The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-13
THE QUEEN ISLAND or THE LEvANT.


eastern Medterranean-Creto being the other
has been distinctly recognized from prehistoric
times. The Phcnicians planted colonies on tho
southern coast MS way stations on their trade
voyages; the Egyptians moro than once in
vadcd II: the second Assyrian monarchy con-
troled 1t long enough to leave abundant marks
on its plastic and ceramic arts. The island was
IN object Of fierce contention to the sue
ccssors Of Alexander. and when the
Mediterranean censcd to he Roman
lake. was again tossed bnck and forth
between the waning Byzantine empire and
the Arab power in Syria. Under the
Lusignan dynasty the Genocse perceived its
commercial importance. and gained n foothold
in some ports. but their Venetian rivals ousted
them by stroke of diplomacy hardly second to
Bcacons1cld's. and held possession OF Cyprus
for some eighty years. Then the Turks won 1t.
and the news of this conquest more than any
thing else brnced the maritime States Of Chris
tendon to the death grnpple mt Lepanto. In u
word, this island outpost has been the pivot or
the prize Of Levnntine revolutions for at least
thirty centuries.
So much for the past OF Cyprus. Now lot us
see what may be CLEANED from tho reports OF
recent travellers as to its present inspect and
resources. Not. however that trustworthy i'm
pressions are likely to be gained by tourists
whose glimpse Of tho country has been caught
irofn the deck OF an Austrian Loyds steamer
touching for nm hour at the port Of Larnaca.
Although OF late years most frequented. this
roadstead is one OF tho least secure in Cypriote
waters. Moreover. the whole shore. In this
quarter. looks like tho coast of Egypt-that is
10 say. cherries enough: and you leave 1t
willingly for Nicosia. whero the Cyprus OF
the LusiRnans really begins The latter is
said 10 be a pretty town. situated In the
heart Of the island. between two chains
OF mountains. the Machera and Carpas range.
The slopes Of the Machera. by the way are
81 owned with the famous Cyprioto vine
yards. which yield the sweet. syrup-like wines
OF tho Commandery. and also dry varieties
which are the parents Of the Madeira vintagcs.
slips having been transferred from the Levnn-
tine TO the Atlantic island. The groves which
enyroncd Nicosia in the time OF the LusiGnans
have disappeared. hut within the still perfect
Venetian walls tho city is EMPOWERED in luxuri
mt vegetation, thanks to m abundance Of water
which is exceptional in Cyprus. The streets and
gardens teen with towering shrubs and such
fruit trees IA the banana. tho palm the plum. the
cherry. the orange. the latter. especially. attain
| inga remarkable development, the trunk having
the girih OF n man and the crest overlapping
the tallest houses. Tho most impressive archi-
| tcctural monument is the Church of ST. Sophia
| tnow transformed into n mosqucl. a pure type
OF the early French style. introduced into tho
| East by the Free Masons who followed the Cru
snders its foundation is ascribed to Richard
| Lion Heart. who. 1t will be remembered. antici-
pated Lord Beaconsneld In annexng Cyprus
for moment to tho English crown. After the
French churches and chapels. the most inter-
csting edifco in Nicosa is the old palace of tho
| LusiGnans. now converted into Turkish
"conak" or prefecture; the inner court dates
| from the twelfth century. but the facade was re-
| built by the Nenctians and surmounted by n SUI
| perb lion Of 81. Mark. We may add that when
the city was taken by assault in 1911. all
the ecclesiastical buildings were made over to
the Moslem worship. except the church belong
ing to the Armenian community. in which the
services OF its rite are still kept up. and which
contains the gravestone OF n princess belonging
TO the family which claimed the crowns OF Ar
mcnin. Cyprus. and Jerusalem. At the date
mentioned. the whole French and Venetian pom
ulation WIS butchorcd, and the fact Doubtless
accounts for the oblivion in which the Lusg-
nan period Ia buried. The Cyprio.e peasant
knows nothing OF that brilliant err. except the
legends grouped around the name OF the last
Queen. the fair Venetian. Catherine Cornnro.
whose portrait by the hand OF Georeione is still
extant. To their Bnsilissa" the rural popula-
tion attribute all the comely or majestic monu-
ments of other times.
The superlatlvc commercial and military site
is Famagusta. which Is destined to become the
first maritime station on the great trade route,
which. following iron tracks from Bassora Ia
the phenican coast. will thence traverse tho
Mediterranean by way OF Cyprus. Gambia. and
Malta Twice already. once under the name OF
Salams. and alterward under that OF Fama-
gusin, this fine roadstcad has bcen the entire
pot Of the Syrian seas and there were epochs
when those seaports counted moro inhabitants
than their respective ruling cities. CONSTANT
nople and Venice. Salamis. whose rcma ms
would indicate former population OF four
hundred thousand was destroyed by tho Arabs
in the tenth century. and never rebuilt proba.
by because its harbor is decidedly inferior &c
that OF Famagusta. Its ruins. however. fur
nished quarries for the new town. and from lis
acropos wore taken the monoiths Of Egyptian
granite with which the Vcnetians constructed
their Government palace. Another curiou,
vestige survives in the exclusion Of Jews iron
residence in the island. 1t was at Salamis tina
the great rebellion Of the Cypriote Jews oc
Cured in the second century. when upward o
100000 Greeks are said to have been slaughter
ed. The reprisals were not less bloody. anC
eliminated in the perpetual Punishment OF thu
Hebrew race, u sentence which has never beer
.
I who visit Cyprus in the conduct Of their bust
ness being careful to conceal their nationality
like decree Of exclusion still forbids an,
person Of Greek blood and Christian faith t
dwell within the walls Of Famaeusa. The re
mains of the mediHvnl iortress-haven wear
somewhat stately aspect from the sea. md tn
few Turkish minarets fail to disguise tn
churches Of the Lusignans and the massiv
r towers erected by the Signory Of Venice. Fam
augusta has the look Of an old French town. an
but for the palm trees. the gliding caique Of tn
sponge-nsher. and the intense glare OF an East
I crn sun, might be mistaken for some anccn
j hurgh left stranded on the coast Of Brittany
e. Gucrandc. for example. From the Lusgua
n Castle. which defends the entrance Of the por
y to n stout round tower. like that Of Havre whic
1 protected the naval arsenal. stretches n lon
u Venetian quay. deserted but perfectly intact.
: OF the 800 churches which Fnmagustn is re
Il corded to have contained. there remain stand
> Ing but 32, within an area which could hol,
perhaps. $1,000 inhabitants. the ruins OF tn
n others being encountered In n double ring
a, h