Chap. VI. of Monfîeur Tavernier. 



which the report of the Country goes , that St. Helena returning from Jerufdem 

 left a piece of our Saviour's Crofs with the Chriftians of Cyprus, who built a Church 

 there, by means of the Liberality of the fame Princefs. Afterwards thofe of the 

 Town of Leucara took it from hence , and carry'd it to their Church , where I law 

 it. The piece is as big as the Palm of a Man's Hand , let in a great Crofs of Latten, 

 embofs'd with lèverai Figures. 



In the Kingdom of Cynrttt there is an Archbiftiop and three Suffragans. The 

 Arch-bilhop takes upon him the Title of Nicofia \ to which Famagofta belongs with 

 all the Country between Nicofia and Famagofta, with the Territories of Nicofia and 

 all the Villages round. He has a Houle about a League from Nicofia , where the 

 chiefeft of his Revenue lies. Some years fince he caus'd the high Altar of the 

 Church to be painted and guilded , being a neat piece of Workmanfhip. Thus 

 the Arch-bilhop has under his Jurifdiftion all the middle part of the Ifland , and 

 ibme part toward the Eaft. The Bifhops are the Bifliops of Paphos , Larneca , and 

 Cerines. 



The Greeks are very much additted to the obfervation of their ancient Cuftoms 

 and Ceremonies -, and generally their Manes are very long. Upon Sundays, and 

 Holy-days they rife between one and two of the Clock in the Morning to Sing Mat- 

 tins. To which purpole there is a Clerk that goes from door to door and knocks 

 with a Hammer, to wake the people, and then cries out with a loud voice, clori- 

 flians go to Church. The men and old women fail not to go as being more zealous 5 

 but the maids and young women never go out of doors in the night for fear of the 

 Turks. There are feven or eight Villages, the Inhabitants whereof are Maronites, 

 who came from Mount Libanus, and fpeak Arabic at home, but Greeks among the 

 Iflanders. They follow the Romijh Religion , and have their Churches peculiar to 

 themfelves. 



The Ifland of Cyfriu is no wholefom Air , being fubjeft to the fpoyl of a fort of 

 Locufts, that fome Summers deftroy all their Fruit aud Corn. During the heats 

 they hover in the Air, which they will dark'n with their number like a thick 

 Cloud ; but when the North Wind blows , it carry's them into the Sea , where 

 they perifti. 



There are in Cyprus three forts of colour'd Earth , a Grey-black , a Red , and a 

 Yellowy of which the Venetians fetch away great quantities for their courfer fort 

 of Painting. There's alio a Mine of White Alome , which is the ftone call'd Dami- 

 antlius. ' fis thought that the Ancients had a way to fpin this Alome into a kind of 

 Cotton, and fo to make out of it a certain fort of Cloth that would notconlume in 

 the Fire, but only be the more perfectly whiten'd thereby. The Indians formerly 

 bury'd the dead bodies of their Kings deceas'd in Shrouds of this kind of Linnen-, 

 and then putting them into the Fire , found the bodies all reduc'd to afhes , but the 

 Cloth whole -, out of which they took the afhes, and carefully put them into an Vrne, 

 which was prepar'd for their prefervation. 



When the Bajha of Cyprm has a mind to view the Fortrefs of Famagofta , he fends 

 to give the Bey, who isGovernour thereof, notice of it. For it is at theGover- 

 nours choice whether he will give him admiffion or no. The Bajha Hali-Giorgi , 

 being a comely old man of above a hundred and two years of age , fetting out of 

 Nicofia in his Litter with about two hundred Horfè , when he was come within 

 half a League of Famagofla, the Governour of the place fent his Lieutenant With a 

 hundred Horfe to Compliment him , and to conduct him to the Town. Immediately 

 they took upon them the Guard of the Bafha's Litter , who was not permitted to take 

 along with him above eight or ten of his principal Officers. The Cannons roar'd at 

 his entry , and he was treated magnificently , but he lay not in the Town , be- 

 ing conduced back by the fame party to the place where they met him in the Morning., 



Upon the third day of October we fet Sail about three a Clock in the Morning with 

 a Weft-North- Weft Wind , and about Noon we were within fight of Famagofla , 

 into which place we could by no means be admitted , by reafon of the Wars be- 

 tween the Turks and Venetians. But as far as I could difcern a far off, there is no 

 eafie accefs to the Port , and for the City I could defcry no part of it. 



The fourth, by break of day we got fight of the Coaft of Syria , Cape Canger , 

 and the Golf of t/inttoch , and about Evening we arriv'd in the Road of Alex- 

 andretta* 



L From 



