cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第52节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Richard　immediately　steered　for　Limasol；　and；　with　his　well…known
impetuosity　of　character；　lost　no　time　in　disembarking　his　troops；　and
shortly　brought　the　Greek　army　to　action　under　Isaac　Comnenus　and
utterly　defeated　them。　The　Latin　inhabitants　of　Limasol　had　already
thrown　open　their　gates；　and　Richard；　after　his　victory；　returned　laden
with　spoils；　including　the　imperial　standard；　which　was　eventually　hung
in　St。　Edmund's　Chapel；　Suffolk。

This　first　battle　took　place　at　Kolossi；　near　to　Limasol。　After　the
flush　of　victory　an　additional　warlike　impulse　was　given　to　his　forces
by　the　arrival　of　the　chivalrous　Guy　de　Lusignan；　ex…king　of　Jerusalem；
accompanied　by　the　Princes　of　Antioch　and　Tripoli。　The　marriage　of
Richard　with　Berengaria　took　place　at　Limasol；　she　was　there　crowned
Queen　of　England　by　the　Bishops　of　York　and　Evreux。　Richard；　who　did　not
prolong　his　honeymoon　when　an　opportunity　of　fighting　was　at　hand；
immediately　collected　his　forces；　and；　together　with　Guy　de　Lusignan；
marched　for　the　interior；　where　Isaac　Comnenus　had　re…organised　his
army。　Guy　de　Lusignan　with　a　division　of　the　troops　marched　upon
Famagousta；　which　surrendered　without　resistance；　while　Richard　attacked
the　Greek　army　under　Isaac　Comnenus　in　the　plain　of　Messaria。　Owing　to
the　disparity　of　force　the　battle　was　for　some　time　doubtful；　and　at
length　the　two　leaders　engaged　in　personal　encounter；　resulting　in　the
capture　of　Isaac　Comnenus　and　the　total　discomfiture　of　his　army。　The
city　of　Lefkosia　at　once　threw　open　its　gates　to　the　victorious　Richard。

The　next　disembarkation　of　troops　at　Limasol；　on　1st　July；　1570；　under
the　Turkish　general　Lala　Mustafa；　was　upon　a　much　larger　scale；　as　the
expedition　comprised　70；000　infantry；　30；000　cavalry；　and　200　cannon。
With　this　force　Lefkosia　was　assaulted；　and　taken　after　a　few　weeks'
siege；　and　the　inhabitants　were　subjected　to　inconceivable　atrocities；
20；000　of　both　sexes　being　mercilessly　butchered　during　the　sack　which
followed　the　capture　of　the　town。　The　Turkish　forces　then　marched　upon
the　great　stronghold　of　Cyprus；　Famagousta。　This　powerful　fortress　was
invested　by　land　and　sea；　and　although　defended　by　only　7000　Venetian
troops；　under　their　gallant　commandant；　General　Bragadino；　it　sustained
a　vigorous　siege　for　more　than　ten　months；　until　the　heroic　garrison　was
reduced　by　sickness　and　starvation。　During　this　time　an　extraordinary
apathy　was　exhibited　by　Venice；　which　should　at　all　hazards　have
determined　upon　the　relief　of　this　important　position。　On　23rd　January；
1571；　the　only　effective　expedition　entered　Famagousta　with　1600　men；
provisions　and　ammunition；　with　a　squadron　commanded　by　the　Venetian
Marc　Antonius　Quirini；　but　on　the　1st　August　following；　the　provisions
and　ammunition　having　been　completely　expended；　it　became　absolutely
necessary　to　negotiate　the　terms　of　capitulation。　A　detailed　description
of　this　interesting　siege　is　given　in　the　work　of　Richard　Knolles；　The
General　History　of　the　Turks；　published　in　London　in　1638。

The　conditions　of　surrender　stipulated　that　〃The　garrison　should　march
out　with　five　guns　and　the　horses　of　the　commanders；　and　should　be
conveyed　to　Candia　in　the　ships　and　at　the　expense　of　the　Turks；　that
the　inhabitants　should　be　free　to　quit　the　town　and　take　their　property；
and　that　those　who　preferred　to　remain　should　be　unmolested　both　as
regards　their　persons　and　their　goods。〃*　
（*Captain　Savile's　Cyprus；　p。　22。）

General　di　Cesnola　writes；　page　39：

　　　　〃These　conditions　were　eagerly　accepted　by　the
　　　　treacherous　Mustafa；　hostages　were　exchanged；
　　　　Turkish　vessels；　as　stipulated；　entered　the　port　of
　　　　Famagousta；　and　took　on　board　all　those　who　wished
　　　　to　leave　the　island；　nothing　remained　but　the　formality
　　　　of　delivering　the　keys　of　the　city　to　the　victor。

　　　　〃On　5th　August　General　Bragadino；　accompanied
　　　　by　his　lieutenants　Baglioni；　Martinengo；　and　Quirini；
　　　　went　to　the　Turkish　camp；　and　was　politely　received
　　　　by　Mustafa。　After　the　delivery　of　the　keys；　and
　　　　when　General　Bragadino　had　risen　to　take　leave；　the
　　　　vile　Turk　asked　him　for　special　hostages　for　the　safe
　　　　return　from　Candia　of　the　Turkish　vessels　which　were
　　　　to　convey　him　and　his　men　thither；　Bragadino　refused
　　　　this；　as　not　having　been　stipulated　in　the　accepted
　　　　conditions　of　his　surrender。　Then　Mustafa　accused
　　　　him　of　bad　faith；　and　of　having　put　to　death　fifty
　　　　Turkish　pilgrims　after　he　had　surrendered；　which　was
　　　　indignantly　denied　by　Bragadino。　The　pasha；　becoming
　　　　enraged；　ordered　the　four　Venetians　to　be　put　to　death；
　　　　and　in　a　few　minutes　Generals　Baglioni；　Martinengo；
　　　　and　Quirini　were　executed　in　the　presence　of　Bragadino；　
　　　　for　whom　a　more　terrible　death　was　reserved。
　　　　The　executioner　cut　off　his　nose　and　ears；　three　times
　　　　he　was　made　to　lay　his　head　upon　the　block；　as　if
　　　　to　be　beheaded；　then；　heavily　chained；　was　thrown
　　　　into　a　dark　dungeon；　and　left　for　nine　days　in　that
　　　　miserable　condition。

　　　　〃On　the　tenth　day；　by　order　of　Mustafa；　Bragadino
　　　　was　brought　out　of　prison　and　made　to　carry　earth
　　　　for　the　repair　of　the　fortifications　during　several　hours；
　　　　after　which；　more　dead　than　alive；　the　heroic　soldier
　　　　was　tied　to　a　stake；　and；　in　the　presence　of　the　ferocious
　　　　Mustafa；　was　flayed　alive。　His　skin；　stuffed　with　hay；
　　　　was　sent　with　the　heads　of　the　other　three　Venetians
　　　　as　presents　to　the　Sultan。〃

The　two　most　important　conquests　of　Cyprus　have　thus　commenced　from　the
port　of　Limasol；　which　is　destined　to　become　of　primary　importance　as
the　great　commercial　representative　town　of　this　now　poor　island。

We　remained　sixteen　days　at　Limasol；　during　which　time　we　had　the
pleasure　of　the　society　of　Colonel　and　Mrs。　Warren　and　their　young
family；　which　we　thoroughly　appreciated　after　the　exile　from　civilised
life　and　ladies　since　we　had　quitted　Kyrenia　and　Lefkosia。　The　leading
officials　and　some　Greek　merchants　of　the　town　were　good　enough　to　call
frequently；　and　kindly　afforded　much　information；　at　the　same　time　they
did　not　conceal　their　disappointment　at　the　terms　of　the　occupation；
which；　by　draining　the　island　of　its　revenue；　completely　paralysed　the
good　intentions　of　the　English　government；　the　best　resolutions　being
valueless　unless　supported　by　the　necessary　capital。

Although　I　received　every　politeness　from　the　inhabitants；　who　appeared
to　think　I　had　some　official　mission；　it　was　not　difficult　to　trace　a
general　tone　of　complaint　and　dissatisfaction；　which　was　perfectly
natural　under　the　existing　regime。　Although　nothing　could　exceed　the
pains　taken　by　Sir　Garnet　Wolseley　and　all　his　officials　to　introduce
reforms　for　the　general　welfare　of　the　people；　the　task　was　simply
impossible　where　various　interests　were　conflicting；　and　no　HYBRID
government　could　at　once　destroy　existing　abuses　and　at　the　same　time
establish　laws　suitable　to　all　classes。　This　general　reform　required　an
independent　administration；　untrammelled　by　mongrel　relations　with　the
Turk；　and　equally　free　from　the　vexatious　labyrinths　of　English
jurisprudence。　I　do　not　wish　to　catalogue　the　long　list　of　grievances
which　have　been　entrusted　to　my　unwilling　ears；　but　there　are　some　which
are　so　utterly　destructive　to　the　interests　of　the　country　and　the
government；　that　I　have　no　hesitation　in　describing　them。

The　great　trade　of　Limasol　is　wine；　as　the　district　exhibits　the
industry　first　encouraged　by　the　Venetians；　this；　as　the　great
money…producing　cultivation；　opposed　to　Mussulman　prejudices；　has　been
burdened　with　extortionate　taxation　and　restrictions；　which　have　not　yet
been　relieved　by　the　British　administration。



CHAPTER　X。

THE　WINE　DISTRICT　OF　LIMASOL。

In　the　fifteenth　century　the　Cyprian　vines　were　selected　for　the　now
celebrated　vineyards　of　Madeira；　nothing　can　better　exemplify　the
standard　of　industry　and　consequent　prosperity　than　the　vine；　when　we
regard　the　identical　plant　in　the　hands　of　the　Portuguese　and　in　its
original　home　in　Cyprus　under　the　Turkish　administration。　The　first
historical　notice　of　the　vine　occurs　when　Noah；　stranded　upon　Mount
Ararat；　took　advantage；　upon　the　first　subsidence　of　the　waters；　to
plant　a　vineyard；　and；　according　to　the　curt　biblical　description；　it
grew；　produced；　and　the　wine　intoxicated　the　proprietor；　all　within　a
few　days。　It　may　not　have　occurred　to　the　wine　trade　that　this　biblical
fact　proves　that　the　consumption　of　wine　had　been　among　the　first
assumed　necessities　of　the　human　race；　if　Noah's　first　impulse　upon
landing　suggested　the　cultivation　of　the　vine；　he　was　restoring　to　the
world　a　plant　that　had　been　considered　so　absolutely　important　that　he
must　have　provided　himself　with　either　buds　or　cuttings　in　great
quantities　when　he　selected　his　animals　for　the　Ark　BEFORE　the　Deluge。
If　this　is　true；　the　use　of　wine　must　have　been　pre…historical；　and　its
abuse　historical；　the　two　purposes　having　continued　to　the　present　day。
It　may　therefore　be　acknowledged　that　no　custom　has　been　so　universal
and　continuous　as　the　drinking　of　wine　from　the　earliest　period　of　human
existence。　The　vin