where the contumacious noble was imprisoned 
 until the approach of darkness. The rest all took the 
 required oath, and it was understood that all who 
 refused to do so would forfeit their rich domains. 
 
 In the night, while Philip's conduct was the theme 
 of every one's conversation, he made his escape from 
 the court-house, and presented himself in the clois- 
 ters of the Knights of St. John, who immediately 
 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMAMS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 263 
 
 afforded Liiii shelter and protection. Here he 
 assemT)led around his person about a hundred and 
 fifty men, collected provisions and warlike stores, 
 which were stored up in the strong tower of the 
 castle, and resolved to defend himself against his 
 pursuers. Meanwhile he sent a private message to 
 Ibelin, informing him of all his proceedings, which 
 he described in verse. 
 
 The regents dared not to attack the monastery of 
 St. John, which enjoyed all the privileges of a re- 
 ligious house, while Ibelin at once landed with a 
 strong force in Gatria, and marched in all haste to 
 Nikosia. The few troops which were hurriedly 
 sent to oppose him were easily dispersed, and in a 
 very short time he presented himself before the 
 capital. For the sake of saving his honor, he had 
 written a letter to the young king, saying how it 
 pained both him and his followers to have left their 
 allegiance in the Holy Land, but that they were 
 unable to do otherwise, in order to defend their 
 own possessions; should he blame them for their con- 
 duct, they relied upon their rights as established by 
 feudal law. The regents were utterly surprised ; 
 they at once collected such forces as they could 
 muster, and marched out through the city gates. 
 In vain did they seek for priestly interference for 
 the purpose of establishing peace between the con- 
 flicting parties. On the 23d of June, a furious 
 battle took place. The regents wore golden tiaras 
 
264 CYPBUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCEIPTIYE. 
 
 on their helmets. One of them, Gavain von Cheni- 
 chy, slew Ibelin's father-in-law, the old consta]:)le ; 
 Walter von Csesarea, Gerhardt von Montagu, and 
 other friends of Ibelin, likewise lost their lives. The 
 regents, however, were particularly anxious to get 
 hold of Ibelin himself, and fifteen knights galloped 
 forward in search of him. This, it would appear, 
 caused considerable disorder amongst the imperial 
 troops ; and when Philip of Navarre, with a strong 
 body of men, made his appearance upon the battle- 
 field just at this critical moment, the troops of the 
 regents were completely defeated. Ibelin, in the 
 meanwhile, had sought refuge in a farm-house, whei'e 
 he was powerless to defend himself, but from which, 
 after the battle, he was set at liberty by his sou 
 Balian and Anselm de Brie. 
 
 And now appeared the foresight of the emperor 
 in fortifying the castles upon the mountains, in 
 which the vanquished troops found a safe asylum. 
 On the very evening of the battle, Balas, Bethsan, 
 and Giblet, bringing with them the young king and 
 their best troops, repaired to St. Hilarion. Bivet, 
 with his followers, sought protection in Buffavento, 
 and Chenichy, by dint of spurring, succeeded in 
 reachinoj the still more distant castle of Kantara 
 From these three castles it was easy to reach the 
 sea-coast at Keryneia. Ibelin, however, hastened 
 to prevent their escape. While he himself sur- 
 rounded Keryneia, Balian took a position before St. 
 
EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS. 265 
 
 Hilarion, Pliilip of Navarre before Buffavento, and 
 Anselm de Brie before Kantara. 
 
 Anseliu had devised a new kind of batterinc: ram, 
 Tvitli which he broke down the outer wall, and as 
 he personally hated Chenichy, laid in ambush 
 watching for him day and night, until at length, 
 taking an opportunity when the regent was seen on 
 the battlements, took deadly aim at him and shot 
 him with an arrow. Kivet, who knew Buffavento 
 to be impregnable, came there from Kantara, and 
 when he saw the fortalice was in good condition 
 and well manned, went over into Asia Minor to 
 bring over more troops, and was there killed. 
 
 The three other regents occupied the extensive 
 and strong fastnesses of St. Hilarion ; here they not 
 only repelled every attack, but every now and then 
 made sallies, broke through the palisades of the be- 
 siegers, and obtained fresh supplies. 
 
 Upon one occasion Pliilip of Navarre was struck 
 down, and fell as though dead. On seeing this a 
 man upon the wall exclaimed, " The verse-maker is 
 dead ; now we shall have no more of his bad songs." 
 Philip, however, recovered during the night, and 
 the next day, taking up a tolerably safe position, he 
 favored the garrison with a new ballad. 
 
 The defenders of Keryneia became at length tired 
 
 out ; for a length of time they had received no pay, 
 
 and had suffered much from want of provisions. A 
 
 day was fixed, and if by that time no help appeared, 
 12 
 
266 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 tliey agreed to surrender, more especially as they 
 saw that the castles were closely invested, and their 
 occupants had no chance of escape. 
 
 Ibelin w^as now enabled to bring up more troops 
 to the siege of St. Hilarion. That fortress, however, 
 was now no lono:er in a condition to brave him as 
 it had done before ; the place was closely invested on 
 all sides, and the garrison in dire want of provisions, 
 for by this time the insurgents had taken possession 
 of the whole island ; even the young king Heinrich 
 suffered severely; he frequently made his appear- 
 ance upon the battlements and shouted to the be- 
 sieficers who had brousrht him to such straits. 
 
 Ibelin next resolved to send Philip of Navarre, 
 who had shown great ability in conducting nego- 
 tiations, into Italy, hoping to obtain help, either 
 from the Pope or from the King of France. 
 
 At this juncture Ibelin pi-oposed to Balian and 
 his associates to surrender the young king and the 
 fortress into his power, promising that if they did 
 so, they should be well treated, and should retain in 
 all honor whatever property they possessed. The 
 garrison, which had long suffered the greatest priva- 
 tions, and saw nothing before them but a lingering 
 death from famine, at last consented, and Ibelin at- 
 tained his object. Balas, Bethsan, and Giblet made 
 over to him the youthful Heinrich, and took a sol- 
 emn oath that they would not again bear arms 
 against the insurgents. 
 
CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 JIARSHAL FELINGHEK. 
 
 The emperor could no louger hide from himself 
 that Cyprus was lost, and his affiiirs in the Holy- 
 Land wore a very gloomy aspect. By his command, 
 the governor of Cyprus issued a proclamation de- 
 priving the Ibelins of all their feudal tenures, and 
 a fleet was assembled consisting of eighteen galleys 
 and fifteen transports, in the last of which were em- 
 barked three hundred horsemen and two thousand 
 foot soldiers. These were all placed under the com- 
 mand of Marshal Felingher by a manifesto, to which 
 was appended, a golden ball, appointing him Gov- 
 ernor, Lord Chief Justice, and Generalissimo of the 
 East, and at the same time affording him every fa- 
 cility for getting his troops together. Ibelin had 
 taken the precaution to send spies into Italy, from 
 whom he received secret information concerning 
 everything that occurred there, and before the impe- 
 rial fleet had left Brindisi, a swift sailing vessel was 
 despatched, by which the spies returned speedily to 
 the east, and soon reaching Akkon, where Ibelin 
 was at that time encamped, made him acquainted 
 
 with all the proceedings of the emperor. 
 
 267 
 
268 CYPKUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Without loss of time, Ibelin assembled as many 
 men as he and his friends could get together, and 
 marched upon Beyrut, the defenses of which he 
 strengthened, and then crossed over to Cyprus, 
 Avhere it was necessary to take care that on seeing 
 the emperor's fleet the Cyprians should not rouse 
 their forces, and get the young king into their power. 
 He therefore collected all his adherents in Cyprus, 
 knights and squires, and a considerable number of 
 combatants, placing part of them at Limasol, under 
 the command of his eldest son Balian, and retain- 
 ing the other part under his own control at Lar- 
 naka, thus getting possession of the only two places 
 where a landing could be effected. He likewise 
 took the precaution of bringing with him the yoiing 
 king, upon whose movements he kept a close watch. 
 
 When, therefore, the soldiei's of the emperor 
 were about to land at Limasol, they found the shore 
 lined with troops forming an army much larger than 
 their own, who forbade their approach. Their ships, 
 therefore, moved on a little farther, and cast anchor 
 ill the vicinity of Gavata. Soon afterward, the 
 Bishop of Amalfi, accompanied by two German 
 knights, made their appearance in Limasol, and 
 represented themselves as ambassadors from tlie 
 emperor charged with a message to the young king. 
 They were told that the king resided at Larnaka, 
 and whilst they were conducted back again to their 
 ship, Ibelin in great haste called together the feudal 
 
MAESHAL FELINGHEB. 269 
 
 court, in which naturally his own friends and par- 
 tisans were in a considerable majority. 
 
 Before this assembly, the ambassadors from tlie 
 emperor delivered their message, which was to the 
 following effect : The emperor demanded from the 
 king, as his feudal vassal, that he should immedi- 
 ately banish from the country Johann von Ibelin 
 and his whole family, and no longer afford them 
 shelter or protection, seeing that they had broken 
 their allegiance. To this mandate the following 
 reply was given by Wilhelm Yisconta. in the name 
 of the infant king: "My lords, I am commanded 
 and commissioned by the king to say to you, that 
 it appears to him very strange that the emperor 
 should send such an order to me. The governor of 
 Beyrut is a relative of Ibelin, and I neither can nor 
 will do what the emperor requires." 
 
 After waiting many days, it became evident that 
 it would be impossible to effect a landing, and the 
 authority of the emperor Frederick over the island 
 was henceforth set at defiance. 
 
 When Ibelin had marched within four leagues of 
 Akkon, he learned that the Patriarch of Antioch 
 was sent as Pope's legate to that city, and had de- 
 manded his immediate presence. 
 
 Notwithstanding the suspicions Ibelin entertained, 
 that the leg:ate Avas about to denounce him as a rebel, 
 he felt bound, as a good servant of the Church, to 
 obey the summons. He therefore caused his troops 
 
270 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 to encamp near Casal Imbert, and placed Lis trust- 
 worthy follower, Anselm von Brie, in command, 
 while he proceeded to Akkon, and endeavored by 
 every means in his power to undermine his enemies 
 and strengthen his own cause. 
 
 Meanwliile Marshal Felinirher decided on mat 
 ing one decisive blow for his master's interests. To- 
 ward dusk on the evening of May 2d, he left Tyre 
 with his best troops, and marched toward the coast, 
 where he was followed by twenty-two ships, bearing 
 the rest of his army. To^vard morning they ap- 
 proached the unfortunate camp, and before the 
 slightest alarm could be raised, had fallen upon it 
 and butchered the soldiers wliilst still asleep. Here 
 and there a slight attempt was made at resistance, 
 and Ibelin's three sons made a gallant but desperate 
 effort to drive oif the enemy. The attack, however, 
 had been too sudden to allow the soldiers to re- 
 cover from the shock, and all such as did not perish 
 found safety in precipitate flight. The king nar- 
 rowly escaped with his life, he having been huriied 
 out of the camp at the first alarm of danger. 
 
 The imperial victory was complete, Ibelin's troops 
 were entirely scattered or destroyed, and all the 
 valuables of the camp were taken possession of T)y 
 the enemy. As soon as it was known that Marshal 
 Felingher had left Tyre, Ibelin and his knights at 
 once mounted their horses and rode as rapidly as 
 possible toward the camp, but before they ariived, 
 
MARSHAL FEUNGHER. 271 
 
 fi-iends and enemies had alike quitted the ground, 
 and nothing remained except a handful of men who 
 Lad taken refuge in a small and neighboring tower. 
 
 Had Felingher at once fallen upon Akkon, he 
 would probably have obtained possession of the 
 city ; but he was well aw^are that his ti-oops were 
 safer in Cyprus than on the opposite continent, and 
 therefore immediately despatched them to that 
 island. Famagusta, Nikosia, and Keryneia were 
 seized, and all Ibelin's troops dispersed in a series 
 of victorious onslaughts. The young queen, Alice, 
 occupied Nikosia, whilst her two sistci"s-in-law took 
 refuge in the convent of St. Hilarion. Frau von 
 Ibelin escaped to Buffavento in the disguise of a 
 monk, and by her courage and energy roused the 
 drooping sjDirit of the old commandant of the fort- 
 ress, who was preparing to surrender to the emperor 
 at discretion. 
 
 The followers of Ibelin were now in the depths 
 of distress and anxiety, their troops were annihi- 
 lated, their money gone, and worst of all, many 
 noble knights belonging to the conquered party be- 
 gan to lay all the blame of their unfortunate posi- 
 tion upon their leader's head. Some endeavored 
 to persuade the king, who was nearly of age, that 
 he might be the means of restoring peace and order, 
 while others endeavored to commence an alliance 
 with Marshal Felino-her, 
 
 At this crisis, John Ibelin showed all the resources 
 
272 CTPEUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCEEPTIVE. 
 
 of wbicli he was capable. He tried to sting the 
 Syrian knights by hinting, that if Cyprus Avere al- 
 lowed to remain under imperial rule, they would be 
 neither more nor less than slaves to Germany, and 
 endeavored by bribes and every form of persuasion 
 to induce adherents to flock to his standard. Ibelin's 
 sons and relations sold all their possessions in order 
 to obtain horses and arms, and many devices were 
 resorted to as a means of obtaining money. 
 
 Small scraps of parchment were issued, bearing 
 the king's seal, and setting forth that the sum 
 named thereon must be paid to whoever presented 
 it, and promising that the giver should be refunded as 
 soon as the prince was firmly established in his rights. 
 
 The most important step by far taken by the as- 
 tute knight, at this crisis, was that of persuading the 
 Genoese in the isl9,nd to rise en Qiiasse and join his 
 cause, under the solemn promise of the king that 
 they and their sons should enjoy extraordinary 
 social immunities and privileges. Having fully 
 achieved this plan, Ibelin at once made ready to 
 sail for Cyprus at the shortest notice, backed by a 
 numerous and well-manned fleet. No sooner did 
 the Marshal hear of the unexpected rising of the 
 Genoese, than he at once returned to the island 
 with a powerful army, and was soon again master 
 of the whole country, with the excej^tion of the 
 fortresses of St. Hilarion and Buffavento. A por- 
 tion of the imperial fleet was anchored in the har- 
 bor outside the ancient city of Paphos. 
 
MAKSHAL FELINGHEE. 273 
 
 On Whitsunday, May the 30th, Ibelin set sail 
 with liis forces from Akkon, accompanied by the 
 Genoese consul, with whom the approachino- strug- 
 gle now had the aspect of a political victory. Peda- 
 lion Acra, a promontory between Larnaka and Fama- 
 gusta, had been pointed out as the most suitable 
 spot for landing the soldiers, and thither all the 
 troop-ships went. No sooner had. the fleet reached 
 the spot indicated, than intelligence was received, 
 that the Marshal had made Famagusta his head- 
 quarters. The ships at once proceeded in the direc 
 tion of that fortress, where, owing to the knowb 
 edge of the shore displayed by their commanders, 
 they were enabled, after a slight skirmish with the 
 imperial troops, to take possession of a small island 
 in close vicinity to the to^vn, Felingher was pre- 
 pared to make a brave and powerful defense, but 
 unluckily for him his soldiers had treated the sur- 
 roundins: inhabitants with so much roui]:hness and. 
 cruelty, that treachery was rife in all quarters. In 
 the stillness of the night a few boats left the fleet, 
 and landed their men close to the fortress; these at 
 once rushed upon the town with such noise and 
 force that the defenders were struck with sudden 
 panic. The Marshal, believing that the whole force 
 of the enemy was on the spot, and that the citizens 
 were in revolt, at once set fire to his ships, and 
 withdrew with all his men to Nikosia. 
 12* 
 
274 CYPRUS, HISTOEICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 Ibelin remained a week in Famagusta; this time 
 lie spent in fortifying the citadel more securely, and 
 in drawing up the deed of privileges to the Ge- 
 noese, the promise of which liad procured him so 
 great an accession of friends. 
 
 The Marshal now retired to the mountains be- 
 hind Nikosia, and Queen Alice and her ladies 
 sought refuge in Keryneia, the imperial troops be- 
 ing so stationed as to command that fortress. 
 
 Felingher now raj^idly pressed on the siege of 
 St. Hilarion, and was in daily hopes that hunger 
 must compel her defenders to surrender; all corn- 
 fields, mills, and every available means of sustenance 
 having been destroyed throughout the surrounding 
 plains by the Marshal's orders. 
 
 Ibelin's army, which was now slowly marching 
 onward toward Nikosia, received fresh reinforce- 
 ments at every stage, not only from the outraged 
 Cypriotes, who were anxious to avenge their wrongs, 
 but from lara^e numbers of the hio^her classes, who 
 had taken refuge in the huts. Nearly all these 
 soldiers were on foot, whilst the imperial ai'ni}', we 
 are told, had fully two thousand horse. On his 
 arrival near Nikosia, Ibelin at once encamped about 
 half a league from the city, and early next morning, 
 June 15th, 1232, advanced rapidly with all his 
 troops to encounter the imperial forces, some of 
 which were gathered around the fortress they were 
 investing, whilst some were stationed upon the 
 
MARSHAL FEONGHEIL 275 
 
 high and almost inaccessible rocks tliat commanded 
 the road to Keryneia. 
 
 The Marshal, who appears to have "been paralyzed 
 by the rapid movements of the enemy, at once sent 
 a party of cavalry to meet the men he saw were 
 preparing to mount the rocky steps that led to the 
 fortress. 
 
 Count Walter von Manebel charged down upon 
 the enemy, but ^vith such fury and indiscretion that 
 the ascending soldiers, being on foot, readily eluded 
 the pursuit of their mounted adversaries, who had 
 no alternative but to seek refuge in the plains be- 
 low, and there await further orders. Meanwhile 
 Ibelin's troops continued to mount, and a severe 
 struggle ensued, in which the Marshal's troops be- 
 came perfectly unmanageable, and had to be with- 
 dra^vn to Keryneia. Numbers sought safety in 
 flio:ht, or refusre in the neisrhborino: churches and 
 monasteries. Keryneia now alone remained in the 
 hands of the imperial troops, and the Marshal at 
 once proceeded to strengthen it at all points, stored 
 up ample provisions in case of siege, and having 
 given the command of such troops as could not be 
 accommodated in the fortress to Walter von Aqua- 
 viva, he himself retired to Cilicia with a large body 
 of men. 
 
 Ibelin no sooner heaid that the Marshal had 
 withdraAvn the greater part of his army from Kery- 
 neia, than he proceeded to invest that fortress. A 
 
276 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 long and l^loody battle at once ensued outside its 
 walls, and every means were tried, but in vain, to 
 storm the citadel. At this ciisis a short truce was 
 concluded, in consequence of the death of the young 
 Queen Alice. Her corpse was decked in royal 
 robes, and a messenger was despatched to her con- 
 sort requesting that she might be interred as l)e- 
 came her rank. This truce Avas strictly kept on 
 both sides, until the royal coffin had been conveyed 
 to Nikosia, where it was jdaced in the cathedral 
 with much pomp and reverence. 
 
 Marshal Feliuo-her had meanwhile been well re- 
 ceived in Cilicia, and at once proceeded to n:ake 
 preparations for a fresh campaign. Great sickness, 
 however, now appeared in his army, and numbers 
 died from various causes, or were so invalided as to 
 be unfit for further service. Felingher at once 
 ordered his army to Tyre, whilst he himself went 
 to Italy to have an interview with the emperor. 
 This latter was now inclined to try what could be 
 done by persuasion, instead of again having recourse 
 to arms. jNIarshal Felingher, ^vho had made himself 
 much disliked, was supei'seded, and the Bishop of 
 Sidou dispatched, with full powers to bring matters 
 to a peaceable conclusion by well-timed arguments 
 and persuasions, amongst which was the promise 
 that all past outl)reaks should be forgotten on the 
 part of the emperor if the Cypriotes would return 
 to their allegiance. The bishop had so luuch skill 
 
MAESHAL FET.TNGHER. 277 
 
 and diplomacy, that in an assembly of knights 
 called l)y his order to assemble in the cathedral at 
 x\kkon, all present willingly consented to renew 
 tlieir oaths on the spot, and recognize the emperor 
 as the guardian of his son Coni-ad, At this junc- 
 ture the pi-oceediugs of the assembly were inter- 
 rupted by the sudden appearance of the young 
 knight, John of Ctesarea, nephew of Ibelin, who 
 with much excitement im2:)lored the assembly to 
 consider well what they were about to do, and not 
 to sacrifice their country to imperial ambition. 
 
 A scene of great violence ensued, in the midst of 
 which the bell from the citadel was rung, and at 
 the preconcerted signal, crowds of Ibelin's adher- 
 ents in the city flocked into and ai'ound the church, 
 Titterinsj loud cries for vens^eance on the heads of 
 the recreant knis^hts. The latter were now com- 
 pelled to seek safety in flight, and it required all 
 the eloquence and authority of young John of Cae- 
 sarea to restrain the violence of the crowd, and 
 allow the bishop and his party to escape with their 
 lives. The emperor now appealed to Ibelin's own 
 sense of right and honor, and assured him that if 
 he would obey the imperial summons and appear 
 in Tyre to renew his fealty, everything should be 
 arranged according to his wishes. Ibelin, however, 
 distrusted the friendly overtures of the emperor, 
 and not only refused to comply, but at once pro- 
 ceeded to levy fresh forces, and prepare for an ob- 
 
278 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 stinate resistance. This done, Lis first step was to 
 reduce the fortress of Keryneia, which, however, lie 
 found so impregnable that, after some terrible fight- 
 ing about its walls, he was compelled to sit down 
 before it, and endeavor to reduce its garrison by 
 starvation. Month after month passed, and yet the 
 brave band held out ; until after two years of great 
 hardship and suffering, they were at last compelled 
 to submit, but only on the most honorable condi- 
 tions. Frederick still refused to relinquish all hope, 
 and now had recourse to imploring assistance from 
 the Pope, to aid in bringing his refractory vassals 
 again to their allegiance. In the same year as Avit- 
 nessed the fall of Keryneia, a legate from the Papal 
 Court arrived at Akkon, bearing a decree from both 
 emperor and Pope, commanding all knights and citi- 
 zens to join the imperial cause, and submit to the 
 authority of Marshal Felingher. Every indulgence 
 was promised to all such as should submit. 
 
 Ibelin was now hard pressed, but he utterly re- 
 fused ao-ain to acknowled2:e his faults to the em- 
 peror, and at once set about preparing for an attack 
 on Tyre. The Pope sent Ibelin one more written 
 warning, and the archbishop put Akkon under an 
 interdict. Two envoys were now sent from the 
 knights to Italy, in order to endeavor to make terms 
 of peace. These conditions were hard upon the 
 Cypriotes, and when the envoys returned to Akkon, 
 and showed the parchment containing the required 
 
MAESHAL FEUNGHEE. 279 
 
 submissions, the whole city was iu an uproar. The 
 aml)assadors were thrown into prison, and very nar- 
 rowly escaped with their lives. Almost Ibelin's 
 last act was to summon all to uphold the I'ights of 
 their king ; very shortly after this he fell from his 
 horse, and was so seriously injured that he did not 
 long survive. During these occurrences in the East, 
 great changes were also taking place in the friendly 
 relations between Pope and emperor, and the latter 
 soon found himself overwhelmed with troubles and 
 anxieties, both in Italy and Germany, which re- 
 quired his immediate and entire attention. Mean- 
 while Il)elin's son and various members of his fam- 
 ily had sent letters, accompanied by rich gifts, to the 
 Pope and cardinals. This embassy proved entirely 
 successful, and the envoy, Godfrey le Tort, returned 
 triumphantly to Akkon, bearing a Papal letter com- 
 manding all to unite with the Genoese in submis- 
 sion to the wishes and propositions of the party led 
 by the Ibelins. This direct decree from the Pope 
 proved final, and Frederick was now powerless to 
 send an army to assert Ins claims. 
 
 Some years later, one more endeavor was made 
 by Marshal Felingher, and a small party in Akkon, 
 to induce the inhabitants of the island to acknowl- 
 edge their allegiance to the emperor ; but in vain. 
 Thus ended all attempts to make Cyprus an appan- 
 age of Germany, which if carried out might prob- 
 ably have saved that beautiful country and her j)op- 
 ulation from centuries of neglect and tyranny. 
 
CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 CYPRUS AI^D THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 
 
 Again must Cyprus bear a prominent position iu 
 the eyes of the world. For many years eminent 
 statesmen, soldiers, and engineers have been pro- 
 claiming the advisability of making Cyprus the 
 point through which that grand scheme, the Eu- 
 phrates Valley Railway, soon we hope to be a reality, 
 would receive its principal sources of traffic, and 
 forming it into the terminal station of a line of I'ail- 
 way and steamers destined to chain us more firmly 
 to our Indian possessions, and to open again the 
 lonof-deserted or neo-lected land that lies between it 
 and the Persian Gulf. 
 
 Major-General Sir F. Goldsmid, C.B., K.C.S.I., 
 who has devoted a considerable portion of his time 
 to this scheme, has thrown such valuable light upon 
 the subject that we should be wanting in our duty 
 to our readers if we did not give some brief idea of 
 the information his valuable paper affords us. 
 
 The geographical position of Cyprus, now under 
 
 British rule, makes the island a fitting guardian of 
 
 Upper Syi'ia, Ccelo Syria, and almost of Palestine, 
 
 and in the hands of Great Britain is an invaluable 
 
 280 
 
CTPBUS AND THE EUPHKATES YALLEY RAILWAY. 281 
 
 acqiiisitiou, and worth any amount of land wliicli 
 might be purchased on the neighboring Asiatic 
 coast. 
 
 The distance to the several ports on the mainland 
 is not great ; indeed, the island is said to be visible 
 on a clear day from Seleucia. A railway terminus 
 for the Persian Gulf line might be reached in a very 
 few hours, and fair weather boats, calculated to carry 
 over a thousand passengers, troops or civilians, 
 might be used at certain times at inconsiderable cost. 
 
 Of Larnaka, as a port, very little information can 
 be oljtained ; but fifteen j-ears ago it received 324 
 vessels of 54.340 tons, and sent out 321 vessels of 
 53,458 tons. In 1870 there were entered 457, and 
 cleared 483 vessels of 92,920 and 91,090 tons re- 
 spectively. 
 
 At Limasol, in 1803, 493 vessels were entered of 
 32,980 tons. The present harbor of Famagusta has 
 a superficial extent of nearly eighty acres, to which 
 a depth of five and a half fathoms might be readily 
 given ; but there is only a space of about five acres 
 which can be relied upon for the actual reception of 
 ships. 
 
 jM. Collas, a French writer, exjierienced in Turkey 
 and the Turks, thinks that with ordinary engineer- 
 incr skill, a harbor miorht be formed here of more 
 than 148 acres in extent. The opening of this har- 
 bor would also give, in the opinion of M. Collas, an 
 immense impetus to the export of cotton, which 
 
282 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 might be grown up to the amount not far short of 
 30,000 tons — a high figure of productiveness. 
 
 Having thus shown how Cyprus is capable, so far 
 as harbors are concerned, of fulfilling her position 
 as the terminus of the Eu2:)hrates Valley Railway, 
 let us look to some of the various routes suggested 
 for this line. Five different schemes were selected 
 as the most important by the Committee which sat 
 in 1872. 
 
 1st. A line starting fi-om Alexandretta or Suedia, 
 near the mouth of the Orontes, passing through 
 Alej^po to the Euphrates, at or neai' Jabah Castle, 
 and thence carried down the right bank of the I'iver 
 to Kuwait, on the western side of the Persian Gulf. 
 
 2d. A line starting from one of the same points, 
 crossing the Euphrates at Belio, passing down tlie 
 left bank of the river, or the right bank of the Ti- 
 gris, to a point nearly opposite Baghdad, recrossing 
 the Euphrates, and proceeding to Kuwait. 
 
 3d. A line starting as before, crossing the Eu- 
 phrates at Bir, thence going round to Orfah and 
 Diarbekir, and followdno: the ris^ht bank of the Ti- 
 gris as the last. 
 
 4th. A similar line, only following the left bank 
 of the Tigris. 
 
 5th. A line starting from Tripoli, and proceeding 
 across the desert by way of Damascus and Palmyra 
 to the Euphrates, whence it might follow one of the 
 preceding routes. 
 
CYPBUS A^^) THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 283 
 
 AVliicli of these routes will eventually be adopted 
 is still the suljject of much discussion. 
 
 Mr. W. P. Andrew, F.RG.S:, who for thirty years 
 has devoted much time and attention to endeavor- 
 ins^ to carrv out this desi^rn, has furnished us with 
 an admirable report on this project. ^Ve will give 
 a short sketch in his own words: 
 
 " In the proposal to restore this ancient route — 
 once the highway of the world's commerce and the 
 track of the heroes of early history — by the con- 
 struction of a railway to connect the Mediterranean 
 and the Persian Gulf, Ave have at hand an invalua- 
 ble and perfectly efficient means at once of thwart- 
 ing the designs of Russia, if they should assume a 
 hostile character, of marching hand in hand with 
 her if her mission be to carry civilization to distant 
 lands, and of competing with her in the peaceful 
 rivahy of commerce.*' 
 
 '• On every ground, therefore, the proposed Eu- 
 phrates Valley Railway is an undertaking eminently 
 deserving our attention, and the support and en- 
 couragement of our Government." 
 
 "The countries which our future highway to 
 India will traverse have been, from remote antiquity, 
 the most interestincr in the world. On the once 
 fertile plains watered by the Euphrates and Tigris, 
 the greatest and most glorious nations of antiquity 
 arose, flourished, and were overthrown."' 
 
 "Twice in the world's history mankind com- 
 
284 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 meiiced the race of civilization on tlie Mesopotaniian 
 rivers. Twice the human family divers-ed from their 
 "banks to the east, the west, and the north. Arts 
 and sciences made the first feeble steps of their in- 
 fancy upon the shores of these rivers." 
 
 " Very early in history, we know that Babylon 
 w^as a great manufacturing city, famed for the costly 
 fabrics of its looms. At a more recent date, the 
 Chaldean kings made it a gorgeous metropolis — the 
 fairest and the richest then on earth. Alexander 
 of Macedon made it the port of the Indian Ocean 
 and the Persian Gulf ; and he proposed to render it 
 the central metropolis of his empire." 
 
 "The countries through which the Eu2:)hrates 
 flows were formerly the most productive in the 
 world. Throughout these regions the fruits of tem- 
 perate and tropical climes grew in bygone days in 
 luxurious j^rofusion ; luxuiy and abundance were 
 imiversally diffused. The soil everywhere teemed 
 with vegetation; much of this has since passed 
 away. Ages of despotism and misrule have ren- 
 dered unavailing the bounty of nature ; but the land 
 is full of hidden riches. The natural elements of 
 its ancient grandeur still exist in the inexhaustible 
 fertility of the country, and in the chivali'ous char- 
 acter and bearing of many of the tribes ; and the 
 day cannot be far distant when it is destined to re- 
 sume its j^lace amongst the fairest and most pros- 
 perous regions of the globe." 
 
CYPBUS AND THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 283 
 
 " The wondrous fertility of Mesopotamia was, in 
 early times, carried to its utmost limit by means of 
 ii-rigation canals, with which the countiy was every- 
 where intersected, and some of the largest of which* 
 were navigable. These excited the wonder and in- 
 terest of Alexander the Great, who, after his return 
 from the conquest of India, examined them person- 
 ally, steering the boat with his own hand. He 
 employed a great number of men to repair and 
 cleanse these canals.'' 
 
 " Herodotus, speaking of Babylonia, says : ' Of all 
 the countries I know, it is without question the best, 
 and most fertile. It produces neither figs, nor vines, 
 nor olives; but in recompense the earth is suitable for 
 all sorts of grain, of which it yields always two 
 hundred per cent., and in years of extraordinary fer- 
 tility as much as three hundred per cent.'" 
 
 "These regions need only again to be irrigated 
 by the life-giving waters pouring down ever cool 
 and plentiful from Ararat — that great landmark of 
 primeval history, now the vast natural boundary- 
 stone of the Eussian, Turkish, and Persian empires 
 — to yield once more in abundance almost every- 
 thing that is necessary or agreeable to man. Many 
 acres now wasted, save when in early spring they 
 are wildernesses of flowers, may be covered with cot- 
 ton, tending to the employment of the million 
 spindles of our land.'' 
 
 "It is not too much to say that no existing or 
 
286 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCREPTTV'E. 
 
 projected railroad can compare in point of interest 
 and importance Avdth that of the Euphrates Valley. 
 It will bring two quarters of the globe into juxta- 
 position, and three continents, Europe, Asia, and 
 Australia, into closer relation. It will l^ind the vast 
 population of Hindustan by an iron link with the 
 people of Europe. It will inevitably entail the 
 colonization and civilization of the great valleys of 
 the Euphrates and Tigris, the resuscitation in a 
 modern shape of Babylon and Nineveh, and the re- 
 awakening of Ctesiphon and Bagdad of old," 
 
 " Where is there in the world any similar under- 
 taking; which can achieve results of such masfnitude, 
 fraught with so many interests to various nations? 
 And who can foresee what ultimate effects may be 
 produced by improved means of communication in 
 the condition of Hindoos, Chinese, and other remote 
 j)eoples ? " 
 
 "Althou2:h various routes have been su2:o:ested 
 with a view of bringing Great Britain, by means of 
 railway communication, into closer connection with 
 India and her other dependencies in the East, and 
 of securing at the same time the immense political 
 and strategic desideratum of an alternative highway 
 to our Eastern possessions, there is none which com- 
 bines in itself so many advantages as the ancient 
 route of the Euphrates; the route of the emperors 
 Trajan and Julian, in whose steps, in more recent 
 times, the great Napoleon intended to follow, when 
 
CYPRUS AND THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 287 
 
 the Kussian campaign turned Lis enei'gies in another 
 direction. The special advantages which render 
 this route superior to all others are briefly these :" 
 
 " It is the direct route to India. It is the shortest 
 and the cheapest both for constructing and work- 
 ing a railway ; so free from engineering difficulties, 
 that it almost appears as though designed by the 
 hand of nature to be the highway of nations between 
 the East and the West ; the most surely defensible 
 by England — both of its termini being on the o2)en. 
 seas ; and the most likely to prove remunerative." 
 
 " Both in an engineering and a politiciil point of 
 view, the Euphrates route undoubtedly possesses 
 great advantages over any of the others which have 
 been proposed." 
 
 "All the routes which have been suggested from 
 places on the Black Sea are open to the fatal objec- 
 tion that, while they would be of the greatest ser^ 
 vice to Kussia, they would be altogether beyond the 
 control of Great Britain, while the engineering diffi- 
 culties with which they are surrounded are of 
 themselves sufficient to exclude them from practical 
 consideration." 
 
 "This has been fully established by the evidence 
 of the witnesses examined by the Select Committee 
 of the House of Commons, which lately investigated 
 the merits of the various proposals for connecting 
 the ]Mediterranean and the Black Seas with the Per- 
 sian Gulf." 
 
288 CYPRUS, msTomcAL and descriptive. 
 
 "Ill the course of tlie investigation by tlie Com- 
 mittee, it was demonstrated that the proposed Eu- 
 phrates Valley Railway is an eminently feasible 
 undertakinsr in an eno-ineei-in2: sense ; that the route 
 of the Euphrates and the Persian Gulf is decidedly 
 preferable, in respect of climate, to that by Egypt and 
 the Red Sea ; that as regards the safety and facility 
 of the navigation, the Persian Gulf also has by far 
 the advantage; that the proposed undertaking 
 would be of great commercial moment, and if not 
 immediately profitable, at all events that it would 
 be so at a date not far distant ; and, finally, that it 
 would be of the highest political and strategic im- 
 portance to this country." 
 
 " A railway through Mesopotamia, as a route to 
 India, would not at first be productive of much in- 
 come to a company from trafiic, but in a few years 
 — certainly before the railway could be finished — 
 the cultivation of grain would increase a hundred- 
 fold, and would go on increasing a thousandfold, 
 and would attain to a magnitude and extension 
 quite impossible to calculate, because bad harvests 
 are almost unknown in these parts, for there is al- 
 ways plenty of rain and a hot sun to ripen the corn. 
 Populous villages would spring up all along the 
 line, as there is abundance of sweet water eveiy- 
 where. Cereals can be grown there so chea})ly, that 
 no country the same distance from England — say, 
 for instance, Russia — could compete with it at all. 
 
■ THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 289 
 
 And if Great Britaiu finds it necessary to rely more 
 on the importation of foreign corn, where could a 
 better field be found than the fertile plains of Me- 
 sopotamia, which has all the advantages of climate, 
 soil, and sun in its favor? " 
 
 " The establishment of steam communication by the 
 Messageries Maritiraes on the route of the Red Sea to 
 Calcutta and other Eastern ports, shows the impor- 
 tance attached by the French to the extension of their 
 commercial relations with the East. A Russian line 
 of steamers, also, has lately been established, to run 
 between Odessa and Bombay by the Suez Canal 
 route. Even those who see, no danger in the policy 
 of annexation pursued by Russia, will admit tliat the 
 Russian roads and railways now being pushed toward 
 Persia and Afghanistan, if designed with pacific inten- 
 tions, prove, at all events, the anxiety of the Russian 
 Government to compete with us for the trade of 
 Central Asia, the Punjaub, and i^orthern India." 
 
 " The substitution of Kurrachee for Bombay as 
 the European port of India would, even by the Red 
 Sea route, give us an advantage of some five hun- 
 dred miles; but if the Euphrates route were once 
 established, the adoption of Kurrachee as the Euro- 
 pean port of India would necessarily follow, and 
 India would thus be brought upwards of a thousand 
 miles nearer to us than at present ; while during the 
 monsoon months, the gain would be still greater, as 
 the route between the Persian Gulf and Kurrachee 
 13 
 
290 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 is not exposed to the severity of tlie monsoon, wliicli, 
 it is well known, renders a divergence of some five 
 hundred miles necessary during a portion of the 
 year on the voyage from Boml)ay to Aden." 
 
 " When the railway system of the Indus is com- 
 pleted, Kurrachee will be in continuous railway 
 communication with Calcutta and witli the gates of 
 Central Asia at the Kyber and Bolan Passes, and it 
 will thus become the natural basis of operations in 
 the event either of any internal commotion in India, 
 or of ag^frression on our north-western frontier." 
 
 " The grand object desired is to connect England 
 with the north-west frontier of India by steam tran- 
 sit through the Euphrates and Indus valleys. The 
 latter will render movable to either tlie Kyber "or 
 the Bolan — the two gates of India — the flo^ver of 
 the British army cantoned in the Punjaub; and the 
 Euphrates and Indus lines being connected by 
 means of steamers, we shall be enabled to threaten 
 the ilank and rear of any force advancing through 
 Persia toward India. So that, by this great 
 scheme, the invasion of India Avould be placed be- 
 yond even speculation, and it is evident that the 
 great army of India of three hundred thousand men 
 being thus united to the army of England, the mut- 
 ual support they would render each other would 
 quadruple the power and ascendency of this coun- 
 try, and promote powerfully the progress, the free- 
 dom, and the peace of the world." 
 
• THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 291 
 
 " The Euphrates and Indus lines together would, 
 moreover, secure for us almost a monopoly of the 
 trade with Central Asia, enabling us to meet Russia, 
 our great competitor in these distant fields of com- 
 mercial enterprise, on more than equal terms." 
 
 " But it is not on commercial considerations that I 
 would urge the claims of the Euphrates Valley 
 Eailway. It is on imperial grounds that the 
 scheme commends itself to our support." 
 
 " I believe that the establishment of the Euphra- 
 tes route would add incalculably to our prestige 
 throughout Europe and the East, and would do more 
 to strengthen our hold on India than any other means 
 that could be devised." 
 
 "The Euphrates Valley Railway, as proposed 
 from the Gulf of Scanderoon to the Persian Gulf, 
 has been specially designed Avith a vie^v to its ulti- 
 mately forming a part of a thi'ough line from Con- 
 stantinople to the head of the Persian Gulf; w^hile 
 it is capable also of being in due time extended 
 eastward to Kurrachee, the port of India nearest to 
 Europe." 
 
 "The line from the Meditei'ranean to the Persian 
 Gulf has been demonstrated to be eminently practi- 
 cable and easy, while the other portions of the I'oute 
 between Constantinople and India are not. While 
 capable of forming part of a through line, it would 
 at the same time be complete in itself, and independ- 
 ent of any disturbances in Europe — the only por- 
 
292 CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. 
 
 tion, in fact, of a through line of railway which 
 would be always, and under all circumstances, at 
 the absolute control of this country." 
 
 "It would always be to this country the most im- 
 poitant portion of any through liue ; and, indeed, I 
 believe a through line could not be constructed, ex- 
 cept at oveVwhelming cost, without the assistance of 
 a port in Northern Syria. It would, moreover, pro- 
 vide us Avith a complete alternative route to India, and 
 ■would thus at once secure to this country advan- 
 tao-es admitted to be of the hii^hest national moment." 
 
 " It is for these reasons that during the long pe- 
 3"iod in Avhich I have devoted myself to the advo- 
 cacy of the Euphrates route to India, I have thought 
 it e-X2')edient to urge upon our own Government and 
 that of Turkey, the special claims of that section 
 only which would connect the Mediterranean Avith 
 the Persian Gulf." 
 
 " The objection that, although the Euphrates Val- 
 ley Railway would afford us the imdoubted advan- 
 tage of an alternative, a shorter, and a more ra|)id 
 means of communication Avitli India, it would still 
 leave a considerable portion of the journey to be 
 accomplished by sea, and that consequently it would 
 accelerate our communications with the East in a 
 minor degree only, is sufficiently disposed of by tlie 
 circumstance already pointed out : that a railway 
 from a point on the .Mediterranean, at or near Scan- 
 deroon, to the head of the Persian Gulf, would 
 
THE EUPHBATES VALLEY RAILWAY. 293 
 
 naturally form part of a through line of railway 
 from Constantinople to India, if at a future time it 
 should be considered necessary or desirable to con- 
 struct the remaining sections." 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 Extent and Boundaries. 
 
 Cyprus (kvttpo?), called by the Turks Kibris, is 
 a large island in the Mediterranean, lying near the 
 coasts of Syria and Asia Minor. It is supposed to 
 have an area of about 4,500 square miles, but all 
 the different measurements given vary consider- 
 ably. Its length is about 145 miles, from the ex- 
 treme north-east point. Cape St. Andreas, to Cape 
 Arnauti, on the west coast. Its greatest breadth is 
 about fifty miles from north to south ; but it nar- 
 rows toward the east, where in some parts it is not 
 more than five miles wide, and, at the most extreme 
 east point, Cape Andreas, it is only about sixty-five 
 miles distant from Latakia, the nearest point of the 
 Syrian coast. The nearest land on the coast of 
 Karamania, or Cicilia, Cape Zephyrium, is about 
 forty-two miles north by west of the point of land 
 in Cyprus, which is near the ancient Carpasia. 
 
 Surface. 
 
 There are two ranges of mountains in Cyprus, 
 one extendinsr alouGr the northern coast, and the 
 
 295^ 
 
296 APPENDIX. 
 
 otlier stretcLIng across tlie soutlierii part of the 
 island. The liiij-liest summit is the " Troados," or 
 "Olymj^us,'' wLieli Lober measured, and found to Le 
 G,160 feet above the sea level. The other principal 
 peaks of this i-ange are Mount StavrovunI, or Saute 
 Croce, Mouut Makkaeras, and Mount Adelphi ; the 
 heights of these are uncertain. Equally uncertain 
 are the elevations of the peaks of the northern 
 range, the chief of which is Mount Pentedaktylo, 
 between Kerinia and Makaria. 
 
 The most extensive plain is on the eastern part 
 of the island, and is watered by the river Pedias. 
 In 1330, this river was so swollen by heavy rain 
 that it inundated Xikosia, to the gi'cat destruction 
 of life and property. The other plains of any size 
 are those of Lefkosia in the centre, and Kerinia, to 
 the west of the island. 
 
 ElVERS. 
 
 The Pedias, or Pedoeus, the principal river, rises 
 on the range of Olympus, and waters the plains of 
 Lefkosia and Messaria, and empties itself into the 
 sea, on the east coast, at the ancient poi't of Salamis 
 Constantia. The M(U'pha has its source among the 
 same mountains as the Pedias, Avaters the plain of 
 Kerinia, and falls into the sea on the north-west 
 coast, about the centre of the Gulf of Morpha. 
 There are no other rivers of much importance ; the 
 principal are, the Ezusa, or ancient Boi'garus, the 
 
APPENDIX. 297 
 
 Diorizos, and tlie Kliapotini, all of wLicli take tbeir 
 source iu the iieigliborLood of Mouut Olynijius, and 
 fall into the sea on the south-west coast; the Ku- 
 rios, wliich empties itself into the Gulf of Piskopi, 
 on the south coast ; the Garilis, rising in the Mak- 
 kaeras mountains and fallins; into the sea at Lima- 
 sol, also on the south coast; "while the Pentas- 
 khino, a small stream, enters the sea near Dolas 
 point, on the south-east coast. 
 
 Capes. 
 
 Cape Kormaciti, tlie ancient Crommyon, at the 
 extreme north-west; Cape Andreas, the ancient Di- 
 naretum, at the extreme north-east point of the 
 island ; Cape Arnauti, or St. Epiphanio, the ancient 
 Akamas, at the most western point; Cape Gatto, 
 and Cape Zevgari, the ancient Kurios, are the fur- 
 thest points on the south coast ; Cape Greco, the an- 
 cient Pedalion, lies at the south-eastern extremity. 
 On the north coast are Cape Plakoti ; on the west. 
 Capes Drepani, Kokino, Limmity, Baffo (Pajiho) ; 
 on the east coast, Cape Elaea, and on the south, 
 Caj^es Pyla, the ancient Throni, Bianca, and Citi. 
 
 Gulfs axd Bays. 
 
 Famagusta Bay, or Bay of Salamis, at the east ; 
 Gulf of Morpha, or Pendagia, at the north-west ; Gulf 
 of Chrysochou, at the Avest ; and at the soutli, the 
 Gulf of Piskopi, and hays of Larnaka and Akroteri. 
 
298 appendix. 
 
 Harbors x^t> Roadsteads. 
 
 Larnaka and Liinasol possess good roadsteads. 
 The ancient harbors are destroyed and iilled with 
 sand. 
 
 Towsrs AND Important Places. 
 
 The following were the towns of Cyprus (a.d. 25): 
 On the north coast of Cape Acamas, were Arsinoe, 
 and Sali, with a harbor founded by Phalerus and 
 Acamas of Athens; then east of Cape Crommyon, 
 Lapethus, built by the Lacedemonians; next Agidus, 
 Aphrodisium, and Carpasia ; east of the last, was a 
 mountain and a cape called 01yrai:)us, with a temple 
 to Yenus upon it, which "w^omen were forljidden to 
 enter. Facing the cape are two small islands, called 
 Keides, or " the keys of Cyprus." Turning thence 
 toward the south, Avas Salamis, at the mouth of the 
 Pedaeus, one of the jirincipal cities of the island, said 
 to have been built by Teucer, an emigrant from the 
 island of Salamis. 
 
 Proceeding south was another Arsinoe, with a 
 port; next came Leucolia, near Cape Pedalium, a 
 lofty table-land, called the table of Yenus ; west of 
 Pedalium was Citium (the ancient Chittim), with a 
 harbor that could be closed. Citium was a laro^e 
 town, and the birthplace of Zeno tlie Stoic (301 b.c.) 
 From Citium to Berytus (Baii'out) in Syria, the dis- 
 tance was about 130 miles. AVest of Citium was 
 Amathus, and inland was Paloea Limisso. Sailing 
 
APPENDIX. 299 
 
 round Ly Cape Curias to the west, was tlie town of 
 Curium, with a port built by the Argivi. Here the 
 coast turns to the north-west, looking toward 
 Hhodes, and on it were the towns of Ireta, Boosura, 
 and Old Paplios; then Caj)e Zephrium; and next to 
 it another Arsinoe, Avith a port and temple, sacred 
 grove, and New Paphos, built by Agapenor, five 
 miles by land from Old Paphos. 
 
 Most of the above towns, and others Avhich Strabo 
 has omitted, have long since disappeared. 
 
 The present caj^ital is Nikosia, the residence of 
 the late Turkish governor. It lies near the centre 
 of the island, close to the site of the ancient Letra, 
 or Leucotra, on a plain surrounded with mountains. 
 The streets are narrow and dirty, and many of the 
 grand old mansions falling into decay. It is a truly 
 Oriental city, and is very prettily situated ; the air 
 is balmy, dry, and redolent of the odor of laurel and 
 myrtle. Every coui"t-yard has its apple and pear- 
 tree, and in between these masses of rosemary, peep- 
 ing from beneath the flourishing fig. Its pojiulation 
 does not exceed 10,000. 
 
 Lefkosia was the residence of the kins-s of the Lu- 
 signan dynasty, and was then much larger than it is 
 at present, the Venetians having destroyed part of 
 it in order to strengthen the remainder. 
 
 The church of St. Sophia, a fine Gothic building, 
 is converted into a mosque ; the monuments it con- 
 tains of the Lusignans are sadly mutilated. There 
 
300 APPENDIX. 
 
 is also a fine bazar, a khan, or inclosed court, sur- 
 rounded l)y apartments for travelers, and the pal- 
 ace of the governor, on the portal of which is still 
 seen the Venetian lion in stone; there are also several 
 other churches and mosques. The bastioned walls, 
 erected by the Venetians, are still standing. 
 
 The Greek Archbishop of Nikosia is metropolitan 
 of the whole island. Cesnola informs us that, after 
 sundown, no person is allowed to leave or enter the 
 town without special permission from the governor- 
 general. When such a case occurs, the soldiers are 
 put under arms, and the drawbridge is lowered 
 with as much ceremony as if Ave were still in me- 
 diaeval times. The seraglio, where the late Turkish 
 governor resided, is described by the same authority, 
 as a large quadrangular building, two stories high, 
 and in sad want of repair ; it has a large court-yard, 
 inclosed by walls twenty-five feet high. 
 
 The principal manufactures of the town are car- 
 pets, cotton prints, and morocco leather. The Avork- 
 luen of Nikosia pretend that they have a particular 
 manner of dressing the leather, which they keep a 
 profound secret ; anyhow, the leather is said to be 
 better dressed, more brilliant in color, and more 
 durable than that which is made in Turkey. There 
 is also a little trade in raw cotton and wine. 
 
 Larnaka, or Larnika, on the site of old Citium, 
 near the south coast, is the most tliriving, bustling 
 place in the island, being the residence of the Euro- 
 
APPENDIX. 301 
 
 peaii consuls and factoi-s, and the chief seat of trade. 
 The poi-t of Larnaka is at Salines, about a mile and 
 a half distant ; a Greek bishop resides there, and 
 there are also some. Latin churches in the town. 
 The houses are chiefly built of clay, and only one 
 fetory high, on account of the earthquakes, to which 
 the island is subject. The interiors of the houses 
 are comfortable ; the apartments are paved with 
 Avhite marble, and almost every house has a garden. 
 
 This is the chief sea-port in the island, and has a 
 fair anchorage for vessels in the roadstead. Near 
 Larnaka is the well-known inland lake whence, ia 
 ancient days, the Phoenicians obtained the best salt. 
 During the rainy season this is swollen with water ; 
 in May and June it gradually evaporates, and under 
 the fiery sun and burning heat of July and August, 
 the water almost boils off, and leaves behind a thick 
 cake of nearly pure salt. This once yielded a }'early 
 income of three hundred thousand ducats. This 
 town is connected by telegraph with Latakia, on the 
 Syrian coast, the wires passing through Nikosia. 
 
 Fainagusta, on the south-east coast, a few miles 
 south of old Salamis, and not far from the ancient 
 Tamassus, occupies the site of Ammochostos, one of 
 the ten royal cities which paid tribute to Esarhad- 
 don, and possesses Ihe only harbor between Salamis 
 and Leuculla, and was probably the city called Ar- 
 sinoe under the Ptolemies. 
 
 " The city of Famagusta," says Cesnola, " built by 
 
302 APPENDIX. 
 
 the Christians eight hundred years ago, from the 
 3'uins of Salamis, and destroyed by the Turks in 
 1571, after the terrilde siege in wliich the Venetian 
 soldiers so heroically defended their position, once 
 counted its beautiful churches by hundreds and 
 its palatial residences by thousands. Once it had 
 been one of the jirincipal commercial cities of the 
 Levant, with a harbor in which rode large fleets, 
 but which now, through neglect, has become tilled 
 witli sand, and is able only to float ships of light 
 draught. It Avas just outside the mouth of this 
 closed harbor, that the vessels containino; the Ve- 
 netian families and their most precious personal 
 and household effects were sunk by the faithless 
 Mustapha Pacha, after he had killed the Venetian 
 generals." 
 
 " As you approach the massive Avails of the city, 
 Avhich are nearly seventeen feet thick, and of solid 
 stone, all taken from the ruins of Salamis, you see 
 liOAV impossible it Avas to take such a city except 
 by famine or treachery. The Avails stand now as 
 impi'egnable and intact as Avhen raised by the 
 Lusignans." 
 
 " The old bronze guns of the Republic of Venice 
 are still on the bastions, in their original places, look- 
 ing formidably toAA^ard the sea and the plain of 
 Salamis, but spiked and out of service since 1571. 
 There are a half dozen rusty iron guns of Turkish 
 manufacture, pretty much in the same condition." 
 
APPENDIX. 303 
 
 " The ruins of Faiiiagusta are not grand and im- 
 posing, yet they are most beautiful and touching. 
 It is impossible to see the still existing Avails of 
 many of its fine mediaeval churches, with frescoes 
 plainly visible in the interiors — here a rectory, there 
 evidences of ele<2^ant homes — without a feelinsr of in- 
 tense sadness. Only two out of the three hundred 
 churches, which are said to have existed in Fama- 
 gusta, were left standing. The principal one, for- 
 merly the cathedi-al and now used as a mosque, is 
 paved witli mortuary marble slabs engraved with 
 the names and arms of Italian noblemen, once buried 
 beneath them, w^hose bones were exhumed and 
 thrown into the sea by order of the fanatical and 
 ferocious Mustapha Pacha, the day after he captured 
 the city. The other church, used as a granary and 
 a stable by the Turks, contains also a few tomb- 
 stones, now all worn out by the hoi'ses' hoofs. 
 There I discovered an inscription lecording the day 
 on which, by the abdication of Katharine Cornaro, 
 the Venetians became the rulers of Cyprus." 
 
 " Within the city walls resides the caimakan '^ of 
 the province of Carpass, with the Cadi of Fama- 
 gusta, and the usual mejilis. There is also a mili- 
 tary governor of the fortress, and a company of ar- 
 tillery. This governor resides with his troops in a 
 small fort overlooking the sea, and flanked by a 
 
 * Governor. 
 
30i APPENDIX. 
 
 large round tower called Ly tLe natives * Torre del 
 Moro' (Tower of the Moor). Tradition asserts that 
 in this tower were the headquarters of the Venetian 
 Lord Lieutenant of Cyprus, Cristoforo Moro, during 
 the years 150G to 1308. Li the latter year, on the 2 2d 
 of October, Cristoforo ]\Ioro Avas recalled from C}*- 
 piiis, and returned to Venice ; and from documents 
 which I have been allow^ed to peruse, it would ap- 
 pear that this man was married four times, and that 
 his private life was not very exemplary. This Cristo- 
 foro Moro was the 'Othello' of Shakespeare." 
 
 "The fortress of Famagusta contained some one 
 the worst criminals of the Turkish Empire. Many 
 of them are condemned for life, others are sen- 
 tenced to from fifteen to twenty-five years' im- 
 prisonment, and all are heavily shackled." 
 
 The harbor of Famagusta would be excellent, if 
 it Avere cleared of the filth with which it is blocked 
 up ; but at present it can only accommodate a few 
 small vessels. 
 
 Limasol, on the south coast, is the most European 
 town in the island, and has a good harbor; but the 
 old parts of the town are aheap of ruins. It is still 
 of considerable impoi'tance, and is the chief place of 
 export for the wines of the country, A\hich are much 
 in demand in the Levant. The surrounding coun- 
 try is rich in fruit trees, of which the carobtree is 
 the most conspicuous. 
 
 Near the town formerly stood the Commaudery 
 
APPENDIX. 305 
 
 of tlie Kniglits Templars (Coramandevy of Kolossi), 
 extending from Mount Olympus to Baffo and Lima- 
 sol. 
 
 Bailo, or Xew Pa])hos, Avas under tLe Romans 
 the principal town in the western part of the island, 
 and is famous in ancient poetry as the favorite resi- 
 dence of Aphrodite or Yenus, and here was her 
 most celebrated temple. 
 
 Dui'ing the reign of the Emperor Augustus, this 
 town was destroyed by an earthquake, and was 
 afterwards rebuilt. 
 
 Here St. Paul converted Sergius Paul us, the 
 Ivoman deputy-governor, beside many others, preach- 
 ing in the Jewish synagogues, of which there were 
 several. 
 
 Here Elymas, the sorcerer, was struck blind for 
 endeavoring to frastrate St. Paul's attempts to 
 Christianize the people. 
 
 The Church of St. Paul is the only Venetian 
 buildin«: now standini?. Baffo has a small but un- 
 safe port, and is the See of a Greek bishop. Keri- 
 nia, Cerini, or Ghirneh, on the north coast, lias a 
 harbor, from which a limited trade is carried on 
 Avith the opposite coast of Karamania, Its ruins 
 would seem to indicate that it was formerly a fine 
 town. It is fortified, and the second stronghold of 
 the island, and like Lapethus (the original capital 
 of the district of Kerinia), is traced to the Doi'ian 
 colonists, under Praxander and Cepheus. This 
 
306 APPENDIX. 
 
 formed one of the royal cities of the islaiiiL "I 
 passed near the town," says Cesnola, " several times 
 durlno; mv northern excursions, but never had tlie 
 curiosity to enter it. The vilhige itself, with the 
 exception of the citadel, is a small dirty place, al- 
 most exclusively inhabited by Mussulmans, who, 
 with the garrison, enjoy a very bad reputation — 
 second only to that of their co-religionists at New 
 Paphos. The ancient site of Keiinia is a little to 
 the Avest of the present town, and more inland. For 
 a considerable distance along the western shore, 
 there are to be seen here and there caverns exca- 
 A'ated in the I'ock ; some, though not all, seem to 
 liave been tombs. South-east of the town, about 
 an hour's ride from it, and midway up the moun- 
 tains, stands an imposing mediaeval ruin called 
 * Lapais.' It was an abbey, built by King Hugo the 
 Third, and belonged to the Latin Church, but was 
 destroyed by the Turks when they captured the 
 fortress of Kerinia. It is a fact worth noticing, 
 that all the churches belonging to the Latins were 
 destroyed by the Turks when they took possession 
 of the island. In this I have no doubt they Avere 
 gladly assisted, or at least encouraged, by the Greeks, 
 who detested the Franks even more than the Turks. 
 This abbey occu2:)ied one of the most picturesque 
 and lovely spots of the whole island ; a large hall is 
 still standino;, one hundred feet lonir, tliirtv-two 
 feet wide, and about forty feet higlj, Avhicli was 
 
APPENDIX. 307 
 
 probably tlie refectory of the Frencli abbots ; be- 
 neath it is another apartment of like dimensions, 
 divided into two chambers, the vault of which is 
 su2:)ported by massive columns." 
 
 " In the court-yard, piled the one upon the other, 
 are two large marble sarcophagi of late liomau 
 work, one of which has garlands of flowers, nude 
 figures, and large bulls' heads in bold relief. Both 
 bear evidence of having been used for a long time 
 as troughs. Upon the lintel, over the door of the 
 great hall, are engraved three shields; one repre- 
 sents the Jerusalem cross, another the royal arms of 
 the Lusignans, and the third a lion rampant. The 
 Gothic chaj^el of the abbey has been partly repaired 
 with sun-dried bricks and plaster, and is now used 
 by the Greeks, living in the neighborhood, as their 
 place of worship; portions of the court-yard serve 
 as their cemetery. On two high peaks in this range 
 of mountains stood two feudal or royal castles, one 
 called St. Hilarion, and the other Buffavento, which 
 served as state prisons and places of refuge to 
 some of the Latin kings of Cj'prus. They were 
 both dismantled by order of the Venetian Admiral 
 Prioli." 
 
 CLnrATE. 
 
 The climate is generally healthy, excepting on 
 some parts of the coast, but this is entirely due to 
 the neglected state of the countiy; if the much- 
 
308 .VPPENDIX. 
 
 needed drainage was properly carried out, the •most 
 satisfactory result Avould ensue. As in most Eastern 
 countries, the rain falls at stated periods, commenc- 
 ins: about the middle of Octol)er and contlnuius: 
 until the end of April. After June slight showers 
 fall from time to time, but have little power to 
 modify the heat, which is, however, tempered occa- 
 sionally by a cool wind. In Septeml^er the great 
 heat sets in, but does not continue for any length 
 of time. At Larnaka, the mean temperature in 
 February is about 52 des;., and in Auo-ust 81 deo;. 
 Tlie winters are milder, and the summer cooler than 
 on the coast of S3aMa opposite. 
 
 The avei'age rainfall is about fourteen inches in 
 the year. Of late years, droughts have been of fre- 
 quent occurrence, owing, no doubt, to the destruc- 
 tion of the woods and forests. 
 
 The south coast is liable to hot winds from the 
 north-east, from the desert of Arabia in the south- 
 cast, and in the south and south-west from Esxvpt 
 and Lybia. 
 
 Speaking of one of these winds, Dr. Clarke says, 
 " We found it so scorching that the skin instantly 
 peeled from our lips ; a tendency to sneeze was ex- 
 cited, accompanied by great pains in the eyes, and 
 chapj)ing of the hands and face. The mercury, ex- 
 2^osed to its full current, rose deg. Falirenheit in 
 two minutes — from SO desr. to 8G deer."- 
 
 Dr. linger says, that it is so hot in summer as to 
 
APPENDIX. 309 
 
 make occupation irksome, and so cold in winter tkat 
 the absence of spring and autumn makes tlie trans- 
 ition, from one extreme to the other, ver}' sudden. 
 The climate is, of course, cooler in the more moun- 
 tainous portion of tbe west, than in the flat eastern 
 side, where the temperature in the height of summer 
 amounts to 90 deg. in the shade; daring the winter, 
 in the low^er parts of the land, it seldom falls to 
 freezing point. During October, November, and 
 December the rain falls, and entirely ceases during 
 the summer, when there is generally a blue sky over 
 the island. The drier the summer, the damper the 
 winter ; and sometimes it then rains for forty days 
 together. At such periods the thirsty land recovers 
 itself. On the other liand, there are winters when 
 no rain falls, and drought is severely felt during 
 the summer. In the time of Constantine, we are told 
 that no rain fell on the island for thirty-six years. 
 
 By the middle of May the harvest is over, and 
 Avherever the eye rests the grass is withered and 
 parched. The temperature has now reached 80 deg. 
 in the shade, and sometimes in the middle of the 
 day is even higher; the atmosphere grows thick, and 
 a veil seems to fall over all surrounding ol)jects; all 
 rivers are dry; the dew ceases in June or July, and 
 the hot winds make the air more oppressive ; finally 
 come hosts of annoying insects, from which one may 
 seek in vain to escape. At this season, all work 
 is done in the evening and at night. 
 
310 appendix. 
 
 Population. 
 
 Tlie number of inhabitants is very uncertain. It 
 is variously estimated between 100,000 and 250,000 
 souls, of whom 40,000 to G0,000 are Mohamme- 
 dans, including the Linoj^ambagi, or " men of linen 
 and cotton," as they are called in derision, who 
 outwardly conforming to the tenets of Moham- 
 med, are in reality Christians. The majority of the 
 people belong to the Greek Church, and the re- 
 mainder are either Armenians or Maronites, whose 
 peculiar religion we will endeavor to describe. 
 These number about 2,800. 
 
 The Maronites are a tribe of people inhabiting 
 the western declivity of Mount Lebanon, and figure 
 in history as a sect of Christians. By adopting the 
 Monothelitic doctrine soon after it had been con- 
 demned, in A. D. 080, by the Council of Constanti- 
 noj^le, they came to be distinguished as a distinct 
 religious pai-ty, and having as their first bishop a 
 certain monk, John Maro, they were called Maro- 
 nites. Maro assumed the title of " Patriarch of 
 Antioch," and asserted the ecclesiastical indej)end- 
 ence of the tribe. 
 
 This sect defended their freedom first against the 
 Greeks, and afterwards against the Saracens. At 
 length, in 1182, they renounced the opinions of the 
 Monothelites, and were re-admitted within the pale 
 of the E-omish Church ; the terms of reconciliation 
 
APPENDIX. 311 
 
 being tliat the religious tenets, moral precepts, and 
 ancient rites of the country should remain unaltered. 
 The Maronites adopted no Popish opinion, except 
 the supremacy of the Roman Pontiff. By this 
 slight tie they still continue united to the Church 
 of Rome. In return for their imperfect allegiance, 
 the Pope is obliged to defray the expenses of their 
 public "worship, and to maintain a college at Rome 
 for the education of their priests. lie has the power 
 of sanctioning the appointment of their patriarch, 
 after he has been selected by their bishops. This 
 •dignitary has his headquarters in the monastery of 
 Lebanon, and holds the title of Patriarch of An- 
 tioch, and by adopting the name of Peter, claims to 
 be the successor of that apostle. Like the bishops 
 "Nvho compose his synod, he is bound to remain in 
 perpetual celibacy, a law, however, which the rest 
 of the clergy do not observe. The Maronite monks 
 are of the order of St. Anthony, and live in monas- 
 teries scattered amoni]: the mountain solitudes. 
 
 Slavery exists, but owing to the increasing pov- 
 erty of the Turks, the number of slaves is very 
 much diminished. 
 
 Character of the Inhabitants. 
 
 Herr von Luher describes the bulk of the j^opu- 
 lation as devoid of all energy, of sluggish tempera- 
 ment, and obstinately addicted to ancient customs. 
 
312 APPENDIX. 
 
 They are powerful, liospltaLle, and exceedingly 
 amiable in tlieii' domestic relations. The women 
 are very good housewives and very active. The 
 girls ai"e full of life, especially on festive occasions, 
 are fond of gaudy coloi's, and dress very fantasti- 
 cally. 
 
 Elementary schools are established in all the 
 larger villages, and others of superior class in the 
 three pi'incipal towns of the island. The Greek 
 bishops and many of the popes have l)een educated 
 in these latter, or at Athens, and are generally men 
 of culture; but most of the village j^riests and, 
 monks are as ignorant as the peasants amongst 
 whom their lives ai'e passed. 
 
 Greek is the language used throughout Cyprus, 
 and has even found its way into many of the Turk- 
 ish houses. 
 
 Agriculture. 
 
 The cultivation of the country apj)ears to be in 
 a very primitive condition, and owing to the light- 
 ness and fertility of the soil but slight labor is re- 
 qnired in producing the necessary crops. The culti- 
 vable surface of the island is estimated at 2,500,000 
 acres, of which not more than 130,000 acres are 
 under tillage. The annual average yield of corn is 
 raid not to exceed 120,000 quarters, and we are told 
 that the disposal of the whole has been a monopoly 
 between the Turkish mulasallin and the G]-eek arch- 
 
APPENDIX. 313 
 
 bishop, wlio eitlier export or retail it at an arbitraiy 
 price. The vegetation resembles that of the other 
 islands of the Mediterranean. Tliere is no meadow 
 land, but a great deal of waste, which is either quite 
 bare, or only covered with heatlier and aromatic 
 plants. 
 
 Natural Productions. 
 
 The principal productions ai'e cotton, hemp, silk, 
 corn, opium, tobacco, turpentine, liquorice, madder, 
 several dye-woods, gum tragacanth, and colocynth, 
 fruits of all kinds, in particular grapes, oranges, lem- 
 ons, pomegranates, olives, walnuts, figs, mulberries, 
 apricots, etc.; the carob-tree [Ceratonia siliqua) 
 abounds in some districts. There were once exten- 
 sive plantations of sugar-cane. Large quantities of 
 fine vegetables are grown. Cyprus was celebrated 
 for roses; hyacinths, anemones, ranunculuses, nar- 
 cissus, po])pies, etc, grow wild. Trees and shrubs 
 of all kinds grow luxuriantly, including pines, firs, 
 cypresses, ashes, oaks, beeches, elms, myrtles, ever- 
 greens, oleanders, etc. 
 
 One of the most important plants of the island is 
 the Ferula Gi-aeca, of the stalks of which the Cyp- 
 riotes form a great part of their household furni- 
 ture, and the pith is used instead of tinder for con- 
 veying fire from one place to another. 
 U 
 
314 appendix. 
 
 Max u fact ukes. 
 
 "Wines of three kinds are made, namely, Comman- 
 deria, Muscadine, and Mavro. Cotton, silk, and 
 woolen goods of various qualities are manufactured, 
 on a small scale. Olive oil, pitch, resin, cheese, 
 raisins, and pottery (for home consumption) are 
 also made. Isikosia is noted for its morocco leather. 
 The peasantry distill rose, orange, and lavender wa- 
 ters, myrtle and ladanum oil. 
 
 MixEiiALs axd Precious Stones. 
 
 Cyprus is rich in metals and minerals, including 
 copper, silvei', malachite, lead, and quicksilver. 
 There are also quarries of asbestos, talc, sulphur, 
 red jasper, agate, rock crystal, and marble. Soda 
 is also found. The salt works, near Larnaka, pro- 
 duce a revenue of 20,000/. per annum. Gold is 
 occasionally met with in the streams. Diamonds, 
 emeralds, opals, amethysts, and other precious stones 
 are sometimes found. 
 
 Natural History. 
 
 The princij^al animals in the island are oxen, sheep, 
 and goats, which thrive well and are abundant. Tlie 
 most common of the wild animals are the fox, hare, 
 and wild-cat. The hare feeds on fragrant herbs, 
 which impart a most agreeable flavor to its flesh. 
 All the birds that winter in Africa are to be found 
 
APPENDIX. 315 
 
 in Cyprus. Beccaficos and ortolans are very com- 
 mon and remarkably plump. Water-fowl are very 
 numerous; game, such as partridges, quails, wood- 
 cock, and snipe, very plentiful. 
 
 Serpents of various species are commonly met 
 witli ; these are stated to be, we believe erroneously, 
 poisonous. 
 
 Dr. Clarke states that tarantulas, having black 
 bodies covered with hair, and bright yellow eyes, are 
 not uncommon. A large venomous spider is some- 
 times seen, called by Sonnini, the Galcode of the 
 Levant; its body, which is about an inch, long, is a 
 bright yellow, and covered with long hairs; this 
 creature runs with extraordinary swiftness ; its bite 
 rarely produces death, but causes acute pain. The 
 extent to which Cyprus was formerly devastated by 
 locusts has been spoken of in another chapter. Bees 
 are kept in great numbers in many parts of the 
 island. Of these Dr. Clarke Q-ives the followino; in- 
 terestins: account : 
 
 Speaking of the village of Atti^n, he says : " In 
 these little cottages we found very large establish- 
 ments for bees, but all the honey thus made is de- 
 manded by the governor ; so that an apiary is only 
 considered as the cause of an additional tax. The 
 manner, however, in which the honey is collected is 
 curious, and w^orthy of imitation, and it merits a 
 particular description : the contrivance is simple, and 
 w^as doubtless suggested by the more ancient cus- 
 
81G APPENDIX. 
 
 torn still existlno; in tlie Crimea, of liarborino; bees 
 iu cyliiKlrieal Lives made from the Lark of trees. 
 They build up a wall formed entirely of earthen 
 cylinders, each about three feet in length, placed 
 one above the other horizontally, and closed at their 
 extremities with mortar. This wall is then covered 
 Avitli a shed, and upwards of one hundred hives may 
 thus be maintained within a very small compass." 
 
 Kevenue. 
 
 Herr Lolier found it difficult to obtain trust- 
 worthy information respecting the revenue of the 
 island.. The best estimate obtainable calculated it 
 at about sixteen and a half millions of piastres. 
 Half a million of this, being derived from a con- 
 sideration paid by Christians for exemption from 
 military service, would have to be immediately sur- 
 rendei'cd by a Christian Government. Three, at 
 least, of the remaining imposts, yielding an esti- 
 mated return of two millions of piastres, are so 
 execraljle in principle that they ought to be aban- 
 doned witli the least possible delay. These are the 
 ca2:)itation tax on sheep, and the export duties on 
 ^v'me and silk. It is satisfactory to learn, on the 
 other hand, that the annual cost of administration is 
 not supposed to exceed at present from two to three 
 millions of piastres, the balance of the revenue be- 
 ing confiscated by certain high functionaries now 
 
ArrENDix. 317 
 
 dlscLargeJ ; and tliat tbe apparent receipts do not 
 represent tLe amount actually collected from the 
 population, seeing tliat tliey Lave to pay lialf as 
 mucli again in bribes. These abuses will hencefortli 
 cease; the customs revenue will be largely aug- 
 mented by importations on account of the occupy- 
 ing force, and from the stimulus given to commerce 
 in general; and it may even be possible, by prudent 
 dij)lomacy, to make the vacoirf, or Mohammedan 
 ecclesiastical property, contribute its fair share 
 toward the expenses of the State. 
 
 Sketch of Gen^ehal History. 
 
 According to Josephus, Cyprus was first colon- 
 ized by Cittim, a grandson of Japhet, who settled 
 in the island, and founded Chittim, in emulation of 
 his brother Tarshish, who had built the town of 
 Tarsus, on the opposite coast of Oilicia. The Phoe- 
 nicians, it is supposed, invaded Cyprus at a very 
 early date, and retained possession of the Avhole, or 
 a portion of the island, until the reign of Solomon. 
 Greek colonists also settled on the coast, Herodo- 
 tus states that Amasis, King of Eg3'pt, invaded Cy- 
 prus, and took Citium (Herod., ii, 162). The 
 island then submitted to the Persians, and after- 
 ^vard surrendered to Alexander the Great, on 
 whose death it fell, Avith Egypt, to the share of 
 Ptolemy Soter, " the son of Lagus." Having over- 
 
318 APPEXDIX. 
 
 coine Cyrene, which had revolted, Ptolemy (b.c. 
 313) crossed over to Cyprus to punish the kings of 
 the various little stiites upon that island for having 
 joined Antigonus, one of Alexander's generals. 
 Demetrius, son of Antigonus, conquered the fleet of 
 Ptolemy near the island of Cyprus, took 1,G()0 men 
 prisoners, and sunk 200 shi2")s. 
 
 Now that the fate of empires was to l3e settled 
 by naval battles, the friendship of Cyprus became 
 very imj^ortant to the neighboring states. The 
 large and safe harbors gave to this island a great 
 value in the naval wai'fare between Phoenicia and 
 Asia Minor. Alexander had given it as his opinion 
 that the command of the Mediterranean went with 
 the island of Cyprus, and called it the key to Egypt. 
 Under the Ptolemies, Cyprus continued sometimes 
 united to Egypt, and sometimes governed by a sej)a- 
 rate prince of that dynasty. The last of these 
 princes, brother to Ptolemy.Auletes, King of Egypt, 
 incurred the enmity of P. Clodius Pulcher, a Eoman 
 of illustrious family, who being taken prisoner by 
 Cilician pirates, sent to the King of Cyprus for 
 money to pay his ransom ; the king sent an insuffi- 
 cient sum, and Clodius having recovered his liberty 
 obtained a decree, as soon as he became tribune, 
 for making Cyprus a Roman province. Marcus 
 Cato, against whom lie had a bitter enmit}', was 
 sent to take possession of the new territory, and 
 achieved this difficult undertaking with unexpected 
 
APPENDIX. 319 
 
 success. The king, in despair at tlie attempt upon 
 Lis kingdom, committed suicide. Cato at once 
 seized upon the treasury, and sent a large booty 
 home. Cyprus thus became a Roman j)rovince, 
 and on the division of that empire was allotted to 
 the Byzantines, and long formed one of the bright- 
 est jewels of the imperial crown. At length, after 
 many successive changes, it again became a separate 
 principality, under a branch of the house of Com- 
 nena, from which it was finally wrested by the ad- 
 venturous hand of Richard Coeur de Lion, who 
 sold it to the Knights Templars. The new govern- 
 ment proved so oppressive that the people were 
 driven to open revolt, and Richard, having resumed 
 the sovereignty, placed the crown, in 1192, upon 
 the head of Guy de Lusignan, ex-king of Jerusa- 
 lem. 
 
 John the Third, of Lusignan, died in 145S, leav- 
 ing tlie kingdom to Charlotte, his only legitimate 
 child, who married her cousin Louis, Count of Ge- 
 neva, second son of the Duke of Savoy and of Anna 
 of Cyprus. She was solemnly crowned at Nikosia 
 in 1460, but was soon afterward expelled by her 
 natural brother James, assisted by the Mamelukes 
 of Egypt. James married Katharine Carnaro, the 
 daughter of a Venetian merchant, who brought him 
 a dowry of 100,000 golden ducats. On this occa- 
 sion the Venetian Senate adopted Katharine Car- 
 naro as daughter of St. Mark, and the marriage was 
 
320 APPENDIX. 
 
 celebrated in 1471. In 1473 James died, and his 
 wife, soon after, was delivered of a son, of whom 
 the Republic of Venice assumed the guardianship, 
 and the Venetian troops were sent to garrison the 
 towns of the island. The child dying whilst an in- 
 fant, the Senate persuaded Katharine, in 1489, to 
 abdicate the sovereignty in favor of the Rejiublic, 
 and to retire to Asolo, near Treviso, where she 
 passed the, rest of her days in a princely style on a 
 liberal j)ension. Meantime, Charlotte Lusignan had 
 retired to Rome, where she died in 1486, bequeath- 
 ing her claims to Charles, Duke of Savoy, in conse- 
 quence of which the sovereigns of that dynasty as- 
 sume to this day the title of " Kings of Jerusalem 
 and Cyprus.'' 
 
 ^hei^ V ^iLetians ke pt possession of Cyprus till 
 1470, wh en Selim the Second sent a power ful force 
 to invacTetheisland. T ^ie Turks; took jSikosia by 
 ' storm^ and massacred a b out 20,000 people. F rom 
 tjiat time until now the Turks have remained in^ 
 possession of Cyprus. . 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Aditum, 185. 
 
 Adonis, 223. 
 
 Akazi. 83. 
 
 Alexander the Great, 106. 
 
 Amalrick, 37. 
 
 Amathus, 101, 104, 200, 217. 
 
 Amber, 200. 
 
 Andrew, Mr. W. P., 283. 
 
 Antiquities, 4. 24, 32, 108, 150, 175, 
 
 181, 213, 221. 
 Aphrodite, 103, 153. 
 Aphroditissa, 108. 
 Apollo Hylades, 188. 
 Apostles, 30. 
 Arabs, IG. 112. 
 Armenians . 15. 
 Arsinoe, 181. 
 Asbestos, 200. 
 Astarte, 101. 
 Athienu, 9. 
 
 Baffo, 72, 173. 
 Baths, ancient, 177, 179. 
 Beef, 208. 
 Bees, 56. 
 Bellapais, 58. 
 Berenice, 181. 
 Bragadino, 11. 
 Bribery, 217. 
 Buffavento. 49. 5G. 
 Byblos, 223. 
 Byzantines, 15, 109. 
 
 Caaba, 153. 
 
 Calico, 19. 
 
 Caloyers, 226. 
 
 Camels, 10. 
 
 Capo delle Gatte, 226. 
 
 Carob-tree, 201, 205. 
 
 Carvings, 2, 137. 
 
 Cathedral of St. Sophia, 27. 
 
 Cats, 226. 
 
 Character of people, 161. 
 
 Charlotte Lusignan, 40. 
 
 Chrysorogiatissa, 121, 135. 
 
 Churches, 5, 27, 84, 119, 142, 183, 
 
 212, 219, 239. 
 Chytros, 104. 
 Clarke, Dr., 234. 
 Clemacides, 164. 
 
 aergy, 28, 92, 145, 180, 231, 238. 
 Coal, 200. 
 Cold, 167, 
 
 Commerce, 27, 228, 281. 
 Consulates, 2, 74, 212, 214. 
 Copper mines, 200. 
 Costumes, 24. 
 Cotton, 201, 205. 
 Cultivation, 17, 58, 113, 201. 
 Curias, 226. 
 Customs, 26, 82, 92. 
 Cyrus, 104. 
 
 Dali, 13, 157, 
 Dancing girls, 235. 
 Diorizos River, 135. 
 Donkeys, 155. 
 Doves, 154. 
 
 Egyptians, 104. 107. 
 Embroidery, 206. 
 Enagoras, 105. 
 Episcopi, 136, 186, 219. 
 EucahT)tus, 131. 
 Evrychu, 86. 
 Excavations, 176. 
 Exports, 17. 
 
 321 
 
322 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Famagusta, 11, 33, 38, 75, 219, 271. 
 Farmhouse, 236. 
 Felingher, Marshal, 250, 267. 
 Fevers, 168. 
 Fini, 118. 
 Fish, 216. 
 Flatterers, 164. 
 Flowers, 159, 187, 203. 
 Forests, 10, 126. 
 Fortresses, 11, 58, 192, 220, 256. 
 Frederick the Second, Emperor of 
 Germany, 245, 253. 
 
 Game, 9, 82, 206, 233. 
 
 Gardens, 16, 22, 177. 
 
 Germans, 113, 213, 215, 244, 250. 
 
 Giergil Oglilu, 75. 
 
 Goats, 210. 
 
 Gold, 200. 
 
 Goldsmid, SirF., 280. 
 
 Governors, 20, 31, 65, 69, 72, 130, 
 
 133, 267. 
 Grecian settlers, 3. 
 Greek Church, 237. 
 Gieeks, 103, 225. 
 
 Hafiz Mahoramed Effendi, 69. 
 
 Halil Aga, 71. 
 
 Harbors, 178, 227. 
 
 Heat, 85, l';3. 136, 167, 218. 
 
 Henrv Sixth, Emperor of Gennany, 
 
 37.' 
 Hildeslieim, Bishop, 88. 
 Horticulture, 16, 22- 
 Hunting, 32. 
 
 Ibelin, 248, 256, 271. 
 Ibrahim Bev, 71. 
 Idalion, 13,'l01, 109. 
 Imbat, 172. 
 Insurrections, 68, 70. 
 Inundations, 199. 
 Izil Osman Aga, 65. 
 
 James the Second, 39. 
 Jevps, 109. 
 
 John of Cfesarea, 277. 
 John de Ibelin, 47. 
 Justinian, Emperor, 15. 
 
 Kantara, 55. 
 Karubieh. 228. 
 
 Katharine Comaro, 39. 
 
 Kattirdje Janni, l40. 
 
 Kerynia, 55, 70, 104, 258. 
 
 Kikku, 136. 
 
 Kinion, 105. 
 
 King of Cyprus and Jerusalem, 40. 
 
 Kior, Mahonimed Pacha, 75. 
 
 Kiti, 3. 101, 104, 219. 
 
 Knights Templars, 17, 36, 126, 194, 
 
 250, 254, 259. 
 Kolos.sin, 191. 
 Konou, 182. 
 Kotschy, Dr., 55. 
 Ktima, 143, 173. 
 Kuklia, 135, 143, 173, 183. 
 Kurion, 104, 189. 
 
 Laborers, 231. 
 
 Lagathos, 212. 
 
 Language, 3, 26. 
 
 Lapithos, 104. 
 
 Larks, 9. 
 
 Larnaka, 1, 9, 219. 
 
 Lebanon, 97. 
 
 Lepers, 20, 54. 
 
 Levkosia, 22. 
 
 Limasol, 37, 209, 214, 219, 224. 
 
 L'Imbat, 172. 
 
 Lion Mount, 49. 
 
 Literature, 16. 
 
 Locusts, 132, 134. 
 
 Lycopotamos, 135. 
 
 Lycos, 189. 
 
 Manufactures, 107, 162. 
 Manure, 204. 
 Maria of Molino, 53. 
 Marshes. 8, 58, 211. 
 Matazos, 228. 
 Mattel, M., 134. 
 Mehemet Ali, 127. 
 Meleky Bey, 77. 
 Messaria, 10, 58. 
 Meteoric stones, 154. 
 Middle Ages, 35. 
 
 Mineral wealth, 101, 104, 108, 200. 
 Monasteries, 53, 81, 116, 121, 210. 
 Monks, 2. 15, 52, 119, 136, 141. 
 Morfu, 13, •219. 
 Mosaics, 147. 
 
 Mountains, 10, 49, 61, 86, 93, 122, 
 135, 198, 232. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 323 
 
 Mules, 155. 
 
 Mustapha, Seraskier, 17. 
 
 Natural products, 104, 201. 
 New Paphos, 104, 143. 
 Nikosia, 23, 80, 42, 65, 80, 271. 
 Nobility, 32, 214. 
 
 Oils (distilled), 205, 206. 
 
 Old Paplios, 143. 
 
 Olive trees, 202, 205. 
 
 Olympus, Mount, 10, 60, 80, 86, 93. 
 
 Oracles, 147. 
 
 Panagia (village), 130. 
 
 Paphos, 101, 107. 
 
 Papbos (sou of Pygmalion), 223. 
 
 Paradise, 56. 
 
 Partridge, 9. 
 
 Pedias, 13, 50. 
 
 People, 62, 84, 87, 119, 151, 157, 161, 
 
 183, 233. 
 Perforated stones, 147. 
 Persians, 105. 
 Plianoroniene Panagia, 7. 
 Philip of Macedon, 105. 
 Phoenicians, 3, 7. 78, 223. 
 Pictures, 120, 136. 
 Pirates, 109, 152, 189. 
 Plains of Cyprus, 80. 
 Plants, 122. 
 Population, 215. » 
 Precious stones, 200. 
 Prisons, 31, 138. 
 Ptolemies, lOCi, 181, 234. 
 Pygmalion, 223. 
 
 Queen Alice, 247, 271, 276. 
 Queen's Castle, 56. 
 Queen's Cave, 150. 
 
 Rain, 158, 170, 209. 
 
 Regents, 255, 263. 
 
 Resin, 128. 
 
 Revenue, 202, 216, 240, 254, 272. 
 
 Richard Cceur de Lion, 36, 113, 225, 
 
 237. 
 Rivers, 13, 50, 135. 
 Robbers, 138. 
 Robes of priests, 200. 
 Rogio, 137. 
 Romans, 107. 
 
 Sacred road, 182. 
 
 Sacred stones, 109, 149, 153, 185. 
 
 Saints, 109. 
 
 St. Andronika, 02. 
 
 St. George, 236. 
 
 St. Helena, 232. 
 
 St. Hilarion, 55. 
 
 St. Katharine, 29. 
 
 St. Lazarus, 6. 
 
 St. Nicholas, 27. 
 
 St. Paul, 176. 
 
 St. Sophia, 27. 
 
 Salamis, 104. 
 
 Salt lake, 7. 
 
 Salt, 2O0, 216. 
 
 San Chrisostomo, 49. 
 
 Sarcophagi, 3. 
 
 Satrachos River, 13. 
 
 Schools, 5, 214. 
 
 Shepherds. 124, 142. 
 
 Shipbuilding, 101, 104, 106, 126, 20L 
 
 Silk, 15, 18,200,206,216. 
 
 Silver, 200. 
 
 Simony, 104. 
 
 Snakes, 187, 207. 
 
 Snow, 96. 
 
 Soil, 198, 224. 
 
 Soli, 104, 200. 
 
 Soliman Effendi, 72. 
 
 Statutes, 44. 
 
 Sugar, 18. 208. 
 
 Sultan, 112. 
 
 Summer residence, 158. 
 
 Superstitions, 7, 117, 119. 
 
 Syrians, 3, 15, 18, 101, 103. 
 
 Table rocks, 14. 
 
 Tamassus, 200. 
 
 Taxes, 44, 03, 73, 87, 109, 216. 
 
 Temperature, 167. 
 
 Temple of Venus, 13, 151. 
 
 Temples, 16, 151, 188. 
 
 Timber, 16, 91, 105, 122, 127, 177, 
 
 204. 
 Tombs, 3, 6, 151, 174, 181. 
 Tribute, 203. 
 Troaditissa, 95, 116. 
 Trojan War, 102. 
 Turks, 8, 40, 100. ' 
 Tyre, 106. 
 
 Unger, De, 55, 98. 
 
324 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Vandalism, 221. 
 
 Vases, 221, 225. 
 
 Vassalage, 44. 
 
 Vegetables, 207. 
 
 Velvet, 18. 
 
 Venetians, 31, 39, 41, 114, 202. 
 
 Venus, 13, 109, 143, 144, 154, 164, 
 
 181, 222. 
 Vespasian, 148. 
 
 Wanton mischief , 129. 
 
 Watch towers, 152, 189, 191. 
 
 Wealth, 33. 
 
 Weav'ing, 18. 
 
 Wind, 172, 206. 
 
 Wine, 18, 43, 119, 196, 201, 233. 
 
 Women, 25, 50, 142, 152, 161, 185, 
 
 190, 211, 214, 241. 
 Woods, 172, 206. 
 
 Zaptiehs, 83, 118, 183, 222. 
 
 THE END, 
 
A 000 528 318