cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第72节

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western　side；　covered　with　pine　forests；　which　at　this　distance　did　not
exhibit　the　mutilations　of　the　axe。　At　this　early　hour　the　sea　was　blue
and　clear；　as　the　sun　had　not　yet　heated　the　air　and　produced　the　usual
haze　which　destroys　the　distant　views：　and　the　tops　of　the　lower
mountains　above　Omodos　and　Chilani　appeared　almost　close　beneath　upon
the　south；　their　vine…covered　surface　producing　a　rich　contrast　to　the
glaring　white　marls　that　were　cleared　for　next　year's　planting。　The　top
of　Troodos　was　not　visible；　as　we　continued　the　ascent　along　the　ridge；
with　the　great　depths　of　ravines　and　pine…covered　steeps　upon　either
side；　but　several　imposing　heights　in　front；　and　upon　the　right；　seemed
to　closely　rival　the　true　highest　point。

As　we　ascended；　the　surface　vegetation　became　scanty；　the　rocks　in　many
places　had　been　thickly　clothed　with　the　common　fern　growing　in　dense
masses　from　the　soil　among　the　interstices；　the　white　cistus　and　the
purple　variety　had　formed　a　gummy　bed　of　plants　which；　together　with
several　aromatic　herbs；　emitted　a　peculiar　perfume　in　the　cool　morning
air。　These　now　gave　place　to　the　hardy　berberris　which　grew　in　thick
prickly　bushes　at　long　intervals；　leaving　a　bare　surface　of　rocks
between　them　devoid　of　vegetation。　There　was　little　of　geological
interest；　gneiss　and　syenite　predominated；　with　extremely　large　crystals
of　hornblende　in　the　latter　rock；　that　would　have　afforded　handsome
slabs　had　not　the　prevailing　defect　throughout　Cyprus　rendered　all
blocks　imperfect　through　innumerable　cracks　and　fissures。　A　peculiar
greenish　and　greasy…looking　rock　resembling　soapstone　was　occasionally
met　with　in　veins；　and　upon　close　examination　I　discovered　it　to　be　the
base　of　asbestos。　The　surface　of　this　green　substance　was　like　polished
horn；　which　gradually　became　fibrous；　and　in　some　specimens　developed
towards　the　extremity　into　the　true　white　hairy　condition　of　the
well…known　mineral　cotton。

We　were　near　the　summit　of　the　mountain；　and　arrived　at　an　ancient　camp
that　had　been　arranged　with　considerable　judgment　by　a　series　of　stone
walls　with　flanking　defences　for　the　protection　of　each　front。　This　was
many　centuries　ago　the　summer　retreat　of　the　Venetian　government；　and　it
had　formed　a　sanatorium。　This　extends　to　the　summit　of　the　mountain；
where　fragments　of　tiles　denote　the　former　existence　of　houses。　In　the
absence　of　water　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　adopt　the　usual　custom
of　mud…covered　roofs；　therefore　tiles　had　been　carried　from　the　low
country。　It　is　supposed　that　the　stations　fell　into　decay　at　about　the
period　of　the　Turkish　conquest。

A　rattle　of　loose　stones　upon　the　opposite　side　of　a　ravine　suddenly
attracted　my　attention；　and　two　moving　objects　at　about　230　yards
halted；　and　faced　us　in　the　usual　manner　of　inquiry　when　wild　animals
are　disturbed　to　windward　of　their　enemy。　The　rocks　were　bare；　and　their
cafe…au…lait　colour　exactly　harmonised　with　that　of　the　two　moufflon；
which　I　now　made　out　to　be　fine　rams　with　large　and　peculiar　heads。
Motioning　to　my　shepherd　lad　to　sit　quietly　upon　the　ground；　upon　which
I　was　already　stretched；　I　examined　them　carefully　with　my　glass。　Had
they　not　been　moving　when　first　observed　I　should　not　have　discovered
them；　so　precisely　did　their　skins　match　the　rocky　surface　of　the　steep
inclination　upon　which　they　stood。　They　remained　still　for　about　two
minutes；　affording　me　an　excellent　opportunity　of　examination。　The　horns
were　thick；　and　rose　from　the　base　like　those　of　the　ibex；　turning
backwards；　but　they　twisted　forward　from　the　first　bend；　and　the　points
came　round　towards　the　front　in　the　ordinary　manner　of　the　sheep。　Like
all　the　wild　sheep　of　India　and　other　countries；　the　coat　was　devoid　of
wool；　but　appeared　to　be　a　perfectly　smooth　surface　of　dense　texture。　It
was　too　far　for　a　certain　shot；　especially　as　the　animals　were　facing
me；　which　is　always　an　unsatisfactory　position　even　when　at　a　close
range。

I　put　up　the　200　yards　sight；　and　raised　the　rifle　to　my　shoulder；
merely　to　try　the　view；　but　when　sighted　I　could　not　clearly　distinguish
the　animal　from　the　rocks；　and　I　would　not　fire　to　wound。　My　shepherd
lad　at　this　moment　drew　his　whistle；　and；　without　orders；　began　to　pipe
in　a　wild　fashion；　which　he　subsequently　informed　me　should　have　induced
the　moufflon　to　come　forward　towards　the　sound；　instead　of　which；　they
cantered　off；　then　stopped　again；　as　we　had　the　wind；　and　at　length　they
disappeared　among　the　rocks　and　pines。　It　would　be　almost　impossible　to
obtain　a　shot　at　these　wary　creatures　by　approaching　from　below；　as　they
are　generally　upon　high　positions　from　which　they　look　down　for　expected
enemies；　and　the　noise　of　the　loose　rocks　beneath　the　feet　of　a　man
walking　up　the　mountains　would　be　sure　to　attract　attention。　The　only
chance　of　success　would　be　to　pass　the　night　on　the　summit　of　Troodos；
and　at　daybreak　to　work　downwards。

I　made　a　long　circuit　in　the　hope　of　again　meeting　the　two　rams；　during
which　I　found　many　fresh　tracks　of　the　past　night；　but　nothing　more。

The　summit　of　the　mountain　was　disappointing；　as　the　haze　occasioned　by
the　heat　in　the　low　country　obscured　the　distant　view。　It　was　8。10。
A。M。；　and　the　air　was　still　deliciously　cool　and　fresh　upon　the　highest
point　of　Cyprus；　which　affords　a　complete　panorama　that　in　the　month　of
October　or　during　early　spring　must　be　very　beautiful。　Even　now　I　could
distinguish　Larnaca；　Limasol；　Morphu；　all　in　opposite　directions；　in
addition　to　the　sea　surrounding　the　island　upon　every　point　except　the
east。　The　lofty　coast　of　Caramania；　which　had　formed　a　prominent　object
in　the　landscape　when　at　Kyrenia；　was　now　unfortunately　hidden　within
the　haze。

From　this　elevated　position　I　could　faintly　hear　the　military　band
practising　at　the　camp　of　the　20th　Regiment；　invisible；　about　a　mile
distant　among　the　pine…forests；　at　a　lower　level　of　700　feet。　There　were
no　trees　upon　the　rounded　knoll　which　forms　the　highest　point　of　Cyprus：
these　must　have　been　cleared　away　and　rooted　out　when　the　ancient　camp
was　formed；　and　the　pines　have　not　re…grown；　for　the　simple　reason　that
no　higher　ground　exists　from　which　the　rains　could　have　washed　the　cones
to　root　upon　a　lower　level。

I　now　examined　every　ravine　with　the　greatest　caution　in　the　hopes　of
meeting　either　the　two　rams；　or　other　moufflon；　but　I　only　came　across　a
solitary　ewe　with　a　lamb　about　four　months　old；　which　I　saw　twice　during
my　walk　round　the　mountain　tops。　Upon　arriving　during　my　descent　at　the
highest　spring　of　Troodos；　where　the　cold　water　dripped　into　a　narrow
stream　bed；　I　lay　down　beneath　a　fine　shady　cypress；　and　having　eaten
two　hard…boiled　eggs　and　drunk　a　cupful　of　the　pure　icy　water　mixed　with
a　tinge　of　Geneva　from　my　flask；　I　watched　till　after　noon　in　the　hope
that　my　two　rams　might　arrive　to　drink。　Nothing　came　except　a　few　tame
goats　without　a　goatherd；　therefore　I　descended　the　abominable　stones
which　rattled　down　the　mountain　side；　and　by　the　time　that　I　arrived　at
our　camp　at　Trooditissa；　my　best　shooting　boots　of　quagga　hide；　that
were　as　dear　to　me　as　my　rifle；　were　almost　cut　to　pieces。

There　was　a　terrible　picture　of　destruction　throughout　the　forests　of
Troodos。　Near　the　summit；　the　pines　and　cypress　were　of　large　growth；
but　excepting　the　cypress；　there　were　scarcely　any　trees　unscathed；　and
the　ground　was　covered　by　magnificent　spars　that　were　felled　only　to　rot
upon　the　surface。

I　was　not　sorry　to　arrive　at　the　shepherd's　hut　upon　the　ridge
overhanging　the　monastery　upon　my　return。　The　good　wife　was　as　usual
busy　in　making　cheeses　from　the　goat's　milk；　which　is　a　very　important
occupation　throughout　Cyprus。　The　curd　was　pressed　into　tiny　baskets
made　of　myrtle　wands；　which　produced　a　cheese　not　quite　so　large　as　a
man's　fist。　I　think　these　dry　and　tasteless　productions　of　the　original
Cyprian　dairy　uneatable；　unless　grated　when　old　and　hard；　but　among　the
natives　they　are　highly　esteemed；　and　form　a　considerable　article　of
trade　and　export。　Cesnola　mentions　that　2；000；000　（two　million）　cheeses
per　annum　are　made　in　Cyprus　of　this　small　kind；　which　weigh　from　half　a
pound　to　three…quarters。　I　have　frequently　met　droves　of　donkeys　heavily
laden　with　panniers　filled　with　these　small　cheeses；　which；　although
representing　important　numbers；　become　insignificant　when　computed　by
weight。

During　our　stay　at　Trooditissa　we　occasionally　obtained　eels　from　a　man
who　caught　them　in　the　stream　at　the　base　of　the　mountains；　this　is　the
only　fresh…water　fish　in　Cyprus　that　is　indigenous。　Some　persons　have
averred　that　the　gold…fish　dates　its　origin　from　this　island；　this　is　a
mistake；　as　it　is　not　found　elsewhere　than　in　ornamental　ponds　and
cisterns　in　the　principal　towns。　It　is　most　probable　that　it　was
introduced　by　the　Venetians　who　traded　with　the　far　East；　and　it　may
have　arrived　from　China。

The　streams　below　the　mountains　contain　numerous　crabs　of　a　small
species　seldom　larger　than　two　inches　and　a　half　across　the　shell；　to　a
maximum　of　three　inches；　these　are　in　season　until　the　middle　of　June；
after　which　they　become　light　and　empty。　When　alive　the