cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第19部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Africa；　which；　with　three　thousand　pounds；　require　ten　or　twelve　oxen。
The　heavier　weight　in　a　difficulty　of　soft　ground；　or　in　crossing　a
river；　would　be　serious；　but　if　the　vehicles　are　numerous；　and　the
weight　distributed　accordingly；　it　stands　to　sense　that　an　enormous
advantage　is　secured　by　the　presence　of　ten　oxen　in　five　light　carts；
all　of　which　can　be　applied　to　drag　a　single　cart　out　of　a　serious
dilemma；　instead　of　remaining　hopelessly　fixed　in　soft　mud；　anchored　by
a　weight　of　a　ton　and　a　half；　as　in　the　case　of　an　African
baggage…waggon。　High　and　broad　wheels　are　the　first　necessity；　with　a
compound　axle　of　wood　and　iron；　the　unequal　elasticity　of　which　relieves
the　shock。

I　invariably　found　that　during　the　day　I　hated　my　van；　and　in　the
evening　I　blessed　it。　It　certainly　delayed　us　on　the　march；　and　as　we
rode　some　miles　in　advance　we　noted　the　obstacles　that　would　cause　a
stoppage；　and　generally　halted　to　assist　when　the　〃tortoise〃　should
arrive。　All　this　was　of　course　annoying　in　a　country　where　a　horse　would
have　cantered　cheerily　along　and　have　accomplished　forty　miles　a　day；
but；　on　the　other　hand；　the　van　was　never　intended　for　grande　vitesse；
neither　is　express　travelling　the　proper　method　of　obtaining　an　accurate
knowledge　of　a　new　country。　Thus　we　crawled　along；　making　twelve　or
thirteen　miles　per　diem　through　a　most　uninteresting　country；　the　usual
scene　of　treeless　waste；　but　dotted　over　with　extensive　villages　of
mud…built　houses；　and　the　inevitable　white　arched…roof　Greek　churches。

The　only　incidents　that　occurred　in　this　land　of　apathy　were　occasioned
by　our　guide；　who　generally　lost　his　way；　and　spent　some　hours　in
finding　the　vans　at　the　halting…place　in　the　evening；　this　was　not
improving　to　the　temper；　and　of　course　I　laid　the　blame　upon　Cyprus
generally；　and　abused　the　island　almost　to　the　superlative　degree
adopted　by　the　〃newspaper　correspondents。〃

The　17th　February　was　a　day　of　considerable　bodily　exercise；　as　we
arrived　at　a　series　of　watercourses　as　deep　and　broad　as　military
trenches　for　sapping　up　to　a　fortress。　We　had　no　sooner　levelled　an
embankment；　and　with　great　difficulty　dragged　the　vans　across；　than　we
encountered　a　new　and　similar　obstruction。　At　length　we　arrived　within
half　a　mile　of　the　large　village　Arshia；　which；　being　well　irrigated；
opposed　a　perfect　network　of　barriers　in　the　shape　of　artificial
water…channels。　The　oxen　became　disheartened；　and　the　pair　which　drew
the　blue　van　driven　by　our　favourite　Georgi　determined　to　strike　work
just　as　he　was　applying　the　sharp　driving　prick　to　their　posteriors　in
ascending　a　steep　bank；　through　which　we　had　cut　a　passage　from　the　deep
water…course　beneath。　Instead　of　keeping　a　straight　course；　these
pig…headed　bullocks　made　a　sharp　turn　to　the　right　up　the　incline。　Down
went　one　upon　its　knees　in　rage　and　despair！　while　round　went　the　other
in　an　opposite　direction：　crash　went　the　pole　in　two　pieces！　and　the
blue　van；　having　vainly　endeavoured　to　right　itself　like　a　lady　about　to
faint　when　no　one　is　at　hand　to　save　her；　tottered　for　a　moment；　and
turned　over　with　a　crash　that　betokened　general　destruction。　My
Abyssinian　lad；　Amarn；　was　only　just　in　time　to　escape；　as　he　had　been
endeavouring　to　support　the　van　on　the　impending　side　when　it　suddenly
capsised；　and　he　would　have　been　flattened　like　a　black…edged　mourning
envelope　had　he　not　actively　sprung　out　of　the　way。

All　hands　set　about　righting　the　shipwhich　was　upon　her　beam…ends；　and
the　wheels　uppermost。　The　first　thing　necessary　was　to　discharge　cargo；
this　we　quickly　effected；　as　there　were　doors　in　front　and　behind；　and
the　numerous　packages　were　soon　piled　upon　the　wayside。　No　sooner　was
the　van　empty；　than　my　dogs；　who　had　been　watching　the　operation　in
bewilderment；　jumped　in；　and　no　inducement　would　persuade　them　to　quit
the　comfortable　vehicle；　which　they　supposed　had　been　specially　cleared
for　their　convenience；　the　doors　were　accordingly　shut；　and　they　were
locked　up。　We　now　passed　ropes　beneath　the　van；　and　secured　the　ends　to
the　bottom　of　the　wheels；　which　rested　upon　the　ground；　the　other　ends
were　thrown　over　the　cap…roof　and　manned；　while　the　rest　of　the　party
endeavoured　to　raise　the　van　bodily。　All　working　together；　we　righted　it
immediately；　the　astonished　dogs　were　liberated；　and　we　soon　replaced
the　contents。　I　sent　a　messenger　to　Arshia　to　purchase　if　possible　a
piece　of　wood　sufficiently　long　to　form　a　pole；　and　in　the　meantime　I
employed　my　tools　and　myself　in　splicing　the　broken　pole　sufficiently　to
enable　us　to　creep　a　little　nearer　to　the　village；　as　we　were　far　from
water。

It　was　nearly　dark　by　the　time　I　had　completed　my　work；　and　the　bullocks
were　once　more　fastened　to　the　van。　In　this　way　we　approached　within　a
quarter　of　a　mile　of　the　village　and　halted　for　the　night。　I　made　a
capital　pole　from　the　stem　of　a　young　fir…tree　which　I　procured　from　the
natives；　and　lashed　it　securely　to　the　rough　but　strong　splinter…bar　of
dwarf…cypress。

On　the　following　morning　at　daybreak　I　made　a　few　alterations　in　the
work　of　the　preceding　night；　and　having　thoroughly　secured　the　new　pole；
we　started　for　Kuklia；　about　thirteen　miles　distant。　After　passing　a　few
more　watercourses；　we　arrived　at　the　best　ground　we　had　seen　in　Cyprus；
and　the　vans　travelled　with　ease　at　upwards　of　three　miles　an　hour。
Throughout　this　march　I　observed　that　the　water　in　the　various　wells　and
open　pits　was　hardly　five　feet　from　the　surface；　although　the　country
was　suffering　from　an　absence　of　rain。　Notwithstanding　this　natural
advantage；　there　were　only　two　farms　upon　which　the　cattle…wheels　were
used　for　purposes　of　irrigation；　which　proves　the　lack　of　enterprise　and
capital　throughout　this　miserable　district。

There　were　many　important　villages　upon　the　higher　ground；　which
overlooked　the　lower　plain　through　which　the　river　Pedias　was　supposed
to　flow。　These　heights　were　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　above　the
lower　level；　and　continued　to　increase　their　elevation　for　many　miles；
until　they　formed　the　horizon　on　the　south…west　and　west。　The　soil　was
extremely　fertile；　but　as　usual　covered　with　stones；　the　debris　of
decayed　limestone　of　the　post…tertiary　period；　such　as　is　found
throughout　the　Messaria。　The　flat　valley　below　was　about　thirteen　miles
across　due　north；　and　was　bounded　by　the　Carpas　range；　which　extended　to
the　east　beyond　telescopic　view。　In　our　front　was　a　cheering　scene；
towards　which　we　hastened　with　all　speed；　as　sailors　rush　on　deck　at　the
first　cry　of　〃Land　ahead！〃　we　hurried　forward　at　the　unusual　sight；
〃Green　trees！〃　Groves　of　tall　cypress；　poplars；　and　other　varieties；
springing　from　a　base　of　exquisite　verdure；　formed　a　rare　and
unmistakable　landmark。　This　was　Kuklia；　our　halting…place；　the　property
of　Monsieur　Richard　Mattei。

Upon　arrival　at　the　village　we　selected　a　pretty　spot　upon　elevated
ground　which　overlooked　the　entire　country；　and　from　which　we　could
faintly　distinguish　Famagousta；　twelve　miles　distant。　Upon　our　right；
within　a　hundred　and　twenty　yards；　was　an　aqueduct　of　masonry　supported
upon　arches；　which　conveyed　a　powerful　stream　to　turn　a　large　overshot
water…wheel　in　the　valley　immediately　below。　The　surplus　water；　after
having　worked　the　mill；　was　used　for　the　irrigation　of　extensive
cotton…grounds；　beyond　which　it　flowed　into　the　marshes　and　formed　a
swamp。　On　the　opposite　side　of　this　narrow　valley　were　heights　and
undulating　ground；　corresponding　to　those　upon　which　we　stoodall
treeless　and　cold；　while　upon　our　right；　close　to　the　aqueduct；　was　the
bright　green　of　high　cultivation；　and　groves　of　tall　trees　which　towered
above　gardens　of　oranges　and　lemons　now　bending　beneath　the　burden　of
yellow　fruit。　The　village　was　disappointing；　as　the　houses　were　of　a　low
order　and　much　neglected；　the　lanes　were　occupied　by　the　usual　filth　and
noisy　dogs；　but　the　agreeable　view　of　bright　green　fields　and　real
thriving　trees　was　a　delightful　change；　and　exhibited　a　picture　of　what
Cyprus　might　become　when　developed　by　capital　and　enterprise。　While　the
camp　was　being　arranged　I　took　my　gun　and　strolled　with　the　dogs　into
the　narrow　valley　below　the　mill。　The　waterwheel　was　at　work；　and　the
people　were　engaged　in　cleaning　cotton；　as　the　machinery　was　adapted　for
both　purposes　of　grinding　corn　or　of　ginning　cotton　when　required。　There
were　plenty　of　snipe　in　the　marshes　below　the　cotton…fields；　for　which
rushes；　low　bushes　of　tamarisk　and　other　shrubs；　afforded　excellent
cover。　I　quickly　bagged　two　couple　and　my　first　Francolin　partridge；　and
was　just　in　time；　before　dark；　to　assist　the　dinner。

At　sunrise　on　the　following　morning　the　view　was　interesting；　as　the　sea
glittered　brightly　to　the　south；　while　the　bold　rocks　and　wall…like
sides　of　the　Carpas　mountains　stood　out　in　sharply…defined　edges　and
varying　colours　on　the　north。　To　the　east　we　looked　over　the　broadest
portion　of　a　dead　flat　created　by　the　deposit　from　inundations　of　the
eccentric　river　Pedias；　which；　although　dry　at　the　present　time；
periodically　floods　the　country　and　converts　the　valley　into　an
extensive　lake。　It　was　about　twenty　miles　acros