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rococKß 205 number of orange and lemon gardens. At the south end of Colasse there is an antient preceptory of the knights of St John of Jerusalem, which is now in ruins ; there are likewise the remains of a very high aqueduct that conveyed water to it, and I saw an epitaph of one uf the priors of this place, who died in one thousand four hundred and fifty three. It is the opinion uf some that the antient city of Curium was here, but I could not see the least signs of any ruins; bnt on the hill to the west I observed the foundations of a thick wall, which seemed to have encompassed some antient town, which probably was the city of Curium : and it is not unlikely that the grove, sacred to Apollo near Curium, was where the village of Epìscopi now stands, which is a place abounding in water. They think also that the low promontory called Cape Gatto was the promontory Citrias, from which they threw anyone into the sea who presumed to tonoh the altar of Apollo ; bnt as this is very low land, it is probable that it was from some point to the west of Curium, where there are very high elifts, and might possibly be a part of what is now called Cape Bianco. To the east of Episcopi there is η small river, which I should have thoughF to have been the Tiycus of the antieiits, if that river had not been mentioned as between the town and the promontory. Cape Phrurium is mentioned near Curium which might be the sonth east part of this great head uf laud, as Drcpunum was probably that to the north west. The head of land called Cape Gatto is to the south of Episcopi; it is a low land, the north and west part of it is a morass, and there is a large salt lake on each side, which is filled by the winter rains, and is almost dry in summer. The sonth part of this promontory is a barren rocky soil, and there is a ruinons uninhabited convent on it called St Nicìtoìns. They have a ridiculous story that the monks of this convent kept cats in order to hunt and kill the serpents, of which there are great numbers here; this they say gave rise to the name of the cape; and they add withal, that on ringing a bell the cats nsed to leave off their diversion, and return home. To the east of this cape there is a bay, and at the west comer of it Limesol is situated, where I first landed in the island. As 1 did not meet with any ship there bound to jEgtypt, I returned to Lamica, where I fonnd a French ship sailing for Dannata. AVe were obliged by contrary winde to put in at Limesol, where we were detained six days, and I lauded a second time in jKgypt at Damiata, on the 2ôtli of December, one thousand seven hundred and thirty eight. Chap. XI. OF THE NATURAL HISTORY, NATIVES, CUSTOM, TRADE, AND GOVERNMENT OF CYPHUS. The climate of Cyprus is not so temperate as that of many other parte in the same latitude; the winds, which blow from the high mountains of Cilicia in the winter, make the island very cold, especially the northern parta, and some of the high hills of the island being covered with snow all the winter, make fires very necessary during the cold season, though they are seldom nsed in any other parts of the Levant, the clouds also breaking on these hills of sen fall down in heavy rains for many days together, insomuch that I was informed it had sometimes rained there for forty days almost incessantly. These mountains and the shallow soil, which is mostly on a white free stone, make it excessively hot in summer, and the island is very unhealthy, especially to strangers, who often get fevers here, which either carry them off, or at least continue for a considerable time, the disorder lurking in the blood, and occasioning frequent relapses. The soil of Cyprns is for the most part rocky ; there are in it many entire hills of talc or gypse, some running in plates, and another sort in shoots, like crystal ; the latter is nsed in many parts, especially at Lamica as stone for building. They have also in the mountains

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