cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第63部分

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tribes　of　Africa；　the　〃rain…maker〃　occupies　the　position　of　priest　and
chief。　In　England；　the　clergy　offer　prayers　for　either　rain　or　for　fine
weather。　In　Cyprus　the　farmer　places　the　small　picture　of　the　Virgin
upon　his　field；　before　which　he　lights　his　tapers；　which　the　wind
extinguishes；　at　the　same　time　THE　WATER…SUPPLY　IS　CLOSE　BENEATH　HIS
FEET；　and　the　expenditure　of　a　few　pounds　sterling　would　produce　a
permanent　blessing　and　uninterrupted　prosperity　by　practical　common
sense　and　labour；　without　any　miraculous　interposition　in　his　behalf。

There　are　few　countries　where　such　facilities　exist　for　irrigation；　and
the　work　should　be　commenced　without　delay。　Should　next　year　be　one　of
drought　like　the　spring　of　1879；　the　greatest　misery　will　befall　the
population；　there　is　already　sufficient　disappointment　in　the　want　of
progress　since　the　British　occupation；　and　the　feeling　will　be
intensified　should　the　assistance　of　government　be　withheld　in　this
crying　necessity　of　artificial　irrigation。

The　Cypriote　well…sinker　is　wonderfully　clever　in　discovering　springs；
and　I　have　already　described　the　method　of　multiplying　the　water…power
of　one　source　by　securing　and　concentrating　the　neighbouring　sources。
This　work　only　requires　money；　and　the　inhabitants；　without　further
assistance　than　loans　secured　by　a　water…rate　upon　the　district；　will
rapidly　develop　the　natural　supply。　There　should　be　a　special　commission
appointed；　in　each　of　the　six　districts　of　Cyprus；　to　investigate　and
report　officially　upon　this　subject。　In　forming　the　commission；　care
should　be　taken　that　the　native　element　should　predominate；　and　that　no
enthusiastic　English　engineer；　blooming　with　new　schemes；　should　thrust
into　shadow　the　Cyprian　intelligence　upon　the　working　of　their　own
systems。　If　I　were　an　English　engineer　employed　in　any　work；　I　should
probably　have　the　natural　failing　of　enforcing　my　own　opinions；　but　from
many　years'　experience　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　the
inhabitants　of　a　country　are　generally　better　qualified　than　strangers
for　giving　practical　opinions　upon　their　own　locations。　There　is　plenty
of　intelligence　in　Cyprus；　the　people　are　not　savages；　but　their　fault
is　poverty；　the　natural　inheritance　of　Turkish　rule；　and　we；　the
English；　have　the　power　to　make　them　rich；　and　to　restore　the　ancient
importance　of　the　island。　In　England；　at　the　time　that　I　am　writing；
money　is　not　worth　2　per　cent。　owing　to　the　general　depression　of　trade；
the　money…market　has　been　in　this　plethoric　or　dropsical　state　for　the
last　three　years；　and　there　appears　to　be　no　hope　upon　the　commercial
horizon　of　a　favourable　change。　In　Cyprus　the　resources　are　great；　but
the　capital　is　wanting；　and　the　strange　anomaly　is　presented　that　the
exchange　of　the　British　for　the　Turkish　flag　has　not　increased　public
confidence。　Something　must　be　done　to　change　the　present　stupor；　if
Cypriotes　were　Candians　（Cretans）　their　voices　would　be　forcibly　heard；
and　the　Turkish　rule　beneath　the　British　uniform　would　be　quickly
overthrown。　The　Cypriote；　down…trodden　for　centuries；　is　like　sodden
tinder　that　will　not　awaken　to　the　spark：　he　is　what　is　called　〃easily
governed；〃　which　means　an　abject　race；　in　which　all　noble　aspirations
have　been　stamped　out　by　years　of　unremitting　oppression　and　injustice；
still；　like　the　Cyprian　ox；　he　ploughs　the　ground。　It　is　the　earth　alone
that　yields　the　world's　wealth：　if　we　have　no　other　thoughts　but
avarice；　let　us　treat　the　Cypriote　as　we　should　his　animal；　and　make　him
a　wealth…producer。　England　has　acquired　the　reputation　of　the　civiliser
of　the　world；　it　is　in　this　character　that　we　were　expected　to　effect　a
magic　change　in　the　position　of　Cyprus；　instead　of　which　we　have
hitherto　presented　a　miserable　result　of　half…measures；　where
irresolution　has　reduced　the　brilliant　picture　of　our　widely…trumpeted
political　surprise　to　a　dull　〃arrangement　in　whitey…brown〃　。　。　。　which
is　the　pervading　tint　of　the　Cyprian　surface　in　the　absence　of
artificial　irrigation。



CHAPTER　XV。

LIFE　AT　THE　MONASTERY　OF　TROODITISSA。

The　life　at　our　quiet　camp　at　Trooditissa　was　a　complete　calm：　there
could　not　be　a　more　secluded　spot；　as　no　human　habitation　was　near；
except　the　invisible　village　of　Phyni　two　miles　deep　beneath；　at　the
mountain's　base。　The　good　old　monk　Neophitos　knitted；　and　taught　his
boys　always　in　the　same　daily　spot：　the　swallows　built　their　nests　under
the　eaves　of　the　monastery　roof　and　beneath　the　arch　which　covered　in
the　spring；　and　sat　in　domestic　flocks　upon　the　over…hanging　boughs
within　a　few　feet　of　our　breakfast…table；　when　their　young　could　fly。
Nightingales　sang　before　sunset；　and　birds　of　many　varieties　occupied
the　great　walnut…tree　above　our　camp；　and　made　the　early　morning
cheerful　with　a　chorus　of　different　songs。　There　was　no　change　from　day
to　day；　except　in　the　progress　of　the　gardens；　the　plums　grew　large：　the
mulberries　ripened　in　the　last　week　of　July；　and　the　shepherd's　pretty
children　and　the　monastery　boys　were　covered　with　red　stains；　as　though
from　a　battlefield；　as　they　descended　from　the　attractive　boughs。　It　was
a　very　peaceful　existence；　and　I　shall　often　look　back　with　pleasure　to
our　hermitage　by　the　walls　of　the　old　monastery；　which　afforded　a　moral
haven　from　all　the　storms　and　troubles　that　embitter　life。　On　Sundays　we
sent　a　messenger　for　the　post　to　the　military　camp　at　Troodos；　about
five　and　a　half　miles　distant；　and　the　arrival　of　letters　and　newspapers
restored　us　for　a　couple　of　days　to　the　outer　world：　after　which　we
relapsed　once　more　into　the　local　quiescent　state　of　complete　rest。　It
must　not　be　supposed　that　we　were　idle；　there　were　always　occupations
which　by　degrees　I　hope　improved　the　place；　and　to　a　certain　degree　the
people。　Occasionally　I　asked　the　old　monks　to　sit　and　smoke　their
cigarettes　in　our　〃rachkooba；〃　when　they　sipped　their　hot　coffee；　and
explained　difficult　theological　questions　to　my　intense　edification；　of
course　I　always　listened；　but　never　argued。　My　particular　friend　old
Neophitos　treated　me　to　long　stories　which　he　imagined　must　be　new　and
interesting；　especially　the　history　of　Joseph　and　his　brethren；　which　he
several　times　recounted　from　beginning　to　end　with　tears　of　sympathy　in
his　eyes　at　Joseph's　love　for　the　youngest　brother　Benjamin。　The　Garden
of　Eden；　the　Deluge；　including　the　account　of　Noah's　Ark；　and　several
equally　modern　and　entertaining　stories；　I　always　listened　to　with
commendable　attention。　Yet　even　in　this　solitude；　where　the　chapel…bell
on　Saturday　night；　and　at　daybreak　upon　Sunday　mornings；　was　in　harmony
with　the　external　peaceful　surroundings；　and　it　appeared　as　though
discord　could　never　enter　the　walls　of　Trooditissa；　the　old　monks　had
their　cares　and　difficulties。

The　principal　cause　of　trouble　was　〃servants！〃　I　was　quite　surprised；　as
I　thought　we　were　nearer　heaven　in　this　spot　than　in　any　earthly
locality　I　had　ever　visited；　but　even　here　the　question　of　〃servants〃
was　an　irritation　to　the　nerves　of　the　patient　monks。　My　own　servants
were　excellent；　and　never　quarrelled　or　complained；　they　appeared　to
have　been　mesmerised　by　the　placid　character　of　their　position；　and　to
have　become　angelic；　especially　in　not　fatiguing　themselves　through
over…exertion。　With　the　monks　the　case　was　different。　In　this　quiet
retreat；　where　man　reigned　alone；　as　Adam　in　the　Garden　of　Eden；　where
the　cares　and　anxieties　of　married　life　were　unknown　within　the　sacred
walls　of　celibacy；　a　single　representative　of　the　other　sex　existed　in
the　ubiquitous　shape　of　a　〃maid　of　all　work；〃　and　as　Eve　caused　the
first　trouble　in　the　world；　so　the　monastery　〃maid〃　disturbed　the
otherwise　peaceful　existence　of　Neophitos。

This　maid's　name　was　〃Christina；〃　and　she　received　the　munificent　sum　of
one　hundred　piastres　per　annum　as　wages；　which　in　English　money　would　be
fifteen　shillings　and　sixpence　every　year。　The　world　is　full　of
ingratitude；　and　strange　to　say；　Christina　was　dissatisfied；　which
naturally　wounded　the　feelings　of　the　good　monks；　as　in　addition　to　this
large　sum　of　money　she　received　her　food　and　clothes；　the　latter
consisting　of　full　trousers；　and　a　confusion　of　light　material；　which；
having　no　shape　whatever；　I　could　not　describe。　Christina；　though　young；
was　not　pretty；　and　she　was　always　either　crying　or　scolding；　which
would　of　course　spoil　any　beauty；　while　at　the　same　time　she　was　either
washing　all　the　clothes　belonging　to　the　whole　establishment　of　monks　（a
very　disagreeable　business）；　or　hanging　them　out　to　dry　near　the　spring；
or　she　was　sweeping　the　monastery；　or　arranging　the　very　dirty　rooms　of
the　establishment；　or　baking　all　the　bread　that　was　required；　or　cooking
the　dinner；　or　repairing　all　the　old　clothes　which　the　monks　wore　when
they　were　only　fit　for　a　paper…mill。　As　there　was　no　special
accommodation　in　the　shape　of　a　laundry；　Christina　had　to　collect
sticks；　and　make　a　huge　fire　beneath　a　copper　cauldron　in　the　open　air；
into　which　she　plunged　all　the　different　vestments　of　the　monks　and
priests；　and　stewed　them　before　washing。　This　was　a　Cyprian　〃maid　of　all
work；〃　whose　gross　ingratitude　troubled　the　minds　of　her　〃pastors　and
masters；〃　and　one　day　a　peculiar　mental　disturbance　pervaded　the　whole
priestly　establishment　and　caused　a　monasterial　commotion；　as；　after　a
violent　fit　of　temper　attended　by　crying；　Christina　had　declared
solemnly　that　she　〃would　stand　it　no　longer；〃　and　〃she　wished　TO　BETTER
HERSELF！〃

Whenever　there　was　a　difficulty　the　monks　came　to　me；　why；　I　cannot
imagine。　If　the　shepherd's　goats　invaded　their　gardens　and　destroyed　the
onions　and　the　beet…root　crops；　they　applied　to　me。　Of　course　I　advised
them　to　〃fence　their　gardens；〃　and　they　went　away　satisfied；　but　did　not
carry　out　the　suggestion　so　in　due　time　their　crops　were　devoured。　They
now　told　me　that　THEY　ALWAYS　HAD　DIFFICULTY　WITH　WOMEN！　This　new　theory
startled　me　almost　as　much　as　the　novelty　of　the　old　monks'　stories。
They　explained　that　YOUNG　WOMEN　WOULDN'T　WORK；　AND　OLD　WOMEN　COULDN'T
WORK。　It　had　not　occurred　to　them　that　a　middle…aged　woman　might　have
combined　all　that　they　desired。　Knowing　their