View PDF version of this page

Xylan Effendi (The wood of our Lord), and by naturalists Lignum Cyprinum, and Lignum Rhodium, because it grows in those two islands ; it is called also the rose wood, by reason of its smell; some say it is in other parts of the Levant, and also in the isle of Jlartinieo. It grows like the platauus or plane tree, and bears a wed or mast like that, only the leaf and fruit are rather smaller; the botanists call it the oriental plane tree; the leaves being robbed have a fine balsamic smell, with an orange flavour ; it produces an excellent white turpentine, especially when any incisions are made in the bark. 1 suppose it is from this that they extract a very fine perfumed oil, which, they say, as well as the wood, has tho virtue of fortifying the heart and brain. The common people here cut off the bark and wood together, toast it in the fire, and suck it, which they esteem a specific remedy in a fever, and seem to think it has a miraculous operation. They make here Labdanmn or Ladanum of a very small balsamic aromatic shrub called Ladany, and by botanists Cistns Ladou, or Cist us ladanifera ; it is said that the goat* feeding on it in the month of May, a juice sticks to their beards, aud makes a sort of a cake, which being taken off they, purify it, and make the Labdanum. This is in some measure true but that sort requires much labour in order to clean it, and it is never perfectly sweet, so that in Cyprus they use the same method as in the other islands, and make an instrument which they call Staveros, because it is like a cross; it exactly resembles a crossbow, and they tie pieces of yarn to it about three feet long. In the month of May they draw this yarn over the leaves, and the balmy substance sticking to the yarn, they hang it in the sun, and when it is hot draw it off from the yarn. The common people mix it up with sand in order to make it weigh the heavier, which is what the druggists call Labdanum in tort is, and in this manner it is commonly sold ; but being purified from the sand, it is of the nature of soft beeswax, which if what they call Liquid Labdanum. It is esteemed as a great remedy against many disorders, taken either inwardly or outwardly, and the sin oak is good for the eyes, but it is mostly used against the infection of the plague, by carrying it in the hand, and smelling to it. The island produces also cotton and coloquintida and a root called Fuy, which is a sort of madder: it abounds also in vineyards, but the common wine is very bad. The rich Cyprus wine, which is so much esteemed in all parts, is very dear, and produced only about Limesol. In some few places indeed they make good red wine. They plough with their cows, which, as I was informed, they do not milk, looking on it a« erne! to milk and work the same beast; but perhaps they may rather have regard to the young that are to be nourished by them. This loss is made up by their goats, which are spotted in a more beautiful manner than any I have ever seen. Indeed a great part of the soil of Cyprus is more fit for goats than fur large cattle; they make cheese of their milk, which is fanions all over the Levant, and is the only good cheese to be met with in these parts; they are small and thick, much in the shape of the antient weights, and are kept- in oil, otherwise when they are new they would breed a worm, and when old soon grow dry. The Turks have such an aversion to swine, that the Christians dare not keep them where they have less power than they have in Cyprus; bnt from this place the Christians in all parte are supplied with excellent hams, which they cure in a particular maimer by salting them, pouring the rich wine on them, and when they have pressed them veiy dry they hang them up. They have very few horses in Cyprus; they use mules both for burthen and the saddle, of which they have a good breed; the poorer sort of people make use of asses. They have few wild beasts or game, except foxes, hares and wild goats; and among their birds the chief are a very beautiful partridge, which I believe is the same as the red partridge in France, and a beautiful bird called in Italian Francolino, and in Greek Aftokinara, which 84—2 POCOCKE. 2<Î7

View PDF version of this page