cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第17章

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constitution　could　hold　out　for　another　six　weeks　would　recover　when　the
trefoil　should　be　fit　to　cut。〃

I　daily　walked　over　the　adjoining　country；　and　there　was　little
difficulty　in　discovering　the　origin　of　M。　Mattei's　water　sources。　Upon
the　heights　behind　our　camp；　a　plateau　of　many　miles　in　extent；　with　an
almost　imperceptible　inclination　towards　the　south…east；　received　the
rainfall；　in　addition　to　the　subterranean　drainage　of　the　hills　in　the
far　distance。　A　great　portion　of　this　area　was　uncultivated；　as　the
sedimentary　limestone　was　generally　close　to　the　surface；　this　was
covered　with　the　usual　prickly　shrubs　that　some　writers　have　misnamed
〃heath；〃　together　with　the　highly　aromatic　herbs　that　seem　to　delight　in
a　thirsty　soil；　among　these　is　a　thorny　species　of　wild　thyme；　that　is　a
favourite　food　for　hares。　In　some　places　the　soil　was　red；　forming　a
strong　contrast　to　the　white　surface　around；　and　in　such　spots　the　earth
had　been　already　ploughed　in　preparation　for　the　forthcoming　season。　The
large　area　at　a　higher　altitude　formed　an　example　of　a　principle　that
may　be　accepted　as　the　rule　throughout　the　island。　In　walking　over　this
extensive　surface；　there　was　occasionally　a　hollow；　drum…like　sound
beneath　the　feet；　denoting　subterranean　cavities　in　the　porous　and
soluble　strata　beneath　the　harder　upper　stratum。　It　was　a　natural
consequence　that　a　substratum　impervious　to　water　should　form　a　bed　at　a
certain　level　to　retain　the　drainage：　by　tapping　this　bed　at　any　point；
the　water　would　be　discovered；　but　by　piercing　the　surface　below　this
level；　the　hydraulic　pressure　would　force　the　water　into　a　running
stream。

This　M。　Mattei　has　accomplished；　not　as　a　new　invention；　but　as　the
application　of　a　rule　well　known　to　the　Cypriotes　from　ancient　times；
and　I　repeat　my　argument；　that；　〃the　hereditary　ability　of　these　people
in　discovering　and　utilising　springs　is　a　proof　that　a　scarcity　of　water
has　been　a　chronic　difficulty　in　this　island　from　remote　periods；　and
that　no　important　change　has　been　occasioned　by　the　sensational
destruction　of　forests　influencing　the　rainfall；〃　&c。；　&c。；　&c。　In　my
opinion；　the　whole　of　the　now　desolate　Messaria　district　may　be　rendered
fruitful　and　permanently　abundant　by　the　scientific　employment　of　a
water…power　which　already　exists；　although　unseen　and　undeveloped。

It　was　quite　impossible　to　proceed　to　Famagousta　with　the　vans；　and
there　was　no　object　in　courting　their　destruction　by　a　desperate　advance
at　all　hazards；　as　we　should　have　in　any　case　been　obliged　eventually　to
renew　the　difficulty　when　retracing　our　route。　I　therefore　cantered　in
upon　my　mule；　with　the　guide　who　always　lost　his　way；　Hadji　Christo。
This　man　was　a　great　ruffian；　and　had　laws　existed　for　the　prevention　of
cruelty　to　animals；　I　would　have　prosecuted　him；　nominally　he　had　the
charge　of　the　mule　and　two　ponies；　but　he　illtreated　these　poor　animals；
and　the　donkeys　also；　in　a　disgraceful　manner。　However；　I　had　no　other
guide；　and　although　I　knew　him　to　be　in　partnership　with　some
Will…o'…the…wisp；　I　was　obliged　to　follow　him。　It　was　an　easy　course　for
saddle…animals；　as　the　cathedral　of　Famagousta　formed　the　prominent
point；　therefore　a　steeple…chase　might　have　been　the　direct
cross…country　way。　There　was　no　change　in　the　usual　features　of　the
barren　landscape。　We　kept　upon　the　high　ground　on　the　right；　looking
down　upon　the　dreary　flat　for　twenty　miles　to　our　left。　Occasionally　we
passed　villages；　all　of　which　were　mere　copies　of　each　other　in　filth
and　squalor。　The　dogs　barked　and　snapped　ineffectually　at　our　heels　as
we　cantered　through；　the　civil　and　ever…courteous　people　turned　out　and
salaamed；　and　we　quickly　accomplished　the　twelve　miles　and　approached
the　walls　of　Famagousta。　Nothing　that　I　saw　in　Cyprus　has　impressed　me
so　much　as　the　site　of　this　powerful　fortress　and　once　important　city。　I
lunched　with　Captain　Inglis；　who　as　chief　commissioner　of　the　district；
most　kindly　received　me；　and　I　rode　home　afterwards；　my　guide；　Hadji
Christo；　in　spite　of　my　assurances　that　he　had　mistaken　the　route；
persisted　that　there　were　many；　and　not　one；　and　after　plunging　into
muddy　marshes　instead　of　keeping　to　the　high　ground；　we　were　completely
lost　near　sundown；　when　I　happily　extricated　myself　from　the　difficulty
by　insisting　upon　his　riding　behind　and　leaving　me　alone　to　find　the
track。　We　arrived　at　nightfall；　after　making　eighteen　miles　out　of
twelvea　profitable　enterprise　hardly　appreciated　by　our　tired　animals。
Famagousta　is　too　important　for　a　cursory　description；　I　shall　therefore
reserve　it　for　a　future　chapter；　when　on　our　return　from　the　Carpas
district　we　pass　some　days　in　its　immediate　neighbourhood。



CHAPTER　V。

START　FOR　THE　CARPAS。

I　determined　to　leave　my　two　vans　in　charge　of　the　head…man　of　Kuklia；
as　the　drivers　declared　it　would　be　impossible　to　proceed　into　the
roadless　Carpas　with　any　wheeled　conveyance　heavier　than　the　native
two…wheeled　cart。　They　had　accordingly　entered　into　a　contract　to　supply
me　with　vehicles　which　the　man　of　ability　Theodori　assured　me　could
travel　to　the　extreme　eastern　limit　of　the　island；　Cape　St。　Andrea；　〃as
he　had　been　there　himself；　and　knew　the　way。〃　Georgi；　who　knew　nothing
of　this　portion　of　the　country；　believed　all　that　Theodori　said；　and　did
his　bidding。　Having　lightened　the　loads　by　leaving　all　that　was　not
absolutely　necessary　safely　locked　within　the　vans；　we　started　on　1st
March　with　camels；　in　addition　to　two　native　carts；　taking　the　route
direct　east；　across　the　extensive　flat　which　at　this　time　was　dry　and
hard。　There　was　nothing　of　interest　in　the　day's　march；　the　travelling
was　easy　along　the　hardened　level　surface；　we　had　a　clear　view　of　the
cathedral　and　higher　forts　of　Famagousta；　and　we　passed　near　the　ruins
of　Salamis；　easily　distinguishing　the　solitary　pillars　that　had
supported　the　ancient　aqueduct　which　led　the　water　from　distant　Kythrea。

Although　everything　was　thoroughly　dried　up；　it　was　easy　to　imagine　the
effect　of　an　inundation　of　the　Pedias　river；　which　had　formed　this　delta
of　alluvium；　precisely　as　the　Nile　on　a　more　extensive　scale　has
produced　the　Delta　of　Egypt。　There　were　a　few　wretched　villages　upon　the
flat；　which　were　necessarily　on　the　poorest　scale；　as　they　existed　at
the　mercy　of　a　sudden　inundation。　The　unhealthiness　of　this　locality
must　be　extreme　during　wet　weather；　as　it　is　only　suitable　to　the
constitutions　of　frogs　and　ducks。　Upon　arrival　at　higher　ground　on　the
opposite　side　of　the　plain　I　looked　back　upon　the　agueish　area　over
which　we　had　passed；　and　I　had　little　doubt　of　the　great　engineering
necessity　that　must　be　the　first　step　to　a　sanitary　reform　in　this
pestilential　neighbourhood。

As　the　river　Pedias　is　a　mere　wayward　torrent　that　NEVER　flows　as　a
permanent　stream；　but　only　comes　down　in　impulsive　rushes　from　the
mountains　during　heavy　rains；　it　has　no　power　to　cleanse　its　original
bed；　such　as　would　result　from　a　constant　and　clear　current；　but；　on　the
contrary；　the　heavy　floods　from　the　upper　country；　being　the　result　of　a
sudden　rainfall；　are　surcharged　with　earth　washed　down　from　the　higher
ground　and　thickly　held　in　solution。　This　vast　mass　of　soil；　which　adds
a　corresponding　weight　to　each　gallon　of　water；　is　carried　forward
according　to　the　velocity　of　the　stream；　and　is　ready　to　deposit　upon
the　instant　that　the　propelling　power　shall　be　withdrawn。　So　long　as　the
river　is　confined　between　narrow　banks；　the　high　rate　of　the　current　is
sufficient　to　force　forward　the　thickened　and　heavy　fluid；　but　the
instant　that　the　banks　are　over…topped　and　the　river　expands　over　an
increased　area；　the　rapidity　is　reduced；　and　the　water；　no　longer　able
to　contain　the　earth　in　solution；　deposits　alluvium；　and　produces　a
delta；　which　must　necessarily　increase　upon　every　future　inundation。　The
result　must　end　either　in　forming　a　bar　at　the　mouth　of　the　river；　or
（as　in　the　Pedias）　in　THE　TOTAL　SILTING　OF　THE　EMBOUCHURE；　which
extinguishes　all　traces　of　a　broad　channel；　but　leaves　a　series　of　deep
marshes　scored　by　innumerable　ditches；　to　be　in　their　turn　filled　with
mud　when　the　next　flood　shall　extend　over　the　wide　surface　and　increase
the　deposit。

This　is　the　position　of　the　Pedias；　and　until　improved　I　cannot　foresee
a　good　sanitary　prospect　for　Famagousta；　which　is　situated　on　the
borders　of　the　swamp。　There　can　be　only　one　engineering　method　of
preventing　the　silt；　by　confining　the　river　between　artificial　banks；
within　a　channel　sufficiently　narrow　to　ensure　a　current　whose　velocity
would　carry　the　heavy　fluid　directly　into　the　sea。　Even　should　this　be
accomplished；　and　the　river　be　securely　banked；　the　deposit　of　mud　will
then　take　place　within　the　sea；　and　will　assuredly　form　a　bar；　which
will　probably　affect　by　silt　the　neighbouring　harbour　of　Famagousta　in
the　same　manner　that　the　ancient　port　of　Salamis　has　been　completely
obliterated。　In　any　case　the　engineering　difficulty　will　be　costly　and
uncertain；　but　if　Famagousta　is　to　be　restored　to　its　former　importance
as　a　first…rate　harbour；　arsenal；　and　military　station；　the　management
of　the　Pedias　river　must　be　seriously　considered。

We　arrived　at　Trichomo　at　about　3　P。M。　The　town　is　built　upon　the　sides
and　summit　of　high　ground　within　a　mile　of　the　sea。　The　sight　of　a
narrow　iron　chimney　emitting　puffs　of　steam　showed　that　some　progress
was　exhibited　by　the　presence　of　an　enginethis　was　employed　in　working
cotton…gins。

The　houses　were　the　usual　sun…baked　bricks　of　clay　and　chopped　straw；
and　although　the　town　was　large；　there　was　no　building　of　sufficient
importance　to　attract　attention。　We　rode　through　the　streets　determined
as　usual　to　avoid　the　smells　of　a　close　proximity　and　to　seek　a
camping…place　some　distance　upon　the　opposite　side。　After　passing
through　the　town　and　descending　a　hill；　we　then　ascended　a　steep　slope
which　opened　upon　a　wild　country　of　rocky　ground　covered　with　the　usual
prickly　plants　and　scrub　cypress；　which　had　evidently　been　cut　for　fuel
until　it　had　become　mere　brushwood。　There　was　a　square　mud　hut　on　the
left　hand　standing　in　an　extensive　orchard　of　fruit…trees　watered　by　a
cattle…wheel；　and　as　this　was　the　last　habitation　within　view；　we
halted；　and　awaited　the　arrival　of　the　carts　and　camels。　From　the　summit
of　the　hill；　about　two　hundred　yards　beyond　this　spot；　the　view　was
exceedingly　good；　the　sea　lay　about　half　a　mile　distant；　with　several
houses　and　gardens　near　the　shore。　The　town　was　in　our　rear；　and　to　the
east　was　a　fine　extent　of　wild　country　covered　with　bush　and
dwarf…cypress；　which　formed　a　marked　contrast　to　the　naked　surface　we
had　left　behind。　The　rugged　wall　of　the　Carpas　range　was　now　only　ten
miles　distant　on　our　left；　and　continued　parallel　to　our　route。　。　。　。　。
It　was　late　when　the　carts　arrived；　and　we　now　missed　the　usual　luxury
of　the　gipsy…van。　I　determined　to　save　the　servants　the　trouble　of
erecting　our　tent；　therefore　for　the　first　time　in　Cyprus　we　occupied
the　native　dwelling。　This　was　a　square　hut　built　of　stone　and　mud；　with
the　usual　hard　mud　roof。　From　its　large　size　it　was　evident　that　animals
shared　the　room　with　the　propri