Cyprus: Historical and DescriptiveLöher, Franz von
History
Cyprus: Historical and Descriptive
Löher, Franz von
Cyprus -- Description and travel; Cyprus -- History
Cyprus (χυπρος), called by the Turks Kibris, is a large island
in the Mediterranean, lying near the coasts of Syria and Asia Minor.
It is supposed to have an area of about 4500 square miles, but all the
different measurements given vary considerably. Its length is about 145
miles, from the extreme north-east point, Cape St. Andreas, to Cape
Arnauti, on the west coast. Its greatest breadth is about fifty miles
from north to south; but it narrows towards the east, where in some
parts it is not more than five miles wide, and, at the most extreme
east point, Cape Andreas, it is only about sixty-five miles distant
from Latakia, the nearest point of the Syrian coast. The nearest
land on the coast of Karamania, or Cilicia, Cape Zephyrium, is about
forty-two miles north by west of the point of land in Cyprus, which is
near the ancient Carpasia.
SURFACE.
There are two ranges of mountains in Cyprus, one extending along the
northern coast, and the other stretching across the southern part of
the island. The highest summit is the “Troados,” or “Olympus,” which
Löher measured, and found to be 6160 feet above the sea level. The
other principal peaks of this range are Mount Stavrovuni, or Sante
Croce, Mount Makhaeras, and Mount Adelphi; the heights of these are
uncertain. Equally uncertain are the elevations of the peaks of the
northern range, the chief of which is Mount Pentedaktylo, between
Kerinia and Makaria.
The most extensive plain is on the eastern part of the island, and is
watered by the river Pedias. In 1330, this river was so swollen by
heavy rain, that it inundated Nikosia, to the great destruction of life
and property. The other plains of any size are those of Lefkosia in the
centre, and Kerinia, to the west of the island.
RIVERS.
The Pedias, or Pedæus, the principal river, rises on the range of
Olympus, and waters the plains of Lefkosia and Messaria, and empties
itself into the sea, on the east coast, at the ancient port of Salamis
Constantia. The Morpha has its source among the same mountains as the
Pedias, waters the plain of Kerinia, and falls into the sea on the
north-west coast, about the centre of the Gulf of Morpha. There are
no other rivers of much importance; the principal are, the Ezusa, or
ancient Borgarus, the Diorizos, and the Khapotini, all of which take
their source in the neighbourhood of Mount Olympus, and fall into the
sea on the south-west coast; the Kurios, which empties itself into
the Gulf of Piskopi, on the south coast; the Garilis, rising in the
Makhaeras mountains and falling into the sea at Limasol, also on the
south coast; while the Pentaskhino, a small stream, enters the sea near
Dolos point, on the south-east coast.
CAPES.
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