'$14 claeke's tratel*. 
few days with him ; and as we stated this to be impossible, fie 
even threatened to detain the frigate at Salines for that pur¬ 
pose. We were however resolute in our determination; and 
therefore representing to him the illness of our captain, and our 
utter inability to remain an instant after the Ceres had got her 
cargo on board, we took our leave; accompanied by an offi¬ 
cer of his guard, whom he permitted to attend us among the 
goldsmiths of the place, in search of medals and other antiqui¬ 
ties. 
It is to these artificers bearing the name of Guyumjee , almost 
universally in Turkey, that the peasants of the country, and 
lower order of people in the tow ns, carry all the pieces of gold 
or silver they may chance to find in the soil, to be exchanged 
for modern trinkeis. They are generally men in a very small 
way of trade, sitting in a little stall, with a crucible before 
them, a touchstone,* and a handful of very ordinary tools. 
Their chief occupation consists in making coarse silver rings,, 
of very base metal, for the women, and in setting signets for 
Turks of all denominations. There is hardly a Mahometan 
who does not bear upon one of his fingers this kind of ornament. 
The Turkish signet is generally a carneliao stone,f inscribed 
with a few words from the Koran, a proverb in Arabic, or a 
couplet in Persian. We found, as usual, ample employment 
atnong these men; and were so much occupied in the pursuit, 
that we even neglected to visit the Cathedral of St. Sophia,| 
built in the Gothic style by the Emperor Justinian, when he 
raised the edifice of the same name in Constantinople. We 
have the testimony both of Drummond and Mariti for the 
architecture exhibited in this building. The cathedrals both 
of Famagosta and Nieotia are described as Gothic. If it be 
true, therefore, that the Nicotian church was erected by Justi-- 
* Various substances are in use under the name of touchstone- , and of course it has 
various appellations. Mineralogists have called it lapis lydius, corneas trapezius r . 
primitive basalt, basanite, trap, sekistus, fee. The substance most employed by oriental 
goldsmiths is a dark and very compact basalt. . - 
t To supply these stones, they frequently disfigure or conceal the finest antique 
gems; either by cutting them into a more diminutive form, or by hiding the work of 
the ancient lapidary in the setting, and turning the obverse side outwards for the 
writing. 
t “ The most beautiful edifice here, is, without doubt, the church of St. Sophia, 
where the kings of Cyprus were formerly crowned. It is built in the Gothic style, a. nd 
has three large naves It contains the tombs of the Lusignans, and of several ancient 
Cypriots ancf noble Venetians. The choir and the altars were destroyed when the city 
was taken. This church then became the .principal mosque; and Mustapha the Turk¬ 
ish general, went to it for the first time, to other thanks to the Almighty, on the four¬ 
teenth of September 1570.” Mariti's Travels, vol. I. p. 98. It is said by Dapper 
(Descript, dies Isles de L'Arthipel. p. 32. Amst. 1733.) to contain an ancient tomb Of 
very beautiful jasper, of one entire piece, eight feet, and a half long, four feet and & 
quarter wide, and five feet high. Dapper, perhaps, alludes to that beautiful kind qL 
marble called Ilosso Antico by the Italians. 
