II. 
68 CYPRUS. ' 
CHAP, decline; adding, that "as private individuals, 
meanly habited, in the view of travelling ex- 
peditiously through the island, w'e hoped he 
would not form his ideas of Englishmen of rank 
either from our appearance or pretensions." 
When all his servants had retired, and the 
ceremonies of opening and shutting silver 
litensils, of presenting coffee, conserves, and 
tobacco, vv^ere ended, which generally occupy 
half an hour, the Governor began a eulogy upon 
Lord Nelson and Sir Sidney Smith. We found it 
difficult to gain an opportunity for stating the 
cause of our coming ; for with Turkish grandees 
an hour is soon passed, without the interchange 
of ten words. At last we obtained a hearing, 
and spoke of our intention to visit Baffa. We 
had no sooner mentioned this place, than we 
found that all intercourse with it, and with the 
western side of the island, was cut off by the 
plague, which had begun to shew itself even 
in the neighbourhood of Nicotia : we therefore 
resolved to return to our more humble host in 
the village oiAttien the same night ; when, to our 
great surprise, the Governor requested that we 
would spend a few days with him ; and, as we 
stated this to be impossible, he even threatened 
to detain the frigate at Salines for that purpose. 
We were however resolute in our determination ; 
and therefore representing to him the illness ot 
