cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第68章

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The　view　became　very　beautiful　as　we　ascended；　until　at　length；　after　a
couple　of　miles　of　the　steepest　zigzags；　we　turned　a　corner　of　the　rocks
and　looked　down　the　great　depth　at　our　right；　below　the　path；　upon　the
long　white　thread　of　a　waterfall；　which　for　some　hundred　feet　of　a
severe　incline；　broken　by　occasional　plunges；　issues　from　the　rocky
cleft；　and　forms　the　river　in　the　ravine　below。　〃There　is　the　monastery
of　Trooditissa！〃　exclaimed　our　guide。　About　200　feet　above　our　level；
snugly　nested　among　splendid　walnut…trees　in　the　dark　angle　of　the
mountains；　were　the　grey　and　brown　gables；　half　concealed　by　the　rich
foliage　of　plane…trees；　walnuts；　mulberry；　and　other　varieties。

About　half　a　mile　from　this　point　of　view　the　mules　scrambled　up　one　of
the　worst　portions　of　the　route；　and　we　arrived　at　a　clear　and　cold
spring　issuing　suddenly　from　the　rocks　through　a　stone　spout；　protected
by　an　arch　of　masonry：　this　was　received　in　a　rude　wooden　trough　formed
from　the　trunk　of　a　hollowed　pine；　and　overflowed　across　the　path　to
water　some　terraced　gardens　immediately　below。　A　walnut　and　a　fig…tree
intermingled　their　branches　above　the　arch；　and　formed　an　agreeable
shade　to　shelter　weary　travellers；　who　might　sit　by　the　welcome　spring
after　toiling　up　the　rough　mountain　side。　About　eighty　yards　beyond；　by
a　level　path；　we　reached　the　widest…spreading　walnut…tree　that　I　have
ever　seen；　the　new　foliage　was　soft　and　uninjured　by　the　wind；　producing
a　dense　shade　over　an　area　sufficient　for　numerous　tents。　This
magnificent　specimen　of　vegetation　grew　upon　the　edge　of　an　abrupt
descent；　perpendicular　to　a　series　of　gardens；　all　terraced　out　to　a
depth　of　about　150　feet；　to　the　bottom　of　a　narrow　gorge；　thus　one…half
of　the　branches　overhung　the　steep；　while　the　other　half　shaded　a
portion　of　the　monastery　courtyard。

We　halted　and　dismounted　beneath　this　grand　old　tree；　where　the
picturesque　but　not　clean　old　monk；　with　some　of　his　ecclesiastics；　were
ready　to　meet　us　with　a　courteous　welcome。



CHAPTER　XII。

THE　MONASTERY　OF　TROODITISSA。

The　monastery　of　Trooditissa　had　no　architectural　pretensions；　it　looked
like　a　family　of　English　barns　that　had　been　crossed　with　a　Swiss
chalet。　The　roofs　of　six　separate　buildings　of　considerable　dimensions
were　arranged　to　form　a　quadrangle；　which　included　the　chapel；　a　long
building　at　right　angles　with　the　quadrangle；　which　had　an　upper　balcony
beneath　the　roof；　so　as　to　form　a　covered　protection　to　a　similar
arrangement　below；　and　an　indescribable　building　which　was　used　by　the
monks　as　their　store　for　winter　provisions。　The　staircases　were　outside；
as　in　Switzerland；　and　entered　upon　the　open…air　landings　or　balconies；
these　were　obscure　galleries；　from　which　doors　led　to　each　separate
apartment；　occupied　by　the　monks　and　fleas。　The　obscurity　may　appear
strange；　as　the　balconies　were　on　the　outside；　but　the　eaves　of　the　roof
at　an　angle　of　about　48　degrees　projected　some　feet　as　a　protection　from
the　winter's　snow；　and　occasioned　a　darkness　added　to　the　gloom　of
blueish　grey　gneiss　which　formed　the　walls　and　the　deep　brownish　red　of
the　tiled　roof。

The　great　walnut…tree　overshadowed　a　portion　of　the　mule　stables　that
formed　a　continuation　of　the　building；　and　faced　the　exterior　courtyard；
which　was　inclosed　upon　two　sides　of　the　square；　in　the　centre　of　which
was　an　arched　entrance　to　the　inner　court。　This　doorway　was　beneath　a
covered　gallery；　and　the　ground　floor　formed　a　well…protected　verandah；
from　which　a　magnificent　view　was　commanded　down　the　great　gorge　towards
Phyni；　overlooking　the　lower　mountain　tops　to　a　sea　horizon　beyond　the
peninsula　of　Akrotiri　and　the　salt　lake　of　Limasol。

The　covered　gallery　above　this　verandah　was　supported　by　stone　pillars
with　exceedingly　rude　capitals；　upon　which　long　beams　of　the　native
pines；　laid　horizontally；　supported　the　joists　and　floors。　It　was　a　dull
and　dirty　abode；　and　at　first　sight　I　was　disappointed。　The　angle　of　the
mountain　in　which　the　monastery　stood　was　formed　by　a　ravine　which
intercepted　the　principal　gorge　at　almost　a　right　angle；　thus　a　path
which　continued　at　the　same　level　from　the　courtyard　to　the　other　side
of　the　ravine；　represented　the　letter　V　laid　horizontally。　From　the
walnut…tree　across　the　broad　base　of　the　letter　would　be　about　a　hundred
yards；　to　a　series　of　cultivated　terraces　upon　an　equal　level。

This　might　have　been　made　a　lovely　station；　as　no　less　than　three
springs　of　water　issued　from　the　mountain　side　in　various　positions：　the
first　already　mentioned；　the　second　on　the　further　side　of　the　letter　V；
beneath　another　splendid　walnut…tree；　and　the　third　upon　the　same　level
beyond；　which　fell　into　a　trough　beneath　a　large　trellis；　upon　which
some　vines　were　trained　to　produce　a　shade。

The　terraces　formed　an　angular　amphitheatre；　the　outer　courtyard　of　the
monastery　being　the　highest　level；　looking　down　upon　tree…tops　of　planes
and　pines　throughout　the　dark　gorge　to　Phyni。　The　gardens　appeared　much
neglected；　they　were　overcrowded　with　fruit…trees；　including　filberts；
mulberry；　pears；　apples；　figs；　walnuts；　plums；　the　only　grape…vine　was
represented　upon　the　trellis；　the　position　was　too　high　for　apricots。

An　Englishman's　first　idea　is　improvement；　and　I　believe　that　upon
entering　heaven　itself　he　would　suggest　some　alteration。　This　was　not
heaven；　but；　as　a　monastery；　it　was　the　first　step；　and　a　very　high　one
for　this　world；　being　4340　feet　above　the　sea。　We　began　by　cleaning；　and
I　should　have　liked　to　have　engaged　Hercules；　at　the　maximum　of
agricultural　wages；　to　have　cleaned　the　long　line　of　mule　stables；　a
dignified　employment　for　which　the　hero…god　was　famous；　the　Augean　were
a　joke　to　them。　Piles　of　manure　and　filth　of　every　description　concealed
the　pavement　of　the　capacious　outer　yard　of　the　monastery。　The　narrow
path　by　which　we　had　arrived　from　the　spring　was　a　mere　dung…heap；　from
which　the　noxious　weeds　called　docks；　of　Brobdignagian　proportions；
issued　in　such　dense　masses　that　an　agricultural　meeting　of　British
farmers　would　have　been　completely　hidden　by　their　great　enemy。　The
priests　or　monks　had　filthy　habits；　it　would　have　been　impossible　for
civilised　people　to　have　existed　in　this　accumulation　of　impurities；
therefore　we　at　once　set　to　work。　I　had　a　spade　and　pickaxe；　and　we
borrowed　some　other　tools　from　the　monks；　among　which　were　strong
grubbers　（which　combined　the　hoe　and　the　pick）。　There　were　a　number　of
people　belonging　to　the　monastery；　including　some　young　embryo　priests；
that　we　might　accept　as　deacons；　these　I　set　to　work　with　the　pickaxe　at
one　shilling　a　day　wages。　The　boys　who　were　being　educated　for　the
Church　I　employed　in　removing　all　the　loose　stones　which　choked　the
surface　of　the　ground；　and　subsequently　in　sweeping　and　scraping　the
courtyard。　I　gave　them　sixpence　a　day　if　they　worked　from　early　morning；
or　threepence　if　they　came　at　noon　after　their　lessons。　There　was　a
shepherd's　family；　upon　the　hill　about　250　feet　above　the　monastery；　of
seven　handsome　children；　two　boys　of　nineteen　and　seventeen；　and　five
girls。　These　were　hard　at　work；　even　to　a　pretty　little　child　of　four
years　old；　who　carried　her　stones；　and　swept　with　a　little　broom　with
all　her　heart　（this　was　little　Athena）。　Of　course　they　were　all　paid　in
the　evening　with　bright　new　threepenny　pieces　which　they　had　never　seen
before。　Even　the　priests　worked　after　a　few　days；　when　the　spirit　of
industry　and　new　shillings　moved　them；　and　in　the　history　of　the
monastery　there　could　never　have　been　such　a　stirring　picture　and　such　a
dust　as　we　made　in　cleansing　and　alterations。　Nearly　a　month　was
occupied　in　this　necessary　work；　by　which　time　the　place　was　entirely
changed。　I　had　made　a　good　road　as　an　approach　from　the　spring；　with　a
covered　drain；　dignified　by　the　name　of　an　〃aqueduct；〃　which　led　the
water　when　required　to　a　little　garden　that　I　had　constructed　close　to
the　tent；　where　a　nondescript　slope　had　become　a　receptacle　for　filth。　I
had　cut　this　down　from　the　road；　and　mixed　the　earth　with　the
accumulated　dirt　and　manure；　which　I　levelled　off　in　successive　layers；
so　t