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CHAPTER VIL EXCURSION FROM THE CITY OF NICOSIA TO THE TOWN AND FORTRESS OF CERINES. OUTSIDE the gate by which one leaves Nicosia for Cerines, along a good stretch of road one sees many Turkish graves, some of them constructed with fine marbles and columns, fragments of buildings once existing within the city. After an hour's march across the plain you cross by two different well-built stone bridges two branches of the river or torrent Pedicus. Red jasper is found in its bed. Beyond the Pedicus lies the village of Dicomos, where there is nothing to note except a large house belonging to a Turkish agha, and many clumps of mulberry trees. Other villages are in sight, and the adjoining country bears cotton plants and mulberry trees. After crossing the whole plain you reach the skirts of the northern range, which traverses the island from west to east. All the paths across it are steep and difficult, the least inconvenient is that commonly called the Boghaz (gullet) : it runs between two hills, sometimes only wide enough for one person to pass, at others a cart might travel on it. Beyond the Boghaz the road mounts to its highest point, whence you see the sea of Cilicia or Caramania, and the north coast of the island. In descending on the other side you skirt a broad valley, abounding in springs. At the bottom are sundry old buildings, which they say were fortifications; they might have been attacked, but they were incapable of defence, so I prefer to think them ruined mills, such as I have seen elsewhere. All the mountains are covered with small trees and brushwood, c. Μ. т. 4

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