cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第65章

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their　enlightenment。　In　many　cases　secrecy　may　be　of　considerable
importance；　and　the　conversation　should　be　confined　to　the　principals；
but　the　third　person　must　invariably　be　present　as　interpreter；　and
unless　he　is　a　man　of　the　highest　integrity　he　will　not　lose　an
opportunity　of　turning　his　knowledge　of　state　secrets　to　account　for　his
own　advantage。　Throughout　the　Levant　it　is　difficult　to　find　men　who
combine　the　rare　qualities　necessary　for　a　confidential　dragoman；　such　a
person　would　be　invaluable；　as　he　would　represent　all　the　cardinal
virtues；　at　the　same　time　that　he　must　possess　a　natural　aptitude　for
his　profession；　and　a　store　of　patience；　with　the　most　unruffled　temper。
The　natives　dread　the　interpreter；　they　know　full　well　that　one　word
misunderstood　may　alter　the　bearing　of　their　case；　and　they　believe　that
a　little　gold　judiciously　applied　may　exert　a　peculiar　grammatical
influence　upon　the　parts　of　speech　of　the　dragoman；　which　directly
affects　their　interests。　There　are；　no　doubt；　men　of　honour　and　great
capability　who　occupy　this　important　position；　at　the　same　time　it　is
well　known　that　many　interpreters　have　been　found　guilty；　the　exceptions
proving　the　rule；　and　exhibiting　the　extreme　danger　and　general
disadvantage　in　the　ignorance　of　the　native　language。　It　cannot　be
expected　that　the　English　officials　are　to　receive　a　miraculous　gift　of
fiery　tongues；　and　to　address　their　temporary　subjects　in　Turkish　and　in
Greek；　but　it　is　highly　important　that　without　delay　schools　should　be
established　throughout　the　island　for　the　instruction　of　the　young；　who
in　two　or　three　years　will　obtain　a　knowledge　of　English。　Whenever　the
people　shall　understand　our　language；　they　will　assimilate　with　our
customs　and　ideas；　and　they　will　feel　themselves　a　portion　of　our
empire：　but　until　then　a　void　will　exclude　them　from　social　intercourse
with　their　English　rulers；　and　they　will　naturally　gravitate　towards
Greece；　through　the　simple　medium　of　a　mother…tongue。　Limasol　must
perforce　of　its　geographical　advantages　become　the　capital　of　Cyprus。　As
I　have　already　described；　the　port　may　be　much　improved。　The
neighbouring　country　is　healthy；　and　well　covered　with　trees；　the
landscape　is　pleasing；　and　the　new　road　opens　a　direct　communication
with　the　mountain　sanatorium。　The　most　important　exports　of　the　island
are　produced　within　the　district；　and；　as　might　be　expected；　the　result
of　commercial　enterprise　is　exhibited　in　the　increased　intelligence　and
activity　of　the　Limasol　inhabitants。　It　is　highly　to　be　desired　that
this　favourable　position　should　become　the　seat　of　government。　Although
the　troops　in　1879　are　camped　among　the　barren　rocks　beneath　the
pine…forests　upon　Mount　Troodos；　at　an　elevation　of　about　5800　feet
above　the　sea；　there　is　no　necessity　for　a　station　at　so　extreme　and
inconvenient　an　altitude　in　north　latitude　35　degrees。　The　general
unhealthiness　of　the　troops　upon　the　first　occupation　of　the　island
during　the　summer　and　autumn　of　1878；　determined　the　military
authorities　to　arrange　the　new　camp　at　the　greatest　altitude　practicable
with　a　regard　to　the　supply　of　water；　but　the　experience　gained　in　1879
proves　that　a　permanent　camp；　or　barracks；　may　be　equally　healthy　at　a
lower　and　more　convenient　level。　This　fact　would　establish　an　additional
advantage　in　the　selection　of　Limasol　for　headquarters；　as　the　troops
would　be　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood　at　all　seasons。　Colonel　Warren；
R。A。；　who　had　been　the　prime　mover　in　all　the　improvements　that　had　been
made　in　Limasol　since　the　British　occupation；　was　promoted　on　1st　August
to　the　position　of　chief　of　the　staff　under　Sir　Garnet　Wolseley's　able
successor；　Major…General　Biddulph；　C。B。；　R。A。；　and　the　district　thus
lost　its　leading　spirit。　In　reforming　abuses　and　promoting　progress；
Colonel　Warren　had　not　entirely　escaped　the　usual　fate　of　men　who　are　in
advance　of　their　age。　The　unflinching　determination　to　administer　the
laws　without　fear　or　favour　to　all　classes　had　infringed　upon　the
assumed　immunities　of　the　Greek　Church；　which　had　always　received
deferential　consideration　from　the　Turkish　government；　and　although
actually　liable　to　taxation；　the　right　had　never　been　enforced。　This　is
a　curious　contradiction　to　the　vulgar　belief　in　Mussulman　intolerance
and　bigotry；　the　Greek　Church　not　only　enjoyed　a　perfect　freedom　under
the　Turks；　but　the　bishops　were　assisted　in　obtaining　a　forced　tribute
from　their　flock　by　the　presence　of　Turkish　zaphtiehs　（police）；　who
accompanied　them　during　their　journeys　through　the　diocese。

An　interference　with　Church　property　or　established　rights　is　certain　to
create　a　buzzing　of　the　ecclesiastical　bees；　who　will　swarm　against　the
invader　with　every　sting　prepared　for　action。　As　the　case　was
investigated　by　a　special　court　of　inquiry；　and　terminated；　as　might
have　been　expected；　completely　in　favour　of　Colonel　Warren；　it　is　not
necessary　to　enter　upon　minute　details；　but；　as　the　plaintiff　was　the
Bishop　of　Citium；　and　this　first　public　attack　created　a　peculiar
agitation　that　will　probably　be　repeated；　it　may　be　interesting　to
examine　the　actual　position　of　the　Greek　Church　as　it　existed　during　the
Turkish　administration。

The　Church　in　Cyprus　is　represented　by　an　Archbishop　and　three　Bishops
as　the　acknowledged　heads。　The　diocese　of　the　former　comprises　Lefkosia；
Famagousta；　and　the　Carpas　districts；　while　the　three　Bishoprics　are
those　of　Larnaca　or　Citium；　Kyrenia；　and　Baffo。

The　revenues　of　the　Archbishop　amount　to　about　？000　a　year；　and　the
necessary　expenditure　for　staff；　schools；　&c。；　to　？500。　The　Bishopric
of　Baffo　is　the　richest；　with　a　revenue　of　about　？000；　at　the　same　time
the　outgoings　are　small；　amounting　to　？00　a　year　for　the　payment　of　his
staff；　and　one…fifth　of　the　expenses　of　a　public　school。

The　Bishopric　of　Larnaca　or　Citium　is　valued　at　about　？00　a　year；　but
the　expenditure　is　confined　to　？00。　That　of　Kyrenia　is　about　the　same
as　Citium。　There　is　no　possibility　of　determining　an　exact　figure；　as
these　revenues　are　dependent　upon　voluntary　payments；　which　cannot　be
enforced　by　any　statute；　but　there　is　a　〃Berat〃　（decree）　which　invites
the　local　authorities　to　render　the　bishops　assistance　in　the　collection
of　their　revenues；　without　the　absolute　enforcement　of　any　payments。　No
amounts　due　to　the　bishops　for　either　canonical；　ecclesiastical；　or　alms
（Zitia）；　can　be　recovered　through　a　court　of　law。　On　the　other　hand；　the
all…powerful　countenance　afforded　by　the　Turkish　government　represented
by　public　functionaries　（zaphtiehs）；　who　accompanied　the　bishops　during
their　diocesan　visits　upon　a　tour　of　collection；　was　a　moral　influence
that　succeeded　in　extorting　the　unwilling　fees。　In　case　of　a　defaulting
village；　it　is　said　that　a　bishop　has　been　known　to　suspend　the
functions　of　the　priest　until　the　necessary　payments　should　be　completed
by　his　parishioners；　who；　thus　temporarily　cut　off　from　all　ghostly
comfort；　hastened　to　arrive　at　a　pecuniary　compromise。

The　monasteries　are　an　important　institution　throughout　Cyprus；　and
there　is　a　decided　difference　between　the　monks　of　these　establishments
and　the　general　priesthood。　The　monks　are　supposed　to　devote　their　lives
to　charitable　objects；　they　are　not　allowed　to　marry；　and　they　have　a
superior　education；　as　all　can　read　and　write。　On　the　other　hand；　the
priests　are　grossly　ignorant；　and　it　is　computed　that　only　a　quarter　of
their　number　could　even　write　their　own　names。　These　are　allowed　to
marry　one　wife；　but　they　cannot　re…marry　in　the　event　of　her　decease；
they　are　generally　poor　to　a　superlative　degree；　and　are　frequently
obliged　to　work　for　hire　like　common　labourers。　Should　a　man　desire　to
become　a　priest；　it　is　only　necessary　that　he　should　be　recommended　by
the　inhabitants　of　his　village　as　a　person　of　good　reputation　that　would
be　suitable　for　the　office：　he　is　then　ordained　by　the　bishop　upon
payment　of　a　fee　of　about　one　hundred　piastres　（or　150）；　and　he　is　at
once　at　liberty　to　enter　upon　his　duties。　These　ordination　fees　are　a
temptation　to　the　bishops　to　increase　the　number　of　priests　to　an
unlimited　extent；　and　the　result　is　seen　throughout　Cyprus　in　a　large
and　superfluous　body　of　the　most　ignorant　people；　totally　unfitted　for
their　position。

The　monasteries　vary　in　their　revenues；　as　they　have　derived　their
possessions　at　different　periods　from　grants　of　land；　or　private　gifts；
or　legacies。　In　like　manner　with　the　bishops；　although　they　cannot
legally　compel　the　villagers　to　pay　according　to　their　demands；　they
assumed　a　power　which　by　long　sufferance　had　become　recognised　by　the
ignorant　peasantry；　who　reluctantly　acceded　to　their　claims。　I　have
myself　witnessed　an　altercation　between　the　monks　and　shepherds　on　the
mountains　upon　a　question　of　cheeses　and　goats；　which　the　former　claimed
as　annually　due　to　the　monastery；　it　appeared　that　prior　to　the　British
occupation　they　had　been　able　by　threats　to　extort　this　demand；　but　the
shepherds　had　now　determined　to　free　themselves　from　all　payments　beyond
those　which　the　law　compelled；　and　they　resisted　the　priestly　authority；
before　which　they　had　hitherto　remained　as　slaves。　This　spirit　of
independence　that　has　been　so　quickly　developed　by　the　equity　of　British
rule　will　probably　extend；　and　may　seriously　interfere　with　the　revenues
of　the　Church；　should　the　population　determine　to　abide　by　their　legal
status　and　refuse　the　ordinary　fees。　It　cannot　be　expected　that　either
bishops；　monks；　or　priests　regard　this　change　with　satisfaction；　and　in
their　hearts　they　may　sigh　for　the　good　old　times　of　a　Turkish
administration；　when　the　Greek　Church　of　Cyprus　was　an　imperium　in
imperio　that　could　sway　both　the　minds　and　purses　of　the　multitude；
untouched　by　laws　or　equity；　and　morally　supported　by　the　government。

The　most　important　monastery　in　the　island　is　that　of　Kykou；　this　is
situated　upon　the　mountains　at　an　elevation　of　3800　feet　above　the　sea；
and　it　comprises　an　establishment　of　sixty　monks；　with　a　gross　revenue
from　various　properties　in　different　portions　of　the　country　estimated
together　with　donations　at　about　？000　per　annum。　The　monastery　of
Mahera　estimates　its　revenue　at　？000；　that　of　Fameromeni　at　Nicosia；　at
？000　without　any　expenditure；　as　the　three　monks；　together　with　one
servant；　are　paid　by　the　extra　incomes　of　the　Church。　There　are　many
monasteries　throughout　the　island；　and　all　with　the　exception　of　Kykou
and　St。　Andrea；　at　the　eastern　point　of　Cyprus；　pay　a　certain　portion　of
their　revenue　to　the　bishop　of　the　diocese。　The　two　monasteries　I　have
excepted　are　perfectly　independent　of　all　ecclesiastical　control　in
revenue　and　finance。　Considerable　caution　will　be　necessary　in　arranging
the　land　question　with　these　numerous　establishments；　which　have
hitherto　enjoyed　a　peculiar　independence。　Up　to　the　present　time　the
income　of　the　bishops　has　been　derived　from　the　annual　payments　from
monasteries；　by　the　canonical　tax　paid　by　every　church；　from　the　alms
（Zitia）；　which　is　a　tax　levied　upon　all　crops；　from　the　dish　exposed　for
offerings　in　church　while　they　officiate；　and　from　various　ordination
fees　and　marriage　licences