cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第48部分

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accepted　that　the　flavour　of　wines　depends　upon　the　soil；　thus　it　would
be　impossible　for　a　vine…grower　to　succeed　simply　by　planting　well…
known　superior　varieties　of　vines；　unless　he　has　had　practical
experience　of　the　locality　to　be　converted　into　vineyards。

This　fact　is　thoroughly　exhibited　in　Cyprus；　where　the　peculiarities　of
soils　are　exceedingly　remarkable；　and　cannot　fail　to　attract　attention；
each　of　these　qualities　of　earth　producing　a　special　wine。

If　a　planter　establishes　a　vineyard　he　will　naturally　select　a　certain
variety　of　vine；　and　a　corresponding　situation　that　will　ensure　a
marketable　quantity　of　wine；　thus　in　Cyprus　a　comparatively　small　area
of　the　island　is　devoted　to　the　cultivation　of　the　grape；　which　is
comprised　chiefly　within　the　district　of　Limasol。　No　wine　is　made　in　the
Carpas　district；　nor　to　the　north　of　the　Carpasian　range　of　jurassic
limestone；　there　are　no　vineyards　of　importance　in　the　western　district；
or　yet　in　the　plain　of　Messaria；　except　upon　the　western　border；　in　the
neighbourhood　of　Dali；　towards　the　Makhaeras　mountain。

Although　there　are　many　varieties　of　Cyprus　wines；　there　is　one
prevailing　rule：　the　white　commanderia；　a　luscious　high…flavoured　wine；
is　grown　upon　the　reddish　chocolate…coloured　soil　of　metamorphous　rocks。
The　dark　red；　or　black　astringent　wines；　are　produced　upon　the　white
marls　and　cretaceous　limestone。　The　quantity　produced　is　large；　and　the
dark　wines　can　be　purchased　retail　in　the　villages　for　one　penny　the
quart　bottle！and　in　my　opinion　are　very　dear　at　the　money。

According　to　the　official　returns　kindly　supplied　to　me　by　Mr。　Robson；
the　chief　of　customs；　the　following　list　represents　the　declared
duty…paid　production　from　1877　to　1879。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Spirits　　　　　　Commanderia　　　　　Black　Wines
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Okes　2。75　lbs。　　　　Okes　2。75　lbs。　　　　Okes　2。75　lbs。
1877…1878。　。　　　　　　　　　155；451　　　　　　　　　　　　　117；000　　　　　　　　　　2；500；000
1878…1879。　。　　　　　　　　　430；000　　　　　　　　　　　　　300；000　　　　　　　　　　6；000；000

Spirit　is　valued　at　about　2。5　Piastres　the　Oke
Commanderia　　〃　　　　　　　〃　　　　　　2　　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　〃
Black　Wines　　〃　　　　　　　〃　　　1。25　　　　　〃　　　　　〃　　　　〃
The　rate　of　exchange：　　9　Piastres　to　1　shilling　=　180　per　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　pound　sterling。


It　will　be　observed　that　an　immense　difference　is　represented　in　the
yield　of　the　two　years。　This　is　to　be　accounted　for　by　the
superabundance　of　rains　in　1878…1879；　which　caused　a　great　quantity；　but
bad　quality；　of　juice；　and　the　wine　of　this　vintage　is　so　inferior　that
a　large　proportion　is　turning　to　vinegar；　and　can　be　used　for　no　other
purpose。

The　habit　of　calculating　by　low　quantities；　as　〃okes；〃　as　the　French
reckon　in　〃francs；〃　is　at　first　sight　perplexing　to　the　English　mind；
and　conveys　an　erroneous　impression　of　the　actual　results。　If　the
population　of　Cyprus　is　about　200；000；　the　maximum　wine…crop　of
6；000；000　okes　would　only　yield　30　okes；　or　60　ordinary　wine…bottles；　to
each　person　during　the　year。　The　local　consumption　is　exceedingly　small；
which　can　only　be　accounted　for　by　the　general　poverty　of　the
population。

The　exports　are　directed　principally　to　the　various　ports　of　the　Levant；
Constantinople；　Smyrna；　Alexandria；　in　addition　to　Trieste；　and　parts　of
Southern　Italy。　Some　of　the　dark　wines　are　shipped　to　Marseilles；　for
the　well…known　establishment　at　Cette；　where　they　are　used　for　mixing
with　other　wines。　It　should　at　once　be　understood　that　no　quality　of
Cyprus　wines　is　suitable　to　the　English　market；　as　they　are　generally
shunned　even　by　the　English　residing　in　the　island；　where　their　extreme
cheapness　might　tempt　people　into　the　bad　taste　of　consuming　them。　At
the　same　time；　these　wines　are　well　appreciated　by　the　native
population；　especially　the　dark　astringent　qualities。

The　difficulty　of　introducing　a　new　wine　is　well　known　to　English
wine…merchants；　and　the　mysteries　of　the　trade　would　somewhat　astonish
the　innocent　would…be　connoisseur。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　palate
must　be　educated　to　enjoy　fine　dry　wines；　precisely　as　the　ear　must　be
instructed　before　it　can　appreciate　classical　music。　There　is　a　harmony
in　the　senses　of　hearing；　smell；　and　taste　which　is　the　result　of
civilised　life；　this　may　be　right　or　wrong　physically；　as　the　nerves
become　more　delicate　and　sensitive；　which　may　affect　the　brain　more　or
less　directly。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　it　affects　the　stomach。
Certain　civilised　persons　prefer　game　in　a　state　approaching　to
decomposition；　I　have　seen　savages　who　enjoy　flesh　when　actually　putrid；
and　above　all　horrors；　fish　when　stinking！　Such　food　would　disgust　the
civilised　man　who　prefers　his　game　〃high；〃　and　would　perhaps　kill　other
civilised　people　whose　palates　and　stomachs　have　been　educated　to　avoid
impurities。　In　the　same　manner　the　palate　must　be　educated　for　wines　or
other　drinks。　I　gave　an　old　priest　a　bottle　of　Bass's　pale　India　ale；　he
could　not　drink　half　a　glassful　but　rejected　it　as　picro　（bitter）；　the
same　old　man　enjoyed　his　penny…a…bottle　black　Cyprus　wine；　reeking　of
tar　and　half…rotten　goat…skins；　in　which　it　had　been　brought　to
marketa　stuff　that　I　could　not　have　swallowed！　It　must　therefore　be
borne　in　mind　when　judging　of　Cyprian　wines；　that　〃English　taste　does
not　govern　the　world。〃　Although　the　British　market　would　be　closed　to
the　coarse　and　ill…made　wines　of　Cyprus；　there　are　other　markets　which
accept　them　gladly；　and　would　absorb　them　to　a　high　degree；　were　they
improved　by　superior　cultivation　and　manufacture。

At　the　same　time　that　the　produce　of　Cyprus　is　now　a　unsuitable　to　the
English　market；　there　is　no　reason　why　it　should　be　excluded　at　a　future
time；　when　scientific　culture　shall　have　enhanced　the　quality。　It　should
be　remembered　that　the　poorer　classes　of　Great　Britain　would　be
immensely　benefited　by　a　beverage　that　should　be　within　their　reach　in
price；　and　at　the　same　time　be　sufficiently　invigorating　without　the
direct　intoxicating　properties　of　spirits　or　the　sleepy；　heavy；　and
thirst…increasing　qualities　of　beer。　If　Cyprus　is　at　some　future　time　to
become　a　British　colony；　the　wine　trade　will　be　the　principal　source　of
industry；　and　should　be　developed　by　the　government　with　every　possible
encouragement　to　the　proprietors　of　vineyards。　An　improved　quality　of
wine　will　not　necessitate　an　additional　price；　but；　on　the　contrary；　the
wine…growing　resources　of　the　island　are　so　irrepressible　that　they　have
withstood　the　oppression　of　the　past　and　present；　and　when　relieved　of
this　incubus；　not　only　should　the　quality　improve；　but　the　price　should
be　reduced。　In　this　case；　should　the　Cyprian　produce　be　favoured　by　a
nominal　import　duty　in　England；　the　wine　will　be　within　the　reach　of　the
poorer　classes；　and　may　ameliorate　that　crying　evil　of　our　country；
〃intoxication；〃　by　weaning　the　spirit…drinker　to　a　more　wholesome
drink。

It　must　never　be　supposed　by　the　most　sanguine　that　Cyprian　wines　will
be　fashionable　among　the　upper　classes　in　England。　I　do　not　think　they
will　ever　surpass　Marsala　or　many　of　the　Cape　wines。　English　people；　as
a　rule；　object　to　cheap　wines；　or　at　least　they　are　reserved　concerning
the　price；　should　cheap　wine　be　upon　their　table。　It　is　a　dangerous
thing　to　mention　the　cost　of　any　wine；　even　to　your　nearest　friend；
although　he　might　have　enjoyed　it　when　he　thought　it　must　have　cost　you
72　shillings　the　dozen；　he　will　detect　some　unpleasant　peculiarity　when
you　may　foolishly　have　confided　to　him　that　it　only　cost　you　36
shillings；　or；　worse　still；　24　shillings。　He　will　possibly　suggest　to
you　on　the　following　morning　that　〃something　disagreed　with　him　during
the　night；　but　he　does　NOT　think　it　was　the　24　shilling　wine。〃　Here　is
the　fault　of　HALF…EDUCATED　palates；　they　expect　too　much；　and　are　guided
by　fancies。　The　same　person　might　be　beguiled　into　the　belief　that　the
24　shilling　wine　was　very　superior　if　he　had　been　deceived　by　an
assurance　that　it　cost　72　shillings。　There　are　really　very　few　amateurs
who　could　value　unknown　wines　by　the　test　of　their　own　palates；　but　the
chilly　climate　of　England　is　adverse　to　light　wines；　and　necessitates　a
full　body；　with　considerable　strength。

The　sherries　are　always　fortified　by　an　addition　of　between　30　to　40　per
cent。　of　alcohol　before　they　are　shipped　to　England；　without　which　they
would　be　unsaleable；　as　to　our　taste；　they　would　be　empty　and　vapid。　We
must　therefore　make　a　considerable　allowance　when　judging　of　Cyprus
wines　in　their　present　extremely　rude　and　uncultivated　position。

Nothing　is　added；　and　the　following　concise　description　will　account　for
their　disagreeable　peculiarities。

There　are　no　roads　in　Cyprus　in　the　mountainous　wine…producing
districts；　therefore　all　agricultural　products　must　be　conveyed　upon　the
backs　of　mules　up　and　down　the　steepest　and　most　dangerous　rocky　tracks；
apparently　more　fitted　for　goats　than　other　animals。　A　mule　will　travel
in　this　rough　country　with　a　load　of　250　lbs。　This　serious　difficulty　of
transport　will　account　for　the　rude　and　ancient　method　of　conveying　wine
in　goat…skins。　〃No　man　will　put　new　wine　into　old　bottles；〃　referred　to
this　system　of　employing　skins　instead　of　casks；　or　other　receptacles
that　could　be　cleaned　and　rendered　tasteless。　The　goat…skin　would
quickly　rot；　unless　it　was　prepared　by　a　species　of　tar；　thus　not　only
is　the　naturally　unpleasant　flavour　of　the　skin　imparted　to　the　wine；
but　the　mixture　of　tar　renders　it　completely　abominable　to　any　palate
that　has　not　been　educated　to　receive　it。　Let　any　person　conceive　the
result　of　pouring　ten　or　twelve　gallons　of　Chateau　Lafitte　into　an　old
and　dirty　goat…skin　thoroughly　impregnated　with　tar；　and　carrying　this
burden　upon　one　side　of　a　mule；　balanced　by　a　similar　skin　on　the　other
side　filled　with　the　choicest　Johannisberger。　This　load；　worth　at　least
70　or　80　pounds　at　starting；　would　travel　for　two　days　exposed　to　a
broiling　sun；　and　would　lie　for　several　days　before　it　would　be　turned
into　the　vat　of　the　merchant　at　Limasol。　By　that　time；　according　to
civilised　taste；　it　would　be　perfectly　valueless　and　undrinkable；　if　the
best　wines　in　the　world　can　be　thus　destroyed　by　a