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costume; mid if the length of beard was intended to add to dignity, his must have been increased foi* that puipose. He only spoke Romaic, but asked me some few questions by the help of his nephew who had been studying medicine at Padua for some years, and seemed an intelligent young man, ardent in the pursuit of science, and apparently very little pleased at being doomed to bury himself in such a place as Cyprus; where, he told me with a sigh, he should be obliged in a year or two to tlx his residence. The cost-nine of the Franks is, for the men, generally that of Europe. The consuls have an uniform, which they make as rich as possible with embroidery. I saw them all in grand gala on the birthday of the Emperor of Austria, whose consul received a visit of ceremony from all the others. The costume of the women is Greek, and almost similar to that which the late travels in Greece have rendered so familiar to all readers. The descendants of the Venetians still preserve their dialect, though purer Italian is spoken by many of the Franks. This island, which is said to have been divided in former days into nine populous kingdoms, is now reduced to between eighty and ninety thousand inhabitants: which according to common report is daily diminishing. The produce of the island is still considerable iu corn, wine, oil and silks, notwithstanding its neglected state. A considerable quantity of salt h collected in the neighbourhood of La Scala, in an extensive lake into which the sea water passes. The salt is produced by simple evaporation from the rays of the sun, aud collected in heaps at the east end. Tlie north side is confined by rising ground, where is a beautiful mosque, built in honour of one of Mahomet's relations. The mountains of the Holy Cross appear to rise behind it. Towards sunset its rays verging on the lake produce a bright red, on which were reflected the figures of the carts, horses and passengers traversing it : this combining with the mosque and the tints on the overhanging mountains, produced a beautiful picture. The government is an appendage to the Captain Pasha, who vests it in the person of a jMosallem or governor, nominally appointed for three years; the present one had however contrived to remain longer. The seat of government is at Nicosia, where tho chief Turkish population resides. The island is divided into sixteen districts, each under a lieutenant, who bears the title of qarmaqam. The Grand Signor, at the commencement of a war, demands four hundred men from Cyprus, who form part of the Timariots. The Greeks are as usual oppressed. The dignitaries of the church are protected by the governor, who obtains contributions easily through their influence. They consist of one Archbishop nnd three bishops, the former with, an income of forty thousand dollars; the latter have much less, and in an excursion 1 made for a day in the mountains, a return of money for hospitality shown was thankfully received by one of them. Tlie Roman Catholics have a considerable establishment at Lamica. The convent of the Propaganda is a large building, where Γ should recommend travellers to endeavour to gain admission, as they will be more independent, and enabled by payment to make a recompense for the treatment they receive; which, however freely granted by the Levantine agents, yet is considered a tax ou them; and they take care to let you understand the British government does not pay for it: Unfortnnately for me, so few military men had been seen as travellers in the east, that Γ was supposed employed by my government. I became an object of suspicion to the Franks and Turks, and of extortion to the Levantines. From this latter circumstance, I lost two opportunities of learing Cyprns, by not acceding to the enormous demands made for my passage, and began to feel the effect of malaria. To counteract this I joined a party on the 8th of October, in an excursion into the mountains west of Lamica. The road lay at first through a plain in a dry gravelly soil, producing only olives, growing to a larger size than LIGHT. 421

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