cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第52部分

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liability。〃　I　cannot　see　any　practical　difficulty　in　such　an
arrangement；　a　highway　rate　might　be　an　extra　when　the　roads　should　be
completed。　A　small　export　duty　at　the　various　ports　would　become　a
material　source　of　increase　to　the　revenue　when　the　wine　trade　became
invigorated　and　extended　by　government　encouragement；　and　although　such
a　duty　would　indirectly　affect　the　grower　in　the　price　which　the
merchant　would　pay　for　the　new　wine；　it　would　be　a　collateral　tax　that
would　not　be　felt　individually。

Unless　the　present　oppressive　system　shall　be　abolished　the　wine　trade
of　Cyprus　will　languish；　and　an　industry　that　may　be　profitably　extended
to　an　important　degree　will　share　the　fate　of　a　commercial　and
agricultural　depression　which　has　resulted　from　the　vague　conditions　of
the　British　occupation；　and　from　which　no　recovery　can　be　expected　until
confidence　in　the　future　prospects　of　the　island　shall　be　established。



CHAPTER　XI。

FROM　LIMASOL　TO　THE　MOUNTAINS。

The　barley　harvest　was　in　active　operation；　and　the　fields　around　our
camp　were　crowded　with　men；　women；　and　children；　all　hard　at　work；　but
producing　small　results　compared　with　an　equal　expenditure　of　European
labour。　Their　sickles　were　large　and　good；　but　a　great　proportion　of　the
crops　were　either　broken　off　by　hand　or　were　dragged　out　by　the　roots；
and　the　earth　that　adhered　was　carelessly　dusted　off　by　a　blow　against
the　reaper's　boots。　In　this　dry　climate　there　was　no　necessity　for
piling　the　sheaves；　but　the　small　bundles　were　at　once　laden　upon
donkeys　and　also　conveyed　in　the　two…wheeled　carts　to　the　threshing…
ground；　upon　which　it　would　remain　until　valued　for　taxation　by　the
government　official。　In　the　dry　atmosphere　of　Cyprus；　Syria；　Egypt；　&c。；
the　straw　breaks　easily；　and　beneath　the　sharp　flints　of　the　ancient
threshing…harrow　in　present　use　is　quickly　reduced　to　the　coarse　chaff
known　as　〃tibbin；〃　which　forms　the　staple　article　of　food　for　horses　and
all　cattle。　Taking　advantage　of　the　numbers　of　people　congregated　in　the
fields；　some　itinerant　gipsies　with　a　monkey　and　performing　bears　were
camped　beneath　the　caroub…trees；　about　half　a　mile　from　our　position。
The　bears　were　the　Syrian　variety。　Throughout　Cyprus　the　gipsies　are
known　as　tinners　of　pots　and　makers　of　wooden　spoons；　which　seems　to　be
the　normal　occupation　of　their　tribe　throughout　the　world；　they　have
also　a　character　for　a　peculiar　attachment　to　fowls　and　any　other　small
matters　that　belong　to　private　individuals　which　may　be　met　with　during
their　wanderings。

The　beans　of　the　caroub…trees　were　already　large；　and　promised　a　good
crop　in　spite　of　the　dry　weather。　The　roots　of　these　evergreens
penetrate　to　a　great　depth；　and　obtain　nourishment　from　beneath　when　the
surface　soil　is　perished　by　drought。　I　have　never　seen　a　caroub
overthrown　by　the　wind；　although　the　extremely　large　head　that　is　at　all
seasons　covered　with　leaves　must　offer　a　great　resistance。　The　fruit　of
this　tree　（Ceratonia　siliqua）　is　already　an　important　export　from
Cyprus；　and　if　the　cultivation　is　encouraged　there　can　be　no　doubt　of　an
enormous　extension　of　the　trade。　The　tree　is　indigenous　to　the　island；
but　in　its　wild　state　is　unproductive；　it　simply　requires　grafting　to
ensure　a　crop。　The　wild　young　trees　are　generally　transplanted　into　the
desired　positions；　and　then　grafted　from　the　cultivated　species；　but
there　is　no　reason　why　they　should　not　be　grafted　in　situ。　The　olives；
which　are　also　indigenous；　might　be　treated　in　a　similar　manner　to
render　the　crown…lands　productive；　which　are　now　mere　jungles　of　shrubs
and　trees　in　their　natural　state。　I　shall　reserve　further　remarks　upon
this　subject　for　a　chapter　specially　devoted　to　〃Woods　and　Forests。〃

The　caroub　at　present　commands　an　extensive　market。　The　fruit　is　usually
known　commercially　as　the　〃locust…bean；〃　the　taste　is　a　compound　of
treacle　and　Spanish　liquorice；　and　would　generally　be　appreciated　by
children；　monkeys；　pigs；　and　cattle。　The　Cassia　fistula　of　Ceylon
resembles　it　somewhat　in　flavour；　but　the　Ceratonia　siliqua　is　free　from
the　medicinal　properties　of　the　former　tree。　Since　the　government
monopoly　was　abolished　in　1827　the　trade　has　received　an　impetus；　and
this　extension　due　to　freedom　is　an　example　to　our　present　government　in
their　relations　to　the　oppressive　system　connected　with　the　wine　trade。

According　to　the　consular　reports　the　crop　of　1872　was　about　10；000
tons；　which　sold　free　on　board　at　4　pounds　10　shillings　per　ton。　At　that
time　the　chief　purchaser　was　Russia；　and　the　locust…beans　were　exported
to　various　positions　upon　the　Black　Sea。　In　1875　England　became　a　large
consumer；　and　I　believe　the　well…known　〃Thorley's　Patent　Food　for
Cattle〃　contains　a　considerable　amount　of　this　nutritive　substance。　The
influence　upon　the　market　of　a　demand　from　England　raised　the　exports　in
1875　to　18；000　tons。　A　fluctuation　took　place　in　1876；　and　although　the
crop　was　deficient；　the　prices　fell　to　2　pounds　13　shillings　6　pence　per
ton　free　on　board。　This　reaction　was　probably　due　to　the　large　stocks　on
hand　in　England；　purchased　at　a　high　rate；　from　4　pounds　10　shillings　to
5　pounds　per　ton；　which　had　driven　Russian　competition　out　of　the
market；　therefore　the　1876　gathering　found　but　few　purchasers。　In　1877
the　yield　was　13；500　tons；　and　the　price　rose　from　2　pounds　13　shillings
6　pence　to　3　pounds　5　shillings　and　at　length　to　4　pounds　per　ton；　free
on　board。

The　average　produce　of　a　tree；　taking　the　mean　of　all　sizes；　would　be
about　84　lbs。　or　three…quarters　of　a　hundredweight；　allowing　the　mean
crop　of　five　years　to　be　13；000　tons；　this　would　give　the　number　of
productive　trees　in　Cyprus　as　346；666；　or　in　round　numbers　350；000；
which；　at　eight　trees　to　the　acre　=　43；750　acres　of　caroub…trees。　I　do
not　think　as　a　rule　that　a　larger　number　than　eight　trees　are　to　be
found　upon　an　acre；　as　it　is　the　custom　to　cultivate　cereals　upon　the
same　ground；　therefore　the　caroubs　are　thinly　planted。　This　calculation
cannot　be　accepted　as　exhibiting　the　actual　position　of　the　trees；　as　a
very　large　proportion　are　not　planted　in　order；　but　grow　independently
and　promiscuously；　and　are　productive　simply　as　originally　wild　trees
that　have　been　grafted。　Should　Cyprus　belong　bona…fide　to　England；
machinery　for　crushing　and　pressing　the　locust…beans　will　be　established
on　the　spot；　which；　by　compressing　the　bulk；　will　reduce　the　freight　and
materially　lessen　the　price　when　delivered　in　England。　In　travelling
through　Cyprus　nothing　strikes　the　observation　of　the　traveller　more
forcibly　than　the　neglect　of　tree…planting。　The　caroub　is　an　indigenous
production　volunteering　its　services　to　man；　and　producing　an　important
revenue；　there　are　immense　tracts　of　land　which　by　their　rocky　nature
are　unfit　for　the　general　purposes　of　husbandry；　at　the　same　time　the
rich　soil　in　the　interstices　is　eminently　adapted　for　the　cultivation　of
the　caroub。　Such　lands　are　at　the　present　moment　abandoned　to　a　growth
of　jungle；　among　which　this　irrepressible　tree　dominates　all　other
vegetation；　but　in　its　wild　state　remains　unproductive。　The
neighbourhood　of　Limasol　is　for　many　miles　richly　ornamented　by　these
welcome　shade…producers；　and　presents　an　example　of　what　other　portions
of　the　island　might　become。

During　my　stay　at　Limasol　I　was　several　times　invaded　by　a　crowd　of
people　from　a　neighbouring　village；　with　complaints　upon　an　assumed
injustice　connected　with　their　water…supply。　It　was　in　vain　that　I
assured　them　of　my　unofficial　capacity；　they　were　determined　to　have
their　say；　and；　according　to　their　threat；　to　〃TELEGRAPH　TO　VICTORIA；〃
unless　they　could　obtain　redress。　I　referred　them　to　Colonel　Warren；
R。A。；　the　chief　commissioner　of　their　district；　who　had　already　been
sufficiently　perplexed　with　their　case。　It　appeared　that　a　stream
flowing　from　the　mountains　had　nearly　two　centuries　ago　been　diverted
into　an　artificial　channel　by　the　inhabitants　of　Kolossi　and　others　for
the　purpose　of　irrigating　the　various　lands　in　succession；　according　to
the　gradations　of　their　levels。　This　water　had　become　a　right；　and　the
value　of　all　lands　thus　irrigated　had　been　appraised　in　proportion。
According　to　their　story；　some　years　ago　a　Greek　who　commanded　capital
purchased　an　estate　at　Kolossi；　and　having　made　a　journey　to
Constantinople；　where　he　remained　for　some　years；　he　took　the
opportunity　of　bribing　some　high　officials　to　obtain　for　him　an　irade
from　the　Sultan；　giving　him　the　entire　right　to　the　water…supply；　which
had　for　so　great　a　length　of　time　been　the　acknowledged　property　of　the
neighbouring　landholders。　This　irade　was　issued　upon　the　plea　that　all
natural　waters　（i。e。　streams）　belong　to　the　Sultan。　A　wide　field　for
litigation　was　thus　opened；　and　the　Greek；　having　more　than　the　usual
allowance　of　〃the　wisdom　of　the　serpent；〃　lost　no　time　in　investing
large　sums　in　the　corruption　of　all　those　who　would　be　summoned　as　local
witnesses　whenever　the　case　should　be　brought　before　the　ordinary
tribunals。　The　result　was　that　after　great　expense　in　the　costs　of
litigation；　an　appeal　to　the　superior　court　during　the　British
administration　had　been　favourable　to　the　plaintiffs；　and　the　Greek
proprietor　was　held　to　be　legally　in　possession　of　all　water…rights；　to
the　exclusion　of　the　original　owners。　He；　however　offered　to　supply　them
with　water　for　their　farms　at　a　fixed　rate；　whereas　they　had　hitherto
enjoyed　that　free　right　for　upwards　of　a　century。　This　loss；　or
abstraction；　of　so　important　a　supply；　upon　which　the　actual　existence
of　the　farms　depended　in　seasons　of　drought；　not　only　impoverished　the
cultivators　during　the　present　year　of　famine；　but　reduced　the　value　of
their　land　to　an　enormous　extent；　as　farms　with　a　water…supply　are　worth
more　than　quadruple　the　price　of　those　which　are　dependent　upon　the
seasons。　Of　course　I　could　not　help　the　poor　people；　it　appeared　to　my
uneducated　sense　of　equity　to　be　the　maximum　of　injustice。　The　question
hung　upon　the　Sultan's　right　to　the　natural　water…supply；　which　I
believe　has　been　officially　declared　invalid；　by　what　other　right　the
monopoly　of　the　water　had　been　conveyed　away　fr