View PDF version of this page

town there was a large bason now almost filled np; it served for the security of the shipping, and was defended by a strong castle, as appears by the foundations of it; this must be the inclosed port mentioned by the antients; the walls seem to have been very strong, and in the foundations there have been found many stones, with inscriptions on them, in an unintelligible character, which, 1 suppose, is the an tient Phoenician; and if the city was ever rebuilt, after it was destroyed by Ptolemy, these stones might be put into the Avails when they were repaired. They have discovered a great nnmber of antient sepulchres in and about the city of Lamica ; 1 saw some built of hewn stone ; in one of them I observed the stones were laid along at top like large beams, and others laid over them like a floor; there is another which ends at an angle, and both are of excellent workmanship, and finished in the most perfect manner. The fathers of the Terra Santa have a large convent iu this town ; the Capuchins also have a monastery here; and the irréels four or five very good churches. The repnblick of Ragusa have a consul residing in this place, as well as the French and English. Chap. II. OF FAMAGUSTA AND THE ANTIENT SALAMIS. On the tenth of November we set out from Lamica on mules, under the protection of the consul's janizari, in order to make the tour round the island. We travelled eastward and came to the bed of a torrent, called Camhoroumda, which had water in it; I saw mounds near it, which might be the remains of some antient work. In three qnarters of an hour we came to the hills that stretch to cape Pyla: That head must be the antient Promontory of /Wee; I observed an old tower on it. We came to the vale of Ormih'a, where there are several houses and silk gardens belonging to the people of Lamica. We afterwards had a sight of cape Grega, probably the same as that which the writers of the Turkish history call cape Grascia, and was probably cape Throtti of the antients, where there was a city of the same name. Going on I was told that we passed within four miles of Trapeza, which, if I mistake not, is to the right, though Blaeu's map puts a place of that name near Famagusta ; this probably is a village near the high hill, that was compared by the antients to a table, and was sacred to Venus; I had a view of it on this head of land. This hill was over cape PtdaUum, which may be the same as Ammochustus, and 1 suppose it to be the northern point of that broad head of land, which is now called cape Gh'ega. Pedalium is thought to be a corruption of the antient name Idatium, there having been a town of that name in Cyprus, which was sacred to Venns; the ldalian wood was near it, in which, according to antient fables, Adorns, a favourite of Veims, was killed by a boar, and they feign that she turned him into a flower. There are two ports mentioned between this and Salamis, which are Leucola and Arsinoe; a city also is mentioned with the latter, which might be where Famagusta is at present situated. We came to a village called Merash, which is half a mile south of Famagusta, where the Christians live who are not permitted to dwell within the city. 1 was here recommended to a Christian, who assigned me a room, which he had built in his garden, where I was entirely alone, and sent to the town for whatever I wanted. The next day I went with the janizari to the city; for though I had a letter to the Governor, yet I was advised not to send it, as I had no present for him. 1 went with all freedom wherever I pleased about the town. The Governor however was afterwards informed, that I had viewed the town very exactly, and wrote everything down, tho' I had only copied a short Greek inscription. Upon this he sent 254 EXCERPTA CYPRIA

View PDF version of this page