cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第9章

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similar　well…meant　attention；　and　the　simplicity　and　delicacy　of　the
offering　contrasts　in　an　anomalous　manner　with　the　dirty　habits　and
appearance　of　the　people。　Even　Georgi's　pretty　wife　was　untidy　about　the
hair；　although　she　was　in　her　best　attire；　and　a　close　inspection　of　all
women　and　girls　showed　that　their　throats　and　breasts　were　literally
covered　with　ancient　and　modern　fleabites。　Their　dwellings　are　extremely
filthy；　and　swarm　with　vermin；　as　the　fowls；　goats；　or　even　a　cow　or
two；　generally　increase　the　domestic　party。　It　is　well　known　that　Paphos
in　Cyprus　was　the　supposed　birthplace　of　Venus；　and　that　the　island　was
at　one　time　celebrated　for　the　beauty　of　women　and　immorality：　the
change　has　been　radical；　as　I　believe　no　women　are　more　chaste；　and　at
the　same　time　less　attractive；　than　the　Cypriotes　of　the　present　time。
They　are　generally　short　and　thickset；　they　are　hardly　treated　by　the
men；　as　they　perform　most　of　the　rough　work　in　cultivation　of　the
ground；　and；　from　the　extreme　coarseness　of　their　hands；　they　can　seldom
be　idle；　the　men；　on　the　contrary；　are　usually　good…looking；　and　are　far
more　attentive　to　their　personal　appearance。

Dali　was　an　interesting　spot　to　any　agriculturist。　The　soil　was
exceedingly　rich；　as　it　had　been　formed；　like　all　valleys　in　Cyprus；　by
the　alluvium　washed　down　from　the　surrounding　hills；　these　were　from
three　to　six　hundred　feet　above　the　level　of　the　plain；　and　were
composed　of　the　usual　hard　species　of　chalk　and　gypsum；　thus　the　deposit
from　their　denudation　by　rains　supplied　the　chief　constituents　for　the
growth　of　vines　and　cereals。

There　is　a　depressing　absence　of　all　recent　improvements　in　journeying
through　Cyprus；　even　at　Dali；　where　the　water　from　the　river　was　used
for　irrigation；　and　large　farms　in　the　occupation　of　the　wealthy
landowner；　M。　Richard　Mattei；　were　successfully　cultivated；　I　could　not
help　remarking　the　total　neglect　of　tree…planting。　The　ancient
olive…groves　still　exist　by　the　river's　side；　and；　could　they　speak；
those　grand　old　trees　would　be　historians　of　the　glorious　days　of
Cyprus；　but　there　are　no　recent　plantations；　and　the　natives　explained
the　cause　in　the　usual　manner　by　attributing　all　wretchedness　and
popular　apathy　to　the　oppression　of　the　Turkish　rule。　This　wholesale
accusation　must　be　received　with　caution；　there　can　be　no　doubt　of　the
pre…existing　misrule；　but　at　the　same　time　it　is　impossible　to　travel
through　Cyprus　without　the　painful　conviction　that　the　modern　Cypriote
is　a　reckless　tree…destroyer；　and　that　destruction　is　more　natural　to
his　character　than　the　propagation　of　timber。　There　is　no　reason　for　the
neglect　of　olive…planting；　but　I　observed　an　absence　of　such　cultivation
which　must　have　prevailed　during　several　centuries；　even　during　the
Venetian　rule。　It　is　difficult　to　determine　the　age　of　an　olive…tree；
which　is　almost　imperishable；　it　is　one　of　those　remarkable　examples　of
vegetation　that　illustrates　the　eternal；　and　explains　the　first
instincts　of　adoration　which　tree…worship　exhibited　in　the　distant　past。
I　spent　some　hours　with　the　olive　trees　of　Dali；　they　were　grand　old
specimens　of　the　everlasting。　One　healthy　trunk　in　full　vigour　measured
twenty…nine　feet　in　circumference；　another；　twenty…eight　feet　two
inches。　Very　many　were　upwards　of　twenty　feet　by　my　measuring…tape；　and
had　I　accepted　the　hollow　or　split　trees；　there　were　some　that　would
have　exceeded　forty　feet。　There　can　be　little　doubt；　that　these　olives
throve　at　the　period　when　Idalium　was　the　great　city　in　Cyprus；　they　may
have　exceeded　two　thousand　years　in　age；　but　any　surmise　would　be　the
wildest　conjecture。　It　may　not　be　generally　known　that　the　olive；　which
is　of　slow　growth　and　a　wood　of　exceeding　hardness；　remains　always　a
dwarf　tree；　a　tall　olive　is　unknown；　and　it　somewhat　resembles　a　pollard
ilex。　When　by　extreme　age　the　tree　has　become　hollow　it　possesses　the
peculiar　power　of　reproduction；　not　by　throwing　up　root…shoots；　but　by
splitting　the　old　hollowed　trunk　into　separate　divisions；　which　by
degrees　attain　an　individuality；　and　eventually　thrive　as　new　and
independent　trees；　forming　a　group　or　〃family…tree；〃　nourished　by　the
same　root　which　anchored　the　original　ancestor。

The　gnarled；　weird　appearance　of　these　ancient　groves　of　such　gigantic
dimensions　contrasted　sadly　with　the　treeless　expanse　beyond；　and　proved
that　Cyprus　had　for　very　many　centuries　been　the　victim　of　neglect。　The
olive　is　indigenous　to　the　island；　and　the　low　scrub　jungles　of　Baffo；
the　Carpas　district；　and　other　portions　abound　with　the　wild　species；
which　can　be　rendered　fruitful　by　grafting。　In　selecting　trees　for　the
extension　of　forests；　there　is　a　common…sense　rule　to　guide　us　by
observing　those　varieties　which　are　indigenous　to　the　country；　these　can
be　obtained　at　the　lowest　cost；　and　their　success　is　almost　assured；　as
no　time　need　be　lost　from　the　day　of　their　removal　to　the　new
plantation。　Such　trees　as　are　rendered　fruitful　by　grafting　offer
peculiar　advantages；　as　the　stocks　already　exist　upon　which　superior
varieties　may　be　connected。　The　principal　food　of　the　Cypriotes　consists
of　olives；　beans；　bread；　and　onions；　they　seldom　eat　what　we　should　call
〃cooked　food；〃　whether　this　is　owing　to　the　scarcity　of　fuel；　or　whether
it　is　natural　in　this　climate　to　avoid　flesh；　I　cannot　determine：　some
say　the　people　are　too　poor；　and　cannot　afford　mutton　at　twopence　a
pound；　while　at　the　same　time　they　will　not　kill　the　oxen　that　are
required　for　purposes　of　draught；　they　refuse　the　milk　of　cows；　and　only
use　that　of　sheep　or　goats。　The　fact　remains　that　the　country　people
seldom　eat　butcher's　meat；　but　subsist　upon　olives；　oil；　bread；　cheese；
and　vegetables。

Under　these　circumstances　it　would　be　natural　to　suppose　that　the
accepted　articles　of　consumption　would　be　highly　cultivated　and　superior
in　quality；　but　the　reverse　is　the　fact。　The　olive…oil　is　so　inferior
that　foreign　oil　is　imported　from　France　for　the　use　of　the　upper
classes；　the　olives　are　of　a　poor　description；　and；　as　a　rule；　few
vegetables　are　cultivated　except　in　the　immediate　vicinity　of　town
markets；　the　agricultural　population　or　country　people　being　too
careless　to　excel　in　horticulture；　and　depending　mainly　upon　the　wild
vegetables　which　the　soil　produces　in　abundance。　If　the　people　are　too
inert　to　improve　the　qualities　and　to　extend　the　cultivation　of
vegetables；　it　is　easy　to　comprehend　their　neglect　of　the　tree…planting
so　necessary　to　the　climatic　requirements　of　this　island。

The　oil…press　is　similar　to　the　old…fashioned　cider…mill　of　England。　The
fruit；　having　been　dried　in　the　sun；　is　placed　in　a　circular　trough　in
which　the　stone　wheel　revolves；　driven　by　a　mule　and　pole。　When
sufficiently　crushed；　and　reduced　to　a　paste；　it　is　divided　into
basketfuls；　these　are　subjected　to　pressure　by　the　common　vertical
screw；　and　the　oil　is　expressed；　but　is　not　clarified。　It　is　generally
rancid　and　unfit　for　European　consumption。　In　travelling　through　Cyprus
the　medicine…chest　may　dispense　with　castor…oil；　as　the　olive…oil　of　the
country　is　a　good　substitute。　By　the　government　report；　the　yield　of　oil
in　1877　was　estimated　at　250；000　okes　（of　2　3/4　lbs。）　valued　at　about
nine　piastres　per　oke；　but　during　the　same　year　foreign　olive…oil　to　the
value　of　1；706　pounds　sterling　was　imported。　There　can　be　little　doubt
that　special　attention　should　be　bestowed　upon　the　improvement　of　the
olive　cultivation　in　Cyprus；　and　grafts　of　the　best　varieties　should　be
introduced　from　France　and　Spain；　in　a　few　years　an　important
improvement　would　result；　and　the　superabundant　oil　of　a　propitious
season　would　form　an　article　of　export；　instead　of　（as　at　present）　being
converted　into　soap；　as　otherwise　unsaleable。

Our　crowd　of　female　admirers　was　happily　dispersed　by　a　slight　shower　of
rain；　and　by　clouds　which　threatened　a　downpour；　the　men　remained；　and　a
swarthy…looking　thoroughbred　Turk　promised　to　accompany　me　on　the　morrow
and　show　me　the　neighbourhood。　I　was　informed　in　a　mysterious　whisper　by
a　Cypriote　〃that　this　man　was　a　notorious　robber；　whose　occupation　was
gone　since　the　arrival　of　the　British；〃　he　had　formed　one　of　a　gang　that
had　infested　the　mountains；　and　his　brother　had　murdered　a　friend　of
Georgi　（the　van…driver）；　and　was　now　in　gaol　at　Rhodes　for　the　capital
offence。　The　Turk　was　very　intelligent；　and　thoroughly　conversant　with
the　various　methods　of　breech…loading　firearms；　he　examined　several
rifles　and　guns　belonging　to　me；　and　at　once　comprehended　the　mechanism；
and　explained　it　to　the　admiring　crowd。　When　this　individual　left　our
camp　in　the　evening；　the　story　that　I　had　heard　in　outline　was
corroborated　by　the　driver　Georgi；　who　asked　me　to　exert　my　influence　to
procure　the　hanging　of　the　murderer　now　at　Rhodes；　as　the　Turkish
authorities　would　never　execute　a　Turk　for　the　murder　of　a　Greek　unless
influenced　by　foreign　pressure。　It　appeared　that　the　Cypriote　had
informed　against　one　of　the　gang　for　cattle…stealing；　accordingly
several　members　of　the　fraternity　picked　a　quarrel　with　him　at　a
drinking…shop　one　evening　at　Dali；　and　stabbed　him　fatally。　My　new
acquaintance；　the　Turk；　was　not　present　during　the　fray；　and　I　could　not
promise　Georgi　the　intervention　he　desired。

On　the　following　morning　seven　natives　of　Dali　appearedall
Greeksaccompanied　by　the　ex…robber；　whom　I　regarded　as　〃a　wicked　man
who　had　turned　away　from　his　wickedness；〃　with　whose　antecedents　I　had
no　concern。　They　had　brought　their　guns；　which　were　at　once　submitted　to
me　for　an　opinion　of　their　merits；　with　a　vain　expectation　that　I　should
pronounce　them　to　be　〃English。〃　I　was　to　be　guided　to　a　spot　about　an
hour's　march　distant；　where　partridges　and　hares　were　said　to　abound；
and　it　appeared　that　an　impromptu　shooting…party　had　been　arranged
especially　for　my　amusement。

I　am　not　very　fond　of　such　sporting　meetings；　as　the　common　guns　of　the
people；　which　are　constantly　missing　fire　when　required　to　shoot；　have
an　awkward　knack　of　going　off　when　least　expected；　my　mind　was　somewhat
relieved　when　the　tactics　were　explained；　that　we　（nine　guns）　were　to
form　a　line　of　skirmishers　about　two　hundred　yards　apart；　commanding　a
mile　of　country。

There　is　a　great　advantage　in　sport；　as　the　search　for　game　leads　a
traveller　into　all　kinds　of　places　which　he　would　otherwise　leave
unseen。　It　is　a　great　enjoyment　to　stroll　over　a　new　country　accompanied
by　good　dogs；　and　combine　at　the　same　time　sport　and　exploration。

Upon　arrival　at　the　summit　of　the　hill　range　which　we　had　passed　on　our
left　when　we　had　arrived　at　Dali；　I　was　well　repaid；　and　the　necessity
of　judging　a　country　from　a　hill…top　instead　of　from　a　highroad　was　well
exemplified。　I　looked　down　upon　the　highly…cultivated　and　fertile　valley
of　Lymbia；　surpassing　in　extent　the　plain　of　Dali；　and　although　the
successive　ranges　of　hills　and　mountains　were　bleak　and　barren　in　their
whiteness；　the　intervening　valleys　were　all　occupied　either　by　vineyards
or　by　fields　in　tillage。　Even　the　ravines　upon　the　steep　hill…sides
which　had　been　scored　out　by　the　rainfall　of　ages　were　artificially
arranged　to　catch　the　mel