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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 271

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fully surrendered the fort, before the enemy laid siege to it. To the west of the town there are a great number of sepulchral grots, and I saw some pillars standing, and remains of the foundations of an antient building. There is one church in the town, which is entire, and two or three in ruins ; the priest resides in a convent i>f Solea, there being not above five or six Christian families in the place. The chief trade here is with Selefhì in Caramauia, which is the antient Seieucia in Ciucia; the commerce is carried on by two small French vessels, which export rice and coffee to that part, winch is brought to Cyprus from -Egypt ; and they bring back storax, and a great number of passengers. They also sometimes go over to Satalia, the antient Attalia in Pamphylia; bnt Sclefki is the nearest place to this part of the island, being only thirty leagues off. *Wo set forward towards the west, and travelled about two leagues to the ruins of antient La pith os7 which I suppose to be the capital of another kingdom. Here Γ saw several walls that were cut out of the rook, and one entire BOOIII over the sea; there are also remains of some towers and walls, bnt the old name is translated to a village near called Lapta, where there are some sonrces of very fino water, which seem to be those of the antient river Lapithos. I lay here at the rich convent called Acropede. On the twenty fifth we went on το a bay, and saw a capo beyond it called in Blaeu's map Cornuich&i, whieb seems to be the old Cape CroiAmuon. We «Osseti the hills to the south and came into the western part of the plain in which Nicosia stands; for this plain is bounded to the west by some low hills, which stretch from the end of the northern mountains to the southern ones : on the north side is the bay where I suppose the antient city of Soli stood. When we had crossed the hills, having travelled about six hours, we came to Morplw ; they told me this place was eight leagues from Nicosia, probably the city of Limenia might be situated here. We went to the magnificent convent of Saint Mamma at this place, which appears to have been bnilt on a very grand design ; it consista of two courts, the buildings of which are unfinished; they aro separated by a very magnificent church, built of hewn stone, and dedicated to Saint Mamma, whose sepulchre they show in it. She is held in great veneration in Cyprus, and they have some legend concerning her riding on a lion, in which maimer they always paint her. Though the building is not of modem architecture, yet it does not appeal* to be very antient ; I conclude that it might have been built a little before the \Tenetians had possession of the island ; being founded by some noble family of Cyprns : they have a water near which they say is miraculous. On the twenty sixth Ave went four hours to the north west to a large bay, where, 1 suppose, the kingdom of (Egea begins, in which the fanions Solon took refuge when he was banished ont of Greece. It is said that he advised the king of this country to leave the city of (Egea, which was situated between the mountains; and to inhabit a plainer country. I was told that there was a place now called Ege, situated on the hills, at the northwest corner of the before-mentioned bay, where the southern hills come to the sea, there arc ruins of a very considerable city, which I suppose to be Soli; on the west and south sides it was bounded by those hills; and to the north and east by the sea, a wall being drawn from the hills to the sea, some remains of which are still seen, as well as of a bason fur the shipping to lye in. The most remarkable ruins of this place are a little way np the side of the hills to the west, where I saw the ruins of a semicircular wall, but could not jndge whether it was the remains of a church, or of an antient temple or theatre; lower on the plain are three piers remaining, which are ten feet wide, eight thick, and fifteen feet apart; I could discern that arches had I'OCOCKE. 261

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