cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第26部分

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for　cultivation；　far　away　from　the　eyes　of　all　authorities。

I　believe　that　squatting　has　been　carried　on　for　many　years；　as　during
the　Turkish　administration　a　trifling　annual　present　would　have　closed
the　eyes　of　the　never…too…zealous　official　who　by　such　an　oversight
could　annually　improve　his　pay。　Land　suitable　for　cultivation　cannot
possibly　be　in　excess　of　the　demand；　when　plots　of　only　a　few　yards
square　are　carefully　formed　by　the　erection　of　stone　walls　to　retain　the
torrent…collected　soil。

We　were　pestered　with　beggars　throughout　this　district；　and　even　the
blind　saw　their　opportunity；　their　number　was　distressing；　and　they
could　not　account　in　any　way　for　the　prevalence　of　ophthalmia。　Some
endeavoured　to　explain　the　cause　by　referring　it　to　the　bright
reflection　from　the　sea；　to　which　they　were　so　frequently　exposed；　I
assured　them　that　sailors　were　seldom　blind；　and　they　proved　the　rule。
Dirty　habits；　dwellings　unwashed；　heaps　of　filth　lying　around　their
houses　and　rotting　in　their　streets；　all　of　which　during　the　hot　dry
summer　is　converted　into　poisonous　dust；　and；　driven　by　the　wind；　fills
the　eyes；　which　are　seldom　cleansedthese　are　the　natural　causes　which
result　in　ophthalmia。

The　new　camels　were　ready；　and　with　six　of　these　animals　we　left
Gallibornu　and　felt　relieved　to　have　parted　with　the　carts；　as　for
several　marches　they　had　caused　great　delay　and　inconvenience。　Although
Theodori　had　deceived　me　by　agreeing　to　conduct　us　direct　to　Cape　St。
Andrea　I　did　not　like　to　discharge　the　thick…headed　but　innocent　Georgi；
therefore　I　offered　to　pay　them　a　certain　sum　which　they　themselves
named；　per　day；　for　the　keep　of　their　oxen；　provided　they　should　return
with　their　empty　carts　to　Lithrankomi　（one　march）　and　await　my　return
there；　after　which；　we　would　resume　the　original　contract；　and　their
oxen　would　once　more　draw　the　vans　from　their　station　at　Kuklia。

This　was　an　extra　expense；　as　the　camels　were　now　engaged　in　lieu　of
carts；　notwithstanding　that　I　should　have　to　pay　for　the　oxen；　on　the
other　hand；　these　animals　were　beautiful　specimens　of　their　kind；　and
were　thoroughly　accustomed　to　the　gipsy…van；　therefore　it　was　advisable
to　retain　them。　The　two　owners　were　delighted　with　the　arrangement；　and
we　started　for　Cape　St。　Andrea；　while　they　were　to　return　to
Lithrankomi。

The　country　was　now　thoroughly　enjoyable；　the　recent　daily　showers　had
freshened　all　vegetation；　and　the　earth　was　a　carpet　of　wild　flowers；
including　scarlet　ranunculus；　poppies；　a　very　pretty　dwarf　yellow　cistus
resembling　bunches　of　primroses；　cyclamen；　narcissus；　anemonespurple；
white；　and　a　peculiarly　bright　yellow　variety。

The　route　from　Gallibornu　was　extremely　wild　and　picturesque；　combining
hills；　glens；　and　occasional　short　glimpses　of　the　sea　between　the
gorges　which　cleft　the　precipitous　range　upon　our　right。　The　rounded　and
sparkling　tops　of　gypsum　hills　were　common　for　the　first　few　miles；
emerging　from　these；　we　threaded　a　ravine；　and　arrived　upon　the　sea
beach；　and　continued　for　a　considerable　distance　upon　the　margin　of　the
shore；　the　animals　scrambling　over　fallen　rocks　and　alternately
struggling　through　the　deep　sand　and　banks　of　sea…weed　piled　by　a
recent　gale。　We　now　entered　upon　the　first　pure　sandstone　that　I　had
seen；　this　was　a　coffee…brown；　and　formed　the　substratum　of　the　usual
sedimentary　limestone　which　capped　the　surface　of　the　hill…tops。　The
appearance　was　peculiar；　as　the　cliffs　of　brown　sandstone　were　crusted
for　a　depth　of　about　eight　or　ten　feet　by　the　white　rock　abounding　with
fossil　shells；　while　the　substratum　of　hard　sand　was　perfectly　devoid　of
all　traces　of　organic　matter。　The　upheaval　of　a　sea…bottom　was　clearly
demonstrated。　As　the　sandstone　had　decayed；　vast　fragments　of　the
surface　rock　had　broken　down　when　undermined　and　had　fallen　to　the　base
of　the　steep　inclines；　from　the　interstices　of　which　a　dense　growth　of
evergreens　produced　an　agreeable　harmony　of　colouring；　combining　various
shades　of　green　with　brown　cliffs　and　white　masses　of　disjointed
limestone。　The　deep　blue　of　the　sea　was　a　beautiful　addition　to　this
wild　scenery；　and　after　threading　our　way　sometimes　between　narrow
gorges；　at　other　places　along　sequestered　glens　which　exhibited　young
crops　of　cereals　and　cultivated　olive…trees；　we　at　length　arrived　at　a
halting…place　upon　the　seashore；　where　a　well　of　excellent　water　about
ten　feet　from　the　surface　had　been　sunk　upon　the　sea…beach　within　fifty
yards　of　the　waves。

This　was　the　best　camping…ground　we　had　had　in　Cyprus；　for　the　first
time　we　stood　upon　real　turf；　green　with　recent　showers；　and　firmly
rooted　upon　a　rich　sandy　loam。　A　cultivated　valley　lay　a　few　hundred
yards　beyond　us；　completely　walled　in　by　high　hills　covered　with　wild
olives；　arbutus；　and　dwarf…cypress；　and　fronted　by　the　sea。　Some　fine
specimens　of　the　broad…headed　and　shady　caroub…trees　gave　a　park…like
appearance　to　the　valley；　through　which　a　running　stream　entered　from　a
ravine　among　the　hills；　and；　winding　through　deep　banks　covered　with
myrtles　and　oleanders；　expended　itself　upon　the　shingly　beach　in　the
centre　of　the　bay。　This　sheltered　cove；　about　300　yards　across　the　chord
of　the　arc；　formed　rather　more　than　a　semicircle　by　the　natural
formation　of　the　coast；　and　was　further　improved　by　a　long　reef　of　hard
sandstone；　which　extended　from　either　point　like　an　artificial
breakwater。

At　first　sight　the　little　bay　was　a　tempting　refuge；　but　upon　closer
examination　I　observed　ominous　dark　patches　in　the　clear　water；　which
betokened　dangerous　reefs；　and　other　light　green　portions　that　denoted
sandy　shallows。　The　cove　is　useful　for　the　native　small　craft；　but　would
be　unsuitable　to　vessels　of　more　than　seven　feet　draught　of　water。　I　had
observed　that　francolins　were　more　numerous　since　we　had　arrived　upon
the　sandstone　formation；　and　the　cock　birds　were　calling　in　all
directions；　the　locality　was　so　inviting　that　we　felt　inclined　to　remain
for　a　few　days　in　such　a　delightful　spot；　but　the　season　was　too　far
advanced　for　shooting；　and　I　therefore　confined　myself　to　killing　only
what　was　absolutely　necessary　for　our　food；　and　I　invariably　selected
the　cock…birds　of　francolins。　I　do　not　think　these　birds　pair　like　the
partridge；　but　I　believe　the　cock　is　polygamous；　like　the　pheasant；　as　I
generally　found　that　several　hens　were　in　his　neighbourhood。　It　is　a
beautiful　game　bird；　the　male　possessing　a　striking　plumage　of　deep
black　and　rich　brown；　with　a　dark　ring　round　the　neck。　It　is　quite　a
different　variety　to　the　mottle…breasted　species　that　I　have　met　with　in
Mauritius；　Ceylon；　and　the　double…spur　francolin　that　I　have　shot　in
Africa。　It　is　considerably　larger　than　the　common　partridge；　but　not
quite　so　heavy　as　the　red…legged　birds　of　Cyprus；　although　when　flying
it　appears　superior。　The　flesh　is　white　and　exceedingly　delicate；　and　it
is　to　be　regretted　that　so　valuable　a　game　bird　is　not　introduced　into
England。　I　generally　found　the　francolin　in　the　low　scrub；　although　I
have　often　shot　it　either　in　the　cultivated　fields　or　in　the　wild
prickly　low　plants　upon　the　open　ground　which　have　been　misnamed
heather。　The　habits　of　this　bird　have　nothing　in　common　with　those　of
the　red…legged　partridge；　as　it　is　never　found　upon　the　bare　rocky
hill…sides；　which　are　the　general　resort　of　the　latter　annoying　species；
and　although　the　scrub　bush　may　contain　both；　there　is　a　marked
difference　in　their　character。　The　red…leg　is　a　determined　runner；　and
therefore　a　bad　game　bird　for　the　shooter；　as　it　will　run　ahead　when
first　disturbed　and　rise　far　beyond　shot　range；　instead　of　squatting
like　the　grey　partridge　and　permitting　a　sporting　shot。　The　francolin　is
never　found　upon　the　bare　hill…sides；　neither　is　it　a　runner　in　the
open；　although　it　will　occasionally　trouble　the　dogs　in　the　bush　by
refusing　to　rise　until　they　have　followed　it　for　some　distance；
precisely　as　pheasants　will　run　in　covert　until　halted　by　the　〃stops〃　or
by　a　net。　I　am　not　sure　of　the　power　of　resistance　to　cold　possessed　by
the　francolins；　as　they　are　seldom　met　with　upon　the　higher　mountains　in
Cyprus；　but　are　generally　found　upon　the　inferior　altitudes　and　low
grounds：　still　the　hazel…huhn　of　Austria　is　a　species　of　francolin　which
resists　the　intense　cold　of　a　central…European　winter。

Only　one　march　remained　to　the　extreme　eastern　limit　of　Cyprus；　Cape　St。
Andrea；　distant　fourteen　miles。　The　country　was　exactly　similar　to　that
which　we　had　recently　passed　through；　and　although　alike；　it　could
hardly　be　called　monotonous；　as　the　eye　was　never　fatigued。　The　few
inhabitants　were　poor　to　the　last　degree；　the　dwellings　were　mere
hovels。　We　passed　deep　holes　in　the　ground；　the　sides　of　which　were
baked　by　fire；　so　as　to　resemble　earthen　jars　about　ten　feet　deep　and
seven　in　diameter；　with　a　small　aperture；　these　were　subterranean
granaries；　the　sure　sign　of　insecurity　before　the　British　occupation。
The　flat…topped　hovels　had　the　usual　roofs　of　clay　and　chopped　straw；
and　projected　two　or　three　feet　as　eaves　beyond　the　walls；　which　were　of
stone　and　mud；　exhibiting　the　crudest　examples　of　masonry。　The
projecting　e