1890.] Geogarphy and Travel. 269 
The chief causes of the disappearance of the forests are recent, and 
are indiscriminate wood-cutting, and goats. The island has more goats 
in proportion to population than any other part of Europe. It is also 
cursed with a peculiar small species of locust, which a few years since 
devastated the crops most fearfully, but has, during the last three or four 
years, been very successfully and energetically fought. The population 
of Cyprus under Venetian rule is said to have been two millions, 
though one seems more probable. At the present time, though num- 
bers have increased under British rule, there are not more than 186,- 
ooo, one-fourth of whom are Mahometans. This island has always 
been famous for its wines, for the sake of which Sultan Selim sent an 
army against it, and after an heroic resistance, ceasing only when the 
city of Famagusta had been sacked, and its brave defender Bragadino 
flayed alive, succeeded in reducing it under Moslem sway. One mil- 
lion six hundred thousand gallons of this wine are still made annually, 
but in a most primitive fashion, and four-fifths of this is exported. The 
whole of the land is divided into small holdings, of which there are 600,- 
ooo in all, so that there are more than three to each individual. The 
houses are, as a rule, built of sun-dried bricks. The capital, Nicosia, 
has 12,000 inhabitants ; Larnaca, on the eastern coast, has 7,000 ; and 
Limassol, the southern port, has 6,o00, The most interesting ruins are 
those of three castles of the times of the crusaders, and the oldest com- 
plete existing monastery is that of Santa Croce. 
The Caucasus.—The Caucasus, with its peaks higher than the 
Alps, and a glacier system to which that of the better known moun- 
tains offers no comparison, is now the favored climbing-ground of 
Alpinists. During 1889, five elevated passes were crossed by Messrs. 
David Freshfield and Captain Powell. Among these, that of Saluinan- 
Chiran is at an elevation of 13,622 feet; while two others attain 
heights of 14,300 and 13,000 feet respectively. Mr. Herman Woolley 
ascended Dych-tau (14,923); and the eastern peak of Misahirgi-tau 
(16,100) ; while Vittorio and Erminio Sella climbed Elbruz and Mala- 
tau (15,351; this was the first ascension) ; also, together with Messrs. 
_D. Freshfield and Powell, the peak of Leila (13,300). 
Arctic Regions.—According to Dr. W. Kukenthal and A, Watter, 
the existing maps are in error regarding the two or three islands which 
form King Charles’ Land. The latitude of these islands is 78.30 to 
78.57 N., and the longitude 26.20 to 26.30 E. _ The east coast should 
thus be set back about 11 minutes. 
