cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第44章

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each　person　during　the　year。　The　local　consumption　is　exceedingly　small；
which　can　only　be　accounted　for　by　the　general　poverty　of　the
population。

The　exports　are　directed　principally　to　the　various　ports　of　the　Levant；
Constantinople；　Smyrna；　Alexandria；　in　addition　to　Trieste；　and　parts　of
Southern　Italy。　Some　of　the　dark　wines　are　shipped　to　Marseilles；　for
the　well…known　establishment　at　Cette；　where　they　are　used　for　mixing
with　other　wines。　It　should　at　once　be　understood　that　no　quality　of
Cyprus　wines　is　suitable　to　the　English　market；　as　they　are　generally
shunned　even　by　the　English　residing　in　the　island；　where　their　extreme
cheapness　might　tempt　people　into　the　bad　taste　of　consuming　them。　At
the　same　time；　these　wines　are　well　appreciated　by　the　native
population；　especially　the　dark　astringent　qualities。

The　difficulty　of　introducing　a　new　wine　is　well　known　to　English
wine…merchants；　and　the　mysteries　of　the　trade　would　somewhat　astonish
the　innocent　would…be　connoisseur。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　palate
must　be　educated　to　enjoy　fine　dry　wines；　precisely　as　the　ear　must　be
instructed　before　it　can　appreciate　classical　music。　There　is　a　harmony
in　the　senses　of　hearing；　smell；　and　taste　which　is　the　result　of
civilised　life；　this　may　be　right　or　wrong　physically；　as　the　nerves
become　more　delicate　and　sensitive；　which　may　affect　the　brain　more　or
less　directly。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　it　affects　the　stomach。
Certain　civilised　persons　prefer　game　in　a　state　approaching　to
decomposition；　I　have　seen　savages　who　enjoy　flesh　when　actually　putrid；
and　above　all　horrors；　fish　when　stinking！　Such　food　would　disgust　the
civilised　man　who　prefers　his　game　〃high；〃　and　would　perhaps　kill　other
civilised　people　whose　palates　and　stomachs　have　been　educated　to　avoid
impurities。　In　the　same　manner　the　palate　must　be　educated　for　wines　or
other　drinks。　I　gave　an　old　priest　a　bottle　of　Bass's　pale　India　ale；　he
could　not　drink　half　a　glassful　but　rejected　it　as　picro　（bitter）；　the
same　old　man　enjoyed　his　penny…a…bottle　black　Cyprus　wine；　reeking　of
tar　and　half…rotten　goat…skins；　in　which　it　had　been　brought　to
marketa　stuff　that　I　could　not　have　swallowed！　It　must　therefore　be
borne　in　mind　when　judging　of　Cyprian　wines；　that　〃English　taste　does
not　govern　the　world。〃　Although　the　British　market　would　be　closed　to
the　coarse　and　ill…made　wines　of　Cyprus；　there　are　other　markets　which
accept　them　gladly；　and　would　absorb　them　to　a　high　degree；　were　they
improved　by　superior　cultivation　and　manufacture。

At　the　same　time　that　the　produce　of　Cyprus　is　now　a　unsuitable　to　the
English　market；　there　is　no　reason　why　it　should　be　excluded　at　a　future
time；　when　scientific　culture　shall　have　enhanced　the　quality。　It　should
be　remembered　that　the　poorer　classes　of　Great　Britain　would　be
immensely　benefited　by　a　beverage　that　should　be　within　their　reach　in
price；　and　at　the　same　time　be　sufficiently　invigorating　without　the
direct　intoxicating　properties　of　spirits　or　the　sleepy；　heavy；　and
thirst…increasing　qualities　of　beer。　If　Cyprus　is　at　some　future　time　to
become　a　British　colony；　the　wine　trade　will　be　the　principal　source　of
industry；　and　should　be　developed　by　the　government　with　every　possible
encouragement　to　the　proprietors　of　vineyards。　An　improved　quality　of
wine　will　not　necessitate　an　additional　price；　but；　on　the　contrary；　the
wine…growing　resources　of　the　island　are　so　irrepressible　that　they　have
withstood　the　oppression　of　the　past　and　present；　and　when　relieved　of
this　incubus；　not　only　should　the　quality　improve；　but　the　price　should
be　reduced。　In　this　case；　should　the　Cyprian　produce　be　favoured　by　a
nominal　import　duty　in　England；　the　wine　will　be　within　the　reach　of　the
poorer　classes；　and　may　ameliorate　that　crying　evil　of　our　country；
〃intoxication；〃　by　weaning　the　spirit…drinker　to　a　more　wholesome
drink。

It　must　never　be　supposed　by　the　most　sanguine　that　Cyprian　wines　will
be　fashionable　among　the　upper　classes　in　England。　I　do　not　think　they
will　ever　surpass　Marsala　or　many　of　the　Cape　wines。　English　people；　as
a　rule；　object　to　cheap　wines；　or　at　least　they　are　reserved　concerning
the　price；　should　cheap　wine　be　upon　their　table。　It　is　a　dangerous
thing　to　mention　the　cost　of　any　wine；　even　to　your　nearest　friend；
although　he　might　have　enjoyed　it　when　he　thought　it　must　have　cost　you
72　shillings　the　dozen；　he　will　detect　some　unpleasant　peculiarity　when
you　may　foolishly　have　confided　to　him　that　it　only　cost　you　36
shillings；　or；　worse　still；　24　shillings。　He　will　possibly　suggest　to
you　on　the　following　morning　that　〃something　disagreed　with　him　during
the　night；　but　he　does　NOT　think　it　was　the　24　shilling　wine。〃　Here　is
the　fault　of　HALF…EDUCATED　palates；　they　expect　too　much；　and　are　guided
by　fancies。　The　same　person　might　be　beguiled　into　the　belief　that　the
24　shilling　wine　was　very　superior　if　he　had　been　deceived　by　an
assurance　that　it　cost　72　shillings。　There　are　really　very　few　amateurs
who　could　value　unknown　wines　by　the　test　of　their　own　palates；　but　the
chilly　climate　of　England　is　adverse　to　light　wines；　and　necessitates　a
full　body；　with　considerable　strength。

The　sherries　are　always　fortified　by　an　addition　of　between　30　to　40　per
cent。　of　alcohol　before　they　are　shipped　to　England；　without　which　they
would　be　unsaleable；　as　to　our　taste；　they　would　be　empty　and　vapid。　We
must　therefore　make　a　considerable　allowance　when　judging　of　Cyprus
wines　in　their　present　extremely　rude　and　uncultivated　position。

Nothing　is　added；　and　the　following　concise　description　will　account　for
their　disagreeable　peculiarities。

There　are　no　roads　in　Cyprus　in　the　mountainous　wine…producing
districts；　therefore　all　agricultural　products　must　be　conveyed　upon　the
backs　of　mules　up　and　down　the　steepest　and　most　dangerous　rocky　tracks；
apparently　more　fitted　for　goats　than　other　animals。　A　mule　will　travel
in　this　rough　country　with　a　load　of　250　lbs。　This　serious　difficulty　of
transport　will　account　for　the　rude　and　ancient　method　of　conveying　wine
in　goat…skins。　〃No　man　will　put　new　wine　into　old　bottles；〃　referred　to
this　system　of　employing　skins　instead　of　casks；　or　other　receptacles
that　could　be　cleaned　and　rendered　tasteless。　The　goat…skin　would
quickly　rot；　unless　it　was　prepared　by　a　species　of　tar；　thus　not　only
is　the　naturally　unpleasant　flavour　of　the　skin　imparted　to　the　wine；
but　the　mixture　of　tar　renders　it　completely　abominable　to　any　palate
that　has　not　been　educated　to　receive　it。　Let　any　person　conceive　the
result　of　pouring　ten　or　twelve　gallons　of　Chateau　Lafitte　into　an　old
and　dirty　goat…skin　thoroughly　impregnated　with　tar；　and　carrying　this
burden　upon　one　side　of　a　mule；　balanced　by　a　similar　skin　on　the　other
side　filled　with　the　choicest　Johannisberger。　This　load；　worth　at　least
70　or　80　pounds　at　starting；　would　travel　for　two　days　exposed　to　a
broiling　sun；　and　would　lie　for　several　days　before　it　would　be　turned
into　the　vat　of　the　merchant　at　Limasol。　By　that　time；　according　to
civilised　taste；　it　would　be　perfectly　valueless　and　undrinkable；　if　the
best　wines　in　the　world　can　be　thus　destroyed　by　a　savage　means　of
transport；　what　must　the　effect　be　upon　such　inferior　qualities　as　the
crude　produce　of　Cyprus？　Common　sense　will　suggest　that　the　first　step
towards　improvement　will　be　the　completion　of　roads　throughout　the　wine
districts；　that　will　enable　the　two…wheeled　native　carts　to　convey　the
wine　in　barrels　direct　from　the　growers　to　the　merchants'　stores　at
Limasol。

We　will　now　commence　at　the　beginning；　〃the　cultivation　of　the　vine；〃
and　trace　its　progress　until　the　wine　is　ready　for　the　consumer。

As　I　have　already　described；　the　commanderia　and　the　black　wines　are
produced　by　the　two　different　qualities　of　soils；　but　there　is　no
difference　in　the　altitudes。　The　new　British　road　from　Limasol　to
Platraes；　thirty　miles；　cuts　directly　through　the　principal　vine
districts　of　the　country。　From　the　deep　valley　and　roaring　torrent；　up
to　the　mountain…tops　exceeding　4000　feet　above　the　sea…level；　the
country　is　green　with　vineyards　in　the　middle　or　latter　end　of　May；　not
a　yard　of　available　land　is　lost。　When　the　shoots　are　about　three　feet
long　and　have　shown　the　embryo　bunches；　a　number　of　men　enter　the
vineyard　with　switches　and　knock　off　the　tender　ends　of　the　runners；
which　in　a　gentler　method　of　cultivation　would　be　picked　off　with　the
finger　and　thumb…nail。　Sometimes　goats　are　turned　in　to　nibble　off　the
shoots　in　order　to　save　labour；　and　at　the　same　time　to　feed　the
animals；　they　of　course　damage　the　vines；　but　the　Cypriote　thinks　the
system　pays。　The　young　vines　are　never　staked　and　tied　as　in　Europe；　but
are　allowed　to　take　their　chance；　and　the　heavy　bunches　in　many
instances　rest　upon　the　dusty　ground。

There　is　seldom　rain　after　May；　but　a　few　showers　are　favourable　at　this
particular　season　when　the　young　bunches　are　in　blossom。　In　the　best
vineyards　attention　is　given　to　clearing　away　the　weeds　after　rain；　but
usually　the　vines　are　left　to　nature　after　the　grapes　have　formed；　as
the　hot　sun　and　drying　wind　are　sufficient　to　keep　down　adverse
vegetation。

The　grapes　ripen　towards　the　middle　or　end　of　August。　The　commanderia
grapes　are　collected　and　spread　upon　the　flat　mud…plastered　roofs　of　the
native　houses；　and　are　exposed　for　several　days；　until　they　show
symptoms　of　shrivelling　in　the　skin；　and　the　stalks　have　partially
dried：　they　are　then　pressed。　By　this　time　many　of　the　grapes　that　have
been　bruised　by　this　rough　treatment　have　fermented；　and　the　dust　and
dirt　of　the　house…top；　together　with　flies　and　other　insects；　have
adhered　to　the　impure　heap。　It　has　been　imagined　by　some　travellers　that
the　grapes　are　purposely　dried　before　pressing；　on　the　other　hand；　I
have　been　assured　by　the　inhabitants　that　their　only　reason　for　heaping
and　exposing　their　crop　upon　the　house…tops　is　the　danger　of　leaving　it
to　ripen　in　the　vineyard。　None　of　the　plots　are　fenced；　and　before　the
grapes　are　sufficiently　ripe　for　pressing　they　are　stolen　in　large
quantities；　or　destroyed　by　cattle；　goats；　mules；　and　every　stray　animal
that　is　attracted　to　the　fields。　The　owner　of　the　vineyard　accordingly
gathers　his　crop　by　degrees；　a　little　before　the　proper　time；　and　the
grapes　are　exposed　upon　the　house…tops　to　ripen　artificially　in　the　sun。
In　this　manner　the　quality　is　seriously　damaged；　but　the　natives　will
not　acknowledge　it　any　more　than　the　Devonshire　farmers；　who　leave　their
apples　in　heaps　upon　the　ground　for　many　weeks；　rotting　and　wasp…eaten；
before　they　are　carried　to　the　pound　for　the　grinding　of　cider。　The
grapes；　having　been　trodden　by　men　with　large　boots；　are　pressed；　and
the　juice　of　the　commanderia　is　placed　in　jars　capable　of　holding　from
seventy　to　one　hundred　gallons。　The　refuse　of　skins　and　stalks　is　laid
upon　one　side　to　ferment　for　the　manufacture　of　raki；　or　spirit；　by
distillation。　The　fermentation　of　the　juice　proceeds　in　the　earthen
jars；　and　is　guided　according　to　the　ideas　of　the　proprietor；　when　he
considers　that　it　has　continued　to　a　degree　sufficient　for　the　strength
and