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Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 423

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ALI BEY. KIXXEIR 413 works, winch are now dismantled, cover a circumference of about two miles, and consist of a rampart and bastions, defended on the land side by a broad diteli hewn ont of the rock. In the centre of the town, which is inhabited by a few Turkish families, and which, for the number of its decayed churches, might be compared to old Goa, although nut on so superb a scale, stand tho remains of the Venetian palace near the cathedral of St Sophia, a respectable Gothic pile, now in part converted into a mosque. ' As I conhl not procure a lodging within the walls I liired a small room in a Greek village, about three quarters uf a mile off, and in the morning went to look at the ruins of Salamis, or rather of Constantia ; for the former was entirely overwhelmed by an inundation of the sea. These ruins consist of the foundation of the ancient walls, about three or four miles in circuit; old cisterns for collecting rain water, broken columns and foundations of buildings, which lie scattered along the seashore and near the mouth of the Pedioa, the ancient Pedams. The country around Famagusta and the ruins of Constantia is sandy, bleak and rocky, for the most part uncultivated and overspread with a small weed resembling the camel's thorn on the deserts of Arabia. January 4th. I hired one horse, four mules and a jackass to carry myself and attendants to Lamica ; but it had rained with such violence the preceding day and night, that Τ would not have quitted Famagusta had I not found myself most uncomfortably situated in a miserable hut, scarcely waterproof, and filled with fleas, bugs and vermin of every kind. The morning was fine and we mounted about eleven o'clock, but we had not gone a couple of miles before the rain again fell in torrents. It blew a furious gale from the west ; the roads were so deep and slippery that the cattle were stumbling at every step ; and the surrounding country was so bare and desolate, that there was not a single object on which the eye might repose with pleasure. I saw neither villages nor trees, nor even shrubs, excepting the small thorn before mentioned, whiob covered avast and dreary flat, over which we travelled for thirteen miles to the village of Ormidia. It being reported to me, when we had gone about half way, that one of my servants, who was mounted on a jackass, had disappeared, I despatched the muleteer in search of him, but he was nowhere to be found, and did not again join us until the next morning. He had lost his way on the heath, and as Iiis poor beast was too jaded to proceed, he had been reduced to the necessity of passing the night in the fields. Thoroughly drenched to the skin I took shelter in a Greek house in the valley of Ormidia, and as it was now nearly dark, and the storm continned to rage with increased violence, I resigned all thought of reaching Lamica that night. In the honse where I halted, several Greek mariners were making merry round a large fire in the middle of the hall, and on onr entering opened their ring to afford room for us near the fire ; but as this apartment was the only accommodation the honse afforded Τ inquired whether or not it were possible to hire a room in some other part of the village, which consisted of a number of scattered huts built along a range of heights overlooking a bay of the sea. I was informed that there was at some distance, close to the seashore, an old house belonging to the English dragoman, where the Greek believed I might be accommodated, as it was only inhabited by a man aud his wife, who had the care of it. I sent for this man who said I was welcome to pass the night in the house, and that he would show me the way. It was excessively dark, but after following him for about a quarter of a mile, through pools of water and over hedges and ditches, we entered the hall of a large and ruinous building, filled with broken chairs and tables, worm-eaten conches, and shattered looking glasses. In this uncomfortable place I settled myself for the night, and notwithstanding my carpet, as well as my clothes, was quite wet, lay down to rest, and slept soundly until break of day.

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