cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第21章

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sedimentary　rock　are　so　general。　The　presence　of　these　hollows；　and　the
soft　nature　of　the　calcareous　stone；　has　suggested　artificial　caves　to
the　ancients；　both　for　tombs　and　for　places　of　refuge。　Before　the
invention　of　gunpowder　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　reduce　a　fort
such　as　I　have　described；　except　by　starvation。　A　mine　sunk　vertically
from　above　would　in　the　present　day　destroy　the　subterranean　stronghold
at　the　first　explosion。

It　rained　more　or　less　every　day　during　our　stay　at　Gallibornu；　and
thunder　rolled　heavily　in　the　neighbourhood；　but　in　the　narrow　valley
between　lofty　hills　the　sky　view　was　so　limited　that　it　was　impossible
to　judge　of　the　impending　weather。　The　earth　was　too　slippery　for
camels；　which　I　had　engaged　with　an　excellent　Turk；　who　for　some　years
had　been　a　zaphtieh；　therefore　it　was　necessary　to　wait　patiently　until
the　surface　should　become　dry。　I　amused　myself　with　wandering　over　the
hills　with　my　dogs；　examining　the　rocks；　and　shooting　sufficient　game
for　our　own　use。　I　could　generally　bag　enough　for　my　lad　to　carry　home
conveniently　over　this　rugged　country；　and　a　hare　or　two　in　addition　to
partridges　were　more　appreciated　when　stewed　than　when　carried　up　the
precipitous　hills。　I　never　tasted　any　game　so　delicious　as　the　Cyprian
hares；　they　are　not　quite　so　red　or　curly　as　the　European　species；　but
the　flesh　is　exceedingly　rich；　and　possesses　a　peculiarly　gamey　flavour；
owing　to　the　aromatic　food　upon　which　they　live。　It　is　difficult　to
obtain　a　shot　in　the　thick　coverts　of　mastic　bush；　and　without　dogs　I　do
not　think　I　should　have　shot　one；　as　they　were　generally　in　dense
thickets　upon　the　mountain　sides；　through　which　beaters　could　have
hardly　moved。

The　high　cliffs　above　us　formed　an　excellent　example　of　an　old
sea…bottom；　showingthe　various　strata　of　sedimentary　deposits　at
different　periods。　I　made　a　collection　of　fossil　shells；　which　were　in
great　numbers　but　in　limited　variety；　and　chiefly　bivalves。

Although　the　village　of　Gallibornu　was　more　important　in　size　than　many
we　had　passed；　there　was　a　total　lack　of　supplies。　It　was　impossible　to
purchase　bread；　and　we　were　obliged　to　send　messengers　to　considerable
distances　to　procure　flour；　which　we　subsequently　employed　a　woman　to
bake。　The　people　generally　were　very　poor　throughout　the　country；　and
the　cultivated　area　appeared　insufficient　for　the　support　of　the
population。　Every　yard　of　land　was　ploughed；　but　the　entire　valley　of
Gallibornu　was　fallowed；　and　did　not　possess　one　blade　of　corn；　as　the
soil　required　rest　after　the　yield　of　the　previous　season。　None　of　these
people　have　an　idea　respecting　a　succession　of　crops　in　scientific
rotation；　therefore　a　loss　is　sustained　by　the　impoverishment　of　the
ground；　which　must　occasionally　lie　inactive　to　recover　its　fertility。
There　is　absolutely　no　provision　whatever　for　the　cattle　in　the　shape　of
root…crops　or　hay；　but　they　trust　entirely　to　the　bruised　barley…straw
and　such　seeds　as　the　cotton　and　lentil。　At　this　season　the　Carpas
district　possessed　an　important　advantage　in　the　variety　of　wild
vegetables　which　afforded　nourishment　for　man　and　beast；　the　valleys
teemed　with　wild　artichokes　and　with　a　variety　of　thistles；　whose
succulent　stems　were　a　favourite　food　for　both　oxen　and　camels。

The　leaf…stems　of　the　artichokes　were　peeled　and　eaten　raw　by　the
inhabitants；　but　as　these　people　are　accustomed　to　consume　all　kinds　of
uncooked　vegetables　and　unripe　fruits　few　civilised　persons　would
indulge　in　the　Cypriote　tastes。　We　found　the　artichoke　stems　uneatable
in　a　raw　state；　but　remarkably　good　when　peeled　and　stewed；　with　a　sauce
of　yolk　of　egg　beaten　up　with　oil；　salt；　pepper；　and　lemon…juice；　they
were　then　quite　equal　to　sea…kale。　There　is　a　general　neglect　in　the
cultivation　of　vegetables　which　I　cannot　understand；　as　agriculture　is
the　Cypriote's　vocation；　it　can　hardly　be　called　laziness；　as　they　are
most　industrious　in　their　fields；　and　expend　an　immense　amount　of　labour
in　erecting　stone　walls　to　retain　a　small　amount　of　soil　wherever　the
water…wash　from　a　higher　elevation　brings　with　it　a　deposit。　The
insignificant　terraces　thus　formed　by　earth　caught　in　its　descent　while
in　solution　appear　disproportioned　to　the　labour　of　their　construction；
and　the　laborious　system　would　suggest　an　extreme　scarcity　of　land
suitable　for　agricultural　operations。　I　believe　this　to　be　the　case；　and
that　a　serious　mistake　has　been　made　in　assuming　that　the　Crown
possesses　large　areas　of　land　that　may　eventually　become　of　great　value。
There　are　government　lands；　doubtless；　of　considerable　extent；　but　I
question　their　agricultural　importance；　and　whenever　the　ordnance…map　of
the　island　shall　be　completed　a　wild　confusion　will　be　discovered　in　the
discrepancy　of　title…deeds　with　the　amount　of　land　in　possession　of　the
owners。　I　have；　whilst　shooting　in　the　wild　tracts　of　scrub…covered
hills　and　mountains；　frequently　emerged　upon　clearings　of　considerable
extent；　where　the　natives　have　captured　a　fertile　plot　and　cleared　it
for　cultivation；　far　away　from　the　eyes　of　all　authorities。

I　believe　that　squatting　has　been　carried　on　for　many　years；　as　during
the　Turkish　administration　a　trifling　annual　present　would　have　closed
the　eyes　of　the　never…too…zealous　official　who　by　such　an　oversight
could　annually　improve　his　pay。　Land　suitable　for　cultivation　cannot
possibly　be　in　excess　of　the　demand；　when　plots　of　only　a　few　yards
square　are　carefully　formed　by　the　erection　of　stone　walls　to　retain　the
torrent…collected　soil。

We　were　pestered　with　beggars　throughout　this　district；　and　even　the
blind　saw　their　opportunity；　their　number　was　distressing；　and　they
could　not　account　in　any　way　for　the　prevalence　of　ophthalmia。　Some
endeavoured　to　explain　the　cause　by　referring　it　to　the　bright
reflection　from　the　sea；　to　which　they　were　so　frequently　exposed；　I
assured　them　that　sailors　were　seldom　blind；　and　they　proved　the　rule。
Dirty　habits；　dwellings　unwashed；　heaps　of　filth　lying　around　their
houses　and　rotting　in　their　streets；　all　of　which　during　the　hot　dry
summer　is　converted　into　poisonous　dust；　and；　driven　by　the　wind；　fills
the　eyes；　which　are　seldom　cleansedthese　are　the　natural　causes　which
result　in　ophthalmia。

The　new　camels　were　ready；　and　with　six　of　these　animals　we　left
Gallibornu　and　felt　relieved　to　have　parted　with　the　carts；　as　for
several　marches　they　had　caused　great　delay　and　inconvenience。　Although
Theodori　had　deceived　me　by　agreeing　to　conduct　us　direct　to　Cape　St。
Andrea　I　did　not　like　to　discharge　the　thick…headed　but　innocent　Georgi；
therefore　I　offered　to　pay　them　a　certain　sum　which　they　themselves
named；　per　day；　for　the　keep　of　their　oxen；　provided　they　should　return
with　their　empty　carts　to　Lithrankomi　（one　march）　and　await　my　return
there；　after　which；　we　would　resume　the　original　contract；　and　their
oxen　would　once　more　draw　the　vans　from　their　station　at　Kuklia。

This　was　an　extra　expense；　as　the　camels　were　now　engaged　in　lieu　of
carts；　notwithstanding　that　I　should　have　to　pay　for　the　oxen；　on　the
other　hand；　these　animals　were　beautiful　specimens　of　their　kind；　and
were　thoroughly　accustomed　to　the　gipsy…van；　therefore　it　was　advisable
to　retain　them。　The　two　owners　were　delighted　with　the　arrangement；　and
we　started　for　Cape　St。　Andrea；　while　they　were　to　return　to
Lithrankomi。

The　country　was　now　thoroughly　enjoyable；　the　recent　daily　showers　had
freshened　all　vegetation；　and　the　earth　was　a　carpet　of　wild　flowers；
including　scarlet　ranunculus；　poppies；　a　very　pretty　dwarf　yellow　cistus
resembling　bunches　of　primroses；　cyclamen；　narcissus；　anemonespurple；
white；　and　a　peculiarly　bright　yellow　variety。

The　route　from　Gallibornu　was　extremely　wild　and　picturesque；　combining
hills；　glens；　and　occasional　short　glimpses　of　the　sea　between　the
gorges　which　cleft　the　precipitous　range　upon　our　right。　The　rounded　and
sparkling　tops　of　gypsum　hills　were　common　for　the　first　few　miles；
emerging　from　these；　we　threaded　a　ravine；　and　arrived　upon　the　sea
beach；　and　continued　for　a　considerable　distance　upon　the　margin　of　the
shore；　the　animals　scrambling　over　fallen　rocks　and　alternately
struggling　through　the　deep　sand　and　banks　of　sea…weed　piled　by　a
recent　gale。　We　now　entered　upon　the　first　pure　sandstone　that　I　had
seen；　this　was　a　coffee…brown；　and　formed　the　substratum　of　the　usual
sedimentary　limestone　which　capped　the　surface　of　the　hill…tops。　The
appearance　was　peculiar；　as　the　cliffs　of　brown　sandstone　were　crusted
for　a　depth　of　about　eight　or　ten　feet　by　the　white　rock　abounding　with
fossil　shells；　while　the　substratum　of　hard　sand　was　perfectly　devoid　of
all　traces　of　organic　matter。　The　upheaval　of　a　sea…bottom　was　clearly
demonstrated。　As　the　sandstone　had　decayed；　vast　fragments　of　the
surface　rock　had　broken　down　when　undermined　and　had　fallen　to　the　base
of　the　steep　inclines；　from　the　interstices　of　which　a　dense　growth　of
evergreens　produced　an　agreeable　harmony　of　colouring；　combining　various
shades　of　green　with　brown　cliffs　and　white　masses　of　disjointed
limestone。　The　deep　blue　of　the　sea　was　a　beautiful　addition　to　this
wild　scenery；　and　after　threading　our　way　sometimes　between　narrow
gorges；　at　other　places　along　sequestered　glens　which　exhibited　young
crops　of　cereals　and　cultivated　olive…trees；　we　at　length　arrived　at　a
halting…place　upon　the　seashore；　where　a　well　of　excellent　water　about
ten　feet　from　the　surface　had　been　sunk　upon　the　sea…beach　within　fifty
yards　of　the　waves。

This　was　the　best　camping…ground　we　had　had　in　Cyprus；　for　the　first
time　we　stood　upon　real　turf；　green　with　recent　showers；　and　firmly
rooted　upon　a　rich　sandy　loam。　A　cultivated　valley　lay　a　few　hundred
yards　beyond　us；　completely　walled　in　by　high　hills　covered　with　wild
olives；　arbutus；　and　dwarf…cypress；　and　fronted　by　the　sea。　Some　fine
specimens　of　the　broad…headed　and　shady　caroub…trees　gave　a　park…like
appearance　to　the　valley；　through　which　a　running　stream　entered　from　a
ravine　among　the　hills；　and；　winding　through　deep　banks　covered　with
myrtles　and　oleanders；　expended　itself　upon　the　shingly　beach　in　the
centre　of　the　bay。　This　sheltered　cove；　about　300　yards　across　the　chord
of　the　arc；　formed　rather　more　than　a　semicircle　by　the　natural
formation　of　the　coast；　and　was　further　improved　by　a　long　reef　of　hard
sandstone；　which　extended　from　either　point　like　an　artificial
breakwater。

At　first　sight　the　little　bay　was　a　tempting　refuge；　but　upon　closer
examination　I　observed　ominous　dark　patches　in　the　clear　water；　which
betokened　dangerous　reefs；　and　other　light　green　portions　that　denoted
sandy　shallows。　The　cove　is　useful　for　the　native　small　craft；　but　would
be　unsuitable　to　vessels　of　more　than　seven　feet　draught　of　water。　I　had
observed　that　francolins　were　more　numerous　since　we　had　arrived　upon
the　sandstone　formation；　and　the　cock　birds　were　calling　in　all
directions；　the　locality　was　so　inviting　that　we　felt　inclined　to　remain
for　a　few　days　in　such　a　delightful　spot；　but　the　season　was　too　far
advanced　for　shooting；　and　I　therefore　confined　myself　to　killing　only
what　was　absolut