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But this is a question of no great, importance at present, we shall only mention the temple which is said to hare stood upon the spot where the goddess landed, when she was wafted on shore by the gentle waves from which she sprung, and to have been dedicateti by Ciuyrnti. It was one of the three sanctuaries belonging to tho island, and noted for divination, which was intredueed by Tameras of Cilicia, who agreed that the rites should be performed equally by his descendants, and those of Cinyras; but, at length, that hononr was entirely ceded to the Paphian royal race. Here the votary had the choice of the victim, which was always male; ns being most acceptable to the goddess, whose figure was round, broad at bottom, and terminating in a point: a form, the reason of which nobody has been able satisfactorily to explain. The greatest faith was given to the entrails of kids; the altars were never stained with blood; nothing but pure fire was offered upon thein; and though they stood in the open air, and the rites were performed in all seasons, no rain extinguished, or even η pproaehed, the sacred flames. This miracle may be easily accounted for : in a place where it rains so seldom, they might easily defer the-Sacrifiée until the elouds were drained; for, in a little time after they appear, down they pour in a deluge, and then all is over. This place is likewise remarkable for an horrid scene acted by the royal family, when, Ptolonicy reduced Cyprus. Nieocles at that time reigned in Paphos, and, hoping to shake off the yoke, made an offensive and defensive alliance with Autigouus, King of Syria; bnt Ptoloiney was informed of their scheine, and defeated it before it conld be brought to maturity: he pronounced sentence of death npon Nieocles; but that prince prevented the execution by making away with himself. Axithea, his unhappy queen, followed his example, after she had, in despair, slain her own daughters: the same frenzy seized the royal sisters, who likewise put an end to their lives; and their husbands added to the funeral pile, by setting fire to the palace, and perishing npon the bodies of their beloved wives. Old Paphos or Erythro I, in iny map, removed from Zephyria; Arsinoe I found, and still set down, near that place, for the reasons I have already advanced, and because Ptolomey Philadelphia consecrated a temple on the Zcphyrion Promontorium, to his wife Arsinoe, under the name of the Zephyriou Venus ; but of this nothing now remains. I fix old Paphos at the port of Baffo; Cythera I have already left behind me, and in its place I take the liberty to put Paphos Nova, or Baffo, as you will see they exactly answer to each other, when you compare the old chart I sent home with this which I now transmit : but that you may not think I am too dogmatical in my assertions, 1 shall communicate my reasons for alterations I have made. No place in this island ever bore the name of Old Paphos, except the sea-port, which nature has formed into an harbour; and the town of Baffo is handed down, from father to son, as α place that was bnilt long after the town, at the port, whieh is capable of receiving small vessels; yet these were esteemed large, when navigation was in ite infancy. At or abont Zephyria there is no place for the reception of any boat whatever; let us therefore lay aside fable and appeal to truth. Venus is said to have risen from the sea, and landed in Cyprus near Cythera: true it is, tho island Cythera, now Cerigo, contended for that honour, though the greatest probability is in favour of Cyprus ; for that goddess was first worshipped in Pluenicio, and this worship was couunnnieatcd to the different nations with whieh they had commerce : the vessels they first used consisted of small pieces of wood, bended across each other, bound with wiekers, nnd covered with hides : consequently their navigation could not be very distant; so that we may more naturally suppose Cyprus to luve been their first discovery, than that they launched out into a wide sea, in order to find trade in Peloponnesus, or any of the adjacent islands. Cyprus they eould see from their hills, and this prospect οι a DRUMMOND. 291

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