importance, had very much decreased, owing to the almost complete
denudation, in the plains and lower slopes of the mountains, of the forests
which anciently covered them. Since the British occupation greater
attention has been paid to the forests, and the beneficial results are
already apparent. The Pedaus is the chief river. This and the other streams
generally overflow their banks in the rainy season, and flood the land; as
the waters subside, they leave behind a fertilizing mud, in the same manner
as the Nile, but during the rest of the year they give but little if any
help in the way of irrigation. The rainy season, although generally
occurring from October to February, is not, however, to be absolutely
depended upon; thus it is recorded that in 1330, during the reign of Hugo
of Lusignan, the rainfall was so heavy and the rivers flooded to such an
extent as to spread desolation far and near; and under Constantine there
was no rain for thirty-six years, so that most of the inhabitants left the
island. Again, in modern times, there was a disastrously small rainfall in
1869.

The soil is naturally fertile, and formerly maintained a population of
nearly 1,000,000 but the number of inhabitants in 1881 was only 185,906, of
whom the bulk were Greek Christians. Cotton of the finest quality has been
raised from American seed; excellent wine and all kinds of fruit are
produced, but agriculture is in a most backward state. Besides the
productions already named, madder, opium, oranges, lemons, pomegranates,
&c., are grown. The carob-tree abounds in some districts; its succulent
pods are exported to Egypt and Syria, while the fruit called St. John's
Bread is used as an article of food. Of all the agricultural products,
cereals hold the most important place. Wheat was largely grown until
recently, but of late years, it has been in great measure replaced by
barley and oats, which ripen earlier; and are not subject to the attacks of
locusts.] with his shippes and gallies toward the seige of Achon, and on