cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第52章

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have　a　portmanteau　full　of　such　simple　fireworks。　It　was　in　vain　to
explain　that　the　people　were　a　nuisance　if　too　near：　when　driven　to　a
moderate　distance；　they　would　advance　shyly；　by　degrees；　two　or　three
children　would　come　forward　and　sit　down　a　few　paces　in　front　of　the
main　body；　after　a　few　minutes　several　others　would　overstep　this
frontier　and　sit　down　five　or　six　yards　in　advance　of　the　last　comers；
and　by　this　silent　system　of　skirmishing　we　were　always　surrounded　in
twenty　minutes　after　the　original　crowd　had　been　dispersed。　I　did　not
mind　them　so　long　as　they　were　not　in　personal　contact；　and　were　free
from　recent　small…pox；　but　some　of　the　red…pitted　faces　were　full　of
warning。

There　was　nothing　of　interest　to　detain　us　at　Polis；　and　we　started
early　upon　the　19th　April　towards　Baffo。　The　valley　through　which　the
river　Aspropotamo　had　deposited　a　layer　of　fertile　alluvium　divided　the
mountain　range；　leaving　the　plutonic　rocks　to　the　east；　and　on　the
western　side　we　ascended　a　steep　path　over　cretaceous　limestone；　broken
and　disturbed　at　intervals　by　the　protrusion　of　eruptive　rocks。　As　we
increased　our　altitude　we　looked　down　upon　a　picturesque　view　of　the　bay
of　Krysokhus；　with　two　sails　upon　its　blue　waters　beneath　the　dark
cliffs　of　the　western　shore。　The　ancient　Marium　or　Arsinoe　showed　no
vestiges　except　in　the　modern　village　of　Polis；　which；　from　the
distance；　looked　better　than　the　reality；　as　the　foliage　of　numerous
trees　shadowing　the　terrace…built　houses　upon　either　side　the　rich　green
valley；　backed　by　the　lofty　range　of　pine…covered　mountains；　completed　a
lovely　landscape。

An　hour　had　passed；　but　still　we　ascended；　the　path　was　as　usual　rugged；
and　we　already　looked　down　upon　the　sea　and　valley　at　least　2000　feet
beneath。　I　had　serious　misgivings　concerning　the　camels　and　their　loads。
General　di　Cesnola　had　examined　the　whole　of　this　country　in　his　search
for　antiquities；　but　the　neighbourhood　of　the　ancient　Arsinoe；　where
much　had　been　expected；　was　almost　unproductive。

The　path　still　rose；　until　at　length　we　arrived　upon　an　extensive
plateau　about　2400　feet　above　the　sea。　The　soil　was　chocolate…colour；
and　the　surface　was　covered　with　large　stones　of　the　sedimentary
limestone　that　surrounds　the　coast；　and　which　forms　the　flat…topped
hills　of　the　Messaria。　In　many　places　the　natives　had　built　these　into
walls　around　their　fields；　in　order　to　clear　the　ground　required　for
cultivation。　We　passed　several　villages；　all　squalid　and　miserable；
although　the　rich　soil　exhibited　green　crops　far　superior　to　anything　we
had　met　with　in　the　lower　country。　Extensive　gardens　of　mulberry
explained　the　silk…producing　power　of　this　neighbourhood；　and　almonds；
figs；　apricots；　&c。；　throve　in　great　numbers　and　luxuriance。　This
peculiarly　fruitful　plateau　occupies　an　area　of　about　eight　miles　from
north　to　south；　and　four　from　east　to　west。　We　halted　at　the　large
Turkish　village　of　Arodes；　from　which　we　looked　down　upon　the　sea　and
the　small　rocky　island　opposite　Cape　Drepano；　on　the　western　coast；
almost　beneath　our　feet。　This　portion　of　Cyprus　is　eminently　adapted　for
the　cultivation　of　fruit…trees；　as　the　climate　and　soil　combine　many
advantages。　The　elevation　and　peculiar　geographical　position　attract
moisture；　while　the　lower　ground　upon　the　east　is　parched　with　drought。
The　evaporation　from　the　sea　below　condenses　upon　the　cooler　heights
immediately　above　and　creates　refreshing　mists　and　light　rain；　which
accounted　for　the　superiority　of　the　crops　compared　with　any　that　I　had
seen　elsewhere。　Shortly　after　halting　at　Arodes　we　experienced　these
atmospherical　changes。　The　thermometer　at　Polis　had　been　57　degrees　at　7
A。　M。；　and　it　was　only　56　degrees　at　3　P。M。　at　this　altitude　of　2400
feet。　Although　the　sky　had　been　clear；　mists　began　to　ascend　from　the
chasms　and　gullies　along　the　abrupt　face　of　the　mountain　which　overhung
the　sea；　these　curled　upwards　and　thickened；　until　a　dense　fog　rolled
along　the　surface　from　the　west　and　condensed　into　a　light　shower　of
rain。　The　Turkish　inhabitants　of　the　village　were　extremely　civil；　and
made　no　complaints　of　scarcity　from　drought；　as　they　fully　appreciated
the　advantages　of　their　locality。　The　hawthorn…trees　were　only　just
budding　into　bloom；　while　those　in　the　low　country　had　shed　their
flowers；　and　had　already　formed　the　berries。　In　future　an　extensive
growth　of　fruit　may　supply　the　market　of　Alexandria；　but　at　present　the
total　absence　of　roads　would　render　the　transport　of　so　perishable　a
material　upon　the　backs　of　mules　impossible。　I　had　sent　back　our　three
riding　mules　to　meet　and　to　relieve　the　camels；　and　by　this　precaution
the　baggage　animals　arrived　at　a　convenient　hour。

The　route　to　Baffo　or　Ktima；　which　is　now　the　principal　town；　lay　across
the　plateau　for　about　five　miles　to　the　verge　which　formed　the
table…land；　from　which　margin　we　looked　down　upon　the　deep　vale　below；
bounded　by　the　sea　at　a　few　miles　distance。

We　dismounted　and　walked　down　the　long　and　steep　pass；　the　mules　being
led　behind。　The　entire　face　of　the　perpendicular　cliffs　was　cretaceous
limestone；　but　the　scaly　slopes　of　a　hill　upon　our　left；　about　a　mile
and　a　half　distant；　formed　a　loose　heap　of　shale；　which　had　slipped；
either　during　earthquakes　or　heavy　rains；　in　great　masses　to　the　bottom。

After　a　long　and　tedious　descent　we　reached　the　base　of　the　pass；　and
halted　in　a　broad　river…bed　full　of　rocks　and　stones　of　all　sizes；　which
had　been　rounded　by　the　torrent　of　the　rainy　season。　There　was　no　water
except　in　small　pools　that　had　been　scraped　in　the　sand　for　the　benefit
of　the　travelling　animals。　Having　watered　our　mules　and　remounted；　we
ascended　the　steep　banks　of　the　stream　and　continued　towards　the　sea；
feeling　a　sensible　difference　in　the　temperature　since　we　had　descended
from　the　heights。

The　country　was　exceedingly　pretty；　as　it　sloped　gently　downwards　for
three　or　four　miles；　the　surface　ornamented　with　caroub…trees；　until　we
at　length　reached　the　sea…beach　and　crossed　the　sandy　mouth　of　the
river's　bed。　The　crops　of　cereals　were　perished　by　drought　in　the
absence　of　irrigation；　but　upon　continuing　our　route　parallel　with　the
beach　we　observed　an　immediate　improvement；　as　the　water　was　conducted
by　artificial　channels　to　the　various　fields。　This　arrangement　had　been
effected　by　erecting　a　temporary　dam　in　the　river's　bed　far　among　the
mountains；　and　thus　leading　the　stream　into　the　conduit　for　many　miles。
Small　brooks　intersected　our　path　along　the　coast；　and　in　several　places
I　remarked　the　ruins　of　ancient　aqueducts。　。　。　。　There　was　nothing　of
peculiar　interest　upon　this　route；　the　land　inclined　upwards　from　the
sea　for　six　or　seven　miles　to　the　foot　of　the　mountain　range；　all　of
which　was　either　cultivated　with　cereals　or　was　covered　with　caroub…
trees　and　olives。　Many　villages　were　dotted　over　the　surface；　these　were
green　with　mulberry　and　various　fruit…trees。　With　the　sea　upon　our
right；　and　the　waves　dashing　briskly　upon　the　rocky　shore；　the　scene　was
agreeable；　but　the　sun　was　hot；　and　we　were　not　sorry　to　see　the　distant
minarets　of　Ktima　after　a　ride　of　seventeen　miles　from　Arodes。

We　passed　the　ruins　of　ancient　Paphos　upon　our　right；　and　shortly
afterwards　ascended　the　rocky　slope　upon　which　the　capital　of　the
district；　Ktima；　is　situated。　It　is　a　large　town；　and　as　we　rode　through
the　bazaar　the　narrow　street　was　almost　blocked　with　huge　piles　of
oranges　that　had　been　imported　from　Jaffa；　the　season　for　the　Cyprus
fruit　being　nearly　over。

Iiani　was　exceedingly　stupid　in　selecting　camping…ground；　therefore
upon　arrival　at　a　new　place　we　invariably　had　to　explore　the
neighbourhood；　like　migratory　birds　landed　upon　strange　shores。　We
accordingly　rode　through　the　considerable　town　of　Ktima　amidst　the
barking　and　snapping　of　innumerable　dogs；　who　attacked　our　British
spaniels；　keeping　up　a　running　fight　throughout　the　way；　until　we
emerged　upon　open　country　beyond　the　outskirts。

We　were　now　once　more　upon　a　flat　table…top；　about　a　hundred　feet　above
the　plain　between　us　and　the　sea；　a　mile　and　a　half　distant。　The　edge　of
the　table…land　forme