cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第31部分

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as　an　object　of　value；　as　it　had　several　times　been　upset　and　thrown
completely　off　its　hook　by　the　jumpings　and　bumpings　of　the　vehicle　when
forcibly　dragged　over　the　steep　banks　and　watercourses。　It　was　now
reduced　to　an　〃antique；〃　and　looked　as　though　it　had　been　recovered　from
the　ruins　of　an　ancient　temple。

The　post　was　kindly　forwarded　from　Famagousta　by　the　chief　commissioner；
and　we　revelled　in　newspapers；　which　during　our　stay　in　the　Carpas　had
been　a　complete　blank。　Our　cook　Christo　had　also　received　letters　which
disconcerted　him。　After　dinner　at　about　8。30　P。M。　he　suddenly　appeared
at　the　tent　door　with　a　very　large　breakfast…cup　in　his　hand。　〃I　beg
your　pardon；　sir；　but　I'm　sorry　to　say　my　mother　has　just　fallen　down
and　broken　her　leg！〃　was　his　first　announcement；　and　he　continued；　〃she
is　an　old　woman；　past　fifty；　sir；　and　a　broken　leg　is　a　very　bad　thing；
I　have　come　to　ask　for　some　brandy；　and　I've　brought　a　cup。〃

〃Your　mother　broken　her　leg；　Christo？　Why；　where　is　she？〃　I　replied。

〃She　is　at　Athens；　sir；　and　I　want　a　drop　of　brandy；　as　I　have　just
received　the　letter；　and　I　am　very　anxious　about　her。〃

I　now　discovered　that　the　brandy　was　not　intended　for　his　mother's　leg；
but　for　his　own　stomach；　to　comfort　his　nerves　and　to　allay　his　filial
anxiety。　He　had　a　good　dose　that　quickly　restored　his　usual　spirits；　as
I　heard　him　relating　stories　in　the　servants'　tent　which　created　roars
of　laughter。

Christo　was　an　excellent；　hard…working　fellow；　who　having　passed　his
life　at　sea；　was　exceedingly　handy；　and　combined　the　usual　good
qualities　of　a　sailor　with　the　art　of　cookery　and　a　certain　knowledge
which　enabled　him　to　act　as　interpreter。　He　was　as　clever　in　lashing　up
a　van　with　raw　hide　as　in　preparing　a　dinner　at　the　shortest　notice；　and
his　mayonnaise　would　have　raised　the　envy　of　many　a　professor　in
England。　His　English　varied　like　his　dishes；　and　upon　certain　days　there
was　a　considerable　vagueness　in　his　language；　while　at　other　times　he
expressed　himself　clearly。　Upon　one　of　these　foggy　intervals　I　asked　him
〃Why　the　people　had　made　so　much　noise　during　the　night？〃　and　he
replied；　that　〃A　little　hen…horse　had　made　one　child　in　the　stable！〃　He
intended　to　explain　that　a　pony　had　foaled　in　the　stable。　When　he　first
joined　us　he　frequently　rambled　and　confused　his　genders；　and　termed　all
females　〃hens；〃　which　at　times　had　almost　as　ludicrous　an　effect　as　the
mistakes　of　my　African　cook；　who　invariably　called　〃cocks　and　hens〃
〃bulls　and　women。〃　I　never　had　so　useful　a　man　in　travelling；　as　he
excelled　at　tent　pitching　and　arranging　the　luggage　on　pack…animals；　and
took　the　lead　in　everything；　in　addition　to　which　he　showed　a　great
interest　in　interpreting；　which　is　a　rare　quality　in　a　dragoman。

We　selected　a　road　upon　higher　ground　for　our　return　to　Lefkosia；　and
thus　avoided　the　watercourses　which　had　caused　so　much　vexation　and
delay　upon　our　former　journey。　The　first　night's　halt　was　at　the　long
stone　bridge　across　the　Pedias　river；　about　twenty　miles　from　Kuklia；
opposite　the　village　of　Kythrea　at　four　miles　distancethis　was　only
constructed　eight　years　ago；　and　it　was　already　rendered　impassable　by
the　overflow　of　the　torrent；　which　had　carried　away　a　considerable
portion。　On　the　following　morning　we　arrived　at　the　capital；　and　were
once　more　hospitably　received　by　Sir　Garnet　and　Lady　Wolseley。



CHAPTER　VII。

KYRENIA　AND　THE　NORTH　COAST。

The　change　from　camp…life　to　the　luxury　of　Government　House；　with　the
charm　of　the　society　of　Sir　Garnet　and　Lady　Wolseley　and　officers　of　the
staff；　was　a　most　agreeable　interlude　in　the　usually　monotonous　journey
through　Cyprus。　The　view　from　the　verandah　had　changed；　and　was
certainly　not　charming；　as　the　few　green　tints　that　had　looked　hopeful
on　our　former　visit　had　turned　to　brown；　but　the　house　within　more　than
compensated　for　the　cheerlessness　of　the　exterior　landscape。　A　picnic
excursion　to　the　castle　of　St。　Hilarion　had　been　arranged　for　the　29th
instant　by　Colonel　Greaves；　C。　B。；　chief　of　the　staff；　who　kindly
included　us　in　the　invitation。　This　point　was　seldom　visited；　as　it　was
situated　3240　feet　above　the　sea　upon　the　sky…line　of　the　crags　above
Kyrenia；　and　the　ride　there　and　back　covered　a　distance　of　about　thirty
miles　from　Lefkosia。　The　energy　of　English　ladies　rather　astonishes　the
people　of　this　country；　where　inertia　is　considered　to　be　happiness；　and
although　our　animals　were　ordered　to　be　saddled　punctually　at　6　A。M。　the
owner　in　Lefkosia　was　sceptical　as　to　our　actual　start　at　so　early　an
hour；　therefore　much　time　was　lost　on　the　morning　in　question　in　sending
messengers　vainly　to　and　fro　for　the　missing　mule　and　pony；　and　8　A。M。
arrived　before　their　appearance。　The　party　had　started　two　hours
earlier。　Colonel　White；　1st　Royal　Scots；　who　was　the　chief　commissioner
at　Lefkosia；　had　kindly　waited　to　accompany　us。　As　St。　Hilarion　was　only
a　short　distance　to　the　left　of　the　Kyrenia　road；　I　had　determined　not
to　return；　but　to　send　the　camels　and　luggage　on　direct。　We　left　all
unnecessary　luggage　locked　up　within　the　vans；　which　Sir　Garnet　Wolseley
kindly　permitted　us　to　leave　at　head…quarters。　We　took　leave　of　our　good
and　big　friend　Georgi　and　his　sharp　companion　Theodori；　who　returned　to
Dali；　where　Georgi　would　meet　the　only　Venus　that　I　have　seen　in　Cyprus；
his　wife；　but　even　that　pretty　Venus　was　ruined　by　high　boots　and　baggy
trousers。

Crossing　the　dry　bed　of　the　Pedias　below　the　Government　House；　we　struck
a　line　over　the　open　and　withered　plain　to　a　direct　route　to　Kyrenia。　At
a　distance　of　about　five　miles　from　Lefkosia；　the　broad　and　well…trodden
road　became　lost　in　a　variety　of　independent　paths；　which　at　length
converged　into　one　narrow　route　that　ascended　a　curious　formation　of
water…washed　and　utterly　denuded　hills；　composed　of　sandstone；
claystone；　and　peculiar　deposits　of　sedimentary　rock；　which　in　places
resembled　an　artificial　pavement。　In　many　places　the　strata　were
vertical；　exhibiting　the　confusion　that　had　been　created　by　the
upheaval。　Having　passed　through　a　succession　of　ups　and　downs　for　about
three　miles；　sometimes　winding　through　narrow　gorges　where　the　soil　was
covered　with　an　efflorescence　of　salt；　at　other　places　clambering　over
loose　rocks　and　entering　narrow　glens；　we　arrived　in　a　plain　at　the　foot
of　the　bold　and　bluff　range　of　the　Carpas　mountains。　The　path　led　to　a
village　almost　concealed　amongst　dwarf…cypress　and　pines；　at　a　spot
where　the　ascent　commenced　to　a　deep　gorge　forming　a　gap　between　the
heights　upon　either　side；　through　which　the　road　was　being　rendered
accessible　for　wheeled　conveyances　to　Kyrenia。

We　had　quitted　the　Messaria　and　its　misery；　thank　Heaven；　we　once　more
looked　upon　green　trees；　and　magnificent　cliffs　of　compact　grey
limestone　tinted　with　various　colours　according　to　the　presence　of
metallic　substances；　instead　of　wearying　the　eyes　with　the　depressing
brown　of　a　withered　surface。　The　road　was　improving　under　the　hands　of
several　working　parties；　and　the　animals　stepped　along　at　a　cheerful
pace。　On　the　left　hand　were　exceedingly　steep　slopes；　ascending　for
several　hundred　yards　to　the　base　of　cliffs；　which　rose　in　many　places
almost　perpendicular　to　the　height　of　more　than　2000　feet　above　the　sea。
Upon　our　right　we　skirted　a　deep　ravine；　the　bottom　and　sides　of　which
were　completely　covered　with　mastic　shrubs；　and　myrtles。　Above　this
gorge　the　cliffs　rose　in　imposing　grandeur　to　about　3000　feet；　the
clefts　being　filled　with　evergreens；　and　in　some　unapproachable　heights
which　man　had　not　invaded　the　Pinus　maritima　ornamented　the　grey　crags
with　its　foliage　of　pale　green。

We　should　have　turned　off　to　the　left　towards　St。　Hilarion；　but；　without
a　guide；　we　overshot　the　path；　and　having　ridden　about　three　miles
through　the　gorge；　always　ascending；　we　suddenly　burst　upon　the
magnificent　view　of　the　northern　side。　At　this　moment　a　few　heavy　drops
of　rain　fell　from　inky　clouds　which　had　been　gathering　among　the
mountains；　and　I　thought　it　advisable　to　forego　the　excursion　to　St。
Hilarion；　and　to　push　on　towards　Kyrenia；　three　miles　distant；　though
apparently　almost　at　our　feet。

The　dark　clouds　above　us　added　to　the　beauty　of　the　scenery。　We　looked
down　upon　the　blue　sea；　and　the　snow…covered　mountains　of　Caramania　in
the　northern　distance；　with　the　beautiful　foreground　of　perpendicular
green　cliffs　upon　our　right；　up　to　nearly　3000　feet；　and　the　abrupt
mountain　sides　upon　the　left；　which　formed　the　entrance　to　the　gorge。
The　narrow　strip　of　three　miles　between　the　sea　margin　and　the　point
upon　which　we　stood　was　a　green　forest　of　caroub…trees；　almost　to　the
water's　edge。　The　town；　and　its　striking　feature　the　Venetian　fort；
stood　out　in　clear　relief　against　the　background　of　the　sea。　To　the
right　and　left；　farther　than　the　eye　could　reach；　were　trees　of　caroubs；
varied　by　almonds；　mulberries；　and　occasional　date…palms；　interspersed
with　highly　irrigated　fields　of　emerald　green。　The　beautiful　old
monastery　of　Bellapais；　erected　by　the　Templars；　although　in　reality
half　ruined；　appeared　from　this　distance　like　some　noble　ancestral
mansion；　surrounded　by　all　that　could　make　a　landscape　perfect：　trees；
water；　mountains；　precipices；　above　which　towered　the　castle　of
Buffavento　upon　the　craggy　sky…line；　while　to　the　left；　cutting　with
keen　edges　the　dark　cloud　that　hovered　over　it；　were　the　walls　and
towers　of　St。　Hilarion；　where　by　this　time　we　should　have　been　eating
luncheon　with　a　charming　party。　Pit…pat　came　the　heavy　drops；　and　still
drinking　in　the　magnificent　view；　we　descended　the　stony　and　steep　path
towards　Kyrenia。　When　we　arrived　near　the　base；　after　a　descent　of　about
a　mile　and　three…quarters；　a　perfectly　straight　road　of　a　good　width　led
direct　to　Kyrenia；　through　a　forest　of　the　shady　and　ever　green
caroub…trees。　By　this　time　the　shower　had　cleared　away；　and　only　a　few
light　clouds　hovered　over　the　high　point　of　St。　Hilarion；　and　having　had
nothing　to　eat；　we　began　to　wish　for　balloons　to　make　a　direct　ascent　to
the　well…provided　party　on　the　heights　above　us；　who　were　enjoying　the
hospitality　of　Colonel　Greaves。　We　comforted