cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第57章

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the　country；　owing　to　the　deficiency　of　rain；　the　farmer　must　borrow
money　not　only　for　the　current　expenses　of　his　employment；　but　for　the
bare　sustenance　of　his　family；　he　has　recourse　to　the　usurer；　and
henceforth　becomes　his　slave。　The　rate　of　interest　may　be　anything　that
can　be　imagined　when　extortion　acts　upon　one　side　while　poverty　and
absolute　famine　are　the　petitioners。　The　farm；　together　with　the　stock；
are　mortgaged；　and　the　expected　crops　for　a　stipulated　number　of　seasons
are　made　over　to　the　usurer　at　a　fixed　sum　per　measure　of　corn；　far
below　the　market　price。　Another　bad　season　adds　to　the　crushing　burden；
and　after　a　few　years；　when　the　unfortunate　landowner　is　completely
overwhelmed　with　debt；　perchance　one　of　the　happy　years　arrives　when
propitious　rains　in　the　proper　season　bring　forth　the　grand
cereal…producing　power　of　Cyprus；　and　the　wheat　and　barley；　six　feet
high；　wave　over　the　green　surface　throughout　the　island。　The　yield　of
one　such　abundant　crop　almost　releases　the　debtor　from　his　misery；
another　year　would　free　him　from　the　usurer；　but　rarely　or　never　are　two
favourable　seasons　consecutive；　the　abundant　harvest　is　generally
followed　by　several　years　of　drought。　This　pitiable　position　may　be
quickly　changed　by　government　assistance　without　the　slightest　risk。

The　first　necessity　is　capital；　and　the　usurer　must　disappear　from　the
scene。　I　do　not　think　that　an　agricultural　bank　will　be　practically
worked；　as　the　value　of　money　in　the　east　is　above　6　per　cent。；　which　is
the　maximum　that　the　Cyprian　cultivator　should　pay。　The　government　must
advance　loans　for　the　special　erection　of　water…wheels；　or　other　methods
of　irrigation；　at　6　per　cent。；　taking　a　mortgage　of　the　land　as　their
security；　this　loan　upon　water…works　to　take　precedence　of　all　others。
The　government　can　borrow　at　4　per　cent。；　and　will　lend　at　6；　which　is
not　a　bad　beginning　for　a　national　bank。　The　water…wheels　can　be
constructed　in　a　few　weeks；　and　their　effect　would　be　IMMEDIATE；　there
would　be　no　doubtful　interval　of　years；　but　the　very　first　season　would
leave　the　cultivator　in　a　position　to　repay　the　loan；　at　the　same　time；
the　government　would　reap　the　direct　benefit　of　a　certain　revenue　from
the　irrigated　and　assured　production　of　the　land。

This　is　no　visionary　theory；　the　fact　is　already　patent　in　the　few　farms
belonging　to　wealthy　land…owners　that　I　have　already　described；　as
exhibiting　the　simple　power　of　a　few　water…wheels　to　produce　abundance；
while　upon　the　margin　of　such　verdant　examples　the　country　is　absolutely
desert；　parched　and　withered　by　a　burning　sun；　yielding　nothing　either
to　the　owner　or　to　the　revenue；　while　at　the　same　time　the　water…supply
is　only　four　or　five　yards　beneath　the　feet　of　the　miserable　proprietor；
who　has　neither　capital　nor　power　to　raise　it　to　the　surface。

There　is　no　necessity　for　the　government　to　embark　in　any　uncertain
enterprise；　neither　should　they　interfere　with　the　native　methods　of
irrigation；　and　above　all　things；　no　money　should　leave　the　island　to
fill　the　pockets　of　English　contractors　in　the　purchase　of　pumps；　or
other　inventions。　All　that　is　required　by　the　Cypriote　is　capital；　lend
him　the　money　at　6　per　cent。：　the　government　will　be　saved　all　trouble；
and　the　profit　to　all　parties　will　be　assured。　The　money　expended　in　the
erection　of　water…wheels　or　other　works　will　circulate　throughout　the
island　in　the　payment　of　native　labour；　and　will　relieve　the　wants　of
many　who；　in　the　absence　of　land；　must　earn　their　livelihood　by　manual
labour。　〃Water！〃　is　the　cry　throughout　this　neglected　island；　it　has
been　the　cry　in　Eastern　lands　from　time　immemorial；　when　in　the　thirsty
desert　Moses　smote　the　rock；　and　the　stream　gushed　forth　for　multitudes；
when　Elijah　mocked　the　priests　of　Baal　with；　〃Call　him　louder！〃　in　their
vain　appeal　for　rain；　and　the　〃little　cloud；　no　bigger　than　a　man's
hand；〃　rose　upon　the　horizon　in　answer　to　his　prayer。　In　the　savage
tribes　of　Africa；　the　〃rain…maker〃　occupies　the　position　of　priest　and
chief。　In　England；　the　clergy　offer　prayers　for　either　rain　or　for　fine
weather。　In　Cyprus　the　farmer　places　the　small　picture　of　the　Virgin
upon　his　field；　before　which　he　lights　his　tapers；　which　the　wind
extinguishes；　at　the　same　time　THE　WATER…SUPPLY　IS　CLOSE　BENEATH　HIS
FEET；　and　the　expenditure　of　a　few　pounds　sterling　would　produce　a
permanent　blessing　and　uninterrupted　prosperity　by　practical　common
sense　and　labour；　without　any　miraculous　interposition　in　his　behalf。

There　are　few　countries　where　such　facilities　exist　for　irrigation；　and
the　work　should　be　commenced　without　delay。　Should　next　year　be　one　of
drought　like　the　spring　of　1879；　the　greatest　misery　will　befall　the
population；　there　is　already　sufficient　disappointment　in　the　want　of
progress　since　the　British　occupation；　and　the　feeling　will　be
intensified　should　the　assistance　of　government　be　withheld　in　this
crying　necessity　of　artificial　irrigation。

The　Cypriote　well…sinker　is　wonderfully　clever　in　discovering　springs；
and　I　have　already　described　the　method　of　multiplying　the　water…power
of　one　source　by　securing　and　concentrating　the　neighbouring　sources。
This　work　only　requires　money；　and　the　inhabitants；　without　further
assistance　than　loans　secured　by　a　water…rate　upon　the　district；　will
rapidly　develop　the　natural　supply。　There　should　be　a　special　commission
appointed；　in　each　of　the　six　districts　of　Cyprus；　to　investigate　and
report　officially　upon　this　subject。　In　forming　the　commission；　care
should　be　taken　that　the　native　element　should　predominate；　and　that　no
enthusiastic　English　engineer；　blooming　with　new　schemes；　should　thrust
into　shadow　the　Cyprian　intelligence　upon　the　working　of　their　own
systems。　If　I　were　an　English　engineer　employed　in　any　work；　I　should
probably　have　the　natural　failing　of　enforcing　my　own　opinions；　but　from
many　years'　experience　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　the
inhabitants　of　a　country　are　generally　better　qualified　than　strangers
for　giving　practical　opinions　upon　their　own　locations。　There　is　plenty
of　intelligence　in　Cyprus；　the　people　are　not　savages；　but　their　fault
is　poverty；　the　natural　inheritance　of　Turkish　rule；　and　we；　the
English；　have　the　power　to　make　them　rich；　and　to　restore　the　ancient
importance　of　the　island。　In　England；　at　the　time　that　I　am　writing；
money　is　not　worth　2　per　cent。　owing　to　the　general　depression　of　trade；
the　money…market　has　been　in　this　plethoric　or　dropsical　state　for　the
last　three　years；　and　there　appears　to　be　no　hope　upon　the　commercial
horizon　of　a　favourable　change。　In　Cyprus　the　resources　are　great；　but
the　capital　is　wanting；　and　the　strange　anomaly　is　presented　that　the
exchange　of　the　British　for　the　Turkish　flag　has　not　increased　public
confidence。　Something　must　be　done　to　change　the　present　stupor；　if
Cypriotes　were　Candians　（Cretans）　their　voices　would　be　forcibly　heard；
and　the　Turkish　rule　beneath　the　British　uniform　would　be　quickly
overthrown。　The　Cypriote；　down…trodden　for　centuries；　is　like　sodden
tinder　that　will　not　awaken　to　the　spark：　he　is　what　is　called　〃easily
governed；〃　which　means　an　abject　race；　in　which　all　noble　aspirations
have　been　stamped　out　by　years　of　unremitting　oppression　and　injustice；
still；　like　the　Cyprian　ox；　he　ploughs　the　ground。　It　is　the　earth　alone
that　yields　the　world's　wealth：　if　we　have　no　other　thoughts　but
avarice；　let　us　treat　the　Cypriote　as　we　should　his　animal；　and　make　him
a　wealth…producer。　England　has　acquired　the　reputation　of　the　civiliser
of　the　world；　it　is　in　this　character　that　we　were　expected　to　effect　a
magic　change　in　the　position　of　Cyprus；　instead　of　which　we　have
hitherto　presented　a　miserable　result　of　half…measures；　where
irresolution　has　reduced　the　brilliant　picture　of　our　widely…trumpeted
political　surprise　to　a　dull　〃arrangement　in　whitey…brown〃　。　。　。　which
is　the　pervading　tint　of　the　Cyprian　surface　in　the　absence　of
artificial　irrigation。



CHAPTER　XV。

LIFE　AT　THE　MONASTERY　OF　TROODITISSA。

The　life　at　our　quiet　camp　at　Trooditissa　was　a　complete　calm：　there
could　not　be　a　more　secluded　spot；　as　no　human　habitation　was　near；
except　the　invisible　village　of　Phyni　two　miles　deep　beneath；　at　the
mountain's　base。　The　good　old　monk　Neophitos　knitted；　and　taught　his
boys　always　in　the　same　daily　spot：　the　swallows　built　their　nests　under
the　eaves　of　the　monastery　roof　and　beneath　the　arch　which　covered　in
the　spring；　and　sat　in　domestic　flocks　upon　the　over…hanging　boughs
within　a　few　feet　of　our　breakfast…table；　when　their　young　could　fly。
Nightingales　sang　before　sunset；　and　birds　of　many　varieties　occupied
the　great　walnut…tree　above　our　camp；　and　made　the　early　morning
cheerful　with　a　chorus　of　different　songs。　There　was　no　change　from　day
to　day；　except　in　the　progress　of　the　gardens；　the　plums　grew　large：　the
mulberries　ripened　in　the　last　week　of　July；　and　the　shepherd's　pretty
children　and　the　monastery　boys　were　covered　with　red　stains；　as　though
from　a　battlefield；　as　they　descended　from　the　attractive　boughs。　It　was
a　very　peaceful　existence；　and　I　shall　often　look　back　with　pleasure　to
our　hermitage　by　the　walls　of　the　old　monastery；　which　afforded　a　moral
haven　from　all　the　storms　and　troubles　that　embitter　life。　On　Sundays　we
sent　a　messenger　for　the　post　to　the　military　camp　at　Troodos；　about
five　and　a　half　miles　distant；　and　the　arrival　of　letters　and　newspapers
restored　us　for　a　couple　of　days　to　the　outer　world：　after　which　we
relapsed　once　more　into　the　local　quiescent　state　of　complete　rest。　It
must　not　be　supposed　that　we　were　idle；　there　were　always　occupations
which　by　degrees　I　hope　improved　the　place；　and　to　a　certain　degree　the
people。　Occasionally　I　asked　the　old　monks　to　sit　and　smoke　their
cigarettes　in　our　〃rachkooba；〃　when　they　sipped　their　hot　coffee；　and
explained　difficult　theological　questions　to　my　intense　edification；　of
course　I　always　listened；　but　never　argued。　My　particular　friend　old
Neophitos　treated　me　to　long　stories　which　he　imagined　must　be　new　and
interesting；　especially　the　history　of　Joseph　and　his　brethren；　which　he
several　times　recounted　from　beginning　to　end　with　tears　of　sympathy　in
his　eyes　at　Joseph's　love　for　the　youngest　brother　Benjamin。　The　Garden
of　Eden；　the　Deluge；　including　the　account　of　Noah's　Ark；　and　several
equally　modern　and　entertaining　stories；　I　always　listened　to　with
commendable　attention。　Yet　even　in　this　solitude；　where　the　chapel…bell
on　Saturday　night；　and　at　daybreak　upon　Sunday　mornings；　was　in　harmony
with　the　external　peaceful　surroundings；　and　it　appeared　as　though
discord　could　never　enter　the　walls　of　Trooditissa；　the　old　monks　had
their　cares　and　difficulties。

The　principal　cause　of　trouble　was　〃servants！〃　I　was　quite　surprised；　as
I　thought　we　were　nearer　heaven　in　this　spot　than　in　any　earthly
locality　I　had　ever　visited；　but　even　here　the　question　of　〃servants〃
was　an　irritation　to　the　nerves　of　the　patient　monks。　My　own　servants
were　excellent；　and　never　quarrelled　or　complained；　they　appeared　to
have　been　mesmerised　by　the　placid　character　of　their　position；　and　to
have　beco