cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第12节

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which　had　been　scored　out　by　the　rainfall　of　ages　were　artificially
arranged　to　catch　the　melted　earth　in　its　descent　during　heavy　storms；
and　to　form　terraces　of　rich　alluvium。

A　succession　of　rough　walls　composed　of　the　large　rocks　which　strewed
the　surface；　were　built　at　convenient　intervals　across　the　ravines；
forming　a　series　of　dams　or　weirs。　The　soil　of　Cyprus　is　peculiar　in
dissolving　very　quickly　during　a　shower；　and　the　water　rolls　down　the
steep　inclines　carrying　so　much　earth　in　solution；　that；　should　its
course　be　checked；　it　deposits　an　important　quantity；　sufficient　in　a
few　seasons　to　form　a　surface　for　a　considerable　area。　The　walls　of　the
dams　are　continually　raised　as　the　earth　attains　a　higher　level；　and　the
ground　thus　saved　is　a　complete　gain　to　the　proprietor。

The　few　partridges　were　very　wild；　and　saved　my　dogs　the　trouble　of
hunting　by　showing　themselves　at　a　couple　of　hundred　yards；　the　only
chance　of　shooting　them　depended　upon　stray　birds　passing　within　shot
when　disturbed　by　the　long　line　of　guns。　I　only　bagged　one　partridge　and
a　hare；　and　the　rest　of　the　party　had　the　miserable　total　of　two　birds。
This　was　a　fair　example　of　the　sport　on　the　bare　hill…sides　of　Messaria。

The　new　road　to　Mattiati　was　unfit　for　vans；　I　therefore　rode　over　to
visit　the　camp　of　the　20th　Regiment；　eight　miles　distant；　and　after
luncheon　with　the　officers　of　that　regiment　I　accompanied　their　party　to
Lithrodondo；　the　Colonel　having　kindly　lent　me　a　fresh　horse。　My　aneroid
showed　an　increased　elevation　of　330　feet　in　the　eight　miles　from　Dali
to　Mattiati。　After　leaving　the　Dali　plain　the　road　passes　through　the
usual　hills　of　hard　chalk；　but　about　two　miles　from　the　entrance　an
important　change　was　exhibited　in　the　geological　structure。　Eruptive
rocks　had　burst　through　the　chalk；　producing　interesting　metamorphic
phenomena。　The　hills　no　longer　fatigued　the　eye　by　the　desolate　glare；
but　the　earth　was　a　rich　brown　diversified　with　patches　of　bright
chocolate　colour。

The　greenstone　cropped　out　through　the　surface　in　large　masses；
accompanied　by　a　peculiar　dun…stone　precisely　similar　to　that　of　Knowles
Hill　in　South　Devon。　In　a　cutting　through　a　hill…side　by　the　government
new　road　veins　of　bright　yellow　ochre　were　exposed；　also　red　ochre　in
considerable　quantities。　I　took　samples　of　the　yellow；　which　appeared　to
be　of　a　good　quality；　but　I　believe　the　commercial　value　is　too
insignificant　to　support　the　charges　of　land…transport　and　the
subsequent　freight　from　Larnaca。

Mattiati　is　about　1300　feet　above　the　sea…level。　The　troops　were　camped
in　wooden　huts　on　low　hills　about　forty　feet　above　a　flat　valley；　where
olive…trees　throve　in　considerable　numbers。　I　should　not　have　selected
Mattiati　as　a　sanitary　station；　the　plain　showed　evident　signs　of　bad
drainage；　and　the　rich　deep　soil　would　become　a　swamp　after　heavy　rains。
Upon　the　low　hills　within　a　mile　of　the　station　were　vast　quantities　of
scoriae　or　slag　from　ancient　smelting…furnaces；　and　the　remains　of
broken　pottery；　mingled　with　stones　that　had　been　used　in　building；
proved　that　important　mining　operations　had　been　carried　on　in　former
ages。

From　Mattiati　to　Lithrodondo　the　country　is　broken　and　little
cultivated；　there　was　no　longer　a　sign　of　cretaceous　rock；　but　the　bold
range　of　mountains　rose　before　us　crowned　by　Makheras；　4730　feet；
apparently　close　above　us；　dark　in　plutonic　rocks　and　sparsely　covered
with　myrtles　and　other　evergreens。　As　we　neared　the　base　of　the
mountains；　the　vegetation　increased；　and　passing　the　dirty　village　of
Lithrodondo；　we　entered　upon　a　succession　of　hills　divided　by　numerous
small　torrent…beds；　the　steep　banks　of　which　were　thickly　fringed　with
oleanders；　mastic；　myrtles；　and　other　shrubs；　which　formed　an
inspiriting　change　from　the　weary　treeless　country　we　had　left　behind。
Beyond　Lithrodondo　are　extensive　vineyards；　but　it　was　late；　and　I　was
obliged　to　turn　back　towards　Dali；　fifteen　miles　distant。

Wherever　I　had　been　since　my　departure　from　Larnaca　the　natives　had
complained　of　the　effects　of　fever　to　which　they　are　subjected　during
the　summer　months；　but　they　were　unanimous　in　declaring　that　〃the
general　sickness　of　the　last　year　was　exceptional；　and　that　the　fevers
were　not　of　a　dangerous　nature。〃　It　is　well　known　that　upon　our　first
occupation　of　the　island　in　July；　1878；　all　troops；　both　English　and
Indian；　suffered　to　a　degree　that　would　have　rendered　them　unfit　for
active　service。　It　is　true　that　the　actual　mortality　was　not　excessive；
but　the　strength　of　an　army　must　be　reckoned　by　the　EFFECTIVE　force；　and
not　by　numbers。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that；　owing　to　a　season　declared
by　the　inhabitants　to　be　exceptionally　unhealthy；　and　the　unfortunate
necessity　for　a　military　occupation　during　the　extreme　heat　of　July　and
August；　the　troops　being　overworked；　badly　fed；　and　unprotected　from　the
sun；　the　newly…acquired　island　was　stamped　with　a　pestilential
character；　and　Cyprus　became　a　byeword　as　a　fever…smitten　failure。　I
shall　give　my　personal　experiences；　untinged　by　any　prejudice。　The
natural　features　of　the　country　produced　a　sad　impression　upon　my　first
arrival　in　a　scene　where　the　depressing　influence　of　a　barren　aspect
must　to　a　certain　extent　affect　the　nervous　system；　but　a　careful
examination　of　the　entire　surface　of　the　island　subsequently　modified　my
first　impressions；　with　results　which　these　pages　will　describe。

There　was　no　object　in　prolonging　my　visit　to　Dali；　the　tombs　of　ancient
Idalium　had　already　been　ransacked　by　the　consuls　of　various　nations；
and　had　I　felt　disposed　to　disturb　the　repose　of　the　dead；　nominally　in
the　interests　of　science；　but　at　the　same　time　to　turn　an　honest　penny
by　the　sale　of　their　remains；　I　should　have　been　unable　to　follow　the
example　of　the　burrowing　antiquarians　who　had　preceded　me；　a　prohibition
having　been　placed　upon　all　such　enterprises　by　the　English　government。

It　is　supposed　that　Idalium　is　one　of　the　largest　and　richest　treasuries
of　the　dead　in　Cyprus。　For　several　centuries　the　tombs　had　been
excavated　and　pillaged　in　the　hopes　of　discovering　objects　of　value。　The
first　robbers　were　those　who　were　simply　influenced　by　the　gold　and
other　precious　ornaments　which　were　accompaniments　of　the　corpse；　the
modern　despoilers　were　resurrectionists　who　worked　with　the　object　of
supplying　any　museums　that　would　purchase　the　funeral　spoil。

It　is　a　curious　contradiction　in　our　ideas　of　propriety；　which　are
measured　apparently　by　uncertain　intervals　of　time；　that　we　regard　as
felonious　a　man　who　disinters　a　body　and　steals　a　ring　from　the　fingers
of　the　corpse　a　few　days　after　burial　in　an　English　churchyard；　but　we
honour　and　admire　an　individual　who　upon　a　wholesale　scale　digs　up　old
cemeteries　and　scatters　the　bones　of　ancient　kings　and　queens；　princes；
priests；　and　warriors；　and　having　collected　the　jewellery；　arms；　and
objects　of　vanity　that　were　buried　with　them；　neglects　the　once　honoured
bones；　but　sells　the　gold　and　pottery　to　the　highest　bidder。　Sentiment
is　measured　and　weighed　by　periods；　and　as　grief　is　mitigated　by　time；
so　also　is　our　respect　for　the　dead；　even　until　we　barter　their　ashes
for　gold　as　an　honourable　transaction。

The　most　important　object　of　antiquity　that　has　been　recently　discovered
by　excavations　at　Dali　is　the　statue　of　Sargon；　king　of　Assyria；　707
B。C。；　to　whom　the　Cypriote　kings　paid　tribute。　This　was　sent　to　the
Berlin　Museum　by　Mr。　Hamilton　Lang；　and　is　described　in　his　interesting
work　upon　Cyprus　during　the　term　of　several　years'　consulship。

The　ruins　of　ancient　cities　offer　no　attraction　to　the　traveller　in　this
island；　as　nothing　is　to　be　seen　upon　the　surface　except　disjointed
stones　and　a　few　fallen　columns　of　the　commonest　description。　The
destruction　has　been　complete；　and　if　we　wish　to　make　discoveries；　it　is
necessary　to　excavate　to　a　considerable　depth；　but　as　all　such
explorations　are　prohibited；　the　subject　remains　fruitless。　General　di
Cesnola；　whose　work　upon　the　antiquities　of　Cyprus　must　remain
unrivalled；　describes　the　tombs　as　from　forty　to　fifty…five　feet　beneath
the　present　surface；　and　even　those　great　depths　had　not　secured　them
from　disturbance；　as　many　that　he　opened　had　already　been　ransacked　by
former　explorers。

On　the　7th　of　February　the　thermometer　at　eight　A。M。　was　only　40
degrees。　The　oxen　were　put　into　their　yokes；　and　after　a　discussion
concerning　the　best　route　to　Lefkosia；　it　was　agreed　that　Georgi　should
be　the　responsible　guide；　as　he　was　a　native　of　the　country。

When　travelling　on　horseback　through　the　district　of　Messaria　there　is
no　difficulty　of　roads；　provided　you　know　the　country　thoroughly；　as　you
may　canter；　in　the　absence　of　enclosures；　in　any　direction　you　may
please；　but　the　Cypriotes　have　an　awkward　habit　of　leading　their
watercourses　straight　through　any　route　that　may　exist　for　wheeled
conveyances；　and　you　suddenly　arrive　at　a　deep　ditch　and　high　bank；
which　block　the　thoroughfare。　Georgi　had　assured　us　that　no　difficulty
would　delay　us　between　Dali　and　the　high　road　from　Larnaca　to　Lefkosia；
which　we　should　intersect　about　half…way　between　the　two　t