cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第21部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


agreeable；　well…mannered　man；　and　as　rain　had　begun　to　fall　he　insisted
upon　our　accepting　his　invitation　to　await　the　arrival　of　our　luggage
under　his　roof。　We　visited　his　curious　old　church；　which　is　sadly　out　of
repair；　and　the　mosaic；　of　a　coarse　description；　which　covered　an　arched
ceiling；　has　mostly　disappeared。

This　was　the　most　agreeable　position　that　I　had　seen　in　Cyprus。　A　very
extensive　plateau　about　400　feet　above　the　sea　formed　a　natural　terrace
for　seven　or　eight　miles；　backed　by　the　equally　flat　hill…tops　which
rose　only　half　a　mile　behind　the　monastery。　These　were　covered　with　the
Pinus　Maritima；　none　of　which　exceeded　twenty　feet　in　height；　and
resembled　a　thriving　young　plantation　in　England。　From　the　flat
pine…covered　tableland　I　had　a　very　beautiful　view　of　the　sea　on　either
side　this　narrow　portion　of　the　island；　and　of　the　richly…wooded　slopes
both　north　and　south；　cut　by　deep　and　dark　water…riven　gorges；　with
white　cliffs　which　descended　to　the　shore。　Villages　and　snow…white
churches　lay　beneath　in　all　directions；　and　the　crops　had　a　far　more
favourable　appearance　than　those　of　the　Messaria；　as　this　portion　of　the
country　had　experienced　a　superior　rainfall。

It　is　much　to　be　regretted　that　the　total　absence　of　roads　excludes　this
district　from　general　communication。　We　were　struck　by　the　fantastic
scenery　of　deep　ravines；　rocks　covered　with　evergreens　of　varying
colours；　and　handsome　caroub…trees　which　would　have　ornamented　an
English　park；　mulberry…trees　were　very　numerous；　but　at　this　season　they
were　barren　of　leaves；　the　only　want　lay　in　the　absence　of　oranges　and
lemons；　which　the　priest　assured　me　would　not　thrive　in　this　locality。
For　the　last　two　months　I　had　cordially　detested　Cyprus；　but　I　was　now
converted　to　a　belief　that　some　portions　of　the　country　were　thoroughly
enjoyable；　provided　that　a　traveller　could　be　contented　with　rough　fare
and　be　accustomed　to　the　happy　independence　of　a　camp…life　with　a　good
tent　and　hardy　servants。　The　temperature　was　a　little　too　low　for
out…door　existence；　as　it　averaged　48　degrees　at　7　A。M。　and　54　degrees
at　3　P。M。；　which　is　the　hottest　hour　of　the　day；　but　we　were　all　well；
and　free　from　colds；　the　servants　had　plenty　of　warm　blankets；　and　the
false　floor　that　I　had　arranged　added　greatly　to　their　comfort　when
camping　upon　the　sodden　ground。

I　had　become　convinced　that　〃the　man　of　ability〃　Theodori　had　deceived
me；　and　that　it　would　be　impossible　for　the　two…wheeled　carts；　or　any
other　conveyance；　to　travel　through　this　country。　Our　last　two　marches
had　proved　that　not　only　would　the　delay　be　serious；　but　the　luggage
would　be　destroyed　by　the　extreme　jolting　over　rocks　and　ruts；　which　had
already　injured　several　of　our　boxes　and　broken　some　useful　articles。
Every　package　seemed　to　assume　an　individual　vitality　and　to　attack　its
neighbour；　the　sharp…cornered　metal　boxes　endeavoured　to　tunnel　through
the　cases　of　wine　and　liquors；　which　in　retaliation　bumped　against　and
bruised　their　antagonists；　and　a　few　marches　had　already　caused　more
mischief　than　a　twelvemonth's　journey　by　camels。　The　priest　assured　me
that　it　would　be　madness　to　attempt　a　march　beyond　Gallibornu；　about
eleven　miles　in　advance；　and　that　he　doubted　the　possibility　of　the
carts　reaching　that　point；　which　certainly　had　never　been　visited　by　any
wheeled　conveyances。　The　honest；　strong；　but　unintelligent　driver　Georgi
was　innocent；　and　he　was　at　the　time　as　ignorant　as　myself　that　the　true
object　of　the　〃man　of　ability〃　Theodori　was　to　deal　in　cattle；　which　was
his　reason　for　persisting　in　accompanying　me　into　the　Carpas　country　and
declaring　that　the　route　was　practicable　for　carts。　We　left　Lithrankomi
on　5th　March　after　a　shower　which　made　the　earth　slippery　and　the
dangerous　portions　of　the　route　rather　exciting　for　the　carts。　The　first
two　or　three　miles　lay　along　the　level　terrace　commanding　a　splendid
view　of　the　sea　about　four　miles　distant。　We　passed　through　several
villages；　and　the　crops　looked　well。　At　length　we　emerged　upon　a　wild
portion　of　the　plateau　which　resembled　a　park；　the　surface　being　green
and　diversified　by　ornamental　clumps　of　evergreens；　upon　our　left　was
the　cliff…like　higher　terrace　which　formed　the　table…top　from　which　the
usual　huge　blocks　had　been　detached　and　fallen　like　inverted　cottages　to
the　lower　level。　The　view　on　our　right　was　exceedingly　interesting；　as
we　had　now　arrived　upon　the　extreme　verge　of　the　terrace；　which　broke
down　suddenly　into　a　horseshoe…shaped　amphitheatre；　the　steep　sides
covered　with　bushes　and　trees；　to　the　bottom　of　a　valley　some　300　feet
below；　which　drained　through　a　narrow　and　richly…wooded　gorge　into　the
neighbouring　sea。

This　scooping…out　of　the　country　was　due　to　the　action　of　water；　and　the
same　process　was　gradually　wearing　away　the　upper　plateaux；　which　by
absorbing　rain　became　undermined　as　it　percolated　through　and　dissolved
the　marly　substratum。　The　foundation　of　the　rock　surface　being　softened
by　the　water；　oozed　in　the　form　of　mud；　and　was　washed　down　the　steep
declivities；　followed　by　the　breaking…down　of　the　unsupported　upper
stratum。　This　district　was　an　admirable　illustration　of　the　decay　and
denudation　of　surface　which　has　produced　the　plain　of　Messaria；　to　which
I　have　already　alluded；　but　as　no　sufficient　area　exists　at　a　lower
level　the　deposit　of　soil　is　carried　to　the　sea。　We　now　arrived　at　a
dangerous　pass　that　defied　all　attempts　to　descend　by　carts。　A
succession　of　zigzags　at　an　inclination　of　about　one　foot　in　two　and　a
half　led　down　the　soil　of　a　cliff　into　a　succession　of　exceedingly
narrow　valleys　about　three　hundred　feet　below。　In　many　places　this
narrow　path　had　been　washed　away　by　the　same　natural　process　that　was
gradually　reducing　the　upper　level；　and　in　the　sharp　angles　of　the
zigzags　there　were　awkward　gaps　with　only　a　few　inches　of　slippery　soil
rendered　soapy　by　the　morning's　rain；　a　slip　of　the　original　path　having
crumbled　down　the　precipice　below。　The　animals　were　wonderfully　careful；
and　although　a　nervous　person　might　have　shuddered　at　some　awkward
points；　both　mule　and　ponies　were　thoroughly　self…confident　and　safely
carried　us　to　the　bottom。　But　the　carts？　These　were　making　a　circuit　of
some　miles　across　country　in　the　endeavour　to　discover　a　practicable
route。

Although　the　way　was　difficult；　it　was　the　more　agreeable　as　the　scenery
was　extremely　picturesque。　The　narrow　valleys　were　without　exception
cultivated；　which　formed　a　striking　contrast　to　the　exceedingly　wild
heights　by　which　they　were　surrounded；　and　I　remarked　that　not　a　yard　of
available　land　was　neglected；　but　that　small　and　precipitous　hollows
were　banked　by　rough　stone　walls；　to　retain　the　soil　that　would
otherwise　be　washed　away；　and　to　form　terraces　of　insignificant　extent
for　the　sake　of　cultivation。　Our　animals　could　amble　at　five　or　six
miles　an　hour　along　these　narrow　bottoms；　which　made　up　for　the　delay　in
descending　the　bad　places。　My　dogs　were　in　the　best　spirits；　as　they　had
moved　a　considerable　number　of　partridges　during　this　morning's　march；
and　they　heard　the　peculiar　loud　〃chuck…a…chuck；　chuck…a…chuck；〃　of　the
red…legs　in　all　directions。　As　we　advanced　the　hills　increased　in
height；　and　we　passed　through　a　valley；　bordered　on　the　right　by　abrupt
cliffs；　forming　a　wall…like　summit　to　the　exceedingly　steep　slope
beneath；　which　had　been　created　by　the　debris　from　the　wasting　face　of
rock。　This　flat…topped　height　may　have　been　about　500　feet　above　the
valley；　and　the　white　cliff；　which　was　quite　perpendicular　from　the
summit　for　about　one　hundred　feet　to　the　commencement　of　the　steep　green
slope　beneath；　was　in　one　place　artificially　scarped；　and　had　been　cut
perfectly　smooth　like　the　wall　of　a　stone　building。　In　the　centre　of
this　smooth　face　we　could　plainly　distinguish　a　square…cut　entrance；　to
which　an　exceedingly　narrow　ledge　cut　in　the　rock　formed　a　most
dangerous　approach；　more　adapted　for　wild　cats　than　for　human　occupants。
I　halted　to　examine　this　with　a　good　glass；　and　I　could　perceive　that
the　greatest　care　had　been　taken　in　the　formation　of　a　smooth
perpendicular　front；　and　that　the　narrow　ledge　which　formed　the　approach
was　a　natural　feature　that　had　been　artificially　improved。　There　were
several　similar　lines　observable　at　unequal　distances　nearly　parallel
with　each　other：　these　were　the　natural　limits　of　overlying　strata　in
the　sedimentary　rock；　which；　as　the　general　surface　had　fallen　through
decay；　still　preserved　their　character；　and　formed　ledges。　My　guide
assured　us　that　the　entire　cliff　was　honey…combed　by　internal
galleries；　which　had　been　constructed　by　the　ancients　as　a　place　of
refuge　that　would　contain　several　thousand　persons；　and　that　a　well
existed　in　the　interior；　which　from　a　great　depth　supplied　the　water。　I
have　never　seen　a　notice　of　this　work　in　any　book　upon　Cyprus；　and　I
regret　that　I　had　no　opportunity　of　making　a　close　examination　of　the
artificial　cave；　which；　from　the　accounts　I　received；　remains　in　a
perfect　state　to　the　present　moment。

It　was　a　wild　route　to　Gallibornu；　through　a　succession　of　small　valleys
separated　by　wooded　heights；　and　bounded　by　hills；　either　bare　in　white
cliffs；　or　with　steep　slopes　thickly　covered　with　evergreens。　We　passed
a　few　miserable　villages；　one　of　which　was　solely　inhabited　by　gipsies；
who　came　out　to　meet　us　clad　in　rags　and　extremely　filthy；　but　the　faces
of　the　women　were　good…looking。　We　crossed　numerous　watercourses　in　the
narrow　bottoms　between　the　hills；　their　steep　banks　were　fringed　with
bushes　which　formed　likely　spots　for　woodcocks；　but　my　dogs　found
nothing　upon　the　route　except　a　few　partridges　and　francolin；　although；
as　usual；　they　hunted　throughout　the　march。　After　crossing　a　series　of
steep　hills；　and　observing　a　marked　contrast　in　the　habits　of　the
people；　who　constructed　their　dwellings　upon　the　heights　instead　of　in
the　unhealthy　glens；　we　arrived　in　the　closely　pent…in　valley　that　forms
the　approach　to　Gallibornu。　This　village　is　of　considerable　extent；　and
is　inhabited　exclusively　by　Turks。　We　entered　the　valley　through　a
narrow　gap　between　the　hills；　which　on　our　left　fo