cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第4章

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I　had　another　excellent　light　four…wheeled　van　constructed　by　Messrs。
Glover　Brothers；　of　Dean　Street；　Soho：　both　these　vehicles　had　broad　and
thick　iron　tires　to　the　wheels；　which　projected　5/8　inch　upon　either
side　beyond　the　felloes；　in　order　to　afford　a　wide　surface　to　deep　soil
or　sandy　ground　without　necessitating　a　too　massive　wheel。

The　vans　with　all　my　effects　had　left　London　by　steamer　direct　for
Cyprus；　I　therefore　found　them；　upon　my　arrival　from　Egypt；　in　the
charge　of　Mr。　Z。　Z。　Williamson；　a　most　active　agent　and　perfect
polyglot；　the　latter　gift　being　an　extreme　advantage　in　this　country　of
Babel…like　confusion　of　tongues。

I　was　now　prepared　to　investigate　Cyprus　thoroughly；　and　to　form　my　own
opinion　of　its　present　and　future　value。

The　day　after　my　arrival　I　strolled　outside　the　town　and　exercised　my
three　spaniels　which　had　come　out　direct　from　England。　The　dogs　searched
for　game　which　they　did　not　find；　while　I　examined　the　general　features
of　the　country。　About　three…quarters　of　a　mile　from　the　present　town　or
port　are　the　remains　of　old　Larnaca。　This　is　a　mere　village；　but
possesses　a　large　Greek　church。　The　tomb　of　Lazarus；　who　is　believed　to
have　settled　in　Cyprus　to　avoid　persecution　after　his　miraculous
resurrection　from　the　grave；　is　to　be　seen　in　the　church　of　St。　George
within　the　principal　town。

From　this　point　an　excellent　view　is　obtained　of　the　adjacent　country。　A
plain　of　most　fertile　soil　extends　along　the　sea…coast　towards　the　east
for　six　miles；　and　in　breadth　about　four　miles。　The　present　town　of
Larnaca　stands　on　the　sea…board　of　this　plain；　which　to　the　west　of　the
port　continues　for　about　four　miles；　thus　giving　an　area　of　some　ten
miles　in　length；　forming　almost　a　half　circle　of　four　miles　in　its
semi…diameter；　the　whole　is　circumscribed　by　hills　of　low　but　increasing
altitudes；　all　utterly　barren。　Through　the　plain　are　two　unmistakable
evidences　of　river…action　which　at　some　remote　period　had　washed　down
from　the　higher　ground　the　fertile　deposit　which　has　formed　the　alluvium
of　the　valley。　Within　this　apparently　level　plain　is　a　vestige　of　a　once
higher　level；　the　borders　of　which　have　been　denuded　by　the　continual
action　of　running　water　during　the　rushes　from　the　mountains　in　the
rainy　season。　This　water　action　has　long　ceased　to　exist。　There　can　be
little　doubt　that　in　the　ancient　days　of　forest…covered　mountains；　the
rainfall　of　Cyprus　was　far　greater　than　at　present；　and　that　important
torrents　swept　down　from　the　hill…sides。　We　see　evidences　of　this　in　the
rounded　blocks；　all　water…worn；　of　syenite　and　gneiss；　which　are
intermingled　with　the　bits　of　broken　pottery　in　the　vale；　alike　relics
of　the　past　and　proving　the　changes　both　in　nature　and　in　man　since
Cyprus　was　in　the　zenith　of　prosperity。

A　level　plateau　about　eighteen　feet　above　the　lowest　level　of　the　plain
shows　the　original　surface。　The　soil　of　the　entire　valley　is　calcareous；
and　is　eminently　adapted　for　the　cultivation　of　the　vine　and　cereals。　As
the　rain　has　percolated　through　the　ground；　it　has　become　so　thoroughly
impregnated　with　sulphate　of　lime　that　it　has　deposited　a　series　of
strata　some　six　or　seven　feet　below　the　surface；　which　form　a　flaky
subterranean　pavement。　The　ancients　selected　this　shallow　soil　of　a
higher　level　for　a　burial…ground；　and　they　burrowed　beneath　the　stratum
of　stony　deposit　to　form　their　tombs。　One　of　the　chief　occupations　of
modern　Cypriotes　appears　to　be　the　despoiling　of　the　dead；　thus　the
entire　sides　of　the　plateau…face　for　a　distance　of　about　two　miles　are
burrowed　into　thousands　of　holes　to　a　depth　of　ten　and　twelve　feet　in
search　of　hidden　treasures。　If　the　same　amount　of　labour　had　been
expended　in　the　tillage　of　the　surface；　the　result　would　have　been　far
more　profitable。　A　small　proportion　of　the　land　upon　the　outskirts　of
the　town　was　cultivated；　some　had　been　recently　ploughed；　while　in　other
plots　the　wheat　had　appeared　above　the　surface。　Water　is　generally　found
at　eight　or　nine　feet　below　the　level；　but　this　is　of　an　inferior
description；　and　the　town　and　environs　are　well　supplied　by　an　aqueduct
which　conveys　the　water　from　powerful　springs　about　seven　miles　to　the
west　of　Larnaca；　near　Arpera。　This　useful　work　was　constructed　according
to　the　will　of　a　former　pacha；　who　bequeathed　the　sum　required；　for　a
public　benefit。

Large　flocks　of　sheep　were　grazing　in　various　portions　of　the
uncultivated　plain。　At　first　sight　they　appeared　to　be　only　searching
for　food　among　the　stones　and　dust；　but　upon　close　examination　I　found　a
peculiar　fleshy　herb　something　like　the　stone…crop　which　grows　upon　the
old　walls　and　rocks　of　England。　This　plant　was　exceedingly　salt；　and　the
sheep　devoured　it　with　avidity；　and　were　in　fair　condition。　The　wool　was
long；　but　of　a　coarse　wiry　texture；　and　much　impaired　by　the　adherence
of　thistles　and　other　prickly　plants。　The　musical　sound　of　distant　bells
denoted　the　arrival　of　a　long　string　of　camels；　laden　with　immense　bales
of　unpressed　cotton　on　their　way　to　the　port　of　Larnaca。　Each　animal
carried　two　bales；　and　I　observed　that　the　saddles　and　pads　were　in
excellent　order；　the　camels　well　fed；　and　strongly　contrasting　with　the
cruel　carelessness　of　the　camel　owners　of　Egypt；　whose　beasts　are　galled
into　terrible　sores　from　the　want　of　padding　in　their　packs。　The　cotton
had　been　cleaned　upon　the　plantation；　but　it　would　be　subjected　to
hydraulic　pressure　and　packed　in　the　usual　iron…bound　bales　for
shipment；　upon　arrival　in　the　stores　of　Larnaca。

It　was　impossible　to　resist　a　feeling　of　depression　upon　strolling
around　the　environs　of　the　town　and　regarding　the　barren　aspect　of　the
distant　country。　Every　inch　of　this　fertile　plain　should　be　cultivated；
and　numerous　villages　should　be　dotted　upon　the　extensive　surface。
〃Thorns　also　and　thistles　shall　it　bring　forth〃　was　a　curse　that
appeared　to　have　adhered　to　Cyprus。

It　was　unnecessary　to　seek　for　the　chief　cause　of　unhealthiness；　this
was　at　once　apparent　in　the　low　swamps　on　the　immediate　outskirts　of　the
town。　In　ancient　days　the　shallow　harbour　of　Cittium　existed　on　the　east
side　of　modern　Larnaca；　whether　from　a　silting　of　the　port；　or　from　the
gradual　alteration　in　the　level　of　the　Mediterranean；　the　old　harbour　no
longer　exists；　but　is　converted　into　a　miserable　swamp；　bordered　by　a
raised　beach　of　shingles　upon　the　seaboard。　The　earth　has　been　swept
down　by　the　rains；　and　the　sand　driven　in　by　the　sea；　while　man　stood
idly　by；　allowing　Nature　to　destroy　a　former　industry。　All　the　original
harbours　of　the　country　have　suffered　from　the　same　neglect。

There　was　little　to　be　seen　in　the　neighbourhood。　The　site　was　pointed
out　where　the　troops　were　encamped　in　the　tremendous　heat　of　July　in　the
close　vicinity　of　the　swampy　ground；　upon　pestiferous　soil；　and　the
usual　tales　of　commissariat　blunders　were　recounted。　Close　to　the
borders　of　this　unhealthy　spot；　but　about　twenty　feet　above　the　level　of
the　lowest　morass；　stands　the　convent　belonging　to　the　Sisters　of
Charity；　which　includes　a　school；　in　addition　to　a　hospital。　Great
kindness　was　shown　by　these　excellent　ladies　to　many　English　sufferers；
and　their　establishment　deserves　a　liberal　support　from　public
contributions。

I　walked　through　the　bazaar　of　Larnaca；　this　is　situated　at　the　west　end
of　the　town　near　the　fort；　close　to　which　there　is　a　public　fountain
supplied　by　the　aqueduct　to　which　I　have　already　alluded。　Brass　taps
were　arranged　around　the　covered　stone　reservoir；　but　I　remarked　a
distressing　waste　of　water；　as　a　continual　flow　escaped　from　an
uncontrolled　shoot　which　poured　in　a　large　volume　uselessly　into　the
street。　Within　a　few　yards　of　the　reservoir　was　a　solitary　old　banian
tree　（ficus　religiosa）；　around　which　a　crowd　of　donkeys　waited；　laden
with　panniers　containing　large　earthen　jars；　which　in　their　turn　were　to
be　filled　with　the　pure　water　of　the　Arpera　springs。

Although　the　crowd　was　large；　and　all　were　busied　in　filling　their　jars
and　loading　their　respective　animals；　there　was　no　jostling　or
quarrelling　for　precedence；　but　every　individual　was　a　pattern　of
patience　and　good　hu