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seemed as if they had. been dropped by caravans passing the 
road; although we could learo nothing, either of the place 
whence they were derived, or the purpose for which they were 
intended. A ridge of mountains bounded all the view in front 
of our route: at length, at the distance of two hours and a half 
from Attien, we beheld the city of JNficotia, situated in the mid¬ 
dle of one of the fine plains common in this part of the island*, 
at the base of one extremity of the mountain barrier. As we ad¬ 
vanced toward it, we were struck with the magnitude of its for¬ 
tifications : these, although neglected, still remain nearly entire, 
surpassing, in extent and beauty, those of almost every other 
city. The moat is half a mile wide ; it is now dry, or at best 
an unwholesome swamp. Beneath the walls, the bed of this 
moat abruptly terminates in a deep and wide fosse. The ram¬ 
parts are still mounted with a few pieces of artillery. The road 
winds round the walls toward the gate, which had once a port¬ 
cullis. We found the entrance filled with beggars. The guard' 
demands a toll from all Greeks passing through. As we rode 
Into the town,we met a long train of women, dressed in white 
robes, the beautiful costume of the capital, filling the air with 
their lamentations. Some of these were of the middle age, but 
all were handsome : as they came on, they exposed their faces 
and breasts to public view, tearing their hair, and weeping pi¬ 
teously. In lire midst of the procession rode a Turk upon an- 
ass, smoking his pipe in the most tranquil manner, and wholly 
indifferent to their cries. Upon inquiring the cause of this tu¬ 
mult, we were told that these women were ail prostitutes, whom* 
the governor had banished the city, and whom they were there¬ 
fore conducting beyond the gates. Their dress was modelled 
after a very ancient form, and highly elegant: it consisted en¬ 
tirely of fine white linen, so disposed as to veil at once the- 
whole figure, unless when puspo3ejy cast aside ; and it fell to 
the ground in long graceful folds* 
We went to the house of Mr. Sells, (the English Dragoman * 
as he is vulgarly called,) a rich Armenian merchant, who en¬ 
joys the English protection for transacting whatsoever business 
their nation may have with the governor. His house was in 
all respects a palace, possessing the highest degree of oriental 4 
magnificence. The apartments were not only spacious, but 
they were adorned with studied elegance ; the floors being, 
furnished with the finest mats brought from Grand Cairo, and 
the divans covered with sattin, set round with embroidered 
®ushionso. The windows of the rooms, as in all-oriental houses. 
