The enormous quantity of mud brought down by the
Pedias during its fitful inundations had completely obliterated all
signs of an ordinary river-bed, and the deposit had produced a surface
that was scored in numerous places by the rush of water, without in any
way suggesting that we were in the neighbourhood of the largest river in
Cyprus. The width of this muddy swamp was about two miles, and
terminated by a shallow lake upon our left. We were now within a mile
and a quarter of Famagousta, and the ground began to rise. It struck me
that an eminence upon our right was superior to the height of the city
walls, and I rode up to examine the position. There was no doubt that it
commanded the lower portion of the fortress, and that a direct shell-
fire could be plunged into the rear of the guns which protect the
entrance of the harbour. In the event of modifications being introduced
when restoring the defensive works of Famagousta, it would be necessary
to erect a powerful detached fort upon this position, which would be an
immense addition to the defences of the city, as it would enfilade the
approaches upon two sides.
The walls of Famagousta are most imposing; they are constructed of
carefully-squared stone joined with cement of such extreme hardness that
the weather has had no destructive effect. The perimeter of the fortress
is about 4000 yards; the shape is nearly a parallelogram.
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