cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第10节

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should　be　looked　upon　as　the　enemy's　camp。

My　amiable　bullock…driver；　the　big　Georgi；　had　always　assured　me　that
〃game　abounded　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　Dali；〃　of　course　I　knew
that　the　happy　hunting…ground　contained　some　special　interest　for
himself。　Upon　arrival　on　the　outskirts　I　ordered　the　vans　to　pass　on　the
outside　of　the　town；　and　I　would　seek　a　camping…place　up…stream。　Instead
of　this　I　was　assured　that　we　should　pass　through　the　town；　and　find　a
lovely　grove　of　olive…trees　by　the　river…side；　the　perfection　of　a
halting…place。　For　the　first　time　I　now　discovered　that　Georgi's　wife
and　family　lived　in　Dali；　and　that　he　was　not　such　a　fool　as　he　looked。

In　a　few　minutes　we　were　descending　a　lane　so　narrow　that　the　gipsy　van
only　cleared　the　walls　of　the　houses　on　either　side　by　three　or　four
inches。　This　lane　had　been　paved　centuries　ago　with　stones　of　all　sizes；
from　a　moderate　grindstone　to　that　of　a　football。　When　people　had　wished
to　build　a　new　house；　they　had　taken　up　a　few　stones　to　make　a
foundation；　the　street　was　a　series　of　pitfalls　filled　with　mud　and
filth；　including　miniature　ponds　of　manure…coloured　water。　The　surface
appeared　impassable；　the　projecting　water…spouts　from　the　low　roofs
stuck　out　like　the　gnarled　boughs　of　trees。　Here　was　a　pretty　mess！all
because　Georgi's　wife　was　in　town。　It　was　impossible　for　anything　larger
than　a　perambulator　to　turn；　and　as　the　springs　yielded　to　the　uneven
ground；　the　van　bumped　against　the　walls　of　the　houses　and　threatened
destruction。　〃Halt！〃　was　the　only　word；　and　as　the　drag…shoe　was　on　the
wheel；　we　stopped。　At　this　moment　of　difficulty　a　priest　and　some　old
women　appeared　with　earthen　vessels　smoking　with　burning　olive　leaves；
they　immediately　passed　the　smoke　beneath　the　nostrils　of　the　oxen；　then
around　the　van；　and　lastly　ourselves。　At　the　same　time　some　good　young
women　threw　orange…flower　water　over　my　wife　and　myself　from　pretty
glass　vases　with　narrow　necks　as　a　sign　of　welcome。　The　incense　of　the
priests　was　supposed　to　avert　the　〃evil…eye〃　from　the　gipsy　van　and　our
party。　I　felt　much　obliged　for　the　good　intention；　but　I　did　not　mind
the　〃evil　eye〃　so　much　as　the　water…spouts。　In　my　experience　of
travelling　I　never　met　with　such　kind　and　courteous　people　as　the
inhabitants　of　Cyprus。　The　Dali　population　had　already　blocked　the
narrow　streets　from　curiosity　at　our　arrival；　and　soon　understanding　the
cause　of　our　dilemma；　they　mounted　the　housetops　and　tore　off　the
obstructing　water…spouts；　where　these　projections　were　too　strong；　they
sawed　them　off　close　to　the　eaves。　A　crowd　of　men　pushed　the　van　from
behind；　and　guided　the　oxen；　while　others　assisted　by　digging　up　the
large　paving…stones　that　would　have　tilted　it　against　the　house…walls。
In　this　manner　we　arrived　without　serious　accident　upon　the　bank　of　the
river　which　ran　through　the　town。　There　was　an　open　space　here　which　was
crowded　with　women　and　girls；　who；　with　feminine　curiosity；　had
assembled　to　see　the　English　lady。　Among　these　was　the　prettiest　young
woman　I　have　seen　in　Cyprus；　with　a　child　in　her　arms。　Her　large　blue
eyes　and　perfect　Grecian　features　were　enhanced　by　a　sweet　gentle
expression　of　countenance。　She　seemed　more　than　others　delighted　at　our
arrival。　This　was　Georgi's　wife！and　I　at　once　forgave　him　for
deceiving　us　and　yielding　to　the　natural　attraction　of　his　home。

We　were　not　quite　out　of　our　difficulty。　Several　hundred　people　had
assembled；　and　all　spoke　at　once；　raising　their　voices　in　the　hope　that
we　should　understand　their　Greek　better　than　if　spoken　in　a　moderate
tone：　（why　people　will　speak　loud　if　you　do　not　know　their　language　I
cannot　understand：）　but　as　we　were　utterly　ignorant　of　their　meaning　we
were　not　confused　by　their　differences　of　opinion　respecting　our
direction。　It　ended　in　our　crossing　the　stony　bed　of　the　river；　through
which　a　reduced　stream　only　a　few　inches　deep　flowed　in　the　centre；　and
having　with　difficulty　gained　the　opposite　bank　a　hundred　yards　distant；
we　soon　arrived　in　a　sort　of　natural　eel…trap　formed　by　a　narrow　avenue
of　gigantic　olive…trees；　the　branches　of　which　effectually　barred　our
progress　and　prevented　the　vans　from　turning。

A　temporary　loss　of　temper　was　a　natural　consequence；　and　having　ridden
in　advance　for　about　half　a　mile；　I　returned　and　ordered　a　retreat。　We
took　the　bullocks　out；　and　by　hand　backed　the　wheels；　until　by　shovels
and　picks　we　could　clear　a　space　for　turning。　We　then　re…crossed　the
river；　and　disregarding　all　native　advice；　struck　into　the　country；　and
halted　near　a　small　grove　of　olives　close　to　the　new　English　road　to　the
military　station　〃Mattiati。〃

It　was　the　4th　of　February；　and　the　temperature　in　the　morning　and
evening　was　too　cold　（43　degrees）　for　pleasant　camping。　In　spite　of　a
chilly　wind；　crowds　of　women　and　children　surrounded　our　vans　and　sat
for　hours　indulging　their　curiosity；　and　shivering　in　light　clothes　of
home…made　cotton…stuffs。　The　children　were　generally　pretty；　and　some　of
the　younger　women　were　good…looking；　but　there　was　a　total　neglect　of
personal　appearance　which　is　a　striking　characteristic　of　the　Cypriote
females。　In　most　countries；　whether　savage　or　civilised；　the　women　yield
to　a　natural　instinct；　and　to　a　certain　extent　adorn　their　persons　and
endeavour　to　render　themselves　attractive；　but　in　Cyprus　there　is　a
distressing　absence　of　the　wholesome　vanity　that　should　induce　attention
to　dress　and　cleanliness。　The　inelegance　of　costume　gives　an　unpleasant
peculiarity　to　their　figuresthe　whole　crowd　of　girls　and　women　looked
as　though　they　were　about　to　become　mothers。　The　coarse　and
roughly…tanned；　uncared…for　high　boots　with　huge　hobnails　were
overlapped　by　great　baggy　trousers。　Above　these　were　a　considerable
number　of　petticoats　loosely　hanging　and　tied　carelessly　at　the　waist；
which　was　totally　unsupported　by　any　such　assistance　as　stays。　A　sort　of
short　jacket　that　was　of　no　particular　cut；　and　possessed　the　advantage
of　fitting　any　variety　of　size　or　figure；　completed　the　attire。　The
buttons　that　should　have　confined　the　dress　in　front　were　generally
absent；　and　the　ladies　were　not　bashful　at　their　loss；　but　exposed　their
bosoms　without　any　consciousness　of　indelicacy。　There　was　no　peculiarity
in　the　arrangement　of　the　hair；　but　each　head　was　tied　up　in　a　cloth；
either　white　or　some　gaudy　colour；　which；　once　gay；　had　been　sobered　in
its　hues　by　dirt。　In　spite　of　this　neglected　exterior；　the　women　had
remarkably　good　manners；　they　seldom　approached　my　wife　without
presenting；　with　a　graceful　gesture；　some　wild　flowers；　or　a　little
bunch　of　sweet　herbs；　which　they　had　purposely　gathered；　and　we　were
quickly　made　rich　in　quantities　of　double　narcissus；　marigolds；　and
rosemary。　Upon　our　arrival　at　a　town　or　village　the　girls　and　boys　would
frequently　run　to　their　gardens　and　provide　themselves　with　either　a
single　flower；　or　rosemary；　with　which　they　would　await　us　in　the　street
and　offer　them　as　we　passed　by。　Throughout　Cyprus　we　have　received
similar　well…meant　attention；　and　the　simplicity　and　delicacy　of　the
offering　contrasts　in　an　anomalous　manner　with　the　dirty　habits　and
appearance　of　the　people。　Even　Georgi's　pretty　wife　was　untidy　about　the
hair；　although　she　was　in　her　best　attire；　and　a　close　inspection　of　all
women　and　girls　showed　that　their　throats　and　breasts　were　literally
covered　with　ancient　and　modern　fleabites。　Their　dwellings　are　extremely
filthy；　and　swarm　with　vermin；　as　the　fowls；　goats；　or　even　a　cow　or
two；　generally　increase　the　domestic　party。　It　is　well　known　that　Paphos
in　Cyprus　was　the　supposed　birthplace　of　Venus；　and　that　the　island　was
at　one　time　celebrated　for　the　beauty　of　women　and　immorality：　the
change　has　been　radical；　as　I　believe　no　women　are　more　chaste；　and　at
the　same　time　less　attractive；　than　the　Cypriotes　of　the　present　time。
They　are　generally　short　and　thickset；　they　are　hardly　treated　by　the
men；　as　they　perform　most　of　the　rough　work　in　cultivation　of　the
ground；　and；　from　the　extreme　coarseness　of　their　hands；　they　can　seldom
be　idle；　the　men；　on　the　contrary；　are　usually　good…looking；　and　are　far
more　attentive　to　their　personal　appearance。

Dali　was　an　interesting　spot　to　any　agriculturist。　The　soil　was
exceedingly　rich；　as　it　had　been　formed；　like　all　valleys　in　Cyprus；　by
the　alluvium　washed　down　from　the　surrounding　hills；　these　were　from
three　to　six　hundred　feet　above　the　level　of　the　plain；　and　were
composed　of　the　usual　hard　species　of　chalk　and　gypsum；　thus　the　deposit
from　their　denudation　by　rains　supplied　the　chief　constituents　for　the
growth　of　vines　and　cereals。

There　is　a　depressing　absence　of　all　recent　improvements　in　journeying
through　Cyprus；　even　at　Dali；　where　the　water　from　the　river　was　used
for　irrigation；　and　large　farms　in　the　occupation　of　the　wealthy
landowner；　M。　Richard　Mattei；　were　successfully　cultivated；　I　could　not
help　remarking　the　total　neglect　of　tree…planting。　The　ancient
olive…groves　still　exist　by　the　river's　side；　and；　could　they　speak；
those　grand　old　trees　would　be　historians　of　the　glorious　days　of
Cyprus；　but　there　are　no　recent　plant