months；　and　is　secluded　from　the　more　active　portions　of　the　island。　It
  IS；　simply　because　it　WAS；　but　it　should　remain　as　a　vestige　of　the
  past；　and　no　longer　represent　the　capital。　*
  （The　census　of　Nicosia；　taken　on　31st　January；　1879；　represents　the
  population　as　follows：
  No。　of　houses：　　2；463
  Population　by　sex：
  Males　above　15　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　3；773
  Males　under　15　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　1；900
  Females　above　14　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　3；718
  Females　under　14　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　1；806
  Total。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　11；197
  Population　by　religion：
  English　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　28
  Greek　Church。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　5；251
  Catholics　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　121
  Mohammedans　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　5；628
  Armenians　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　166
  Jews。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　　　　3
  Total　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　11；197　　）
  There　is　no　position　throughout　the　plain　of　Messaria　adapted　for　a
  permanent　government　establishment　as　head…quarters。　The　depressing
  effect　of　that　horrible　landscape；　embracing　the　extensive　area　from
  Trichomo　and　Famagousta　to　Larnaca；　Lefkosia；　and　Morphu；　is　most
  demoralising；　and　few　Europeans　would　be　able　to　resist　the　deleterious
  climate　of　summer；　and　the　general　heart…sinking　that　results　in　a
  nervous　despondency　when　the　dreary　and　treeless　plain　is　ever　present
  to　the　view。　There　is　no　reason　why　officials　should　be　condemned　to　the
  purgatory　of　such　a　station　when　Cyprus　possesses　superior　positions
  where　the　great　business　of　the　future　will　be　conducted。　The　new　road
  already　completed　from　Larnaca　to　Lefkosia　must　be　carried　on　to　Morphu；
  and　thus　connect　the　north　and　south　extremities　of　the　plain；　Kyrenia；
  sixteen　miles　distant；　must　be　connected　with　Lefkosia；　branches　must
  then　be　extended　to　Kythrea　and　to　Famagousta；　and　subsequently；　from
  the　latter　town　a　direct　road　must　be　continued　parallel　with　the　south
  coast　to　Larnaca。　Such　roads　may　be　constructed　for　about　350　pounds　per
  mile　at　the　low　rate　of　labour　in　Cyprus；　considering　the　presence　of
  stone　throughout　the　district；　and　their　completion　will　open　the　entire
  plain　of　Messaria　to　wheeled　communication　with　four　ports；　to　north　and
  south。
  CHAPTER　IV。
  THE　MESSARIA。
  Having　passed　a　week　with　our　kind　hosts；　Sir　Garnet　and　Lady　Wolseley；
  at　Government　House；　which　formed　a　most　agreeable　contrast　to　the
  friendless　life　that　we　had　been　leading；　the　vans　once　more　started　en
  route　for　Kythrea；　Famagousta；　and　the　Carpas　district。　I　had　hired　a
  good；　sure…footed　pony　for　my　wife　and　a　powerful　mule　for　myself；　and；
  having　given　the　vans　a　start　of　several　hours；　we　followed　in　the
  afternoon。
  The　treeless　expanse　of　the　Messaria　produces　nothing　but　cereals　and
  cotton；　teams　of　oxen　were　at　work　in　all　directions　ploughing；　and
  otherwise　preparing　the　thistle…covered　surface；　and　the　atmosphere　was
  so　delusively　clear　that　Kythrea；　twelve　miles　distant；　appeared　close
  to　us。　Upon　these　boundless　flats　an　object　may　be　seen　as　distinctly　as
  though　upon　the　water；　and　we　soon　descried　in　the　far　distance　a　dark
  spot；　which　the　binocular　glass；　if　at　sea；　would　have　pronounced　to　be
  the　stern　of　a　vessel　that　had　lost　her　masts；　keeping　the　same　course
  as　ourselves；　this　was　the　gipsy…van；　which　should　have　already　arrived
  at　Kythrea；　where　I　had　expected　to　have　found　the　camp　arranged；　dinner
  cooked；　and　everything　ready　for　our　reception。　Something　had　happened；
  as　the　other　van　was　not　in　sight。
  It　was　impossible　to　dignify　the　route　by　the　name　of　a　〃road；〃　as　it
  presented　an　uneven　surface　and　occasionally　branched　into　several
  independent　tracks；　which　re…united　after　an　eccentric　course　of　a　few
  hundred　yards；　these　were　caused　by　droves　of　mules　which　in　wet　weather
  had　endeavoured　to　select　a　better　line　than　the　deeply…trodden　mud　in
  the　central　road。　Fortunately　the　surface　was　now　hard；　and　we　cantered
  on；　fully　expecting　some　disaster　to　at　least　one　of　our　vehicles。　Upon
  our　arrival　we　found　a　crowd　of　people　yelling　and　shouting　their
  utmost；　while　they　were　engaged　in　company　with　four　oxen　harnessed　in
  dragging　and　pushing　the　blue　van　up　a　new　road　which　they　had　scarped
  out　of　the　precipitous　bank　of　a　river　about　forty　feet　deep；　this
  accounted　for　only　one　van　being　in　sight；　as　the　other　was　in　the　dry
  bed　of　the　river。　These　good　people　had　been　working　for　several　hours
  in　making　a　road　where　none　existed；　and　assured　me　that　the　large
  bridge　over　the　Pedias　was　unsafe　for　so　great　a　weight；　and　therefore
  it　was　advisable　to　cross　at　the　present　spot。　The　banks　consisted　of
  the　alluvium　of　ages　free　from　stones；　therefore　it　was　easy　to　cut　an
  incline；　but　as　many　tons　of　earth　had　been　removed；　the　operation　had
  required　much　labour；　and　many　hands　had　collected　from　the　adjacent
  villages　upon　seeing　the　dilemma。
  The　blue　van　was　in　the　middle　of　the　crowd；　the　oxen　answered　to　the
  inspiriting　shouts；　and　more　especially　to　the　ceaseless　pricks　of　the
  driving　sticks；　and　presently　it　was　dragged　safely　to　the　level　of　the
  opposite　bank。　A　few　alterations　in　the　new　road　were　necessary　for　the
  larger　gipsy…van；　and　taking　the　drag…shoe　off　the　blue　van；　we　were
  thus　enabled　to　secure　both　the　hind…wheels　for　the　steep　descent。　By
  careful　management；　after　one　or　two　narrow　escapes　from　capsising；　we
  succeeded　in　landing　the　Noah's　Ark　safely　by　its　fellow；　amidst　the
  cheers　of　the　good…natured　crowd。
  The　delay　had　been　great；　and　the　evening　was　drawing　near：　we　were
  about　seven　miles　from　the　upper　portion　of　Kythrea；　where　we　had
  proposed　to　camp；　and　the　route　was　partly　across　country；　to　avoid
  layers　of　natural　rock　which　in　successive　ridges　made　it　impossible　for
  the　vans　to　keep　the　track。　Several　deep　watercourses　intervened；　which
  required　the　spade　and　pickaxe；　and　it　was　quite　dark　when　we　were
  obliged　to　halt　about　a　mile　from　Kythrea。
  On　the　following　morning　Mr。　Kitchener；　Lieutenant　of　the　Royal
  Engineers；　called　at　our　camp；　and　was　kind　enough　to　pilot　us　to　the
  celebrated　springs　about　three　miles　above　the　village。　This　able　and
  energetic　officer　was　engaged；　together　with　Mr。　Hippersly　of　the　same
  corps；　in　making　the　trigonometrical　survey　of　the　island；　and　they　were
  quartered　in　a　comfortable　house　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town。　With　this
  excellent　guide；　who　could　explain　every　inch　of　the　surrounding
  country；　we　started　upon　a　most　interesting　ride。　The　entire
  neighbourhood　was　green　with　abundant　crops　of　cereals；　some　of　which　at
  this　early　season　were　eighteen　inches　high。　The　effect　of　irrigation
  could　be　traced　for　several　miles　into　the　plain　and　along　the　base　of
  the　mountain　range；　until　by　degrees　the　green　became　more　faint；　and
  gradually　but　surely　merged　into　the　dead　brown　which　denoted
  barrenness；　where　the　water…power　was　expended　by　absorption。
  It　was　impossible　to　form　any　idea　of　the　extent　of　Kythrea　from　the
  outside　view。　A　succession　of　large　villages　with　fields　highly
  cultivated　covered　the　surface　at　the　base　of　the　mountains；　but　the
  true　Kythrea　was　partially　concealed　by　the　curious　ravine　through　which
  the　water　of　the　springs　is　conducted　by　aqueducts　until　it　reaches　the
  lower　ground。　For　a　distance　of　three　miles　this　ravine　is　occupied　by
  houses　and　gardens；　all　of　which　are　supplied　by　the　stream；　which　turns
  thirty…two　water…mills　in　its　course。　The　water…wheels　in　Cyprus　are
  horizontal　turbines；　and　I　have　only　met　with　one　over…shot　wheel　in　the
  island；　this　is　on　the　estate　of　M。　Mattei　at　Kuklia。
  The　range　of　mountains　exactly　above　the　village　exhibits　a　peculiar
  example　of　the　effect　of　water…wash　for　about　two　hundred　feet　from　the
  base。　From　the　heights　at　Government　House；　twelve　miles　distant；　I　had
  observed　through　the　telescope　a　curious　succession　of　conical　heaps
  resembling　volcanic　mounds　of　hardened　mud；　these　rose　one　above　the
  other　along　the　base　of　the　hills　like　miniature　mountain…ranges。　Even
  when　near　Kythrea　I　could　not　understand　the　formation；　until　we　found
  ourselves　riding　through　the　steep　ravine　which　holds　the　watercourse
  and　ascending　by　a　narrow　path　among　the　countless　hills　that　I　have
  described。　Both　sides　of　the　gorge；　and　also　the　deep　bottom；　are
  occupied　by　houses　with　fruitful　gardens；　rich　in　mulberry；　orange；
  lemon；　apricots；　olives；　forming　groves　of　trees　that　in　summer　must　be
  delightful。　Sometimes　after　clambering　up　steep　and　stony　paths　which
  had　originally　been　paved　we　entered　into　villages；　the　roofs　of　the
  houses　BELOW　us　upon　our　left；　and　the　doors　of　others　upon　our　right；
  so　close　to　the　narrow　path　as　scarcely　to　admit　the　passage　of　a　loaded
  mule。　The　water　rushed　along　the　bottom　in　a　rapid　stream；　plunging　from
  the　adit　below　one　turbine　to　a　temporary　freedom　in　a　natural　channel；
  from　which　it　was　quickly　captured　and　led　into　an　aqueduct　of　masonry
  to　another　mill　at　a　lower　level。　All　the　inhabitants　had　turned　out　to
  see　an　English　lady；　and　the　usual　welcome　was　exhibited　by　sprinkling
  us　with　rose　and　orange…flower　water　as　we　passed；　the　omnipresent　dogs
  yelled　and　barked　with　their　usual