Page:The Six Voyages of John Baptista Tavernier.djvu/112

having been anciently nine Miles in compass; but the Venetians to make it stronger, reduc'd it to the circuit of three. The Work of the Fortification was so neat, and such a proportion observ'd in all things, that the most famous Engineers esteem'd it one of the most stately Fortresses in the World, when Selim the Second sent an Army against it, under the Command of Mustapha his Grand Vizier.

Famagosta is a Sea-Town upon the East-side of the Iland, and the chief Bulwark of it. It is kept in good repair, the Castle within being in form of a Cittadel. The Turks have converted into Mosquees the Churches of the Christians, who are not suffer'd to dwell in the City. They have only the liberty to come thither in the day, and to open Shops, which they shut up again at night, and then go home to their Houses in the neighbouring Villages. The City is govern'd by a Bey, who has no dependance upon the Governour of the Iland, who is oblig'd to maintain a Galley for the guard of the Coast.

Cerines is another little City, but without any defence, the Walls thereof being all tumbl'd to ruine. Only there is a Fortress toward the Sea, well built, with a Garrison in it. There is also a handsom Monastery of Religious Greeks, built somewhat after the French manner; wherein there are some of the Cells which stand so upon the Sea, that they can fish out of the Windows. The Fields about it bear Cotton, which is the chief Revenue of the Monastery. There is only the Fort of Cerines upon the North, where the Iland does not lye so open, as toward the South and East; which besides by that of Famagosta, are guarded by the Forts of Salines, Limisso, and Paphos. The Inhabitants of the Iland are for the most part Greeks, especially in the Villages. They are clad after the Italian manner, both Men and Women; the Men wearing Hats like the Franks, and retaining their ancient Customs as much as is possible for them to do. The Trade of the Iland lyes in Cotton-wool, which is the best in all the East; and some Silk, which is neither good, nor very plentiful. However the Iland is fertil enough, did it not want Inhabitants enow to till it. As for Bread, Wine, Cheese, and Milk, they are all very cheap, and there is Oyl enough to serve the Iland. But for the Wine, it is transported out of the Iland to all the places of Trade not far distant. The best grows at the foot of Olympus, and is a delicious sort of Drink. The Country between Nicosia and Famagosta produces Cotton, of which there grows also some between Paphos and Limisso. The chief place where the Silk is made is call'd Cytherea, a large Town water'd with a fair River that runs from the Mountain of Venus. This River turns several Mills, which are the chief Revenue of the Iland. There is Silk also made between Paphos and Limisso; upon the Road between which two places you meet with a Town call'd Piscopi, where are to be seen several Aquæducts, that carry'd the Water into the Rooms and Magazines where the people formerly made Sugar. But since the Iland was tak'n from the Venetians, one of the Basha's that was sent as Governour, burnt up all the Sugar-Canes in the Country. Toward the Sea-shoar near Limisso, is to be seen one of the fairest Gardens of Cyprus, which they call Shiti; to which there belongs a magnificent House, and a Grove of Orange-Trees. It was built by a rich Venetian, who had a good Estate in Lands thereabouts.

In Cyprus the people take a vast number of Birds as big as a Lark, especially near the Mountain of the Holy Cross. In the Months of September and October, the Country-people of the adjacent Villages make themselves little Hutts in the Fields, where usually those Birds are wont to light, and feed upon the Seed of an Herb that grows there; which when it is dry, the people daub over with Lime-twigs. But this they never do but when the North-West Wind blows, and that the weather be very cold; for with a Southerly Wind they never take any. These Birds are accounted great Dainties by the Venetians, who make no great Feasts in Carnival-time wherein they do not set these Birds upon the Table, pil'd up in Dishes like a Pyramid. They buy them up every year; being first prepar'd fit for exportation by the people, who having pull'd off their Feathers, parboyl them, and pickle them up in Barrels with Vinegar and Salt. When they are to be eat'n, they are set upon a Chafing-dish, between two Dishes. Sometimes there are above a thousand Barrels exported out of the Iland and indeed, were it not for this Trade, the poor people would see but very little Money.

Upon the Mountain of the Holy Cross stands a Church of the same name; uponwhich