cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第28部分

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and　beyond　all　control　of　bishops。　This　wild　country；　far　from　all
roads；　and　forming　the　storm…washed　extreme　limit　of　the　island；　was
considerately　out　of　the　way　of　news；　and　the　monk　was　absolutely
ignorant　of　everything　that　was　taking　place　in　the　great　outer　world。
He　had　heard　that　such　mischievous　things　as　newspapers　existed；　but　he
had　never　seen　one；　neither　had　that　ubiquitous　animal　the
newspaper…correspondent　ever　been　met　with　in　the　evergreen　jungles　of
Cape　St。　Andrea。　His　monastery　was　his　world；　and　the　poor　inhabitants
who　occupied　the　few　miserable　huts　within　sight　of　his　church　were　his
vassals。　Although　the　bell　of　the　monastery　tolled　and　tinkled　at　the
required　hours；　he　informed　me　that　〃nobody　ever　attended　the　service；
as　the　people　were　always　engaged　in　looking　after　their　animals。〃
During　the　conversation　a　sudden　idea　appeared　to　have　flashed　upon　him；
and　starting　from　his　seat；　he　went　quickly　to　his　mule；　and　making　a
dive　into　the　large　and　well…filled　saddle…bags；　he　extracted　an
enormous　wine…bottle　that　contained　about　a　gallon；　this　he　triumphantly
brought　to　us　and　insisted　upon　our　acceptance。　It　was　in　vain　that　we
declined　the　offering；　the　priest　was　obdurate；　and　he　placed　the　bottle
against　the　entrance　of　the　tent；　which；　if　any　one　should　have
unexpectedly　arrived；　would　have　presented　a　most　convivial　appearance。

Upon　questioning　the　good　monk　respecting　the　destruction　of　forests
upon　his　domain；　he　informed　me　that　〃during　the　Turkish　administration
he　had　been　annually　pillaged　by　hundreds　of　vessels　which　arrived　from
the　neighbouring　coasts　of　Asia　Minor　and　of　Egypt　for　the　express
purpose　of　cutting　timber　to　be　sold　by　weight　as　fire…wood　at　their
various　ports。　He　had　protested　in　vain；　there　were　no　police；　nor　any
means　of　resistance　at　Cape　St。　Andrea；　therefore　the　numerous　crews　had
defied　him；　and　small　presents　from　the　owners　of　the　vessels　to　the
Pacha　at　headquarters　were　sufficient　to　ensure　immunity。〃　I　asked　him
〃why　they　wasted　so　much　excellent　fire…wood；　and　left　the　boughs　to
hamper　the　surface？〃　He　replied；　〃that　as　the　wood　was　sold　by　weight；
the　dealers　preferred　to　cut　the　thick　stems；　as　they　packed　closely　on
board　the　vessels；　and；　being　green；　they　weighed　heavy；　therefore　they
rejected　the　smaller　wood　and　left　it　to　rot　upon　the　ground。〃　He
declared　〃that　on　several　occasions　the　crews　had　quarrelled；　and　that
from　pure　spite　they　had　set　fire　to　the　thick　mass　of　dried　boughs　and
lighter　wood　which　had　spread　over　the　surface；　and　destroyed　immense
numbers　of　young　trees。〃　I　had　observed　that　large　tracts　had　been　burnt
during　the　preceding　year。　He　was　delighted　at　the　English　occupation；
as　his　property　would　now　be　protected；　and　in　a　few　years　the　trees
would　attain　a　considerable　size。

Having　passed　an　interesting　afternoon　with　the　new　ecclesiastical
acquaintance；　and　tasted；　immediately　after　his　departure；　the　contents
of　his　enormous　bottle　（which　was　as　instantly　presented；　as　a　〃great
treat；〃　to　the　servants）；　we　lighted　our　big　bonfires；　and　enjoyed　the
blaze　like　children；　although　the　showers　of　red　sparks　threatened　the
destruction　of　the　tent　in　the　absence　of　Captain　Shaw　and　the　London
Fire　Brigade。　After　this　temporary　excitement　in　this
utter…lack…of…incident…and…everyday…monotonous…island；　the　fires
gradually　subsided；　and　we　all　went　to　sleep。　There　is　no　necessity　in
Cyprus　for　sentries　or　night…watchers；　the　people　are　painfully　good；
and　you　are　a　great　deal　too　secure　when　travelling。　As　to　〃revolvers！〃
I　felt　inclined　to　bury　my　pistols　upon　my　first　arrival；　and　to
inscribe　〃Rest　in　peace〃　upon　the　tombstone。　It　would　be　just　as　absurd
to　attend　church　in　London　with　revolvers　in　your　belt　as　to　appear　with
such　a　weapon　in　any　part　of　Cyprus。　Mine　were　carefully　concealed　in
some　mysterious　corner　of　the　gipsy…van；　where　they　now　lie　hidden。

We　had　been　two　days　at　Cape　St。　Andrea；　and　it　was　necessary　to
right…about…face；　as　we　could　go　no　farther。　The　monk　proposed　to　guide
us　to　Rizo…Carpas；　the　capital　of　the　Carpas　district；　therefore　on　14th
March　we　started。

This　ride　of　fourteen　miles　was　the　most　interesting　we　had　made　since
our　arrival　in　the　island。　After　returning　upon　our　old　route　for　about
nine　miles；　we　struck　off　to　the　right　（north）　and　ascended　a　steep
gorge　between　precipitous　wooded　heights；　where　the　light　green　foliage
and　the　exceedingly　bright　red　stems　of　numerous　arbutus　contrasted　with
the　dense　masses　of　dark　greens　which　entirely　clothed　the　surface。　Upon
arrival；　about　600　feet　above　the　sea　we　obtained　a　splendid　view；　as　a
table…topped　hill　of　nearly　equal　height；　with　the　usual　steep
cliff…like　sides　all　covered　with　verdure；　stood　prominently　in　the
foreground；　and　the　deep　valleys　upon　either　side；　abounding　in　rich
caroub…trees　and　olives；　led　directly　to　the　sea；　about　six　miles
distant　and　far　below。　We　now　crossed　the　watershed；　and　the　view
increased　in　beauty　as　it　embraced　a　complete　panorama；　with　the　sea
upon　three　sides；　to　the　north；　south；　and　east；　with　the　mountains　of
Asia　Minor　in　the　far　distance。

We　arrived　at　Rizo…Carpas；　which　is　situated　in　a　gently…sloping　vale
about　450　feet　above　the　sea…level；　but　surrounded　upon　all　sides　by
superior　heights；　from　which　the　coast　of　Caramania　is　distinctly
visible　during　clear　weather。　The　valley　and　slopes　are　highly
cultivated　with　cereals；　and　plantations　of　mulberry…trees　for　the
support　of　silkworms；　numerous　caroub…trees　throughout　the　district　give
an　agreeable　and　prosperous　appearance。　Although　there　is　no　actual
town；　native　dwellings　are　dotted　over　the　face　of　the　country　for　some
miles；　ornamented　by　three　churches；　which　present　an　air　of
civilisation　and　prosperity。　The　inhabitants　were；　as　usual；　very
polite；　and　as　Lady　Baker　and　myself　were　sitting　upon　a　rug　beneath　a
tree　which　we　had　selected　for　the　evening's　halt；　and　waiting　for　the
arrival　of　our　camels；　a　crowd　of　women　and　children　arrived　with　the
ugliest　and　most　witch…like　old　hag　that　I　have　ever　seen。　This　old
creature　had　brought　fire　and　dried　olive…leaves　in　a　broken　pot；　with
which　she　immediately　fumigated　us　by　marching　round　several　times；　and
so　manipulating　her　pot　as　to　produce　the　largest　volume　of　smoke。　This
custom；　which　is　so　general　throughout　Cyprus；　is　supposed　to　avert　the
evil…eye；　but　I　imagine　that　it　originated　during　a　period　when　the
plague　or　some　other　fatal　epidemic　was　prevalent　in　the　island；　and
fumigation　was　supposed　to　act　as　a　preventative。

There　is　no　medicinal　property　in　the　olive…leaf；　but　as　the　tree　is
practically　undying；　I　attribute　the　use　of　the　leaves　as　incense　to　be
symbolically　connected　with　the　blessing　of　a　long　life　expressed　to　a
welcomed　guest。　It　is　one　of　those　vestiges　of　tree…worship　which　may　be
traced　in　almost　every　country；　both　savage　and　civilised；　and　may　be
seen　exhibited　in　Egypt；　where　the　almost　everlasting　species　of　aloe　is
suspended　above　the　doorway　of　a　house　as　a　talisman　or　safeguard　to　the
family　within：　the　idea　thus　expressed；　〃As　the　plant　never　dies；　may
your　family　last　for　ever。〃　We　got　rid　of　the　old　hag　and　her　smoky
offering；　and　she　became　lost　in　the　crowd　which　thronged　around　us；
this　was　composed　of　the　ugliest；　dirtiest；　shortest；　and　most　repulsive
lot　of　females　that　I　ever　saw：　it　was　painful　to　look　at　them。

There　was　a　general　complaint　that　the　silkworms　had　deteriorated；　and
that　the　mulberry…trees　had　suffered　from　a　disease　which　had　killed
great　numbers。　It　appeared　to　me　that　the　decay　of　the　trees　was　a
sufficient　reason　for　the　inferiority　of　the　silkworms。　This　was　a
serious　loss　to　the　inhabitants；　as　Rizo…Carpas　was　celebrated　both　for
the　quality　and　quantity　of　its　silk…production。

From　the　watershed　a　few　hundred　yards　behind　our　camp　we　had　a　good
view　of　the　northern　coast　below；　which　extended　in　a　series　of　rocky
bays　and　prominent　points　to　the　west；　while　the　entire　country　from　the
shore　to　the　rising　ground　formed　a　rich　picture　of　caroub…trees　and
plots　of　cultivation。　The　hills　upon　which　we　stood；　about　450　feet
above　the　sea；　were　the　continuations　of　the　long　Carpas　range；　where
the　force　of　the　upheaval　had　become　expended　towards　the　east。　As　we
looked　westward　the　line　of　hills　gradually　heightened；　until　the
well…known　points　of　the　compact　limestone　were　clearly　distinguished
among　the　rugged　outlines　of　the　greater　altitudes。

There　was　nothing　of　interest　to　induce　a　longer　stay　in　Rizo…Carpas；
therefore　we　started　on　the　following　morning　upon　our　return　journey；
and　after　a　lovely　march　of　twenty　miles；　partly　along　an　elevated
plateau　which　commanded　a　view　of　both　seas　north　and　south；　and　then
descending　some　700　or　800　feet　by　a　steep　and　interesting　pass；　we
arrived　at　Lithrankomi；　after　passing　through　Gallibornu。

To　my　astonishment　the　oxen　and　their　drivers；　instead　of　awaiting　me　at
Lithrankomi；　were　still　at　the　latter　village；　and　hearing　that　we　had
passed　through；　they　came　on　to　join　us；　but　only　arrived　some　hours
later；　at　nightfall。　I　discharged　m