cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第8节

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conservative　principles　of　the　Cyprian　oxen；　which　have　always　been　fed
upon　the　straw　broken　by　the　process　described　in　threshing　by　the
harrow　of　sharp　flints。　This　coarse　chaff；　mixed　with　cotton…seed；
lentils；　or　barley；　is　eaten　by　all　animals　with　avidity；　and　the
bullocks　positively　refused　Mr。　Lang's　new　food；　which　was　the　same
straw　passed　through　an　English　threshing…machine　and　cut　fine　by　a
modern　chaff…cutter。　This　fact　is　a　warning　to　those　who　would　introduce
too　sudden　reforms　among　men　and　animals　in　a　newly…acquired　country；
but　if　Mr。　Hamilton　Lang　had　sprinkled　salt　over　his　chaff　I　think　the
refractory　appetites　of　the　oxen　might　have　been　overcome。　A　pair　of
oxen　are　supposed　to　plough　one　〃donum〃　daily　of　fifty　paces　square；　or
about　half　an　acre。

Having　watched　the　various　teams；　and　conversed　with　the　ploughmen　by
the　medium　of　the　cook　Christo；　who　spoke　English　and　was　an　intelligent
interpreter；　I　ordered　the　vans　to　move　on　while　I　walked　over　the
country　with　the　dogs。　There　was　no　game　except　a　wild…duck　which　I　shot
in　the　thick　weeds　of　a　neighbouring　swamp。　Larks　were　in　great
quantities；　and　for　want　of　larger　birds　I　shot　enough　for　a　pilaff；　and
secured　a　breakfast。　The　route；　which　could　be　hardly　called　a　road；　had
been　worn　by　the　wheels　of　native　carts。　These　were　narrower　than　our
vans；　and　one　of　our　wheels　was　generally　upon　a　higher　level；
threatening　on　some　occasions　to　overturn。　The　country　around　us　was
desolate　in　its　aridity。　We　passed　through　the　ruins　of　an　ancient　city
over　which　the　plough　had　triumphed；　and　literally　not　one　stone　was
left　upon　another。　A　few　stone　columns　of　a　rough　description；　some　of
which　were　broken；　were　lying　in　various　directions；　and　I　noticed　a
lower　millstone　formed　of　an　exceedingly　hard　conglomerate　rock；　these
pieces　were　too　heavy　to　move　without　great　exertions；　therefore　they
had　remained　in　situ。

After　a　short　march　of　three　miles　we　arrived　at　the　steep　banks　of　the
river　a　mile　above　the　village　of　Arpera。　The　bed　of　this　river　was
about　forty　feet　below　the　level　of　the　country；　and　here　our　first　real
difficulty　commenced　in　descending　a　rugged　and　precipitous　track；　which
at　first　sight　appeared　destructive　to　any　springs。　The　gipsy…van　was
conducted　by　the　owner　of　the　fine　pair　of　bullocks；　but　this　fellow
（Theodoris）　was　an　obstinate　and　utterly　reckless　character；　and　instead
of　obeying　orders　to　go　steadily　with　the　drag　on　the　wheels；　he　put　his
animals　into　a　gallop　down　the　steep　descent；　with　the　intention　of
gaining　sufficient　momentum　to　cross　the　sandy　bottom　and　to　ascend　the
other　side。　If　the　original　gipsy　proprietor　could　have　seen　his　van
leaping　and　tossing　like　a　ship　in　a　heavy　sea；　with　the　frantic　driver
shouting　and　yelling　at　his　bullocks　while　he　accelerated　their　gallop
by　a　sharp　application　of　the　needle…pointed　driving　prick；　he　would
have　considered　it　the　last　moment　of　his　movable　home。　I　did　the　same；
but；　to　my　astonishment；　the　vehicle；　after　bounding　madly　about；　simply
turned　the　insane　driver　head　over　heels　into　the　river's　bed；　and　the
bullocks　found　themselves　anchored　in　the　sand　on　the　opposite　side。
Glover　Brothers'　blue　van　was　driven　by　a　fine　fellow；　Georgi；　who　was
of　a　steady　disposition；　and　this　very　handy　and　well　constructed
carriage　made　nothing　of　the　difficulty。　Georgi　was　a　handsome　and
exceedingly　powerful　man；　upwards　of　six　feet　high；　of　a　most　amiable
disposition；　who　always　tried　to　do　his　best；　but　the　truth　must　be
told；　he　was　stupid：　he　became　a　slave　to　the　superior　intellect　of　the
bare…brained　rascal　of　the　gipsy…van。　Why　amiable　people　should　so
frequently　be　stupid　I　cannot　conceive：　perhaps　a　few　are　sharp；　but
Georgi；　poor　fellow；　had　all　in　bone　and　muscle；　and　not　in　brain。

There　is　great　advantage　in　travelling　with　more　than　one　vehicle；　as　in
any　difficulty　the　numerous　animals　can　be　harnessed　together　and　their
combined　power　will　drag　a　single　cart　or　carriage　through　any　obstacle。
Thus　one　by　one　the　vans　were　tugged　up　the　steep　bank　on　the　opposite
side；　and　after　a　drag　across　ploughed　fields　for　nearly　a　mile　we
halted　on　the　edge　of　a　cliff　and　camped　exactly　above　the　river。
Although　the　bed　was　dry　below　this　point；　we　found　a　faint　stream　of
clear　water　above　our　position；　which　was　subsequently　absorbed　by　the
sand。　The　cliffs　were　not　perpendicular；　but　were　broken　into　steep
declivities　from　successive　landslips：　the　sides　were　covered　with　the
usual　prickly　plants；　but　the　edges　of　the　stream　were　thickly　bushed
with　oleanders　which　afforded　excellent　covert　for　game。

In　travelling　through　Cyprus　there　is　a　depressing　aspect　in　the　general
decay　and　ruin　of　former　works。　I　strolled　with　my　dogs　for　some　miles
along　the　river　banks；　and　examined　the　strong　masonry　remains　of　many
old　water…mills。　I　found　a　well…constructed　aqueduct　of　wonderfully　hard
cement　at　the　bottom　of　a　cliff　close　to　the　present　bed　of　the　river：
this　must　at　a　former　period　have　passed　below　the　bed；　and　the
deepening　of　the　stream　has　exposed　and　washed　away　the　ancient　work。
There　was　no　game　beyond　a　few　wild　red…legged　partridges；　although　the
appearance　of　the　country　had　raised　my　expectations。

On　the　following　morning　I　rambled　with　the　dogs　for　many　hours　over　the
range　of　hills　which　bounds　the　plain　upon　the　north；　and　from　which　the
river　issues。　These　are　completely　denuded　of　soil；　and　present　a
glaring　surface　of　hardened　chalk；　in　the　crevices　of　which　the　usual
prickly　plants　can　alone　exist。　Some　of　the　hill…tops　exposed　a　smooth
natural　pavement　where　the　rain　had　washed　away　all　soluble　portions　and
left　the　bare　foundation　cracked　in　small　divisions　as　though
artificially　inlaid。　Now　and　then　a　wretched　specimen　of　the　Pinus
Maritima；　about　six　feet　high；　was　to　be　seen　vainly　endeavouring　to
find　nourishment　in　the　clefts　of　the　barren　rocks。　I　do　not　believe　the
tales　of　forests　having　formerly　existed　upon　the　greater　portion　of
Cyprus：　it　would　certainly　be　impossible　for　any　species　of　tree　to
thrive　upon　the　extensive　range　of　hills　near　Arpera；　which　are
absolutely　valueless。

In　many　places　the　surface　glistened　with　ice…like　sheets　of　gypsum；
which　cropped　out　of　the　cold　white　marls　and　produced　a　wintry
appearance　that　increased　the　desolation。　I　walked　for　some　hours　over
successive　ranges　of　the　same　hopeless　character。　Great　numbers　of　hawks
and　several　varieties　of　eagles　were　hunting　above　the　hill…tops；　and
sufficiently　explained　the　scarcity　of　game。　The　red…legged　partridges
found　little　protection　in　the　scant　cover　afforded　by　the　withered
plants；　and　I　saw　one　captured　and　carried　off　by　an　eagle；　who　was
immediately　chased　by　two　others　of　the　same　species；　in　the　vain　hope
that　he　would　give　up　his　prize；　he　soared　high　in　air　with　the
partridge　hanging　from　his　claws。　On　the　same　day　I　saw　another　capture；
and　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　the　partridge　forms　the　usual　food　of
these　large　birds　of　prey。　The　British　government　has　already　protected
the　game　by　establishing　a　close　season　and　by　a　tax　upon　all　guns；　but
there　will　be　little　benefit　from　the　new　law　unless　a　reward　shall　be
offered　for　the　destruction　of　the　birds　of　prey　which　swarm　in　every
portion　of　the　islandeagles；　falcons；　kites；　hawks；　ravens；　crows；　and
last；　but　in　cunning　and　destructive　propensity　not　the　least；　the
〃magpies。〃　These　birds　exist　in　such　numbers　that　unless　steps　are　taken
to　destroy　them　it　will　be　hopeless　to　expect　any　increase　of　game。　When
a　magpie　wakes　in　the　early　morning　his　first　thought　is　mischief；　and
during　the　breeding　season　there　is　no　bird　who　makes　egg…hunting　so
especially　his　occupation。　Upon　the　treeless　plains　of　Cyprus　every　nest
is　at　his　mercy。

From　the　base　of　the　barren　hill…range　a　fertile　plain　slopes　towards
the　sea　for　a　width　of　about　four　miles；　having　received　the　soil　that
has　been　washed　from　the　denuded　heights。　This　rich　surface　is
cultivated　with　cereals；　but　there　are　considerable　portions　which　are
covered　with　a　dense　mass　of　thistles；　as　the　land　is　allowed　to　rest
for　a　couple　of　years　after　having　been　exhausted　by　several　crops
without　manuring。　On　the　lowlands　of　Cyprus　nearly　every　plant　or　bush
is　armed　with　thorns。　I　have　generally　observed　that　a　thorny　vegetation
is　a　proof　of　a　burning　climate　with　a　slight　rainfall。　In　the　scorching
districts　of　the　Soudan　there　is　hardly　a　tree　without　thorns　to　the
tenth　degree　of　north　latitude；　at　which　limit　the　rainfall　is　great　and
the　vegetation　changes　its　character。　The　Cypriotes　of　both　sexes　wear
high　boots　to　the　knees　as　a　protection　from　the　countless　thistles；　and
not　as　an　armour　against　snakes；　as　some　writers　have　assumed。　These
boots　are　peculiar　in　their　construction；　the　soles　are　about　an　inch　in
thickness；　formed　of　several　layers　of　leather；　which　are　fastened
together　by　large…headed　nails　from　beneath；　these　are　directed　in　an
oblique　line；　so　as　to　pass　through　the　edge　of　the　upper　leather　and
secure　it　to　the　sole　exactly　as　the　shoe　of　a　horse　is　fitted　to　the
hoof。　The　nails