200 
CLARICE^ TRATEL#- 
CHAPTEIl XL 
CYPRUS. 
Ancient Geography of the Island—Situation of Citium — Phoeni¬ 
cian Settlements—Illustrious Citians—Last Remains of the 
City—Reports concerning Baffa—Minerals of Cyprus— 
Journey to Nicoiia—Women of Cyprus—Gardens of Larneca 
~Desolate Appearance of the Country—Village of Attien— 
Primaeval Mills—Curious Mode of keeping Bees—Car oh 
Tree—Appearance of Nicoiia—Banishment of Prostitutes— 
Palace of the English Dragoman—Visit to the Turkish 
Governor—His reception of the Author—Oriental Mode of 
Entertaining Guests—Guyumjee, or Goldsmiths of Turkey—* 
Antiquities obtained in the Bazar—Polished Stones of Cy¬ 
prus—Ancient Gems found in Nicoiia — Camels—Rivers of 
the Island—Ancient Phoenician Medal—Tetradrachn (f 
Tyre—Return to the Jleel-—Loss of the Iphigcnia. 
It will now perhaps be interesting to ascertain from what 
Phoenician city the antiquities discovered at Larneca derived 
their origin ; and if the reader will give an author credit for 
the difficulties he has encountered, in order to ascertain this 
point, he may perhaps spare himself some trouble, and render 
unnecessary any ostentatious detail of the volumes it was ne¬ 
cessary to consult. The ancient geography of Cyprus is invol¬ 
ved in greater uncertainty than seems consistent with its former 
celebrity among enlightened nations. IN either Greeks nor 
Romans have afforded any due by which we can fix the lo¬ 
cality of its eastern cities. Certain of them, it is true, had dis¬ 
appeared in a very early period. Long prior to the time of 
Pliny, the towns of Cinyria , Malium , and Idalium , so necessary 
in ascertaining the relative position of other places, no longer 
existed.* Both the nature and situation of important land¬ 
marks, alluded to by ancient geographers, are also uncertain. 
According to Strabo, the Cleides were two islands upon the north* 
'* After enumerating fifteerf cities belonging to Cyprus, Pliny adds, “fvere et iUi 
Cinyria, Malium , Malium.” ( Plin. lib. v. c. 31. L. Bat . 1635.) Idalium signifies, lite¬ 
rally, the “ place of the goddess •” whence Idalia Venus. In Hebrew it was called Idala, 
and under this appellation it is mentioned in the scriptures, (Jos. xix. 15 ) as the name 
of a town belonging to the tribe of Zabulon. See ©ale's “ Court of the Gentiles ” also 
&oehar.t. Can. 'lib. i, c. :i 
