cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第35章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


advertised　our　arrival；　throngs　of　women　and　children　approached　to
salaam　and　to　stare。　I　always　travelled　with　binocular　glasses　slung
across　my　back；　and　these　were　admirable　stare…repellers；　it　was　only
necessary　to　direct　them　upon　the　curious　crowd；　and　the　most　prominent
individuals　acknowledged　their　power　by　first　looking　shy　and　conscious；
and　then　confusedly　laughing　and　retreating　to　the　rear。

We　had　arrived　at　2。20　P。M。；　and　we　waited　beneath　the　olive…trees　until
8　P。M。；　when　the　advance　camels　at　length　came　in　after　dark。　It　was
9。30　before　the　tents　were　pitched　and　the　camp　arranged。　The　great
delay　had　been　occasioned　by　Iiani's　old　camel；　which　had；　as　I　had
expected；　rolled　down　the　steep　bill　with　its　load；　and　having　nearly
killed　itself；　had　mortally　wounded　the　sacred　copper　kettle；　which
every　traveller　knows　is　one　of　his　Penates；　or　household　gods；　to
which　he　clings　with　reverence　and　affection。　This　beautiful　object　had
lost　its　plump　and　well…rounded　figure；　and　had　been　crushed　into　a
museum…shaped　antiquity　that　would　have　puzzled　the　most　experienced
archaeologist。　Metal　water…jugs　upon　which　the　camel　had　rolled　had
been　reduced　to　the　shape　of　soup…plates；　and　a　general　destruction　of
indispensable　utensils　had　inflicted　a　loss　more　than　equal　to　the　value
of　Iiani's　animal。

The　following　morning　（12th　April）　exhibited　the　extraordinary　change　of
climate　between　the　northern　and　southern　sides　of　the　Carpas
mountain…range。　The　average　temperature　of　the　week　had　been　at　7　A。M。
57。5　degrees　F；　3　P。M。　66。5　degrees。　At　Morphu　the　thermometer　at　7　A。M。
showed　62　degrees；　and　at　3　P。M。　83　degrees！　It　was　precisely　the　same
on　the　following　day。

It　was　a　distressing　contrast　to　the　beautiful　Kyrenia　and　the
interesting　north　coast　to　have　exchanged　the　green　trees　and　rippling
streams　for　the　arid　and　desolate　aspect　of　the　Messaria。　The　town　of
Morphu　has　no　special　interest；　like　all　others；　it　consists　of　houses
constructed　of　sun…baked　bricks　of　clay　and　broken　straw；　with
flat…topped　roofs　of　the　same　materials。　There　are　fruitful　gardens
irrigated　by　water…wheels；　and　formerly　the　extremely　rich　sandy　loam　of
the　valley　produced　madder…roots　of　excellent　quality；　which　added
materially　to　the　value　of　the　land。　This　industry　having　been
completely　eclipsed　by　the　alizarine　dye；　Morphu　has　to　depend　upon　silk
and　cereals　for　its　agricultural　wealth。　The　population　is　composed
almost　entirely　of　Greeks。　There　is　a　monastery　and　a　large　school。

I　rode　to　the　bay；　about　four　miles　and　a　half　distant；　passing　many
villages；　which；　as　we　neared　the　sea；　were　in　the　midst　of　magnificent
crops　of　barley　and　wheat；　resulting　from　artificial　irrigation　by　the
water　that　percolates　beneath　the　sandy　bed　of　the　dry　river　at　a
certain　level；　which　has　been　led　into　numerous　channels　before　it　can
reach　the　natural　exit　at　its　mouth。　It　must　be　exceedingly　unhealthy；
as；　for　several　square　miles　upon　the　sea　margin；　the　country　is　an
expanse　of　marsh　and　bulrushes；　abounding　with　snipe　during　the　winter
months。　On　13th　April　I　walked　over　the　greater　portion　of　this　locality
with　my　three　spaniels；　but　the　snipe　had　departed；　and　we　did　not　move
a　bird。

On　the　right　side　of　Morphu　Bay　to　the　east；　by　Kormachiti；　there　are
extensive　sand…dunes；　forming　deep　drifts；　which　extend　for　several
miles　inland　at　the　foot　of　the　hill…range　that　we　had　descended。　These
exhibit　the　prevailing　wind　（north）。　Many　people　upon　observing
sand…dunes　attribute　the　most　distant　limit　of　the　sand　to　the　extreme
violence　of　the　wind；　but　this　is　not　the　case。　It　is　the　steady
prevalence　of　moderately　strong　winds　that　causes　the　extension　of
sand…drifts。　The　wind　of　to…day　deposits　the　sand　at　a　certain　distance
from　the　shore。　The　wind　to…morrow　starts　the　accumulated　sand　from　that
depot　to　form　a　new　deposit　about　equidistant；　and　thus　by　slow　degrees
the　dunes　are　formed　by　a　succession　of　mounds；　conveyed　onwards　by　an
unchanging　force；　but　the　maximum　power　of　a　gale　would　be　unable　to
carry　thousands　of　tons　of　heavy　sand　to　form　a　hill…range　at　the
extreme　distance　from　the　original　base　of　the　material。　At　Hambantotte；
in　the　southern　district　of　Ceylon；　there　is　an　extraordinary　example　of
this　action；　where　during　one　monsoon　a　range　of　mounds　is　formed　which
might　be　termed　hills；　when　the　monsoon　changes；　these　by　degrees
disappear；　and；　according　to　the　alteration　in　the　wind；　a　range　of
hills　is　formed　in　an　exactly　opposite　direction。

I　was　glad　to　escape　from　Morphu；　the　wind　from　the　dry　plain　was　hot；
and　brought　clouds　of　dust。　We　were　surrounded　by　throngs　of　people
during　the　day；　many　of　whom　were　blind；　including　young　children。　The
13th　April　was　the　Greek　Easter　Sunday；　and　we　could　not　start；　as　Iiani
declared　that　the　mules　had　run　away　during　the　night；　and　could　not　be
found；　we　knew　this　was　only　an　excuse　for　remaining　at　Morphu；　and　he
at　length　confessed　that　the　mules　were　caught；　and　we　could　start　in
the　afternoon　if　I　would　allow　him　to　wait　until　he　should　have　received
the　sacrament　together　with　his　wife。　Having　thus　brought　the
theological　and　the　domestic　guns　to　concentrate　their　fire　upon　me；　I
was　obliged　to　yield；　and　liani　appeared　in　such　a　jovial　frame　of　mind
in　the　afternoon；　and　smelt　so　strongly　of　spirits；　that　I　suspected　his
devotions　had　been　made　at　the　raki…shop　instead　of　the　altar。

On　14th　April　we　started；　and　were　thankful　to　leave　Morphu。　The　route
lay　across　the　plain　westward；　and　in　some　parts　we　rode　along　the　sea
margin；　eagerly　hurrying　our　animals　to　turn　the　corner　of　the　hills　and
escape　from　the　hot　and　dreary　plain。　The　breeze　was　northerly；　and　a
heavy　surf　broke　upon　the　coast；　exhibiting　the　exposed　position　of
Morphu　Bay　from　north　to　west。　On　the　eastern　side　the　beach　is　sandy
and　the　water　deepens　rapidly；　affording　good　and　safe　anchorage　near
the　shore；　but　should　the　wind　change　suddenly　to　west　or　north；　the
position　would　be　dangerous。　The　bay　is　the　most　striking　of　all　the
numerous　indentations　on　the　shores　of　Cyprus。　The　bold　points　of　Cape
Kormachiti　and　Cape　Kokkino　form　the　chord　of　an　arc　twenty…one　miles　in
length；　from　the　centre　of　which　the　bay　enters　the　land　about　eleven
miles。　It　would　be　impossible　to　land　from　boats　even　during　a　moderate
breeze　from　the　west　to　north　without　considerable　danger；　but　I　can　see
no　difficulty　in　arranging　a　floating　breakwater　that　would　afford
shelter　for　small　vessels　and　add　materially　to　the　importance　of　the
roadstead。　These　are　the　necessary　improvements　which　require　an　outlay；
and　unfortunately　under　the　existing　conditions　of　our　occupation　the
revenue　that　would　be　available　for　public　works　is　transferred　to　the
treasury　of　Constantinople；　thus　the　Turk　still　hampers　progress；　as　he
governs　Cyprus　in　the　uniform　of　the　British　official。　We　rounded　the
base　of　the　hills；　which　rose　rapidly　from　the　shore；　and　crossed
several　small　streams　thickly　fringed　with　tamarisk；　that　would　be
impassable　during　sudden　storms　of　the　rainy　season。　Several　villages
were　distinguished　by　their　bright　green　appearance　among　the　hills；
which　denoted　the　existence　of　springs　or　rivulets；　and　as　we　proceeded
we　observed　that　all　crops　in　the　low　ground　had　benefited　by　artificial
irrigation。

After　a　ride　of　two　hours　and　a　half　we　arrived　at　Caravastasi；　and
halted　in　a　very　stony　field　at　the　back　of　the　village；　beneath　an　old
caroub…tree　that　had　grown　thick　and　shady　by　the　merciless　hacking　of
its　taller　boughs；　which　had　reduced　it　to　a　pollard。　The　village　of
Caravastasi　consists　only　of　eight　or　ten　houses；　but　is　rendered
important　by　a　Custom…house。　It　is　situated　on　the　most　inland　point　of
Morphu　Bay；　and　is　slightly　sheltered　on　the　west　by　a　promontory；　which
forms　a　neat　little　cove　for　the　protection　of　small　vessels；　but　it　is
completely　open　due　north。　Nothing　would　be　easier　than　to　construct　a
small　harbour；　by　extending　a　pier　or　breakwater　from　the　end　of　the
promontory　in　the　required　direction；　and　the　present　unimportant
village　would　become　only　second　in　importance　to　Kyrenia。

The　positions　of　ancient　sea…port　ruins　attest　the　value　that　attached
to　certain　geographical　points　in　former　days；　and　although　the　vessels
of　those　periods　may　have　been　much　inferior　to　ships　of　modern　times；
they　were　sufficiently　large　for　the　commerce　of　the　country　and　for　the
capabilities　of　the　harbours。　The　trade　of　Cyprus　will　always　be　carried
by　vessels　from　twenty　to　one　hundred　and　fifty　tons；　and　there　should
be　no　difficulty　in　providing　shelter　for　ships　of　this　small　draught　of
water。　The　ruins　of　Soli；　on　the　west　of　the　present　village　of
Caravastasi；　prove　that　the　Athenians；　who　founded　the　original　city；
were　thoroughly　cognizant　of　the　value　of　a　position　which　is　the　only
spot　upon　the　whole　northern　coast　of　Cyprus　that　will　afford　shelter　or
a　landing…place；　excepting　the　harbour　of　Kyrenia。　In　the　early　period
of　Cyprian　history　Soli　represented　one　of　the　independent　kingdoms　when
the　island　was　divided　into　ten；　Amathus；　Cerinea　（Kyrenia）；　Citium；
Chytri；　Curium；　Lapithas；　Marium；　Nea…Paphos；　Salamis；　and　Soli。　The
Phoenicians；　from　their　own　southern　position；　naturally　selected　the
ports　most　convenient　for　their　trade；　and　accordingly　settled　on　the
south　coast　of　Cyprus；　their　chief　towns　being　Amathus；　Citium；　and
Paphos；　these　were　important　commercial　ports　at　a　time　when　Cyprus　was
in　its　zenith　of　prosperity；　and　were　sufficient　for　the　requirements　of
the　period。　If　the　British　occupation　is　intended　to　be　permanent　it
will　be　highly　necessary　to　determine　the　classes　of　harbours　that
should　be　provided；　as　it　would　be　a　useless　extravagance　to　expend
large　sums　upon　the　construction　of　ports　beyond　the　necessities　of　the
trade。　As　I　have　already　expressed　an　opinion　that　the　commerce　of
Cyprus　will　be　represented　by　vessels　of　moderate　tonnage；　the　necessary
protection　for　such　vessels　may　be　obtained　at　an　equally　moderate
outlay；　and　both　Soli　and　Kyrenia　may　be　made　available　as　safe　harbours
for　all　traders　upon　the　northern　coast。　Famagousta　would　become　the
arsenal　and　dockyard　for　ships　of　war；　Larnaca　and　Limasol　would　be　safe
roadsteads　for　all　classes；　and　could　easily　be　arranged　to　protect
small　trading…vessels；　while　Baffo　would；　like　Kyrenia　and　Soli；　be
restored　to　its　original　position。　All　rudimentary　harbour…works　would
be　planned　with　a　view　to　future　extension；　as　might　be　rendered
necessary　by　the　development　of　trade。

Colonel　White；　1st　Royal　Scots；　who　had　been　appointed　chief
commissioner　of　the　Lefkosia　district　from　his　former　similar　position
at　Larnaca；　arrived　at　Caravastasi　upon　the　same　day　as　ourselves。　This
very　painstaking　and　energetic　officer　was　exploring　his　district　and
investigating　all　the　nooks　and　corners　of　the　mountainous　frontier
which　bounded　his　authority；　he　was　accordingly　assailed　with　complaints
and　lamentations　concerning　the　endless　water　disputes　among　the
villages；　those　of　the　lower　ground　declaring　that　the　streams　to　which
they　were　entitl