cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第17章

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mile　at　the　low　rate　of　labour　in　Cyprus；　considering　the　presence　of
stone　throughout　the　district；　and　their　completion　will　open　the　entire
plain　of　Messaria　to　wheeled　communication　with　four　ports；　to　north　and
south。



CHAPTER　IV。

THE　MESSARIA。

Having　passed　a　week　with　our　kind　hosts；　Sir　Garnet　and　Lady　Wolseley；
at　Government　House；　which　formed　a　most　agreeable　contrast　to　the
friendless　life　that　we　had　been　leading；　the　vans　once　more　started　en
route　for　Kythrea；　Famagousta；　and　the　Carpas　district。　I　had　hired　a
good；　sure…footed　pony　for　my　wife　and　a　powerful　mule　for　myself；　and；
having　given　the　vans　a　start　of　several　hours；　we　followed　in　the
afternoon。

The　treeless　expanse　of　the　Messaria　produces　nothing　but　cereals　and
cotton；　teams　of　oxen　were　at　work　in　all　directions　ploughing；　and
otherwise　preparing　the　thistle…covered　surface；　and　the　atmosphere　was
so　delusively　clear　that　Kythrea；　twelve　miles　distant；　appeared　close
to　us。　Upon　these　boundless　flats　an　object　may　be　seen　as　distinctly　as
though　upon　the　water；　and　we　soon　descried　in　the　far　distance　a　dark
spot；　which　the　binocular　glass；　if　at　sea；　would　have　pronounced　to　be
the　stern　of　a　vessel　that　had　lost　her　masts；　keeping　the　same　course
as　ourselves；　this　was　the　gipsy…van；　which　should　have　already　arrived
at　Kythrea；　where　I　had　expected　to　have　found　the　camp　arranged；　dinner
cooked；　and　everything　ready　for　our　reception。　Something　had　happened；
as　the　other　van　was　not　in　sight。

It　was　impossible　to　dignify　the　route　by　the　name　of　a　〃road；〃　as　it
presented　an　uneven　surface　and　occasionally　branched　into　several
independent　tracks；　which　re…united　after　an　eccentric　course　of　a　few
hundred　yards；　these　were　caused　by　droves　of　mules　which　in　wet　weather
had　endeavoured　to　select　a　better　line　than　the　deeply…trodden　mud　in
the　central　road。　Fortunately　the　surface　was　now　hard；　and　we　cantered
on；　fully　expecting　some　disaster　to　at　least　one　of　our　vehicles。　Upon
our　arrival　we　found　a　crowd　of　people　yelling　and　shouting　their
utmost；　while　they　were　engaged　in　company　with　four　oxen　harnessed　in
dragging　and　pushing　the　blue　van　up　a　new　road　which　they　had　scarped
out　of　the　precipitous　bank　of　a　river　about　forty　feet　deep；　this
accounted　for　only　one　van　being　in　sight；　as　the　other　was　in　the　dry
bed　of　the　river。　These　good　people　had　been　working　for　several　hours
in　making　a　road　where　none　existed；　and　assured　me　that　the　large
bridge　over　the　Pedias　was　unsafe　for　so　great　a　weight；　and　therefore
it　was　advisable　to　cross　at　the　present　spot。　The　banks　consisted　of
the　alluvium　of　ages　free　from　stones；　therefore　it　was　easy　to　cut　an
incline；　but　as　many　tons　of　earth　had　been　removed；　the　operation　had
required　much　labour；　and　many　hands　had　collected　from　the　adjacent
villages　upon　seeing　the　dilemma。

The　blue　van　was　in　the　middle　of　the　crowd；　the　oxen　answered　to　the
inspiriting　shouts；　and　more　especially　to　the　ceaseless　pricks　of　the
driving　sticks；　and　presently　it　was　dragged　safely　to　the　level　of　the
opposite　bank。　A　few　alterations　in　the　new　road　were　necessary　for　the
larger　gipsy…van；　and　taking　the　drag…shoe　off　the　blue　van；　we　were
thus　enabled　to　secure　both　the　hind…wheels　for　the　steep　descent。　By
careful　management；　after　one　or　two　narrow　escapes　from　capsising；　we
succeeded　in　landing　the　Noah's　Ark　safely　by　its　fellow；　amidst　the
cheers　of　the　good…natured　crowd。

The　delay　had　been　great；　and　the　evening　was　drawing　near：　we　were
about　seven　miles　from　the　upper　portion　of　Kythrea；　where　we　had
proposed　to　camp；　and　the　route　was　partly　across　country；　to　avoid
layers　of　natural　rock　which　in　successive　ridges　made　it　impossible　for
the　vans　to　keep　the　track。　Several　deep　watercourses　intervened；　which
required　the　spade　and　pickaxe；　and　it　was　quite　dark　when　we　were
obliged　to　halt　about　a　mile　from　Kythrea。

On　the　following　morning　Mr。　Kitchener；　Lieutenant　of　the　Royal
Engineers；　called　at　our　camp；　and　was　kind　enough　to　pilot　us　to　the
celebrated　springs　about　three　miles　above　the　village。　This　able　and
energetic　officer　was　engaged；　together　with　Mr。　Hippersly　of　the　same
corps；　in　making　the　trigonometrical　survey　of　the　island；　and　they　were
quartered　in　a　comfortable　house　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town。　With　this
excellent　guide；　who　could　explain　every　inch　of　the　surrounding
country；　we　started　upon　a　most　interesting　ride。　The　entire
neighbourhood　was　green　with　abundant　crops　of　cereals；　some　of　which　at
this　early　season　were　eighteen　inches　high。　The　effect　of　irrigation
could　be　traced　for　several　miles　into　the　plain　and　along　the　base　of
the　mountain　range；　until　by　degrees　the　green　became　more　faint；　and
gradually　but　surely　merged　into　the　dead　brown　which　denoted
barrenness；　where　the　water…power　was　expended　by　absorption。

It　was　impossible　to　form　any　idea　of　the　extent　of　Kythrea　from　the
outside　view。　A　succession　of　large　villages　with　fields　highly
cultivated　covered　the　surface　at　the　base　of　the　mountains；　but　the
true　Kythrea　was　partially　concealed　by　the　curious　ravine　through　which
the　water　of　the　springs　is　conducted　by　aqueducts　until　it　reaches　the
lower　ground。　For　a　distance　of　three　miles　this　ravine　is　occupied　by
houses　and　gardens；　all　of　which　are　supplied　by　the　stream；　which　turns
thirty…two　water…mills　in　its　course。　The　water…wheels　in　Cyprus　are
horizontal　turbines；　and　I　have　only　met　with　one　over…shot　wheel　in　the
island；　this　is　on　the　estate　of　M。　Mattei　at　Kuklia。

The　range　of　mountains　exactly　above　the　village　exhibits　a　peculiar
example　of　the　effect　of　water…wash　for　about　two　hundred　feet　from　the
base。　From　the　heights　at　Government　House；　twelve　miles　distant；　I　had
observed　through　the　telescope　a　curious　succession　of　conical　heaps
resembling　volcanic　mounds　of　hardened　mud；　these　rose　one　above　the
other　along　the　base　of　the　hills　like　miniature　mountain…ranges。　Even
when　near　Kythrea　I　could　not　understand　the　formation；　until　we　found
ourselves　riding　through　the　steep　ravine　which　holds　the　watercourse
and　ascending　by　a　narrow　path　among　the　countless　hills　that　I　have
described。　Both　sides　of　the　gorge；　and　also　the　deep　bottom；　are
occupied　by　houses　with　fruitful　gardens；　rich　in　mulberry；　orange；
lemon；　apricots；　olives；　forming　groves　of　trees　that　in　summer　must　be
delightful。　Sometimes　after　clambering　up　steep　and　stony　paths　which
had　originally　been　paved　we　entered　into　villages；　the　roofs　of　the
houses　BELOW　us　upon　our　left；　and　the　doors　of　others　upon　our　right；
so　close　to　the　narrow　path　as　scarcely　to　admit　the　passage　of　a　loaded
mule。　The　water　rushed　along　the　bottom　in　a　rapid　stream；　plunging　from
the　adit　below　one　turbine　to　a　temporary　freedom　in　a　natural　channel；
from　which　it　was　quickly　captured　and　led　into　an　aqueduct　of　masonry
to　another　mill　at　a　lower　level。　All　the　inhabitants　had　turned　out　to
see　an　English　lady；　and　the　usual　welcome　was　exhibited　by　sprinkling
us　with　rose　and　orange…flower　water　as　we　passed；　the　omnipresent　dogs
yelled　and　barked　with　their　usual　threatening　demonstrations　at　the
heels　of　our　animals；　and　some　from　the　low　roofs　of　the　houses　were
unpleasantly　close　to　our　heads。　We　were　now　among　the　conical　mounds；
along　the　steep　sides　of　which　a　path　of　about　twelve　inches　width
appeared　to　invite　destruction；　as　the　loose　crumbling　material　rolled
down　the　deep　incline　beneath　the　hoofs　of　the　sure…footed　horses　and
mules。　These　creatures　had　a　disagreeable　habit　of　choosing　the　extreme
edge　of　the　narrow　ledge；　instead　of　hugging　the　safer　side；　and
although　no　great　precipice　existed；　the　fall　of　thirty　feet　into　the
rocky　stream　below　would　have　been　quite　as　effectual　as　a　greater　depth
in　breaking　necks　and　limbs。　We　again　entered　a　village；　where　a　large
plane…tree　formed　the　centre　of　a　small　open　space；　faced　on　either　side
by　a　cafe；　the　situation　being　attractive　during　summer　from　the　dense
shade　afforded　by　the　spreading　branches。　There　were　many　people　sitting
in　the　open　shed；　who　as　usual　rose　and　made　th