Dancing Girls—Aphrodite—St. George the Martyr—Patron Saint of England—Legend of St. George—Tenets of the Greek Church—Clergy—Churches—Servia—Panagia—Sunday Trading—Handsome Girls—Cypriote Husbands—Turkish Houses—Departure from the Island 226 CHAPTER XXX. EFFORTS OF THE GERMANS TO OBTAIN CYPRUS Frederick the Second—An imperial Marriage—Cyprian Opinions—Barons—Knights—Importance of Cyprus as a Military Position—Regency—Quarrels—Promises of Amendment—Form of Government—Departure of the Emperor—The Emperor denounced—Sedition—Terms of Peace—The Emperor is crowned—State of Cyprus—Civil Wars—Rebellion—The Verse-maker—Success of Ibelin 234 CHAPTER XXXI. MARSHAL FELINGHER. Cyprus lost—A Fleet sent—Ibelin at Beyrut—Internal Disaffection—Defeat of Ibelin—Strenuous Efforts to raise Money—Bank Notes—The Genoese Rise—Defeat of the Imperialists—Death of Queen Alice—Peaceful Proposals—Renewed Hostilities—Papal Interference—The last of German Influence 256 CHAPTER XXXII. CYPRUS AND THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY. The Projected Railway—Cyprus a Terminal Station—Sir F. Goldsmid—Position of Cyprus—Ports—Commerce—Harbours—Different Routes for Line—Mr. W.P. Andrew—Political Importance of Line—Fertility of adjacent Country—Re-opening a neglected Country—India nearer Home 269 APPENDIX. 283 [Illustration: A MAP SHOWING THE RELATION OF CYPRUS TO THE ADJACENT COASTS.] CYPRUS, HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE. CHAPTER I. LARNAKA. The first approach to Larnaka, the chief sea-port of Cyprus, is well calculated to impress the traveller. The boundless expanse of blue sky and sea, the bold outline of the hills and mountains, brought out as they are into sharp relief by the clearness and brilliancy of the atmosphere, seem to throw the works of man far into the background and boldly assert the simple grandeur of nature.