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Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 297

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URUMMOXU 287 but nil around this place is, certainly, the worst spot in the kingdom, on account of the salt air, the want of moisture, and the almost total neglect uf cultivation. One man ploughs with two oxen, which, though lean as Pharaoh's kine, are strong enough fur this purpose: the ground is cut up with an instrument not so strong as a common garden-scythe* and, in lieu of an harrow, a fellow stands upon a short thick plank drawn by one ur two oxen; a method which dues not so much break as flatten and press down the earth ; yet it produces a better effect than one would at first imagine : for the ground being naturally mellow and tender, is much more easily broke than ours, which is hard and tough ; and pressure is necessary to cover the seed, which, otherwise, would be apt to shoot up too soon, with the first shower that falls. J have already observed, that the people of this island reap with sickles furnished with bells to frighten the serpents : their manner of separating the corn from the ear, is this ; they nail thick planks together, about three feet square, in which are fastened broken flints 01 pebbles; upon this stage a clumsy fellow sits, or stands, directing an ux or two that drag him round and round a parcel of the grain ns it is brought from the field, which he from time to time draws down, as he finds what is under him sufficiently cut or shaken from the ear. You hare, herewith, α thermometrical table of the weather for one year compleat; by which you will perceive a veiy considerable difference between the heat uf this and last year; this, I am told, is of a more natural temperature : the extremes of the other proceeded from intolerable NE winds, which render the air almost insufferably hot. [ We omit a description of the chamaeleon, an animal now sufficiently known, and continue our extracts with MY Drummoiul's account of his secanti visit to Cyprus in April, 1750, pp. 350—581.] Starting without any other company than that of a janissary, two servants, aud a guide, after having provided such stores as are absolutely necessary to one who travels in Turkey, my first stage was to Chitty, a village which took its name from its neighbourhood to the point of land formerly called Dade* Promontorium ; bnt iu latter times, distinguished by the appellation of Citiuin Promontorium, or Chitty point, because it formed the bay of Citium, and preserved the shipping from the severity of the westerly winds. But to say that this place derives its name from the antient city of Citinm, as some people affirm, from the sole consideration of the affinity of sounds, is altogether absurd ; as there is not one reason to support, but many to disprove the supposition: for example, this place is near Dad es IPromontorium, whereas Citium was not, neither did that city stand upon the banks of the river Tatius, which waters this village of Chitty, and over which there has been a well-built bridge of four arches. Here is no anchorage for the smallest bark, but there was a safe bay for a numerous fleet near Citium, the sea-port of which was called Salines, from the neighbouring salt-works. About this village, not the least vestige of antiquity or grandeur is to be found; at Lamica, are undeniable proofs of its having been the antient Citium ; some of these I hare already mentioned, and one or two more I found when J was last iu that place. Near to the sonth ruins of the walls, a subterranean vault has been lately discovered ; it is nineteen feet in length, above nine feet broad, the walls are near three feet thick; two stones form the roof, which is surrounded with a bold, plain, well wrought cornice. It has two passages at present open, and I call it subterranean, because it plainly appears to have been built into the earth with stones and lime, the walls on the outside being rayled ; which could not have been the case had it been accidentally covered in the general ruin. For what purpose this vault was intended, I shall not take upon me to determine : if as a catacomb, one would expect to see some places for repositories to the dead ; and if it had been meant as a sacellum, or chapel, there would, iu all probability, hare been some place for the statue of the

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