cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第40章

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way；　as　our　new　guide　thoroughly　knew　the　country。

While　all　hands　were　pitching　the　tent　upon　a　sandy　turf　within　a　few
yards　of　the　sea…beach　I　took　the　dogs　for　a　ramble　up　the
thickly…wooded　valley　along　the　banks　of　the　stream；　as　I　had　observed　a
number　of　blue…rock　pigeons　among　the　white　cliffs；　and　I　thought　I
might　perhaps　find　a　hare　for　the　evening　stew。　I　killed　some　pigeons；
but　did　not　move　a　hare；　although　the　dogs　worked　through　most　promising
ground；　where　green　crops　upon　the　flat　bottom　surrounded　by　thick
coverts　afford　both　food　and　shelter。　We　were　returning　to　camp　when　I
suddenly　heard　Merry　and　Shot　barking　savagely　in　some　thick　bushes　upon
the　steep　bank　of　the　stream。　At　first　I　thought　they　had　found　a
hedgehog；　which　was　always　Shot's　amusement；　as　he　constantly　brought
them　into　camp　after　he　had　managed　to　obtain　a　hold　of　their　prickly
bodies。　The　barking　continued；　and　as　I　could　not　penetrate　the　bush；　I
called　the　dogs　off。　They　joined　me　almost　immediately；　looking　rather
scared。　It　now　occurred　to　me　that　they　might　have　found　a　snake；　as　a
few　days　ago　I　had　heard　Merry　barking　in　a　similar　manner；　and　upon
joining　him　I　had　discovered　a　snake　coiled　up　with　head　erect　in　an
attitude　of　defence。　I　had　killed　the　snake　and　scolded　the　dog；　as　I
feared　he　would　come　to　an　untimely　end；　should　he　commence　snake…
hunting　in　so　prolific　a　field　as　Cyprus。　Since　that　time　all　the　dogs
hunted　the　countless　lizards　which　ran　across　the　path　during　the　march；
and　Shot　was　most　determined　in　his　endeavours　to　scratch　them　out　of
their　holes。

I　had　called　my　three　dogs　together；　and　we　were　walking　across　a　field
of　green　wheat；　when　I　suddenly　missed　Shot；　and　he　was　discovered　lying
down　about　fifty　paces　in　our　rear。　Merry；　who　usually　was　pluck　and
energy　itself；　was　following　at　my　heels　and　looking　stupid　and　subdued。
This　dog　was　indomitable；　and　his　fault　was　wildness　at　the　commencement
of　the　day；　I　could　not　now　induce　him　to　hunt；　and　his　eyes　had　a
peculiar　expression；　as　though　his　system　had　suffered　some　severe
shock。　Shot　came　slowly　when　I　called　him；　but　he　walked　with
difficulty；　and　his　jaws　were　swollen。　I　now　felt　sure　that　the　dogs
were　bitten　by　a　snake；　which　they　had　been　baying　when　I　heard　them　in
the　bush　about　five　minutes　before。　We　were　very　near　the　camp；　and　the
dog　crept　home　slowly　at　my　heels。　Upon　examination　there　was　no　doubt
of　the　cause；　Shot　had　wounds　of　a　snake's　fangs　upon　his　lip；　under　the
eye；　and　upon　one　ear；　he　must　have　been　the　first　bitten；　as　he　had
evidently　received　the　greatest　discharge　of　poison。　Merry　was　bitten　in
the　mouth　and　in　one　ear；　both　of　which　were　already　swollen；　but　not　to
the　same　degree　as　Shot；　who；　within　an　hour；　had　a　head　as　large　as　a
small　calf's；　and　his　eyes　were　completely　closed。　I　had　not　the
slightest　hope　of　his　recovery；　as　his　throat　had　swollen　to　an　enormous
size；　which　threatened　suffocation。　I　could　do　nothing　for　the　poor　dogs
but　oil　their　mouths；　although　knew　that　the　poison　would　assuredly
spread　throughout　the　system。　The　dogs　had　been　bitten　at　about　3。40
P。M。　At　8　P。M。　（our　dinner…hour）　Shot　was　a　shapeless　mass；　and　his
limbs　were　stiff；　the　skin　of　his　throat　and　fore…part　of　his　body
beneath　his　curly　white　and　liver…coloured　hair　was　perfectly　black；　his
jowl；　which　now　hung　three　inches　below　his　jaws；　was　also　inky　black；
as　were　his　swollen　tongue　and　palate。　Merry's　head　and　throat　were
swollen　badly；　and　he　lay　by　the　blazing　fire　of　logs　half　stupefied　and
devoid　of　observation。

On　the　following　morning　Shot　was　evidently　dying；　he　did　not　appear　to
suffer　pain；　but　was　in　a　state　of　coma　and　swelled　to　such　a　degree
that　he　resembled　the　skin　of　an　animal　that　had　been　badly　stuffed　with
hay。　Merry　was　worse　than　on　the　preceding　night；　and　lay　in　a　state　of
stupor。　I　carried　him　to　the　sea　and　dipped　him　several　times　beneath
the　water；　this　appeared　slightly　to　revive　him；　and　he　was　placed　in　a
large　saddle…bag　to　be　carried　on　a　mule　for　the　day's　march。　Shot　had
been　quite　unconscious；　and　when　the　men　prepared　an　animal　to　carry
him；　it　was　found　that　he　was　already　dead。　This　was　a　little　after　8
A。M。；　and　he　had　been　bitten　at　about　3。40　P。　M。：　about　16　and　a　half
hours　had　elapsed。　My　men　dug　a　grave　and　buried　the　poor　animal；　who
had　been　a　faithful　dog　and　an　excellent　retriever。　From　Merry's
appearance　I　expected　that　we　should　have　to　attend　to　his　remains　in
the　same　manner　before　the　evening。

Snakes　are　very　numerous　in　Cyprus；　but　I　cannot　believe　in　any　great
danger　if　these　generally　hated　creatures　should　be　avoided。　If　dogs
will　insist　upon　hunting　and　attacking　them；　they　must　be　bitten　as　a
natural　consequence；　in　this　fatal　case　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　the
dog　Shot　was　the　first　to　discover　and　attack　the　snake；　and　Merry；　upon
hearing　him　bark；　joined　in　the　fight。　It　is　quite　unnatural　for　any　of
the　serpent　tribe　to　attack；　except　for　the　purpose　of　devouring　their
natural　prey。　As　a　general　rule；　the　food　of　snakes　consists　of　rats；
mice；　frogs；　or　toads；　beetles；　and　other　insects；　the　pythons　and
larger　serpents　feed　upon　such　animals　as　hares；　birds；　and　the　young　of
either　antelopes；　deer；　pigs；　&c。　Although　a　snake　if　trodden　upon　might
by　a　spasmodic　impulse　inflict　a　bite；　it　would　nine　times　out　of　ten
endeavour　to　escape。　The　idea　of　any　snake　wilfully　and　maliciously
premeditating　an　attack　upon　a　man　is　quite　out　of　the　question；　unless
it　has　been　either　teased　or　excited　by　a　dog　when　hunting。　The　same
principle　will　hold　good　in　the　case　of　animals。　No　snake　that　feeds
only　upon　rats；　mice；　and　such　small　animals　would　seek　to　attack　a　dog；
or　any　creature　that　was　not　its　natural　prey；　and　the　actual　danger
from　such　reptiles　is　quite　insignificant。　The　stories　that　are
circulated　of　accidents　are　mostly　exaggerated；　or　are　perpetuated　by
constant　repetition。　I　have　been　in　snake　countries　such　as　Ceylon　and
Africa　during　many　years；　the　greater　portion　of　which　has　been　passed
in　practical　explorations；　and　I　can　safely　say　that　I　never　thought　of
snakes　until　they　met　my　eye；　and　no　person　that　I　ever　knew　was　killed
by　a　poisonous　bite。　In　Cyprus　there　are　several　varieties。　I　have　only
seen　three；　a　black　species　which　is　harmless；　a　mottled　variety　also
non…poisonous；　and　a　grey　snake　that　is　supposed　to　be　deadly；　there　may
be　more；　but　I　have　never　met　with　them。　The　stony　nature　of　the
country；　and　the　bush…covered　surface　of　the　hills；　together　with　the
dryness　of　the　climate；　are　all　favourable　to　the　development　of　snakes
and　lizards。　The　latter　are　exceedingly　numerous；　and　are　most　valuable
destroyers　of　insects；　there　are　several　varieties；　but　the　most　common
is　the　bright　copper…coloured　species　with　a　smooth　skin。　The　chameleon
also　exists。

Although　we　had　never　taken　the　presence　of　snakes　into　serious
consideration；　the　horrible　effect　of　the　bite　upon　the　dogs　made　every
one　on　the　alert　during　the　march　over　the　rocky　and　bushy　country　from
our　camp　to　Evdimu。　Our　guide　scorned　a　beaten　track；　and　after　having
kept　the　regular　path　along　the　sea…coast　for　a　mile；　he　struck
directly　up　the　mountain；　which　descended　in　a　steep　cliff　to　the　shore；
against　which　the　waves　dashed　with　violence。　The　country　was
exceedingly　wild　for　some　miles　as　we　ascended　through　bush　of　young
pines；　dwarf…cypress；　and　mastic；　occasionally　passing　pines　of　larger
growth；　which　had；　as　usual；　been　mutilated。　We　moved　partridges　in
several　places；　but　these　were　old　birds　packed　in　considerable　numbers：
a　bad　sign　at　this　season；　when　they　should　have　been　sitting　upon　eggs。
At　an　elevation　of　about　1000　feet　above　the　sea　we　came　upon　a　park　of
caroub…trees；　in　which　was　a　spring　of　water；　large　flocks　of　goats　and
cattle；　together　with　many　mules　and　horses；　were　roaming　through　this
verdant　district；　which　afforded　abundant　pasturage　in　the　shape　of　wild
artichokes；　a　variety　of　succulent　thistles；　and　many　plants　suitable　to
the　native　animals　in　the　absence　of　actual　grasses。　This　is　a
distressing　want　throughout　Cyprus；　when　the　country　is　green；　the
verdure　is　produced　by　cultivated　crops　of　cereals；　which　quickly　change
to　yellow　as　they　ripen；　all　the　natural　productions　of　the　earth　are
what　in　England　we　should　term　〃weeds　〃there　is　no　real　grass；　except
in　some　rare　localities　where　a　species　of　〃couch…grass〃　（the　British
farmer's　enemy）　crawls　along　the　surface；　being　nourished　by　its　knotty
roots；　which；　penetrating　into　the　deep　soil；　are　enabled　to　escape　the
burning　sun。

Upon　reaching　the　summit；　about　1200　feet　above　the　sea；　we　looked　over
the　richest　landscape　that　I　had　seen　in　Cyprus。　A　succession　of　broad
valleys　and　undulating　hills　gradually　ascended；　until　in　the　far
distance　they　terminated　in　elevated　plateaux　upwards　of　2000　feet　above
the　sea。　The　whole　of　this　district；　as　far　and　no　doubt　much　farther
than　the　eye　could　reach；　was　richly　wooded　with　caroub…trees　and
occasional　olive…groves；　while　the　distant　villages　were　marked　by　the
peculiar　light…green　of　mulberry…clumps　and　other　fruit…trees。　The
bottoms　of　the　numerous　valleys　were　dark　with　well…irrigated　crops　of
cereals；　and　contrasted　strongly　with　those　of　the　higher　ground；　which
had　depended　solely　upon　the　uncertain　rainfall。

There　were　beautiful　sites　for　country　residences　throughout　this　scene；
and　it　appeared　strange　that　no　house　was　visible　except　the　ordinary
mud…built　dwellings　in　the　native　villages。　The　route　over　this　country
was　abominable；　as　it　was　a　succession　of　the　steepest　ups…and…downs
into　valleys　many　hundred　feet　in　depth；　which　necessitated　a　scramble
up　a　rocky　zigzag　for　a　similar　height　above；　to　be　repeated　after　we
had　crossed　each　shoulder　that　formed　a　spur　from　the　distant　mountains；
the　drainage　being　at　right　angles　to　our　path。　Every　plateau　exhibited
the　same　lovely　view　of　the　sea；　cliffs　of　snow…white　cretaceous　rock；
green　hills；　and　deep　vales；　through　which　a　stream　of　water　had　given
birth　to　a　thick　growth　of　foliage。　After　a　march　of　fourteen　miles　we
halted　in　a　deep　dell　beneath　shady　caroubs；　a　few　yards　from　a　brook　of
clear　water　which　irrigated　some　of　the　richest　crops　I　had　seen　in
Cyprus。　When　the　camels　arrived　Merry　was　very　bad；　and　his　skin　beneath
the　hair　had　turned　black；　he　lapped　water　with　difficulty；　as　his
tongue　and　mouth　were　swollen　to　a　great　size　and　were　also　black。　As
the　dog　could　not　eat　I　poured　a　quantity　of　olive…oil　down　his　throat。

The　large　village　of　Evdimu　was　about　a　mile　above　us；　and　was
distinguishable　from　the　heights。　A　new　and　important　church　was　in
process　of　construction；　upon　which　some　Italian　workmen　were　employed；
and　an　air　of　prosperity　in　this　neighbourhood　contrasted　favourably
with　most　portions　of　the　island。　The　cock…birds　of　francolins　were
crowing　in　all　directions；　and　when　rambling　with　Wise；　my　now　solitary
dog；　vainly　searching　for　a　hare；　I　found　several　pairs　of　red…legged
partridges；　which　of　course　at　this　season　I　respected。

The　march　on　the　following　day　was　a　continuation　o