325 
St. John Chrysostom is oniy an ancient spring, turned 
from its original bed. 
A very pure air is breathed upon this height, but of 
such a temperature, that we may be well assured that it 
was not permitted to the goddess to dress so lightly as 
the painters and sculptors have clothed her; at least 
when she resided at this palace. 
The point upon the neighbouring chain of mountains 
rises in the air, and forms a species of electric conduc- 
tor. I remarked several times, being on the plain, that 
the clouds which rose from the other mountains, or 
which were brought by the winds, settled upon its sum- 
mit. A very favourable phenomenon to the religious 
illusions of mysticism. 
We left the queen's palace at nine in the morning, 
and had as much difficulty and danger in descending 
the rock, as we had in ascending it; having arrived at 
the foot, I remounted my mule, and returned to the 
monastery at ten to join the doctor and my servant. 
After an hour's repose we descended the lust range 
of basaltic mountains, afterwards the clay hills, which 
are at the foot, and arrived in the plain at half past 
twelve, therefore it takes two hours and a quarter to de- 
scend from the summit of the point, where stand the 
ruins cjf the palace, to the plain. 
Keeping to the southwest, at one o'clock we crossed 
the torrent of Nicosia, in which there is water only in 
rainy season. We afterwards passed a village called 
I'Aimaha, and entered Nicosia at two. 
The next day, the 5th of April, we left this capital at 
eight o'clock, directing our course to the south-east by 
the great plain, and afterwards by the clay hills; about 
