cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第27部分

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and　on　the　following　morning　I　determined　to　go　straight　Famagousta；
about　twelve　miles　distant。

The　route　from　Trichomo　is　for　the　most　part　along　the　seashore；　but
occasionally　cutting　off　the　bends　by　a　direct　line。　The　plain　is　a　dead
level；　as　it　has　been　entirely　deposited　by　the　floods　of　the　Pedias
river。　We　rode　tolerably　fast；　the　sun　being　hot　and　the　country　most
uninteresting；　we　had　left　the　shrub…covered　surface　of　the　Carpas　with
its　romantic　cliffs　and　deep　valleys　rich　in　verdure；　and　once　more　we
were　upon　the　hateful　treeless　plain　of　Messaria。　During　our　sojourn　in
the　Carpas　district　the　rainfall　by　our　gauge　had　been　1。28　inches；　but
in　this　unattractive　region　there　had　only　been　one　or　two　faint
showers；　hardly　sufficient　to　lay　the　dust。　The　crops　about　five　inches
above　the　ground　were　almost　dead；　and　the　young　wheat　and　barley　were
completely　withered。

About　four　or　five　miles　from　Famagousta　we　arrived　at　the　ruins　of
ancient　Salamis。　The　stringent　prohibition　of　the　British　authorities
against　a　search　for　antiquities　in　Cyprus　had　destroyed　the　interest
which　would　otherwise　have　been　taken　by　travellers　in　such
explorations。　As　I　have　before　remarked；　there　are　no　remains　to　attract
attention　upon　the　surface；　but　all　ancient　works　are　buried　far
beneath；　therefore　in　the　absence　of　permission　to　excavate；　the
practical　study　of　the　past　is　impossible；　and　it　is　a　sealed　book。
Fortunately　General　di　Cesnola　has　published　his　most　interesting
volume；　combining　historical　sketches　of　ancient　times　with　a　minute
description　of　the　enormous　collection　of　antiquities　which　rewarded　his
labours　during　ten　years'　research；　so　that　if　our　government　will
neither　explore　nor　permit　others　to　investigate；　we　have　at　least　an
invaluable　fund　of　information　collected　by　those　whose　consular
position　during　the　Turkish　rule　enabled　them　to　make　additions　to　our
historical　knowledge。　Mr。　Hamilton　Lang　has　also　published　his
experiences　of　a　long　residence　in　the　island；　during　which　his
successful　excavations　brought　to　light　valuable　relics　of　the　past
which　explain　more　forcibly　than　the　leaves　of　a　book　the　manners；
customs；　and　incidents　among　the　various　races　which　have　made　up
Cyprian　history。　General　di　Cesnola；　after　quoting　the　legend　which
connects　the　origin　of　Salamis　with　the　arrival　of　a　colony　of　Greeks
under　Teucer　（the　son　of　Telamon；　king　of　the　island　of　Salamis）　from
the　Trojan　expedition；　continues；　〃Of　the　history　of　Salamis　almost
nothing　is　known　till　we　come　to　the　time　of　the　Persian　wars；　but　from
that　time　down　to　the　reign　of　the　Ptolemies　it　was　by　far　the　most
conspicuous　and　flourishing　of　the　towns　of　Cyprus。〃　〃Onesius　seized　the
government　of　Salamis　from　his　brother；　Gorgus；　and　set　up　an　obstinate
resistance　to　the　Persian　oppression　under　which　the　island　was
labouring；　about　500　B。C。　In　the　end　he　was　defeated　by　a　Persian　army
and　fell　in　battle；　and　it　was　about　this　time；　if　not　in　consequence　of
this　defeat；　that　the　dynasty　of　Teucer　was；　for　a　period；　removed　from
the　government　of　Salamis。　As　to　the　length　of　this　period　there　is
great　obscurity。　It　seems；　however；　to　be　certain　that　with　the　help　of
the　Persians　a　Tyrian　named　Abdemon　had　seized　the　throne；　and　not　only
paid　tribute　to　Persia；　but　endeavoured　to　extend　the　Persian　power　over
the　rest　of　the　island。　To　Salamis　itself　he　invited　Phoenician
immigrants；　and　introduced　Asiatic　tastes　and　habits。〃　Following　upon
this　usurpation　came　the　revolt　and　the　restoration　of　the　Teucer
dynasty；　under　Evagoras；　B。C。　374；　and　eventually　upon　the　partition　of
the　empire　of　Alexander　the　Great　it　fell　to　the　lot　of　Antigonus；　after
the　severe　contests　between　Demetrius　and　Menelaus。

Like　all　ancient　sea…ports　of　importance；　Salamis　was　the　object　of
continual　attacks；　and　by　degrees　its　prosperity　declined。　In　addition
to　the　damage　and　loss　by　sieges；　it　was　seriously　affected　by　an
earthquake；　and　a　portion　disappeared　beneath　the　sea。　The　sand　has
submerged　a　large　area　of　the　ruins　which　face　the　sea；　but　General　di
Cesnola　was　able　to　trace　the　ancient　wall　for　a　distance　of　6850　feet。
It　is　quite　possible　that　the　earthquake　may　have　altered　the　conditions
of　the　harbour；　which　in　former　days　was　of　considerable　importance。　It
has　now　entirely　changed；　and　the　bay　near　the　shore　is　extremely
shallow；　although　good　anchorage　exists　in　the　roadstead　in　ten　to
sixteen　fathoms。

The　high　masonry　piers　which　had　supported　the　arches　of　the　ancient
aqueduct　from　Kythrea　looked　like　spectres　of　past　greatness　among　the
silent　ruins；　made　doubly　desolate　by　the　miserable　aspect　of　the
withered　plain　around　them。　A　short　distance　from　these　is　the　church　of
St。　Barnabas；　raised　upon　the　site　where　it　is　believed　that　the　body　of
the　Saint　was　discovered；　together　with　the　Gospel　of　St。　Matthew。　How
the　Saint　and　the　Gospel　had　been　preserved　in　the　damp　soil　of　that
neighbourhood　must　be　left　to　the　imagination。

Passing　through　the　ruins　of　the　old　town　with　the　line　of　the　wall
distinctly　visible　upon　the　sea　front；　we　shortly　arrived　at　the　spot
where　the　river　Pedias　should　have　an　exit　to　the　sea。　No　sign　of　a
river…bed　existed；　but　a　long　series　of　swamps；　composed　chiefly　of
bare　mud；　would　during　wet　weather　have　made　a　considerable　detour
necessary；　they　were　now　dry；　with　the　exception　of　two　or　three　holes
full　of　muddy　water；　which　were　unconnected　with　any　perceptible
channel。　A　long　stone　causeway　proved　that　occasionally　the　hardened　mud
upon　which　we　rode　would　become　a　lake；　but　from　the　numerous　tracks　of
animals　the　earth　was　preferred　to　the　uneven　and　slippery　pavement　of
the　artificial　road。　The　enormous　quantity　of　mud　brought　down　by　the
Pedias　during　its　fitful　inundations　had　completely　obliterated　all
signs　of　an　ordinary　river…bed；　and　the　deposit　had　produced　a　surface
that　was　scored　in　numerous　places　by　the　rush　of　water；　without　in　any
way　suggesting　that　we　were　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　largest　river　in
Cyprus。　The　width　of　this　muddy　swamp　was　about　two　miles；　and
terminated　by　a　shallow　lake　upon　our　left。　We　were　now　within　a　mile
and　a　quarter　of　Famagousta；　and　the　ground　began　to　rise。　It　struck　me
that　an　eminence　upon　our　right　was　superior　to　the　height　of　the　city
walls；　and　I　rode　up　to　examine　the　position。　There　was　no　doubt　that　it
commanded　the　lower　portion　of　the　fortress；　and　that　a　direct　shell…
fire　could　be　plunged　into　the　rear　of　the　guns　which　protect　the
entrance　of　the　harbour。　In　the　event　of　modifications　being　introduced
when　restoring　the　defensive　works　of　Famagousta；　it　would　be　necessary
to　erect　a　powerful　detached　fort　upon　this　position；　which　would　be　an
immense　addition　to　the　defences　of　the　city；　as　it　would　enfilade　the
approaches　upon　two　sides。

The　walls　of　Famagousta　are　most　imposing；　they　are　constructed　of
carefully…squared　stone　joined　with　cement　of　such　extreme　hardness　that
the　weather　has　had　no　destructive　effect。　The　perimeter　of　the　fortress
is　about　4000　yards；　the　shape　is　nearly　a　parallelogram。　The　fosse
varies　in　depth　and　width；　but　the　minimum　of　the　former　is　twenty…five
feet；　and　of　the　width　eighty　feet；　but　in　some　places　it　exceeds　one
hundred　and　forty。　This　formidable　ditch　is　cut　out　of　the　solid　rock；
which　is　the　usual　calcareous　sedimentary　limestone；　and　the　stone　thus
obtained　has　been　used　in　the　construction　of　the　walls。　The　rock
foundation　would　render　all　mining　operations　extremely　difficult。　The
fire　from　the　ramparts　is　increased　by　cavaliers　of　great　size　and
strength；　capable　of　mounting　numerous　heavy　guns　at　a　superior
altitude。　The　only　entrance　from　the　land　side　is　at　the　south…west
corner；　this　is　exceedingly　striking；　as　the　fosse　is　about　140　feet
wide；　the　scarp　and　counter…scarp　almost　perpendicular；　being　cut　from
the　original　rock。

A　narrow　stone　bridge　upon　arches　spans　this　peculiar　ditch；　the
communication　depending　upon　a　double　drawbridge　and　portcullis。
Immediately　facing　the　entrance　outside　the　fortress　is　an　old　Turkish
churchyard；　through　and　above　which　the　closed　masonry　aqueduct　is
conducted　into　the　town。　Following　the　course　of　the　aqueduct　along　a
straight　line　of　sandy　heights　which　somewhat　resemble　a　massive　railway
embankment；　we　arrived　at　a　mosque　in　which　is　the　venerated　tomb　of　the
Turkish　soldier　who　first　planted　the　flag　upon　the　walls　of　Famagousta
when　captured；　in　1571；　from　the　Venetians。　This　tomb　is　in　a　small
chamber　within　the　building　and　is　covered　with　green　silk；　embroidered；
but　as　the　city　was　never　taken　by　assault；　and　capitulated　upon
honourable　terms　after　a　protracted　defence；　the　fact　of　establishing
the　Turkish　flag　upon　the　walls　after　their　evacuation　by　the　garrison
would　hardly　have　entitled　the　standard…bearer　to　a　Victoria　Cross；
however　he　may　have　otherwise　distinguished　himself；　which　entailed
post…mortem　honours；　perhaps　by　skinning　alive　the　gallant　Venetian
commandant　Bragadino；　whose　skin；　stuffed　with　straw；　was　taken　in
triumph　to　Constantinople　hanging　at　the　yard…arm　of　the　victorious
general's　ship。

Quitting　the　mosque；　we　continued　along　the　aqueduct；　always　upon　the
same　sandy　heights；　which　gradually　increased；　until　we　arrived　at　a
position　about　200　yards　from　a　windmill。　This　formed　a　prominent　object
at　the　back　of　the　large　village　of　Varoschia；　situated　upon　the　slope
beneath　facing　the　sea；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　distant。　I　selected
the　highest　position　for　a　camp；　this　was　close　to　the　aqueduct　and
about　600　yards　from　the　entrance　of　the　fortress。　I　counted　the
embrasures　of　six　guns　that　could　have　been　brought　to　bear　exactly　upon
our　tent；　but　at　the　same　time　I　remarked　that　we　commanded　the　lower
portion　of　the　fortress；　and　could　fire　into　the　rear　of　the　batteries
upon　the　sea…wall　within　the　water…gate　at　a　most　destructive　range。
This　position　would　require　a　detached　fort　with　a　line　of　works　along
the　heights　flanked　by　a　small　fort　at　the　extremity。　Three　detached
forts　upon　as　many　points　which　now　exist　would　render　Famagousta
impregnable；　shoul