cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第48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！


of　jungle；　among　which　this　irrepressible　tree　dominates　all　other
vegetation；　but　in　its　wild　state　remains　unproductive。　The
neighbourhood　of　Limasol　is　for　many　miles　richly　ornamented　by　these
welcome　shade…producers；　and　presents　an　example　of　what　other　portions
of　the　island　might　become。

During　my　stay　at　Limasol　I　was　several　times　invaded　by　a　crowd　of
people　from　a　neighbouring　village；　with　complaints　upon　an　assumed
injustice　connected　with　their　water…supply。　It　was　in　vain　that　I
assured　them　of　my　unofficial　capacity；　they　were　determined　to　have
their　say；　and；　according　to　their　threat；　to　〃TELEGRAPH　TO　VICTORIA；〃
unless　they　could　obtain　redress。　I　referred　them　to　Colonel　Warren；
R。A。；　the　chief　commissioner　of　their　district；　who　had　already　been
sufficiently　perplexed　with　their　case。　It　appeared　that　a　stream
flowing　from　the　mountains　had　nearly　two　centuries　ago　been　diverted
into　an　artificial　channel　by　the　inhabitants　of　Kolossi　and　others　for
the　purpose　of　irrigating　the　various　lands　in　succession；　according　to
the　gradations　of　their　levels。　This　water　had　become　a　right；　and　the
value　of　all　lands　thus　irrigated　had　been　appraised　in　proportion。
According　to　their　story；　some　years　ago　a　Greek　who　commanded　capital
purchased　an　estate　at　Kolossi；　and　having　made　a　journey　to
Constantinople；　where　he　remained　for　some　years；　he　took　the
opportunity　of　bribing　some　high　officials　to　obtain　for　him　an　irade
from　the　Sultan；　giving　him　the　entire　right　to　the　water…supply；　which
had　for　so　great　a　length　of　time　been　the　acknowledged　property　of　the
neighbouring　landholders。　This　irade　was　issued　upon　the　plea　that　all
natural　waters　（i。e。　streams）　belong　to　the　Sultan。　A　wide　field　for
litigation　was　thus　opened；　and　the　Greek；　having　more　than　the　usual
allowance　of　〃the　wisdom　of　the　serpent；〃　lost　no　time　in　investing
large　sums　in　the　corruption　of　all　those　who　would　be　summoned　as　local
witnesses　whenever　the　case　should　be　brought　before　the　ordinary
tribunals。　The　result　was　that　after　great　expense　in　the　costs　of
litigation；　an　appeal　to　the　superior　court　during　the　British
administration　had　been　favourable　to　the　plaintiffs；　and　the　Greek
proprietor　was　held　to　be　legally　in　possession　of　all　water…rights；　to
the　exclusion　of　the　original　owners。　He；　however　offered　to　supply　them
with　water　for　their　farms　at　a　fixed　rate；　whereas　they　had　hitherto
enjoyed　that　free　right　for　upwards　of　a　century。　This　loss；　or
abstraction；　of　so　important　a　supply；　upon　which　the　actual　existence
of　the　farms　depended　in　seasons　of　drought；　not　only　impoverished　the
cultivators　during　the　present　year　of　famine；　but　reduced　the　value　of
their　land　to　an　enormous　extent；　as　farms　with　a　water…supply　are　worth
more　than　quadruple　the　price　of　those　which　are　dependent　upon　the
seasons。　Of　course　I　could　not　help　the　poor　people；　it　appeared　to　my
uneducated　sense　of　equity　to　be　the　maximum　of　injustice。　The　question
hung　upon　the　Sultan's　right　to　the　natural　water…supply；　which　I
believe　has　been　officially　declared　invalid；　by　what　other　right　the
monopoly　of　the　water　had　been　conveyed　away　from　the　original
proprietors　I　could　not　understand。　The　Greek　was　not　enjoying　his
victory　in　absolute　peace　of　mind；　as　the　neighbouring　farmers　avenged
their　legal　defeat　by　cutting　holes　in　the　embankments　of　his
watercourses；　and　thereby　nightly　flooding　their　own　fields；　which；　as
the　channels　extended　for　many　miles；　would　have　required　the　presence
of　more　than　all　the　police　of　the　district　to　discover　the　offenders。
Upon　one　occasion　upwards　of　forty　of　these　people　appeared　mounted　upon
mules　around　my　camp；　to　urge　my　intercession　on　their　behalf；　declaring
their　perfect　faith　in　the　honour　and　good　intentions　of　the　English
authorities；　but　at　the　same　time　lamenting　their　ignorance　of　the
native　language；　which　threw　the　entire　power　into　the　hands　of　the
dragomans　（interpreters）；　of　whose　character　they　spoke　in　terms　which
it　is　to　be　hoped　were　highly　exaggerated。　The　people　begged　me　to　ride
over　to　the　locality；　to　see　with　my　own　eyes　the　position　of　affairs；
which　I　arranged　to　do　sine　die；　and　after　advising　them　to　exercise　a
temporary　patience；　I　got　rid　of　the　deputation　without　suggesting　〃that
under　the　existing　agrarian　dispute　they　should　let　their　farms　to　some
enterprising　Irish　tenants　from　Tipperary。〃

I　mention　this　incident；　which　is　one　of　many　others　upon　the　same
subject；　to　exhibit　the　complications　that　have　always　arisen　from　the
contention　upon　water…rights；　that　will　require　some　special
legislation。　。　。　。

The　weather　was　becoming　warm　at　Limasol；　the　thermometer　ranging　from
70　degrees　at　7　A。M。　to　83　degrees　at　3　P。M。　There　was　a　trouble　in　the
water…supply；　as　that　for　drinking　purposes　had　to　be　conveyed　by
donkeys　from　a　distance　of　three　or　four　miles。　The　market　in　the　town；
although　well　arranged　externally；　was　governed　by　peculiarly
restrictive　municipal　regulations；　the　price　of　meat　and　several　other
articles　being　fixed　at　a　common　standard！　According　to　this　absurd　rule
inferior　mutton　would　fetch　an　equal　price　with　the　best　quality：　the
natural　consequence　ensued；　that　only　inferior　meat　was　introduced；　to
the　exclusion　of　all　other。　The　supply　of　fish　was　extremely　irregular；
and　they　were　generally　small　and　dear。　Upon　some　occasions　we　purchased
good　red　mullet；　also　a　larger　fish　of　the　bass　species；　but　there　were
only　a　few　fishermen；　who　required　an　opposition　to　induce　activity　and
moderate　prices。　Their　nets　were　made　of　exceedingly　fine　twine；　and　the
smallness　of　the　mesh　denoted　a　scarcity　of　the　larger　species　of　fish。

A　number　of　Maltese　settlers　were　arriving；　to　whom　lands　had　been
granted　by　the　government　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Limasol；　this
excellent　arrangement　will　have　the　effect　of　infusing　a　new　spirit
among　the　people　by　the　introduction　of　fresh　blood；　and　the　well…known
fishermen　of　Malta　will　of　themselves　be　a　boon　to　the　large　towns；
where　a　regular　demand　may　be　depended　upon　at　a　reasonable　price。

There　was　nothing　to　induce　a　longer　stay　at　Limasol；　and　I　resolved
upon　Trooditissa　monastery　as　the　position　for　a　mountain　residence
during　the　summer　months。　Upon　Kiepert's　map；　which　is　the　best　I　have
seen　of　Cyprus；　this　point　was　placed　among　the　angles　in　the　various
crests　and　ridges　of　the　Troodos　mountain；　and　was　marked　by　measurement
as　4340　feet　above　the　sea…level。　The　new　government　road　extended　from
Limasol　to　Platraes；　from　which　a　good　mule…path　led　to　the　camp
prepared　for　the　20th　Regiment　and　the　Royal　Engineers　at　an　altitude　of
5740　feet。　It　appeared　to　me　that　in　north　latitude　35　degrees　this　was
an　unnecessary　elevation。　My　old　residence　at　Newera　Ellia　in　Ceylon　was
6210　feet　above　the　sea　in　north　latitude　6　degrees　30'；　and　in　that　low
latitude　we　had　sharp　frosts　at　night。　Any　heights　approaching　6000　feet
in　north　latitude　35　degrees　would；　I　imagined；　become　disagreeably
chilly　in　the　morning　and　evening；　at　seasons　when　in　the　low　country
the　heat　would　still　be　too　oppressive　for　a　return　from　the　mountain
sanatorium。

The　mean　temperature　at　Limasol　from　1st　May　to　18th　had　been　at　7　A。M。
65　degrees；　at　3　P。M。　78。6　degrees；　during　which　interval　there　had　been
sudden　variations　of　temperature；　ranging　from　a　minimum　of　56　degrees
to　84　degrees。　On　the　11th　May；　having　engaged　twenty…three　mules　for
our　tents；　baggage；　and　party；　we　started　from　Limasol　for　Trooditissa。
The　dog　Merry；　that　had　been　bitten　by　the　snake；　had　lain　for　days　in　a
state　of　stupor；　black　and　swollen；　I　had　poured　quantities　of　olive…oil
down　his　throat；　as　he　could　not　eat；　and　at　length　I　gave　him　a　dose　of
two　grains　of　calomel；　with　three　grains　of　emetic　tartar。　After　this　he
slowly　recovered；　the　ear　that　was　bitten　mortified；　and　was　cut　off；
but　the　dog　was　sufficiently　restored　to　accompany　us　upon　the　march；
together　with　his　companion　Wise。　We　were　now　about　to　enter　the　great
vine…growing　district　of　Cyprus；　which　produces　the　large　exportations
that　form　the　chief　industry　of　Limasol。

At　a　distance　of　a　mile　from　our　camp　we　entered　the　new　government　road
which　connected　Limasol　with　Platraes；　thirty　miles　distant。　The　country
quickly　assumed　an　agreeable　character；　undulations　and　watercourses
were　more　or　less　covered　with　trees；　and　the　road　scarped　out　of　the
steep　sides　exhibited　the　cretaceous　formation　similar　to　that　between
Larnaca　and　Lefkosia。　Wild　lavender　was　just　blooming　upon　many　portions
of　the　way；　while　along　the　rocky　courses　of　ravines　the　oleanders　were
in　the　richest　blossom。　The　road　was　furnished　with　mile…posts；　and　the
mules　ambled　along　at　a　little　more　than　five　miles　an　hour。　I　found
considerable　fault　in　the　low　gradients　（one　in　thirty）；　which　had
produced　a　road　unnecessary　for　the　vehicles　of　the　country；　at　a
proportionate　outlay；　it　was　altogether　too　good；　and　would　have　been
excellent　trotting…ground　for　a　light　phaeton　and　pair。　As　there　was　no
such　vehicle　in　the　island；　the　beautifully　traced　highway　exhibited　a
model　of　engineering　that　was　scarcely　appreciated　by　the　natives；　who
invariably　took　the　short　and　direct　cuts　to　avoid　the　circuitous
zigzags　in　descending　the　numerous　valleys　and　in　rounding　the　deep
ravines。　After　a　ride　of　twelve　miles　through　a　beautiful　country；　well
wooded；　and　comprising　a　succession　of　wild　hills　and　deep　gorges；　which
formed　torrents　in　the　wet　season；　we　arrived　at　a　river　flowing　in　a
clear　but　extremely　shallow　and　narrow　stream　beneath　cliffs　of
cretaceous　limestone。　The　banks　were　richly　clad　with　rosy　oleanders；
myrtles；　mastic　shrubs；　and　the　shade　of　several　fine　old　plane…trees　in
full　foliage　invited　us　at　once　to　halt　immediately　upon　the　edge　of　the
rippling　stream。　This　spot　was　known　as　Zigu；　where　an　ancient　stone
bridge；　with　pointed　arches；　crossed　the　ravine　about　a　hundred　paces
above　the　new　wooden　bridge　erected　by　the　Royal　Engineers。　This　was　a
most　charming　spot　for　luncheon；　and　the　dense　shade　of　the　planes　was
far　more　agreeable　than　the　shelter　of　a　wooden　military　hut　that　stood
upon　the　height　above　and　by　no　means　improved　the　beauty　of　the　view。
Our　dogs　seemed　to　enjoy　the　change；　and　raced　up　and　down　the　river's
bed；　delighted　with　the　cold　water　from　the　mountains；　fresh　from　the
highest　springs　of　Troodos　Some　cold　roast　pigeons；　young　and　fat；　and
some　hard…boiled　eggs；　formed　our　luncheon；　together　with　bread　and
cheese。　These　were　quickly　despatched　and　the　carpets　being　spread
beneath　the　trees；　an　hour's　nap　was　good　for　man　while　the　mules　rolled
and　then　dozed　in　luxury　upon　the　turf…like　surface　of　the　glen。　I　was
awakened　by　the　clatter　of　horse's　hoofs；　and　Mr。　Allen；　the　chief
officer　of　the　police　of　Limasol；　appeared；　having　most　kindly　ridden
after　us　with　the　post　just　arrived　from　England。　Unfortunately　not　a
crumb　of　luncheon　remained；　the　dogs　having　swallowed　our　leavings。　We
now　saddled；　and　continued　the　journey　upon　the　firm　surface　of　the　new
road。

When　about　fourteen　miles　from　Limasol　we　entered　upon　a　grand