cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第73部分

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kissing　of　the　Virgin's　cave　at　Trooditissa　for　the　purpose　already
described；　we　can　trace　an　affinity　with　the　ancient　worship　of　Venus。



CHAPTER　XVIII。

ON　POLICE；　FOOD；　CLIMATE；　&C。

The　population　of　Cyprus　is　about　200；000；　of　which　number　more　than
three…fourths　belong　to　the　Greek　Church；　nevertheless　the　minority　of
Turks　completely　dominated　prior　to　the　British　occupation。　Although　the
Cypriote　is；　as　I　have　described；　courteous；　gentle；　and　affectionate　in
his　domestic　circle；　he　is　at　the　same　time　cunning　and　addicted　to
petty　larceny；　and　in　all　your　dealings　with　these　apparently　easy…going
people　you　must　exercise　the　same　acuteness　that　is　so　absolutely
necessary　in　England。　There　are　few　great　crimes　in　proportion　to　the
population；　nor　do　we　ever　hear　of　such　atrocities　as　those　classes　of
murders　which　so　frequently　blacken　the　page　of　our　modern　history。
Homicide　is　more　common　than　actual　murder；　and　is　often　the　result　of　a
sudden　quarrel　where　knives　are　drawn；　and　a　fatal　stab　in　passion
constitutes　the　offence。　Sheep…stealing　is　the　prevalent　crime；　and　is
carried　on　with　an　amount　of　hardihood　that　can　only　be　accounted　for
from　the　difficulty　of　proof。　The　flocks　of　goats；　&c。；　roam　over　the
wild　and　uninhabited　area　of　the　high　mountains　and　frequently　stray
from　the　shepherd　and　are　lost　for　two　or　three　nights；　by　the　time　they
are　recovered　a　certain　number　may　be　missing；　and　it　is　hardly　possible
to　discover　the　thief；　as　the　animals　have　been　driven　to　a　great
distance。　Tracking　would　be　out　of　the　question　over　the　rocky　surface；
where　every　small　plot　of　naked　soil　is　trodden　into　countless　footmarks
by　the　innumerable　goats　which　browse　upon　the　mountain　slopes。　At　night
the　flocks　are　generally　herded　within　a　circle　protected　by　a　fence　of
thorny　bushes；　sometimes　these　folds　are　invaded　by　thieves　during　the
darkness；　and　a　considerable　number　are　driven　off。　As　the　locality
would　be　generally　distant　from　the　principal　town；　and　the　shepherd
cannot　forsake　his　flock　for　several　days　to　prosecute；　the　thieves
frequently　escape；　and　this　immunity　encourages　them　to　further
depredations。　During　my　residence　within　the　precincts　of　the　monastery；
the　fold　upon　the　hill　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　the　establishment
was　thus　robbed；　and　the　thieves　were　never　discovered。

The　police　or　zaphtiehs　are　generally　too　far　from　these　wild　localities
to　be　of　any　service；　and　they　are　at　present　too　few　for　the　proper
supervision　of　the　island。　A　plan　is　I　believe　in　contemplation　to
extend　this　body　upon　a　scale　that　will　render　the　force　efficient　as　a
gendarmerie；　which　would　to　a　considerable　degree　relieve　the　necessity
for　a　permanent　European　military　force。　There　can　be　no　better　soldier
than　the　Turk　under　British　officers。　The　Christians　in　Cyprus　have　an
objection　to　this　service；　and　there　is　no　reason　why　a　military　force
to　combine　the　duties　of　police　should　not　be　organised；　that　would　be
thoroughly　acclimatised；　and　would　at　the　same　time　be　maintained　for
less　than　half　the　expense　of　English　troops。　There　is　nothing　to　fear
from　the　Turkish　population　in　Cyprus；　and　they　would　willingly　enlist
in　our　service；　and　could　always　be　depended　upon　in　case　of　necessity。
The　force　already　organised　is　an　admirable　nucleus；　and　could　be
rapidly　increased；　each　man　finds　his　own　horse　and　receives　two
shillings　a　day　inclusive；　his　clothes　and　arms　being　provided　by　the
government。　For　service　in　the　trying　climate　of　Cyprus　the　Turk　is
pre…eminent。　I　do　not　see　any　need　for　the　presence　of　British　troops　in
this　island。　The　fortresses　are　all　dismantled；　the　natives　are
peaceful；　and　the　extremely　low　price　of　wine　and　spirits　is　terribly
adverse　to　the　sanitary　condition　of　the　English　soldier。　The　staunch
sobriety　of　the　Turk；　his　extreme　hardihood；　which　enables　him　to　endure
great　fatigue　upon　the　most　simple　fare；　and　his　amenity　to　discipline；
together　with　an　instinctive　knowledge　of　arms　and　a　natural　capacity
for　a　military　profession；　render　him　a　valuable　material　for　our
requirements　in　organising　a　defensive　force　in　Cyprus。　Should　it　be
determined　that　a　certain　number　of　British　troops　shall　be　retained；
they　can　be　spared　unnecessary　exposure；　and　retire　to　the　mountain
sanatorium　during　the　summer　months。

The　wages　of　both　artisans　and　ordinary　labourers　have　risen
considerably　since　the　British　occupation；　as　might　have　been　expected。
Skilled　masons　and　carpenters　can　now　command　from　3　shillings　6　pence
to　5　shillings　per　diem；　who　formerly　could　earn　a　maximum　of　3
shillings。　Ordinary　masons　for　building　walls　can　even　now　be　obtained
for　2　shillings　6　pence　and　3　shillings；　and　agricultural　labourers
receive　1　shilling。　It　is　probable　that　should　extensive　government
improvements　be　undertaken；　or　large　contracts　be　made　by　private
individuals　for　public　works；　the　rate　will　rise　from　one　shilling　to
eighteen　pence；　as　the　demand　for　labour　shall　increase。　Should　schools
be　established　and　education　become　general　throughout　the　island；　the
result　will　probably　be　exhibited　by　a　corresponding　advance　in　wages；
as　individuals　will　estimate　their　value　at　a　higher　rate。　At　present
there　is　no　organised　system　of　education　for　the　peasantry；　and　the　few
schools　are　confined　to　Nicosia；　Larnaca；　Limasol；　Baffo；　and　Morphu；
all　of　which　are　supported　by　original　grants；　voluntary　contributions；
the　payments　of　pupils；　and　by　certain　sums　annually　provided　by　the
bishops　and　monasteries。

The　rate　of　wages　should　in　all　countries　bear　a　just　proportion　to　the
price　of　food；　and　should　the　habits　of　the　Cypriotes　remain　unchanged；
and　their　diet　retain　its　simple　character；　there　is　no　reason　to
anticipate　a　rate　that　would　eventually　exceed　10　shillings　or　11
shillings　a　week。　If　we　determine　upon　low　wages；　we　must　keep　down　the
price　of　food。　The　Turkish　administration　had　peculiar　municipal　laws
upon　this　subject　which　are　still　in　force　in　some　localities；　but　have
been　abrogated　in　Limasol。　I　have　already　mentioned　that　the　price　of
meat　was　fixed　at　a　certain　sum　per　oke；　so　that　good　and　bad　sold　at
the　same　figure；　and　resulted　in　the　inferior　qualities　being　sent　to
market；　while　the　best　never　appeared。　Fish；　fruits；　and　vegetables　were
rated　in　the　same　manner；　and　the　municipal　authorities　ruled；　and　fixed
a　standard　price　for　everything；　good　and　bad　all　shared　alike。　By　this
extraordinary　legislation；　which　to　the　English　mind　is　inconceivable；
the　finest　cauliflowers　and　the　most　common　varieties　would　sell　exactly
at　the　same　price；　no　matter　what　the　quality　of　vegetables　might　be；
all　were　reduced　to　the　same　level。　Fish　was　simply　fish。　The　best
varieties　and　the　most　inferior　were　included　in　the　same　despotic　law。
Salmon　and　stickleback；　turbot　and　sprat；　herrings　and　soles；　would　（had
they　existed）　have　been　sold　at　so　much　a　pound　independent　of　their
qualities。　The　result　was　that　if　your　servant　went　to　market　to　buy　a
fine　species　of　fish；　the　seller　insisted　upon　his　taking　a　due
proportion　of　inferior　trash　that　was　hardly　eatable。　〃All　was　fish　that
came　to　the　net；〃　little　and　big；　good　and　bad；　fetched　the　same　price。

Such　a　system　would　ensure　the　worst　of　everything；　what　gardener　would
devote　his　energies　to　producing　fine　varieties；　if　a　common　field
cabbage　would　rival　his　choicest　specimens　at　the　same　price；　but　at　a
minimum　of　labour？

It　was　evident　that　the　lowest　class　of　vegetables　would　represent　the
garden　produce；　as　this　absurd　rule　was　a　premium　for　indolence；　whereas
free　competition；　that　would　have　assured　high　prices　to　the　best
qualities；　would　have　stimulated　the　cultivators　in　their　productions。
This　argument　was　so　indisputable　that　the　chief　commissioner　（Colonel
Warren；　R。A。）　determined　at　all　hazards　to　introduce　free　markets　into
Limasol；　and　although　opposed　to　the　conservative　ideas　of　his　municipal
council；　he　carried　out　his　views　of　a　healthy　competition　and　free　and
unrestricted　trade；　which　would　awaken　the　Cypriotes　to　the　fact　that
labour　properly　directed　would　ensure　the　best　qualities；　that　would
benefit　the　producer　by　securing　the　best　prices。

Self…evident　facts　in　an　English　community　may　be　utterly　misconstrued
in　Cyprus。　The　Cypriote　has　never　been　accustomed　to　unrestricted
freedom；　but　like　his　own　ox　in　the　plough；　he　requires　a　certain　amount
of　control；　and　his　energies　must　be　directed　by　a　driver　or　ruler。　When
the　vegetables　were　assured　of　a　certain　fixed　price　per　oke　regulated
by　the　authorities；　he　knew　that　he　would　obtain　that　amount　for　his
produce　whether　good　or　bad；　accordingly　he　brought　his　goods　to　market。
But；　when　he　found　that　his　inferior　vegetables　would　remain　unsold；　or
would　realise　a　mere　trifle　should　a　competitor's　stall　present　a
superior　show；　he　withdrew　altogether　from　the　market；　which　at　length
became　deserted；　and　the　few　who　maintained　their　positions　advanced
their　prices　to　such　an　exorbitant　degree　that　vegetables　became　a
luxury　in　which　none　could　indulge　but　the　rich。　The　fishermen　profited
by　the　reform　and　only　caught　sufficient　for　the　minimum　demand；　but　at
the　same　time　that　they　reduced　their　own　labour　and　consequently　the
supply　of　fish；　they　also　took　advantage　of　the　new　law　of　free　trade；
and　advanced　their　prices　in　extortionate　proportion。　Instead　of　the
self…evident　prosperity　that　would　benefit　all　classes；　the　sudden
liberty　to　which　the　Cypriote　was　unaccustomed　acted　diametrically
against　all　English　expectations；　and　for　the　time　ruined　the　market。
This　was　told　me　by　Colonel　Warren　himself；　and　the　failure　of　the
apparently　wholesome　reform　is　suggestive　of　the　danger　that　may　result
in　the　too　sudden　enfranchisement　of　those　races　which　from　a　long
series　of　oppression　are　unfit　for　perfect　liberty。

At　the　same　time　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　vexatious　and　arbitrary
systems　of　taxation　pursued　in　collecting　the　〃dimes〃　has　prevented　the
extension　of　market　gardens；　and　were　this　tax　remitted；　I　cannot
imagine　any　more　lucrative　occupation　than　the　growth　of　vegetables　of
the　b