HISTORY ETHNOGRAPHY NATURE WINE-MAKING SITE MAP
Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
uses Google technology and indexes only and selectively internet - libraries having books with free public access
 
  Previous Next  

CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 436

View PDF version of this page

42« KXCERPTA CYPRIA. Wool—average quantity GOO cantar* ; average price 00 piastres : formerly all went to Europe, latterly all to Syria. Cattle and Sheep—from 8000 to 10,000 head. Cora—in an abundant harvest, from 200,000 to 250,000 kilos of Constantinople (our Winchester bushel) ; average price from 21 to 3 piastres a kilo : all goes to Europe and Turkey, Barley—in a good harvest 300,000 or 350,000 kilos; average price from 35 to 40 paras a kilo : nil goes to Europe and Turkey. Double, or even treble this quantity would, it is said, be produced, but for the mischief done by cattle and horses. Oil—some years it is imported, there not being enongh in the island for its own consumption ; in other years there is enough and to export : average price from 32 to 40 pares an oke. Caraba (called by us the locust tree, and producing a sort of bean)—average quantity 6000 cantare ; average price 0 paras the cantar : most part goes to Egypt, some to Syria and Constantinople. Wine—of a year old, average quantity ti-3,000 couzai (a couza is eight okes) ; average price from two to three paras the couza : most part goes to Venice, some to the Black Sea. Old Λ Vines—from ten to twelve paras the couza. Commonest Red Wine—average quantity 40,000 couzai : great part is consumed in the island, for drinking raki; the rest supplies European ships touching here, and is sent to Turkey: average price 40 to 50 paras the couza, .:. Raki—weak white brandy : from 100,000 to 200,000 okes ; average price 85 to 20 paras the oke : great quantity is drank in the island, the rest is sold to European ships and sent to Turkey. Coloquintida—the bitter apple, from 30 to 40 cantare; average price from ISO to 200 paras the cantar: all goes to .England. Madder—average quantity G00 cantare ; average price from 80 to 100 paras the cantar : nearly all goes to Europe, very little to Turkey; sometimes it will sell at 130 paras the cantar; in 1803 it sold from 200 to 230 paras the cantar, being a bad crop. Terra d'ombra—an earth used by painters, immeasurable quantity ; average price two paras the cantar. There is a green earth found in Cyprus, which with very little preparation makes a dye of that colour, and is used for colouring the walls of rooms : it is not, however, an article of commerce Salt—There aro two considerable salt-pits, one near Larnaca (the beat in quality), and one near Liniesole. These produce annually 4 or 5000 araba (a measure of 1000 okes each), which are sold from ten to fifteen paras an araba. It is sent to Syria and Constantinople, but there is not a market for the whole. There is besides a quantity of Sesame, from which is extracted an oil, consumed in the island. Of wax aud honey there is hardly enough for the island, which imports, in case of necessity, a small quantity from Caramania. Such is the state of an island, which under the ancients, and even under Venetian oppression, was so rich and flourishing. The consul tells me that its whole trade now does not clear it above two millions of piastres. It diminishes yearly, because the population is yearly diminished, and it was lately, like Rhodes, or even more because nearer, mined by the Turkish fleet and army off Satalia, the Captain Pasha who commanded forcing the island not only to furnish him gratis with all sorts of provisions and fruits, and even to pay the freight of them, but to buy tho ships he took at his own price. It is the property of tho Captain Pasha, and is governed by a Musellim appointed by him. (There were formerly three Pashas in Cyprus ; one of thiee tails at Nicosia, and two

View PDF version of this page


  Previous First Next