cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第44节

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metallic　clink　like　masses　of　broken　porcelain。　On　arrival　at　the　top　I
remarked　that　only　a　few　inches　of　vegetable　mould　covered　a　stratum　of
white　marl　about　a　foot　thick；　and　this　had　been　pierced　in　many　places
by　the　heat　that　had　fused　the　marl　and　converted　it　into　a　clinker　or
sharply…edged　white　slag；　mixed　with　an　ochreous　yellow　and　bright　red。
I　had　never　met　with　anything　like　this　singular　example　of　igneous
action　upon　marls。　In　the　neighbourhood　there　were　considerable　masses
of　the　same　clinker…like　material　exhibiting　a　honeycombed　appearance；
that　would　have　been　well　adapted　for　millstones。　The　natives　informed
me　that　all　the　millstones　of　the　northern　coast　were　imported　from
Athens。　I　had　heard　while　at　Kythrea　that　the　stones　for　the　very
numerous　mills　of　that　neighbourhood　were　supplied　from　Alexandretta；
and　that　none　of　native　origin　were　employed。　There　can　be　no　doubt　that
some　of　the　specimens　I　examined　of　this　material　combined　the
requirements　of　extreme　hardness；　porosity；　and　sharpness　of　interior
edges　around　the　honeycombed　cavities。　I　walked　over　the　mountain；　and
quickly　lost　the　marl　in　masses　of　plutonic　rocks　that　had　been　upheaved
and　entirely　occupied　the　surface。　Although　vast　blocks　lay　heaped　in
the　wildest　confusion；　they　exhibited　the　peculiar　characteristics　of
all　Cyprian　rocks　（excepting　the　calcareous　limestone）　in　their　utter
want　of　compactness。　I　have　never　seen　in　Cyprus　any　hard　rock　（except
jurassic　limestone）；　whether　gneiss；　syenite；　or　others；　that　would
yield　an　unblemished　stone　to　the　mason's　chisel　of　ten　feet　in　length
by　a　square　of　two　feet。　This　peculiarity　is　not　the　result　of　decay；
but　the　entire　mass　has　been　fractured　by　volcanic　disturbance　and　by
the　rapid　cooling　of　molten　matter　upheaved　from　beneath　the　sea。

Red　jasper　is　abundant　in　this　locality；　and　is　generally　found　in　small
pieces　embedded　in　the　marls。　I　discovered　a　very　compact　specimen
weighing　about　200　lbs。；　which　I　left　at　a　house　in　Caravastasi　until　I
might　have　an　opportunity　of　conveying　it　to　Larnaca。　Upon　crossing　the
mountain　I　arrived　at　a　charming　valley　among　the　hills　at　an　elevation
of　about　1200　feet　above　the　sea；　at　the　narrow　entrance　of　which；
between　the　sides　of　the　gorge；　was　a　Turkish　village。　I　was　quickly
observed；　and　being　quite　alone；　with　the　exception　of　my　dogs；　a
Turkish　woman；　to　whom　I　made　a　salaam；　ran　into　a　neighbouring　house
and　sent　her　husband　with　a　chair；　that　I　might　sit　beneath　an
almond…tree。　A　few　Turks　gathered　round　me　and　insisted　with　much
politeness　that　I　should　enter　the　house　of　the　owner　of　the　chair。　It
was　a　rough　dwelling；　but　I　was　kindly　welcomed；　and　cheese；　bread；　and
curds　were　quickly　arranged　before　me；　together　with　a　gourd…shell　of
clear　cold　water；　from　the　spring　which　issued　from　the　rocks　in　the
gorge　about　fifty　feet　below　the　house。　To　the　disappointment　of　my　host
I　was　obliged　to　decline　all　his　offerings；　except　a　draught　of　cold
water；　as　I　had　breakfasted　before　leaving　the　camp。　The　Turk　now　showed
me　his　gun；　which　he　explained　was　of　little　use；　as　he　could　not　afford
a　game　licence；　but　he　offered　to　show　me　a　spot　where　hares　were
abundant。　The　shooting…season　was　long　since　closed；　therefore
partridges　and　francolins　were　sacred；　but　I　should　have　had　no　scruples
in　bagging　a　hare　for　a　stew。　My　guide　conducted　me　over　very　likely
ground　down　into　ravines　with　bush…covered　sides；　then　upon　the
hill…tops；　and　among　patches　of　cultivation　where　the　hares　had　played
sad　havoc　in　nibbling　the　wheat　and　barley；　but　we　found　none。　My　dogs
hunted　every　bush　in　vain；　and　the　burning　sun　had　dried　out　every
vestige　of　scent。　I　believe　the　hares　escape　the　sun　by　taking　refuge
beneath　the　rocks；　otherwise　we　must　have　moved　at　least　one　or　two。　My
guide　was　much　disappointed；　but　as　game　was　absent　he　hunted　for　wild
asparagus；　which　grew　in　considerable　quantities　beneath　the　thick
clumps　of　bushes　upon　the　hill…sides。　By　the　time　that　we　arrived　in
camp　he　had　collected　sufficient　for　a　good　dish。　This　variety　is　not
quite　so　thick　as　good　cultivated　asparagus；　but　it　is　superior　in
flavour；　although　slightly　bitter。

We　rode　to　Lefka；　about　three　miles　distant。　This　is　one　of　those　happy
lands　of　Cyprus　which　is　watered　with　unfailing　streams　from　the　Troodos
range；　that　have　enforced　prosperity。　The　town　is　important；　and　is
situated　upon　the　sides　of　the　hills；　which　form　a　valley；　through
which；　in　rainy　weather；　a　river　flows；　at　other　seasons；　like　all
Cyprian　torrents；　the　bed　is　dry。　The　houses　of　Lefka　are　almost
concealed　by　the　luxuriant　foliage　of　the　gardens　and　orangeries。　We
rode　through　narrow　lanes　streaming　with　water；　and　shaded　with　the　elm；
ash；　maple；　and　innumerable　fruit…trees。　Mills；　turned　by　water；　the
masonry　of　the　aqueducts　being　ornamented　with　the　graceful　maiden…hair
ferns；　enlivened　the　otherwise　dull　lanes　by　an　exhibition　of　industry。
The　orange…trees　and　lemons　were　literally　overweighted　with　fruit；
which　in　some　instances　overpowered　the　foliage　by　a　preponderance　of
yellow。　Lefka　supplies　the　whole　western　district　with　lemons；　in
addition　to　the　market　of　the　capital；　Lefkosia。　As　usual；　I　observed
that　the　fruit…trees　were　ridiculously　crowded；　thus　preventing　the
admission　of　the　necessary　air　and　light。　I　forbear　at　present　to
describe　the　fruit；　as　none　existed　at　this　season；　excepting　oranges
and　lemons；　and　I　wish　to　introduce　my　readers　to　every　scene　and　object
precisely　as　they　met　my　eye　in　travelling　through　the　country。　The
lemons　are　some　of　the　best　I　have　ever　tasted；　but　the　oranges　are　full
of　seeds；　with　thick　skins；　and　although　juicy　and　refreshing　in　this
hot　climate；　they　would　be　rejected　in　the　English　market。

A　very　cursory　view　of　Lefka　was　sufficient　to　explain　its　agricultural
importance；　and　to　（for　the　hundredth　time）　awaken　the　reflection　that
most　portions　of　the　island　might　equal　such　exceptional　prosperity；　if
special　attention　were　bestowed　upon　the　development　of　artificial
irrigation。

On　16th　April　we　left　Caravastasi；　and　rode　over　almost　the　worst　road；
but　one　of　the　most　picturesque　in　Cyprus。　It　was　a　succession　of　the
steepest　ups　and　downs　through　and　over　mountain　spurs；　to　cut　off　the
promontories　which　projected　into　the　sea　at　right　angles　with　our
route。　It　seemed　impossible　that　loaded　animals　should　be　able　to
traverse　such　steep　and　dangerous　defiles；　and　I　made　up　my　mind　that
Iiani's　ancient　camel　would　terminate　its　career；　together　with　that　of
our　possessions　upon　its　back；　by　rolling　several　hundred　feet　into　the
dark　angle　of　some　precipitous　ravine。　Even　Iiani　kept　awake；　and
presently　I　heard　a　faint　exclamation　from　behind；　and　upon　turning
round　I　discovered　Lady　Baker　upon　the　ground；　the　saddle　having　twisted
beneath　her　mule　in　descending　a　steep　and　rocky　gulley；　fortunately　she
fell　upon　the　wall…side　of　the　path；　instead　of　upon　the　edge　of　the
precipice；　and　she　was　unhurt。

Although　the　route　was　abominable　it　was　most　interesting。　As　the
drainage　of　the　mountains　was　at　right　angles；　we　crossed　a　succession
of　heights　which　afforded　short　glimpses　of　the　sea　some　600　feet
beneath；　with　the　perpendicular　rock…bound　coast　below　us；　and　then
alternately　descended　into　the　depths　of　the　intervening　gullies。　This
peculiarity　exhibited　to　perfection　the　geological　formation。　We　had
entered　upon　trap　rocks　and　the　greenstone；　all　of　which　showed　traces
of　copper。　Notwithstanding　the　wild　and　dangerous　route；　every　available
plot　of　ground　was　cultivated；　although　no　villages　were　perceptible。
The　peasants　carried　their　light　ploughs　upon　donkeys　from　considerable
distances；　and　with　these　exceedingly　useful　implements　they　ploughed
inclines　that　would　have　been　impossible　to　cultivate　with　any　European
implement　except　the　hoe。　At　length　we　descended　to　the　sea…beach；　and
marching　through　heavy　sand　for　about　a　mile；　we　arrived　at　Pyrgos；　our
halting…place；　twelve　miles　from　Caravastasi。

This　is　one　of　the　wildest　portions　of　Cyprus。　There　is　no　village；　but
the　position　is　simply　marked　by　the　presence　of　one　building　above　the
sea…beach；　which　has　been　a　depot　for　the　spars　and　poles　of　pine　that
have　periodically　been　delivered　from　the　mountains　by　the　torrents；
when　heavy　rains　have　swollen　them　sufficiently　to　enable　them　to　force
the　timber　towards　the　sea。　As　the　mountains　upon　this　portion　of　the
coast　descend　in　many　places　actually　to　the　shore；　while　in　no　places
are　they　more　than　half　a　mile　distant；　the　rivulets　are　numerous；　as
there　is　no　time；　or　area；　sufficient　for　their　absorption　by　the　soil。
Within　a　hundred　and　fifty　paces　of　the　timber　store　beautiful　streams
of　clear　water　issued　from　the　ground　in　three　different　places；　which
converged　into　a　brook　abounding　with　water…cresses；　and　this；　after
passing　through　a　small　and　thick　jungle　of　tamarisk…bushes；　formed　a
pool　above　the　sea…beach　which　overflowed　upon　the　shingle；　and　met　the
waves。　We　ascended　the　stream　for　a　short　distance；　until；　tempted　by
two　or　three　large　plane…trees；　we　halted　for　l