Mount Macheras; Tower at Pyla; Lang's villa at Pyla; Famagusta view of the ramparts; landing place at Larnaca

The Graphic Magazine was one of the periodicals which “sent” correspondents to the new colony. In fact in most cases all magazines used local British military or administrative personnel to provide them with information and pictures of the island. In 1878, both the Graphic and the Illustrated London News, in their July-December issues, presented Cyprus extensively. The engraving comes from a later issue and portrays various views: the Machairas Monastery lies in the mountains of Troodos and was of the lesser points of interest for visitors. Pyla is a village on the outskirts of Larnaca town famous for its medieval fort, still standing. It is the sole remnant in the area of the Gibelin family’s feud. R. Hamilton Lang worked for the Ottoman Bank in Cyprus but was also very interested in agriculture and used his large estate, locally known as the “çiftlik”, for experimental planting and husbandry. His house lay in the outskirts of Larnaca and many important visitors were often hosted there. The view of Famagusta included in the engraving, is one of the most popular, portraying the extensive well preserved walls of the town. Finally the landing place at Larnaca has been represented repeatedly as a watercolour and engraving, adding the Oriental touch to the town. The picture in its entirety includes aspects of the Medieval, Christian (c. 1148), and oriental outlook of the island in an attempt to lure the interest of the British public in creating white man’s colonies in Cyprus.