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rOlîCACCHI. VILLAMONT. 1/1 VILLAMONT. The Seigneur de Yillaniont left libi home in the Duchy of Brittany in June, 1588, travelled in Italy and embarked at Venice ou a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He visited Cyprus on the voyage to Jaffa, and again on his way from Tripoli to Dam ietta. His return journey from Alexandria to Venice took him no lem than one hundred and eight days, " without setting foot on land," and at Venice he was detained thirty-seven days ία quarantine! His voyages occupied thirty-nine months: the distance covered he reckons at 5658 leagues. The work from which these extracts are translated was published at Paris in 1596, again at Arras in 1&P8, and at Ronen in 1612. M. de Villaniont's account of the locuste is quoted by Sir John Chardin (1686) from "an ancient traveller," and reprinted by Southey, in a note to Tlialaba, m. 30. (Poetical Works, in one volume, royal 8vo, Longmans, 1868, p. 241.) LES VOYAGES DU SEIGXEUK DE VILLAMOKT, CHEVALIER DE L'ORDRE DE HIERUSALEM, UENTIL-HOMME DU PAYS DE BRKTAIGKE. Arras, 1508, pp. 257 et sqq. On Ascension Day, Thursday, May 11, 15S9, about mid-day we arrived at the first point of the kingdom of Cyprus, which seamen call Cape S. Piphauy, and coasting along came near to Baffo. This city is situated in a fair plain, close to the sea, and much set off to landwards by low hills. But it is half mined, so that it profits little by the beauty of its site and the fruit fulness of the soil. There are found here m great quantity very beautiful stones called Bafo diamonds : some of them indeed are beautiful enough to deceive many a lapidary. The peasants put them aside and sell them very cheaply. The city of Baffo was anciently called Paphos, witness Holy Writ, where mention is made of the bonds with which S. Paul was bound before he went up to Jerusalem. In this city the goddess Venus held of old her court, for she was queen of the island of Cyprus, whence she is called Cypris, and the first temple dedicated to her was in this city, where men and women offered sacrifice to her naked ; but at the prayer of S. Barnabas the Apostle, a native of Cyprus, the idol of Venus and her temple fell shattered to the ground. A mile from Baffo we were shown the place where are the grottos in which the sleepers slept three hundred and more years without awaking, and many other fine things. But see, all is nearly uninhabited now on account of the unhealthy climate: so great are the changes and vicissitudes of things ! Anciently the place was the most delightful in the island, and the favourite abode of its kings. Coasting along, we passed Cape Bianco, so called from its white colour, and Cape Lagatte, which stretches far into the sea from a fair and fertile plain. This cape takes its name from the cats in the abbey of S. Nicolas, of which I shall speak presently. And because night was upon us the master would not push on to Limisso, so we dropped our anchors and watted for the day. In the morning he sent the gig to Limisso to ask leave of the Cadi to land. Another party of the sailors manned the cutter to go and cnt wood. Both duties were performed, and the boats returned about the, same time, bringing fresh provisions, and, to our great delight, roses and flowers of different colours, with boughs of olive, orange and capers. [The author describes their hostile parleyings tcith an English vessel from London to Zante, which took Cyprus to be Cephaionia ! He proceeds] The master took ns to Limisso, a village in a beautiful plain and close to the sea. The houses are built chiefly of earth covered with rushes aud fascines, of a single story, and so 22—2

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