cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第51节

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appearance　and　organisation　resembled　a　market…place　in　England。　The
various　open　places　within　the　town；　instead　of　being　receptacles　for
filth；　as　is　usual　throughout　the　East；　had　been　carefully　planted　with
young　trees；　most　of　which　were　exhibiting　their　first　spring　shoots　and
leaves。　The　quay　which　faced　the　sea；　although　exposed　to　the
undermining　action　of　the　waves；　had　been　repaired　and　was　in　fair
condition；　from　this　a　tolerable　pier　projected；　upon　which　piles　of
goods　were　being　disembarked　from　the　steamer　that　had　just　arrived　from
Larnaca。　Two　small　tugs　ran　upon　alternate　days；　thus　affording
facilities　for　passengers　and　goods　between　Limasol　and　Larnaca；　which
was　a　great　convenience　recently　established　to　avoid　the　difficulty　of
the　roadless　land　journey。　H。M。S。　Torch　was　in　the　roadstead；　together
with　about　twenty　vessels　of　various　flags　and　tonnage。　Some　of　these
were　loading　wine　for　Trieste；　and　it　was　interesting　to　watch　the
system　adopted　to　save　the　difficulty　of　embarking　the　heavy　casks　in
lighters；　in　the　absence　of　cranes　or　winches。　The　barrels　when　full
were　slightly　inferior　in　weight　to　their　displacement　of　sea…water；
they　accordingly　floated　almost　level　with　the　surface；　and　were　formed
into　a　chain　of　two　casks　abreast　and　about　fifty　yards　in　length。　Thus
arranged；　they　were　towed　by　boats　until　alongside　the　vessel；　when　they
were　easily　hoisted　up　on　board。　As　boats　could　not　lie　against　the
perpendicular　wall　of　the　quay　except　during　a　perfect　calm；　there　was
considerable　trouble　in　carrying　on　the　commerce　of　the　port　according
to　modern　requirements；　but　the　inventions　of　necessity　had　simplified
many　difficulties　at　the　expense　of　increased　manual　labour。　Boats　lay　a
few　yards　off　the　shore；　and　were　loaded　by　men　who　walked　shoulder…
deep　with　the　packages　upon　their　heads。　I　saw　lighters　discharging
planks　and　baulks　of　timber；　by　shooting　them　into　the　sea　with
sufficient　force　to　follow　the　direction　given　towards　the　shore；　while
the　receivers　stood　in　the　water　to　capture　them　upon　arrival。

The　shops　and　stores　along　the　quay…face　closely　resemble　those　of
Larnaca；　but　there　was　more　activity　among　the　people。　The　streets　of
the　bazaar　were　thronged　with　mules　and　donkeys　bringing　the　produce　of
the　interior　to　the　shipping　centre；　and　the　crush　of　animals　had　been
carefully　modified　by　the　arrangements　instituted　by　Colonel　Warren；　who
had　established　a　large　walled　court；　or　stable…yard；　into　which　all
empty　mules　and　asses　were　driven；　instead　of　being　allowed　to　block　the
thoroughfare；　each　beast　paid　some　trifle　for　this　accommodation；　which
added　to　the　fund　for　municipal　improvements。

The　public　offices　were　very　inferior；　that　of　the　chief　commissioner
himself　being　a　small　white…washed　room；　which　exhibited　an　utter
disregard　of　personal　comfort　in　the　interests　of　government　economy。
There　is　a　curious　old　fort　within　the　town　which　has　been　altered　and
added　to　until　it　has　become　an　absurdity；　this　would　be　utterly　useless
as　a　defence；　and　the　Turkish　guns　having　been　removed；　it　is　now
converted　into　a　prison；　beneath　the　ground　there　are　dungeons　which　are
no　longer　used。

The　roadstead　of　Limasol　is　formed　by　the　projection　of　the　Akrotiri
peninsula；　which　affords　protection　from　the　west　and　south…west；　but　it
is　directly　exposed　from　the　east　to　the　south。　The　anchorage　is　safe；
with　good　holding…ground　in　ten　fathoms。　The　peculiar　shaped　peninsula
of　Akrotiri　is　about　seven　miles　wide；　and　the　lake　in　its　centre；　when
full；　has　a　width　of　about　four　miles；　but　during　the　exhaustive　heat　of
summer　it　evaporates　to　the　dimensions　of　a　mere　pool；　and　leaves　its
deserted　bed　encrusted　with　a　deposit　of　salt。　This　lake　has　no
connection　with　the　sea；　and　its　maximum　depth　is　under　three　feet；　the
salt　is　formed　upon　the　same　principle　as　that　of　the　Lake　of　Larnaca；
and　certainly　not　by　the　percolation　of　sea…water　through　the　sand；　as
the　Limasol　lake　is　considerably　above　the　sea…level。　There　is　a
lighthouse　at　Cape　Gatta；　which　can　be　seen　at　a　distance　of　fifteen
miles；　as　from　its　elevated　position　the　lamp　is　190　feet　above　the　sea。
From　this　point　to　Limasol　the　beach　is　low　and　sandy；　and　has　always
been　accepted　as　the　most　favourable　point　for　a　disembarkation　of
troops。　With　historical　facts　before　us　there　is　small　excuse　for　the
blunder　committed　in　landing　our　army　of　occupation；　during　the　extreme
heat　of　July；　at　Larnaca　instead　of　Limasol。　At　the　former　port　there　is
not　a　tree　to　throw　a　shade；　and　the　miserable　aspect　of　the　surrounding
country　must　have　had　a　most　depressing　effect　upon　the　nervous　system
of　officers　and　men；　while　at　Limasol　the　country　is　agreeable　and　the
shady　caroubs　exist　almost　to　the　sea…shore；　in　numbers　that　would　have
sheltered　an　army　of　three　times　the　force　represented。　I　cannot
conceive　of　more　deliberate　cruelty　inflicted　upon　all　grades　than　an
unnecessary　exposure　to　the　burning　summer　sun　of　Cyprus　in　bell…tents；
when　shady　trees　existed　in　so　convenient　a　locality　as　Limasol。　If　the
root　of　the　offence　could　be　traced　it　would　probably　be　discovered　that
the　advice　had　been　given　by　some　persons　interested　in　the　possession
of　property　at　Larnaca；　where　rents　of　houses　rose　from　nil　to　a
fabulous　amount　upon　the　disembarkation　of　the　troops。　Altogether　this
military　enterprise　of　occupation　was　effected　with　the　usual　British
confusion　and　lack　of　arrangement。

The　commissariat　of　course　broke　down；　although　special　pains　had　been
taken　to　supply　the　troops　with　luxuries　that　to　a　simple　mind　are
inconceivable；　thus　COPPER　WARMING…PANS　in　great　numbers　were　sent　out！
As　the　thermometer　was　above　100　degrees　Fahr。；　these　fiery　furnaces
were　hardly　appreciated。　It　is　a　reflection　upon　the　want　of　resource
exhibited　by　the　authorities　that　these　peculiar　utensils　were　not　sent
out　as　regimental　stew…pans；　as　there　was　a　dearth　of　cooking…pots；　and
the　warming…pans　might　have　added　materially　to　the　comforts　of　the
insides；　instead　of　the　outsides　of　the　men；　by　reducing　the
gutta…percha…like　texture　of　Cyprian　bullocks　into　a　savoury　stew。
Another　comfort　thoughtfully　supplied　by　some　more　than　usually　insane
authority；　who　no　doubt　had　passed　a　severe　competitive　examination；　was
exhibited　in　countless　coal…boxes　of　cast…iron！　These　curious　devices
were　about　three　feet　six　inches　long　by　two　feet　and　a　half　deep；　and
the　same　in　width。　To　my　ideas　they　were　only　suitable　for　gigantic
foot…pans　or　hip…baths；　or　as　an　aquarium　for　a　young　seal；　but　their
real　object　was　to　contain　coal　for　the　supply　of　the　various　tents！
What　is　to　become　of　our　country；　exclaims　the　British　taxpayer；　if　this
frightful　waste　is　to　continue？　What　traveller　or　explorer　ever　carried
with　him　a　copper　warming…pan　and　a　gigantic　coal…box；　weighing　nearly
two　hundred　pounds？　And　these　useless　abominations　are　to　hamper　the
operations　of　our　troops；　and　to　wear　out　our　sailors　in　the　labour　of
the　disembarkment　of　such　disgraceful　lumber！　Should　we　unhappily　in
some　future　political　annexation　send　a　military　force　to　Spitzbergen；
we　shall　probably　omit　the　warming…pans　and　fuel；　but　supply　a　shipload
of　refrigerators　and　〃Family　Ice　Machines。〃

A　number　of　these　cast…iron　coal…boxes　had　been　converted　into　cisterns
by　Sir　Garnet　Wolseley；　which　surrounded　the　wooden　Government　House　at
Lefkosia；　and　were　kept　full　of　water　in　case　of　fire。　So　practical　a
general　would　have　been　the　first　to　condemn　the　palpable　absurdity　of
coal…boxes；　even　had　coals　been　required；　surely　they　could　have　been
laid　upon　the　bare　ground　by　the　tent　side；　instead　of　causing　the
inconvenience；　labour；　and　ridicule　of　importing　such　outrageous
nonsense。

When　the　famous　military　invasions　of　Cyprus　took　place　in　historical
times　there　were　certainly　neither　warming…pans　nor　coal…boxes；　either
with　Richard　Coeur　de　Lion　of　England　in　1191；　or　with　the　Turks　under
Lala　Mustafa　in　1570。

Both　these　experienced　warriors　selected　Limasol　for　the　point　of
disembarkation；　and　landed　their　troops　and　horses　upon　the　sandy　beach
in　Akrotiri　Bay。　Richard　I。　was　on　his　way　to　the　third　crusade；　but　his
fleet　having　been　dispersed　by　a　storm；　several　vessels　had　been　driven
on　the　south　coast　of　Cyprus；　where；　instead　of　receiving　the
hospitality　usually　exhibited　to　shipwrecked　mariners；　his　people　were
robbed　and　thrown　into　prison　at　Limasol　by　the　king；　Isaac　Comnenus。
One　of　the　principal　vessels　of　the　fleet　which　conveyed　Berengaria；
daughter　of　the　King　of　Navarre；　who　was　the　betrothed　of　Richard　and
was　accompanied　by　his　sister　the　Queen　Dowager　of　Sicily；　took　shelter
in　Akrotiri　Bay　and　anchored。　It　appears　that　the　wily　Isaac　Comnenus
endeavoured　to　persuade　the　ladies　to　land；　in　the　hope　of　effecting
their　capture；　and　probably　extorting　a　heavy　ransom；　but　suspicion
being　aroused；　the　ship　set　sail　and　was　shortly　met　by　Richard's　own
vessel。

Upon　hearing　that　his　shipwrecked　crews　had　been　detained　and　imprisoned
Richard　immediately　steered　for　Limasol；　and；　with　his　well…known
impetuosity　of　character；　lost