cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第34节

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Georgi　had　taken　advantage　of　his　opportunity　to　threaten　the　sharp
cattle…dealer　with　a　long　list　of　imaginary　punishments　that　would　be
inflicted　by　English　law　should　he　refuse　to　return　the　bullock；　which
had　been　hired　for　a　special　service　by　an　Englishman。　The　paper　was
closely　scrutinised；　and　being　in　an　unknown　character；　Georgi　felt　his
advantage；　and　expounded　the　contents　so　forcibly　that　he　worked　upon
the　fears　of　the　inhabitants　of　Gallibornu；　who　insisted　that　the　Turk
should　compromise　the　affair　and　return　the　handsome　bullock；　receiving
in　exchange　his　own　half…starved　old　animal；　in　addition　to　a　present
of　half　a　sovereign。　Georgi　was　only　too　delighted　to　immediately　clench
the　bargain。　I　advised　him　in　future　to　manage　his　own　cattle…dealing
instead　of　confiding　in　his　able　friend　Theodori；　and　I　ordered　the　oxen
to　be　put　in　the　yokes　at　once；　and　to　draw　the　vans　to　our　old
camping…place　beneath　the　hawthorn…tree。　Upon　arrival　at　the　spot　a
great　change　had　taken　place；　the　hawthorns　were　a　mass　of　blossom；　and
scented　the　air　for　a　considerable　distance；　the　groves　of　fig…trees
had　broken　into　leaf；　the　trefoil　had　grown　to　a　height　of　two　feet；　and
numerous　cattle　were　tethered　in　the　rich　field；　to　feed　upon　the　few
square　yards　that　each　owner　had　purchased　at　a　high　price　to　save　his
animals　from　starvation。　A　field　of　broad…beans　that　we　had　left　in
early　blossom　twenty…four　days　before　now　produced　our　well…known
vegetable　for　dinner；　and　I　observed　that　the　native　children；　with
their　usual　liking　for　uncooked　food；　were　eating　these　indigestible
beans　raw！

There　had　been　no　rain　since　our　departure；　and　every　crop　that　was　not
irrigated　was　absolutely　destroyed。　The　aspect　of　the　country　was
pitiable；　it　should　have　been　at　this　season　a　waving　sea　of　green
barley　and　young　wheat；　but　it　was　a　withered　desert　with　a　few
patches　of　verdure　like　oases　in　a　thirsty　wilderness。　This　terrible
calamity　extended　throughout　the　entire　district　or　plain　of　Messaria；
and　exhibited　a　sad　example　of　the　great　necessity　of　Cyprus〃an
organised　system　of　artificial　irrigation。〃

We　remained　some　days　at　Kuklia；　during　which　I　strengthened　the
gipsy…van　by　lashing　the　frame…work　with　raw　bull's…hide　and　securing
the　blocks　of　the　springs　to　the　axles　with　the　same　material。　It　is
worthy　of　note　〃that　a　fresh　hide　should　never　be　used　for　lashing；　but
a　skin　that　has　been　already　dried　should　be　soaked　for　twenty…four
hours；　and　then　cut　into　a　strip　as　carefully　and　as　long　as　the　size
will　permit。　When　thus　prepared；　it　should　be　re…soaked　for　four　or　five
hours；　and　used　while　wet　as　a　lashing；　drawn　as　tight　as　possible。　The
power　of　contraction　is　enormous；　and　when　dry　the　skin　becomes　as　hard
as　wood；　but　a　fresh　hide　has　not　the　same　contractive　power；　and　will
stretch　and　become　loose　when　subject　to　a　severe　strain。〃　It　was　a
great　comfort　to　return　to　the　luxury　of　the　gipsy…van；　which　looked　the
picture　of　neatness；　the　gorgeous　Egyptian　lantern　had　ceased　to　exist
as　an　object　of　value；　as　it　had　several　times　been　upset　and　thrown
completely　off　its　hook　by　the　jumpings　and　bumpings　of　the　vehicle　when
forcibly　dragged　over　the　steep　banks　and　watercourses。　It　was　now
reduced　to　an　〃antique；〃　and　looked　as　though　it　had　been　recovered　from
the　ruins　of　an　ancient　temple。

The　post　was　kindly　forwarded　from　Famagousta　by　the　chief　commissioner；
and　we　revelled　in　newspapers；　which　during　our　stay　in　the　Carpas　had
been　a　complete　blank。　Our　cook　Christo　had　also　received　letters　which
disconcerted　him。　After　dinner　at　about　8。30　P。M。　he　suddenly　appeared
at　the　tent　door　with　a　very　large　breakfast…cup　in　his　hand。　〃I　beg
your　pardon；　sir；　but　I'm　sorry　to　say　my　mother　has　just　fallen　down
and　broken　her　leg！〃　was　his　first　announcement；　and　he　continued；　〃she
is　an　old　woman；　past　fifty；　sir；　and　a　broken　leg　is　a　very　bad　thing；
I　have　come　to　ask　for　some　brandy；　and　I've　brought　a　cup。〃

〃Your　mother　broken　her　leg；　Christo？　Why；　where　is　she？〃　I　replied。

〃She　is　at　Athens；　sir；　and　I　want　a　drop　of　brandy；　as　I　have　just
received　the　letter；　and　I　am　very　anxious　about　her。〃

I　now　discovered　that　the　brandy　was　not　intended　for　his　mother's　leg；
but　for　his　own　stomach；　to　comfort　his　nerves　and　to　allay　his　filial
anxiety。　He　had　a　good　dose　that　quickly　restored　his　usual　spirits；　as
I　heard　him　relating　stories　in　the　servants'　tent　which　created　roars
of　laughter。

Christo　was　an　excellent；　hard…working　fellow；　who　having　passed　his
life　at　sea；　was　exceedingly　handy；　and　combined　the　usual　good
qualities　of　a　sailor　with　the　art　of　cookery　and　a　certain　knowledge
which　enabled　him　to　act　as　interpreter。　He　was　as　clever　in　lashing　up
a　van　with　raw　hide　as　in　preparing　a　dinner　at　the　shortest　notice；　and
his　mayonnaise　would　have　raised　the　envy　of　many　a　professor　in
England。　His　English　varied　like　his　dishes；　and　upon　certain　days　there
was　a　considerable　vagueness　in　his　language；　while　at　other　times　he
expressed　himself　clearly。　Upon　one　of　these　foggy　intervals　I　asked　him
〃Why　the　people　had　made　so　much　noise　during　the　night？〃　and　he
replied；　that　〃A　little　hen…horse　had　made　one　child　in　the　stable！〃　He
intended　to　explain　that　a　pony　had　foaled　in　the　stable。　When　he　first
joined　us　he　frequently　rambled　and　confused　his　genders；　and　termed　all
females　〃hens；〃　which　at　times　had　almost　as　ludicrous　an　effect　as　the
mistakes　of　my　African　cook；　who　invariably　called　〃cocks　and　hens〃
〃bulls　and　women。〃　I　never　had　so　useful　a　man　in　travelling；　as　he
excelled　at　tent　pitching　and　arranging　the　luggage　on　pack…animals；　and
took　the　lead　in　everything；　in　addition　to　which　he　showed　a　great
interest　in　interpreting；　which　is　a　rare　quality　in　a　dragoman。

We　selected　a　road　upon　higher　ground　for　our　return　to　Lefkosia；　and
thus　avoided　the　watercourses　which　had　caused　so　much　vexation　and
delay　upon　our　former　journey。　The　first　night's　halt　was　at　the　long
stone　bridge　across　the　Pedias　river；　about　twenty　miles　from　Kuklia；
opposite　the　village　of　Kythrea　at　four　miles　distancethis　was　only
constructed　eight　years　ago；　and　it　was　already　rendered　impassable　by
the　overflow　of　the　torrent；　which　had　carried　away　a　considerable
portion。　On　the　following　morning　we　arrived　at　the　capital；　and　were
once　more　hospitably　received　by　Sir　Garnet　and　Lady　Wolseley。



CHAPTER　VII。

KYRENIA　AND　THE　NORTH　COAST。

The　change　from　camp…life　to　the　luxury　of　Government　House；　with　the
charm　of　the　society　of　Sir　Garnet　and　Lady　Wolseley　and　officers　of　the
staff；　was　a　most　agreeable　interlude　in　the　usually　monotonous　journey
through　Cyprus。　The　view　from　the　verandah　had　changed；　and　was
certainly　not　charming；　as　the　few　green　tints　that　had　looked　hopeful
on　our　former　visit　had　turned　to　brown；　but　the　house　within　more　than
compensated　for　the　cheerlessness　of　the　exterior　landscape。　A　picnic
excursion　to　the　castle　of　St。　Hilarion　had　been　arranged　for　the　29th
instant　by　Colonel　Greaves；　C。　B。；　chief　of　the　staff；　who　kindly
included　us　in　the　invitation。　This　point　was　seldom　visited；　as　it　was
situated　3240　feet　above　the　sea　upon　the　sky…line　of　the　crags　above
Kyrenia；　and　the　ride　there　and　back　covered　a　distance　of　about　thirty
miles　from　Lefkosia。　The　energy　of　English　ladies　rather　astonishes　the
people　of　this　country；　where　inertia　is　considered　to　be　happiness；　and
although　our　animals　were　ordered　to　be　saddled　punctually　at　6　A。M。　the
owner　in　Lefkosia　was　sceptical　as　to　our　actual　start　at　so　early　an
hour；　therefore　much　time　was　lost　on　the　morning　in　question　in　sending
messengers　vainly　to　and　fro　for　the　missing　mule　and　pony；　and　8　A。M。
arrived　before　their　appearance。　The　party　had　started　two　hours
earlier。　Colonel　White；　1st　Royal　Scots；　who　was　the　chief　commissioner
at　Lefkosia；　had　kindly　waited　to　accompany　us。　As　St。　Hilarion　was　only
a　short　distance　to　the　left　of　the　Kyrenia　road；　I　had　determined　not
to　return；　but　to　send　the　camels　and　luggage　on　direct。　We　left　all
unnecessary　luggage　locked　up　within　the　vans；　which　Sir　Garnet　Wolseley
kindly　permitted　us　to　leave　at　head…quarters。　We　took　leave　of　our　good
and　big　friend　Georgi　and　his　sharp　companion　Theodori；　who　returned　to
Dali；　where　Georgi　would　meet　the　only　Venus　that　I　have　seen　in　Cyprus；
his　wife；　but　even　that　pretty　Venus　was　ruined　by　high　boots　and　baggy
trousers。

Crossing　the　dry　bed　of　the　Pedias　below　the　Government　House；　we　struck
a　line　over　the　open　and　withered　plain　to　a　direct　route　to　Kyrenia。　At
a　distance　of　about　five　miles　from　Lefkosia；　the　broad　and　well…trodden
road　became　lost　in　a　variety　of　independent　paths；　which　at　length
converged　into　one　narrow　route　that　ascended　a　curious　formation　of
water…washed　and　utterly　denuded　hills；　composed　of　sandstone；
claystone；　and　peculiar　deposits　of　sedimentary　rock；　which　in　places
resembled　an　artificial　pavement。　In　many　places　the　strata　were
vertical；　exhibiting　the　confusion　that　had　been　created　by　the
upheaval。　Having　passed　through　a　succession　of　ups　and　downs　for　ab