cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第57章

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disappeared　with　an　apology；　but　upon　the　first　opportunity　after　we　had
examined　the　neighbourhood　of　Limasol　we　changed　our　camp　to　a　good
position　on　the　eastern　outskirts　of　the　town。　This　side　was　rich　in
caroub…trees；　and　had　grass　existed　it　would　have　formed　a　park：　the
ground　sloped　from　the　mountains；　about　six　miles　distant；　gradually　to
the　sea；　the　surface　was　richly　wooded　by　caroubs　throughout；　and　the
soil　was　cultivated　with　barley；　which　was　already　in　the　hands　of
reapers。　There　were　six　caroub…trees　in　a　line　which　connected　their
shade；　and　we　soon　cleared　the　cultivated；　but　withered；　surface　of　the
large　clods　of　earth；　which；　having　been　turned　up　by　the　plough；　had
baked　beneath　the　sun　into　the　hardness　of　bricks；　these　were　arranged
in　a　square　to　mark　the　limits　of　the　camp；　while　the　interior　area　was
pounded　to　produce　an　even　floor；　from　this　position　we　looked　upon　the
sea；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　distant；　and　upon　the　town　of　Limasol
upon　our　right。

No　town　in　Cyprus　exhibited　the　results　of　a　British　occupation　to　the
same　extent　as　Limasol。　The　chief　commissioner；　Colonel　Warren；　R。A。；
was　an　officer　of　great　energy　and　ability；　and　he　had　grappled
vigorously　with　every　difficulty　and　cleansed　the　Augean　stables
thoroughly。　The　town　is　about　a　mile　and　a　half　in　length；　and　faces　the
sea　in　a　position　somewhat　similar　to　that　of　Larnaca。　The　quay　is
washed　by　the　waves；　which　in　stormy　weather　dash　against　the　houses；　at
which　times　it　is　impossible　to　land　from　boats；　and　crews　must　remain
on　board　their　vessels　safely　anchored　in　the　roadstead。　Although　not　so
extensive　as　Larnaca；　Limasol　is　more　compact；　and　the　houses　and
gardens　are　superior。　Owing　to　the　active　authority　of　the　chief
commissioner；　the　streets　were　scrupulously　clean；　and　all　the　refuse　of
the　town　was　conveyed　to　a　safe　distance。　A　public　market　had　been
recently　arranged；　covered　with　corrugated　galvanised　iron；　in　which　the
departments　for　meat；　vegetables；　&c。；　were　kept　separate；　and　the
appearance　and　organisation　resembled　a　market…place　in　England。　The
various　open　places　within　the　town；　instead　of　being　receptacles　for
filth；　as　is　usual　throughout　the　East；　had　been　carefully　planted　with
young　trees；　most　of　which　were　exhibiting　their　first　spring　shoots　and
leaves。　The　quay　which　faced　the　sea；　although　exposed　to　the
undermining　action　of　the　waves；　had　been　repaired　and　was　in　fair
condition；　from　this　a　tolerable　pier　projected；　upon　which　piles　of
goods　were　being　disembarked　from　the　steamer　that　had　just　arrived　from
Larnaca。　Two　small　tugs　ran　upon　alternate　days；　thus　affording
facilities　for　passengers　and　goods　between　Limasol　and　Larnaca；　which
was　a　great　convenience　recently　established　to　avoid　the　difficulty　of
the　roadless　land　journey。　H。M。S。　Torch　was　in　the　roadstead；　together
with　about　twenty　vessels　of　various　flags　and　tonnage。　Some　of　these
were　loading　wine　for　Trieste；　and　it　was　interesting　to　watch　the
system　adopted　to　save　the　difficulty　of　embarking　the　heavy　casks　in
lighters；　in　the　absence　of　cranes　or　winches。　The　barrels　when　full
were　slightly　inferior　in　weight　to　their　displacement　of　sea…water；
they　accordingly　floated　almost　level　with　the　surface；　and　were　formed
into　a　chain　of　two　casks　abreast　and　about　fifty　yards　in　length。　Thus
arranged；　they　were　towed　by　boats　until　alongside　the　vessel；　when　they
were　easily　hoisted　up　on　board。　As　boats　could　not　lie　against　the
perpendicular　wall　of　the　quay　except　during　a　perfect　calm；　there　was
considerable　trouble　in　carrying　on　the　commerce　of　the　port　according
to　modern　requirements；　but　the　inventions　of　necessity　had　simplified
many　difficulties　at　the　expense　of　increased　manual　labour。　Boats　lay　a
few　yards　off　the　shore；　and　were　loaded　by　men　who　walked　shoulder…
deep　with　the　packages　upon　their　heads。　I　saw　lighters　discharging
planks　and　baulks　of　timber；　by　shooting　them　into　the　sea　with
sufficient　force　to　follow　the　direction　given　towards　the　shore；　while
the　receivers　stood　in　the　water　to　capture　them　upon　arrival。

The　shops　and　stores　along　the　quay…face　closely　resemble　those　of
Larnaca；　but　there　was　more　activity　among　the　people。　The　streets　of
the　bazaar　were　thronged　with　mules　and　donkeys　bringing　the　produce　of
the　interior　to　the　shipping　centre；　and　the　crush　of　animals　had　been
carefully　modified　by　the　arrangements　instituted　by　Colonel　Warren；　who
had　established　a　large　walled　court；　or　stable…yard；　into　which　all
empty　mules　and　asses　were　driven；　instead　of　being　allowed　to　block　the
thoroughfare；　each　beast　paid　some　trifle　for　this　accommodation；　which
added　to　the　fund　for　municipal　improvements。

The　public　offices　were　very　inferior；　that　of　the　chief　commissioner
himself　being　a　small　white…washed　room；　which　exhibited　an　utter
disregard　of　personal　comfort　in　the　interests　of　government　economy。
There　is　a　curious　old　fort　within　the　town　which　has　been　altered　and
added　to　until　it　has　become　an　absurdity；　this　would　be　utterly　useless
as　a　defence；　and　the　Turkish　guns　having　been　removed；　it　is　now
converted　into　a　prison；　beneath　the　ground　there　are　dungeons　which　are
no　longer　used。

The　roadstead　of　Limasol　is　formed　by　the　projection　of　the　Akrotiri
peninsula；　which　affords　protection　from　the　west　and　south…west；　but　it
is　directly　exposed　from　the　east　to　the　south。　The　anchorage　is　safe；
with　good　holding…ground　in　ten　fathoms。　The　peculiar　shaped　peninsula
of　Akrotiri　is　about　seven　miles　wide；　and　the　lake　in　its　centre；　when
full；　has　a　width　of　about　four　miles；　but　during　the　exhaustive　heat　of
summer　it　evaporates　to　the　dimensions　of　a　mere　pool；　and　leaves　its
deserted　bed　encrusted　with　a　deposit　of　salt。　This　lake　has　no
connection　with　the　sea；　and　its　maximum　depth　is　under　three　feet；　the
salt　is　formed　upon　the　same　principle　as　that　of　the　Lake　of　Larnaca；
and　certainly　not　by　the　percolation　of　sea…water　through　the　sand；　as
the　Limasol　lake　is　considerably　above　the　sea…level。　There　is　a
lighthouse　at　Cape　Gatta；　which　can　be　seen　at　a　distance　of　fifteen
miles；　as　from　its　elevated　position　the　lamp　is　190　feet　above　the　sea。
From　this　point　to　Limasol　the　beach　is　low　and　sandy；　and　has　always
been　accepted　as　the　most　favourable　point　for　a　disembarkation　of
troops。　With　historical　facts　before　us　there　is　small　excuse　for　the
blunder　committed　in　landing　our　army　of　occupation；　during　the　extreme
heat　of　July；　at　Larnaca　instead　of　Limasol。　At　the　former　port　there　is
not　a　tree　to　throw　a　shade；　and　the　miserable　aspect　of　the　surrounding
country　must　have　had　a　most　depressing　effect　upon　the　nervous　system
of　officers　and　men；　while　at　Limasol　the　country　is　agreeable　and　the
shady　caroubs　exist　almost　to　the　sea…shore；　in　numbers　that　would　have
sheltered　an　army　of　three　times　the　force　represented。　I　cannot
conceive　of　more　deliberate　cruelty　inflicted　upon　all　grades　than　an
unnecessary　exposure　to　the　burning　summer　sun　of　Cyprus　in　bell…tents；
when　shady　trees　existed　in　so　convenient　a　locality　as　Limasol。　If　the
root　of　the　offence　could　be　traced　it　would　probably　be　discovered　that
the　advice　had　been　given　by　some　persons　interested　in　the　possession
of　property　at　Larnaca；　where　rents　of　houses　rose　from　nil　to　a
fabulous　amount　upon　the　disembarkation　of　the　troops。　Altogether　this
military　enterprise　of　occupation　was　effected　with　the　usual　British
confusion　and　lack　of　arrangement。

The　commissariat　of　course　broke　down；　although　special　pains　had　been
taken　to　supply　the　troops　with　luxuries　that　to　a　simple　mind　are
inconceivable；　thus　COPPER　WARMING…PANS　in　great　numbers　were　sent　out！
As　the　thermometer　was　above　100　degrees　Fahr。；　these　fiery　furnaces
were　hardly　appreciated。　It　is　a　reflection　upon　the　want　of　resource
exhibited　by　the　authorities　that　these　peculiar　utensils　were　not　sent
out　as　regimental　stew…pans；　as　there　was　a　dearth　of　cooking…pots；　and
the　warming…pans　might　have　added　materially　to　the　comforts　of　the
insides；　instead　of　the　outsides　of　the　men；　by　reducing　the
gutta…percha…l