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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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GIOVANNI MARITI
Travels in the Island of Cyprus
page 109

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truce was concluded, and the soldiers on both sides retired to their quarters. On the 9th Ja'far Bey learnt that matters were taking an unfavourable turn : towards evening he gave up the fort, re-embarked his soldiers, and with them some Turkish notables and the Customs officer ; and sailed the same night for Famagusta. There he landed his passengers and some of his soldiers, and put out again to sea. On the nth a detachment of the insurgents returned to Larnaca, marched to the town of Salines, and took possession of the fort, upon which they hoisted the Sultan's standard, proclaiming themselves the defenders of their sovereign's strongholds. On the 27th a certain Qarqa Oghlu, Governor of Selefka, a town in Caramania, arrived at Famagusta with some transports and 200 soldiers. On the same day Kior Mohammad, a Pasha of two tails, arrived in the roadstead of Salines from Satalia on a Turkish war vessel, commanded by Meleky Bey, and accompanied by several transports of different nations carrying 2000 troops and 500 horses. These expeditions were sent by the Porte to put down the rebels, and restore order. The consular dragomans went on board to welcome the Pasha, who received them with great courtesy, but asked only general questions about the state of the island. The soldiers of Qarqa Oghlu landed and made forays in the neighbourhood of Famagusta, allowing themselves every license, and robbing houses and dishonouring their inmates. The very men from whom the island should have obtained relief were the authors of worse outrages than even the rebels had committed. Their barbarity was carried so far that they seized seven Greeks, and impaled them outside the gate of the city, and beheaded two Turks, without themselves knowing why, unless it were to gratify the natural savagery of Cara-manians, and of their chief Qarqa Oghlu. On the 29th the rebels, who had occupied the fort in the xx] Insurrection of 1764-6 105

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