CYPRUS. 63 
of Dioscorides ; whence it was brought to England chap. 
by a French priest of the name of Wolfe, who " * ' 
was gardener to King Henry the Eighth'. 
Thunherg describes it as a large spreading tree 
in Japan ; but it seems to flourish in greater 
perfection in Cyprus than in any other country. 
We entered the court-yard of the Governor's visit to the 
■ (> -, t Turkish 
palace, and observed several beautiful horses, Governor, 
richly caparisoned, standing without any atten- 
dants, each fastened by a chain to its fore 
leg, and to a spike in the ground. This custom 
exists, as a kind of parade, in almost all the 
palace yards of Pashas who are governors, and 
are called Mussuleem'' . We were conducted 
first into the chamber of the Dragoman, or 
interpreter, where we found a crowd of persons 
assembled upon business. Here again pipes 
were brought, while ourjirmdns were examined, 
and some questions put, concerning the state 
of affairs in Egypt, the death of the Emperor 
Paul, and the victory gained by A'e/^oTz over the 
Danes. We were then led through several 
(1) See Hakluyt's Voyage?, vol. II. p. I6l. Land. 1599. 
(2) The J)ti(ch ambassadors from the Hast- India Company to China, 
in the middle of the seventeenth century, observed the same custom 
of exhibiting state-horses in the court of the Emperor's palace at 
Pekin. See Nieuhoff's Account of the Embassy, as published by Ogilby, 
p.VlQ. Lond.\669. 
