CYPRUS. 51 
and dusty soil, everywhere seen around. In 
these gardens we noticed two sorts of jasmine, 
one common in European countries, and the other 
a native of Syria ; a beautiful variety of Iris ; and 
some other plants esteemed for their flowers ; 
the double-blossomed pomegranate^ a most 
beautiful shrub ; also lemons^ oranges^ plums, and 
apricots. The Phaseolus Caracalla, kept in the 
green-houses of the Seraglio gardens at Con- 
stantinople, flourished here in the open air. They 
had also the Arbutus Andrachne, growing to an 
enormous size. Beneath these trees, affording 
almost the only shade known in this part of 
the island, the inhabitants assemble in small 
parties ; where, seated upon mats, they regale 
themselves with fruit and wine, listening to their 
national songs. These are sung by itinerant 
musicians, hired for the occasion, who accom- 
pany their voices with the wretched scraping of 
an instrument still called a Lyre. It is shaped 
so as to resemble the Testudo, or Tortoise-shelly 
from which it was derived : and it has its 
original complement of ttiree strings, whence 
the Asiatic Lyre received its appellation of the 
T^'iyoQ^log : its whining, plaintive tone, bespeaks 
its Lydian origin, even in its modern state : it 
is played like a violin, resting on the left knee, 
with a short horse-hair bow, answering to the 
antient/^/ec^rww. There is a manufactory of these 
