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Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 460

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the woman, pointing to a handsome Venetian looking-glass, hanging np in the room, "and that I have left to my father confessor to pray for my soul."—"But your two children," replied Madame D. " Oh I " said the superstitious dupe, " he says, Heaven will take care of them ! " I found the climate of Cyprus delicious during my two visits. But in summer the heat is intolerable, and the winter generally is one continued torrent of rain. The rainy seasons are March and April—it is the rain of these months which by filling the marshes causes the fever—and November, December and January. Up to niy departure the rain had hardly begun; we had only two days of it in Nicosia, and the inhabitants attribute this unusual continuation of dry weather, which oppresses every one with colds or fevers, to the early cold which is wafted here from the snow on the mountains of Caramania. In winter a sort of tornado is not (infrequent, and the inhabitants have not yet forgotten one of these which occurred in a night of February, in the severe winter of 1812—13, during which hailstones fell as big as walnuts, that beat in the mud roofs of many of the houses. I did not see in Cyprus a single cypress tree, from which some assert, that the island derived its name, while others deduce it from the Henna plant (Laicsonia inermi») whence the Easterns prepare the yellow dye for the hair, and which in Hellenick was called Cyprus. It grows very abundantly in the island. I could not hear of any serpents in Cyprus. It seems now to be free from the annoyance of those animals by which it was anciently so infested as to have acquimi the epithet of ophiodes Cyprw. * * * » At sunset on November 21,1815,1 hade adien for ever to Cyprus, which we had seen but dimly All day. NOTIZIE. From the Xotizie del Giorno, Roani, nella stamperia Croca* al Corso, num. 232, non. 48, Thursday. October 25, and 44, Friday, November 2,1821, we translate an account of the passive part imposed on the Orthodox inhabitants of Cyprus in the events of 1821, and tho repressive measures taken by the Mnteselltm, Knchnk Mehmod, in anticipation of an insurrectionary movement in the island. The impression of fear and awe left by these is no doubt still alive Iu Cyprus, but the generation which saw them was unfortunately allowed to pass without any effort made to preserve a full and trustworthy account. We know at least of nono so vivid as that which will be found in these letters. Tho same number contains the proclamation of Charles Felix, by the Grace of God, King of Sardinia, Cyprus and Jérusalem, dated at Covone, October 13,1821, announcing the inflexible resolve of his brother Victor Emmanuel to resign, and bis own accession to the throne. A document of medieval naïveté and unction. The only news from England is that two brothers and three sisters of George IV. wore likely to join His Majesty at Hannover. For the history of the journal, a sheet of four small quarto pages, which lived from 1815 to 1848, see MorantTi's edition of I Sonetti Romaneschi di G. G. Belli, vol. m. 18. Citta di Castello, 1886. ZAXTE, 6 OCTOBER. DETAILS OF THE DEPLORABLE SITUATION or THE INHABITANTS OF CYPRUS, EXTRACTED FROM AUTHENTIC LETTERS FROH LAHNICA, OF THE 1ÖTH AND 22ND OF AUGUST LAST. After the terrible events which took place in Constantinople and other cities of the Ottoman Empire, the order reached Cyprus also tliat the inhabitants generally should be disarmed. In fact that very instant the Governor General announced the prohibition of the carrying and retaining of all kinds of arms, firearms and cutting weapons. Even Franks, Armenians and Maronites were deprived of them ; butchers, pork-dealers, labourers and all 45(1 EXCERPTA CYPRIA.

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