cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第30部分

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well　repay　the　outlay。

Some　persons　have　attributed　the　cause　of　unhealthiness　to　the　existence
of　the　trenches　made　by　the　Turks　during　the　siege　in　1571；　which　are
considered　to　emit　malarious　exhalations。　I　do　not　think　so；　all　these
low　levels；　surrounded　by　high　banks　which　protect　the　crops　from　wind；
are　most　carefully　cultivated　with　beans；　cereals；　cotton；　and　garden
produce；　and　I　do　not　believe　that　successful　gardens　are　malarious；　but
only　those　localities　where　water　is　allowed　to　become　stagnant；　in
which　case　cultivation　must　be　a　failure。　Many　of　these　rich　bottoms
were　at　one　time　valuable　as　〃madder〃　grounds；　and　Consul　White　states
that　in　1863　good　madder…root　land　at　Famagousta　was　worth　90　pounds　per
acre。　It　may　not　be　generally　known　that　the　indelible　dye　called
〃Turkey　red〃　was　formerly　produced　from　the　madder…root；　but　that　it　has
been　entirely　superseded　by　the　chemical　invention　known　as　〃alizarine；〃
which；　by　reducing　the　price　in　a　ruinous　degree；　has　driven　the
vegetable　substance　out　of　the　market；　and　the　madder　is　no　longer
cultivated。　This　chemical　discovery　has　lowered　the　rich；　deep；　sandy
loams　of　Famagousta　and　of　Morphu　to　a　mere　average　agricultural　value；
and　has　completely　destroyed　an　important　local　industry。

The　madder…root　required　three　years　before　it　arrived　at　maturity。　From
Consul　Riddell's　report　in　1872；　the　amount　of　madder　exported　reached
330　tons；　of　which　250　tons　were　shipped　for　Great　Britain。　The　same
authority　reports　in　1873；　〃The　falling…off；　however；　in　the　quantity
sent　to　Great　Britain　is　remarkable；　being　only　230　cwts。　（11。5　tons）。〃
This　disappearance　of　a　special　agricultural　industry　has　been　an
enormous　loss　to　the　proprietors　of　the　madder…lands。

The　fruit…orchards　and　gardens　of　Famagousta　are　the　finest　in　the
island。　The　land　is　extremely　rich；　and　of　a　bright　chocolate　colour；
but　the　trees　are；　as　usual　in　Cyprus；　planted　too　close　to　each　other；
which　interferes　with　the　necessary　light　and　circulation　of　air。　These
gardens　commence　just　outside　the　walls；　and；　running　parallel　with　the
sea　below　the　large　village　of　Varoschia；　extend　for　about　two　miles
along　the　shore。　Oranges；　lemons；　pomegranates；　apricots；　figs；　prickly
pears　and　mulberry…trees；　are　the　chief　products；　and　it　was　here　that
we　obtained　the　largest　and　best　oranges　that　I　had　tasted　in　the
island；　generally　this　fruit　is　much　inferior　to　the　varieties　imported
into　England。　The　pomegranates　of　Cyprus　are　very　celebrated；　and　are
exported　to　Egypt；　but　it　is　a　fruit　that　is　not　generally　appreciated
by　Europeans。　There　are　extensive　gardens　inland；　but　they　do　not　convey
the　idea　of　〃gardens〃　as　understood　by　Englishmen；　but　are　merely　dense
groves　of　various　fruit…trees；　irrigated　by　a　cattle…wheel；　and　planted
with　an　utter　disregard　of　all　taste　or　arrangement。

The　large　village；　or　town　of　Varoschia　is　an　important　adjunct　to
Famagousta；　from　which　it　is　hardly　separated。　It　was　originally　founded
by　the　Venetian　Christians；　who　were　expelled　from　Famagousta　after　the
Turkish　conquest。　There　is　a　large　Greek　Church；　extensive　bazaars；　and
several　manufactures　of　pottery；　for　which　the　locality　is　celebrated。
We　saw　a　vessel　loading　in　the　harbour　entirely　with　thesejars；
water…bottles；　dishes；　&c。but　the　earthen…ware　is　of　a　coarse
description；　and　the　quality　of　the　clay　does　not　admit　of　sufficient
porosity　for　the　purpose　of　cooling　water　or　of　filtering；　like　the
Egyptian　ware；　at　the　same　time　it　is　not　sufficiently　impervious　for
the　retention　of　wine　or　oil　without　a　considerable　loss　by　absorption。
Varoschia　has　been　always　celebrated　for　a　large　production　of　a　high
quality　of　silk；　but　the　quantity　has　fallen　off；　as　in　all　other　parts
of　the　island。　There　are　some　good　houses　in　this　thriving　and　busy
little　town；　and　it　is　said　that　decent　accommodation　may　be　had；　but　I
preferred　the　cleanliness　and　independence　of　our　own　tent。

Varoschia　is　not　much　healthier　than　Famagousta；　as　it　suffers　from　the
same　cause；　in　addition　to　an　enormous　accumulation　of　filth　on　the
heights　at　the　rear　of　the　town。　If　this　were　carefully　stored　to　manure
the　numerous　gardens；　it　would　be　profitably　utilised；　but　it　belongs　to
nobody　in　particular；　and　is　a　public　nuisance。　A　fine　should　be
inflicted　upon　the　municipal　authorities　in　the　sanitary　interests　of
the　population；　and　the　refuse　of　the　neighbourhood　should　be
periodically　collected　into　heaps　and　burned。　Captain　Inglis　and　the
various　British　officials　moved　their　quarters　from　Famagousta　to　the
healthy　village　of　Derinia；　about　three　miles　distant；　during　our　stay
near　Varoschia。　The　new　station　is　to　the　south…west　of　the　port；　and
completely　beyond　the　influence　of　the　marshes；　the　elevation　being
about　250　feet　above　the　sea。　Should　this　locality　become　a　permanently
healthy　settlement；　the　sanitary　difficulty　of　our　position　will　be
considerably　modified；　as　the　troops　might　be　quartered　at　Derinia　in
time　of　peace；　and　even　during　war　they　would　be　immediately　within
call。

A　lake　exists　about　three　miles　inland　from　Famagousta；　which　is　between
four　and　five　miles　in　circumference；　the　water　is　fresh；　but
exceedingly　shallow　and　impure；　the　edges　covered　with　high　reeds；　which
extend　for　several　hundred　yards　from　the　shore。　This　lake　swarms　with
varieties　of　water…fowl；　which　can　only　be　shot　by　wading　and　waiting
concealed　in　the　high　cover　of　rushes　and　tamarisk；　as　they　are
exceedingly　wary。　Commander　Hammond；　of　H。M。S。　Torch；　bagged　thirty…five
ducks　to　his　own　gun　upon　one　occasion；　by　thus　challenging　the　fever
and　remaining　hip…deep　in　the　muddy　water　for　some　hours。　I　did　not　feel
disposed　to　risk　the　chances　of　malaria；　as　the　effluvium　from　the　mud
was　sufficiently　offensive　even　when　walking　round　the　margin；　and　I
already　felt　some　warning　symptoms　of　the　heavy　atmosphere　of
Famagousta；　which　might；　if　neglected；　have　terminated　in　ague。　I　shot　a
fine　specimen　of　the　glossy　ibis；　and　I　otherwise　contented　myself　with
watching　the　variety　of　ducks；　coots；　teal；　and　other　water…fowl　through
my　glass；　as　they　enjoyed　themselves　in　flocks　upon　the　surface　of　the
lake　at　a　great　distance。

Having　exhausted　the　sights　of　Famagousta；　we　started　on　the　22nd　of
March　for　Kuklia；　twelve　miles　distant；　where　we　had　left　our　vans　in
charge　of　the　headman　during　our　absence　in　the　Carpas　country。　Upon　our
arrival　we　found　them　untouched　or　unharmed；　and　we　were　met　not　only　by
the　headman　himself；　but　by　our　two　bullock…drivers　Georgi　and　Theodori；
who　had　come　from　Lithrankomi。　Georgi　had　recovered　from　the　despair
which　had　overpowered　him　when　we　last　parted；　and　he　was　almost
triumphant　when　he　related　the　success　of　his　mission　to　Gallibornu　with
the　mysterious　paper　written　in　English；　that　I　had　given　him　in　order
to　terrify　the　purchaser　of　his　bullock。　He　had　exhibited　this
awe…inspiring　epistle；　which　nobody　could　either　read　or　understand；　and
Georgi　had　taken　advantage　of　his　opportunity　to　threaten　the　sharp
cattle…dealer　with　a　long　list　of　imaginary　punishments　that　would　be
inflicted　by　English　law　should　he　refuse　to　return　the　bullock；　which
had　been　hired　for　a　special　service　by　an　Englishman。　The　paper　was
closely　scrutinised；　and　being　in　an　unknown　character；　Georgi　felt　his
advantage；　and　expounded　the　contents　so　forcibly　that　he　worked　upon
the　fears　of　the　inhabitants　of　Gallibornu；　who　insisted　that　the　Turk
should　compromise　the　affair　and　return　the　handsome　bullock；　receiving
in　exchange　his　own　half…starved　old　animal；　in　addition　to　a　present
of　half　a　sovereign。　Georgi　was　only　too　delighted　to　immediately　clench
the　bargain。　I　advised　him　in　future　to　manage　his　own　cattle…dealing
instead　of　confiding　in　his　able　friend　Theodori；　and　I　ordered　the　oxen
to　be　put　in　the　yokes　at　once；　and　to　draw　the　vans　to　our　old
camping…place　beneath　the　hawthorn…tree。　Upon　arrival　at　the　spot　a
great　change　had　taken　place；　the　hawthorns　were　a　mass　of　blossom；　and
scented　the　air　for　a　considerable　distance；　the　groves　of　fig…trees
had　broken　into　leaf；　the　trefoil　had　grown　to　a　height　of　two　feet；　and
numerous　cattle　were　tethered　in　the　rich　field；　to　feed　upon　the　few
square　yards　that　each　owner　had　purchased　at　a　high　price　to　save　his
animals　from　starvation。　A　field　of　broad…beans　that　we　had　left　in
early　blossom　twenty…four　days　before　now　produced　our　well…known
vegetable　for　dinner；　and　I　observed　that　the　native　children；　with
their　usual　liking　for　uncooked　food；　were　eating　these　indigestible
beans　raw！

There　had　been　no　rain　since　our　departure；　and　every　crop　that　was　not
irrigated　was　absolutely　destroyed。　The　aspect　of　the　country　was
pitiable；　it　should　have　been　at　this　season　a　waving　sea　of　green
barley　and　young　wheat；　but　it　was　a　withered　desert　with　a　few
patches　of　verdure　like　oases　in　a　thirsty　wilderness。　This　terrible
calamity　extended　throughout　the　entire　district　or　plain　of　Messaria；
and　exhibited　a　sad　example　of　the　great　necessity　of　Cyprus〃an
organised　system　of　artificial　irrigation。〃

We　remained　some　days　at　Kuklia；　during　which　I　strengthened　the
gipsy…van　by　lashing　the　frame…work　with　raw　bull's…hide　and　securing
the　blocks　of　the　springs　to　the　axles　with　the　same　material。　It　is
worthy　of　note　〃that　a　fresh　hide　should　never　be　used　for　lashing；　but
a　skin　that　has　been　already　dried　should　be　soaked　for　twenty…four
hours；　and　then　cut　into　a　strip　as　carefully　and　as　long　as　the　size
will　permit。　When　thus　prepared；　it　should　be　re…soaked　for　four　or　five
hours；　and　used　while　wet　as　a　lashing；　drawn　as　tight　as　possible。　The
power　of　contraction　is　enormous；　and　when　dry　the　skin　becomes　as　hard
as　wood；　but　a　fresh　hide　has　not　the　same　contractive　power；　and　will
stretch　and　become　loose　when　subject　to　a　severe　strain。〃　It　was　a
great　comfort　to　return　to　the　luxury　of　the　gipsy…van；　which　looked　the
picture　of　neatness；　the　gorgeous　Egyptian　lantern　had　ceased　to　exist
as　an　object　of　value；　as　it　had　several　times　been　upset　and　thrown
completely　off　its　hook　by　the　jumpings　and　bumpings