cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第29部分

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passed　through；　they　came　on　to　join　us；　but　only　arrived　some　hours
later；　at　nightfall。　I　discharged　my　camels　that　evening；　as　the　carts
would　begin　their　new　contract　on　the　following　morning。

I　rose　early　on　the　next　day；　as　we　had　a　long　march　of　twenty…two　miles
before　us　to　Trichomo；　but　as　the　oxen　had　been　resting　for　many　days；
and　I　had　been　paying　highly　for　their　food　while　they　had　been　doing
nothing；　I　knew　they　must　be　in　first…rate　condition；　and　in　spite　of
bad　roads　they　would　accomplish　the　distance。　There　was　always　a
difficulty　in　inducing　the　carters　to　start　early；　but　this　morning
there　was　a　greater　delay　than　usual；　and　I　myself　went　to　superintend
the　loading　of　the　carts。　I　could　hardly　believe　my　eyes！　In　Georgi's
cart　the　oxen　had　been　yoked。　There　was　a　black　creature　about　half　a
foot　shorter　than　its　fellow；　and　composed　of　skin　and　bones。　The　horns
of　this　animal　were　antiquities：　a　drawn　appearance　about　the　head　and
face；　and　deeply　sunken　eyes；　denoted　extreme　age。　The　fellow　ox　I
recognised　after　some　time　as　our　old　friend　in　reduced　circumstances；
it　had　been　going　through　a　course　of　wild　artichokes　and　prickly
thistles　since　I　had　seen　it　last；　which　had　brought　it　into　racing
condition　by　the　loss　of　at　least　a　hundredweight　of　flesh；　the　poor
beast　looked　starved。　Georgi　had　accordingly　saved　the　whole　of　the
allowance　I　had　paid　for　food　of　the　best　quality；　which　he　had　pocketed
while　his　animal　was　turned　out　to　graze。　〃Where　are　my　oxen？〃　I
inquired　of　the　conscious　Georgi；　who　wisely　remained　silent。　I　now
turned　to　Theodori's　team；　and　I　at　once　perceived　that　he　also　had
exchanged　one　of　the　superb　oxen　which　I　had　hired；　and　upon　which　I　had
depended　for　drawing　the　gipsy…van；　but　the　new　purchase　was　a　very
beautiful　animal；　although　inferior　in　height　to　its　companion；　which
had　much　fallen　off　in　condition；　having　been　fed　upon　the　same
unnutritious　food。　I　had　been　regularly　done；　as　the　animals　for　which　I
had　paid　highly　had　not　only　been　neglected；　but　had　been　exchanged。

I　very　quickly　explained　to　the　proprietors　that　they　had　no　right
whatever　to　exchange　the　oxen　which　I　had　engaged；　and　for　which　I　was
paying　in　my　absence；　therefore　I　should　refuse　to　accept　them；　as　the
contract　was　broken；　and　I　immediately　ordered　the　camels　to　be　loaded
with　the　contents　of　the　carts。　Fortunately　the　discharged　animals　were
grazing　within　a　few　yards　of　our　camp。

My　servants　now　explained　that　Georgi　the　thick…headed　had　been　done　by
his　dear　friend　and　companion　Theodori；　〃the　man　of　ability；〃　who　had
accompanied　me　into　the　Carpas　with　the　sole　intention　of
cattle…dealing。　It　appeared　that　after　my　departure　from　Gallibornu；
Theodori　had　suggested　to　his　friend　that　a　saving　might　be　effected　in
the　keep　of　four　animals　by　reducing　them　to　two；　and　he　advised　that
they　should　at　once　sell　each　one　ox；　and　arrange　to　purchase　new
animals　by　the　time　that　I　should　return；　they　would　by　this　method
pocket　half　the　sum　which　I　had　agreed　to　pay　daily　for　four　oxen　during
my　absence　at　Cape　St。　Andrea。　They　subsequently　came　to　the　conclusion
that　their　remaining　oxen　should　live　upon　their　wits　and　thistles；
instead　of　causing　an　expense　in　the　purchase　of　cotton…seed；　lentils；
and　tibbin　（broken　barley…straw）。　Theodori　informed　Georgi　that　he　knew
of　two　beautiful　animals　that　might　be　obtained　by　the　exchange　of　two
of　their　oxen　with　a　small　sum　of　money　in　addition；　and　he　would
arrange　the　matter　if　Georgi　would　part　with　the　dark　cream…coloured　ox
with　black　points　（his　best）。　Of　course　the　innocent…minded；
broad…shouldered；　herculean　Georgi　knew　that　his　friend　would　protect
his　interests；　and　he　left　the　matter　in　his　hands。　The　unmitigated
rascal　Theodori　knew　that　the　beautiful　fat　red　ox　that　he　wished　to
purchase　was　some　years　younger　than　the　old　well…trained　oxen　which
formed　his　pair；　and　therefore　it　would　be　more　valuable；　he　accordingly
agreed　to　give　one　of　his　oxen　and　one　of　Georgi's　FOR　A　PAIR　from　the
proprietor　of　the　fat　red　animal；　who　consented　to　the　exchange；
receiving　the　two　fine　animals　which　I　had　hired　and；　giving　the
valuable　young　red　ox　together　with　the　miserable　old　creature　that　I
had　seen　that　morning　in　the　yoke。　This　worn…out　old　skeleton　was　to　be
Georgi's　share　of　the　bargain！　I　told　Georgi　that　my　dogs　would　not　eat
the　animal　if　it　should　die；　as　it　was　too　thin。　My　servants　burst　out
laughing　when　Christo　the　cook　translated　the　account　of　the
transaction。　The　shameless　scoundrel　Theodori；　who　was　present；　SMILED
at　the　relation　of　his　shrewdness；　and　the　big　Georgi　burst　out　crying
like　a　child　at　the　loss　of　his　fine　ox；　the　duplicity　of　his　friend；
and　the　want　of　sympathy　of　the　bystanders；　who　made　a　joke　of　his
misfortune。　I　was　very　sorry　for　poor　Georgi；　as　he　was　really　an
excellent　fellow；　he　had　been　only　foolish　in　trusting　to　the　honour　of
his　friend；　like　some　good　people　who　apply　for　assistance　to　Lord
Penzance；　however；　there　was　no　help　for　it；　and　he　departed　crying
bitterly。

My　servants　were　fond　of　the　man；　and　their　hearts　began　to　soften　after
they　had　enjoyed　the　first　hearty　laugh　at　Georgi's　expense；　and
Christo；　who　was　always　the　factotum；　shortly　came　with　a　suggestion；
that；　〃If　I　would　write　an　order　for　the　immediate　return　of　Georgi's
bullock；　on　the　plea　that　as　I　had　hired　the　animal　no　one　had　a　right
to　exchange　it　until　the　expiration　of　my　contract；〃　there　would　be　no
difficulty；　as　〃the　purchaser　would　be　afraid　to　retain　the　animal　upon
seeing　Georgi　armed　with　a　written　paper。〃　〃But；〃　I　said；　〃what　is　the
use　of　my　writing　in　English；　which　no　one　can　understand？〃　Christo
assured　me　that　it　would　have　a　better　effect　if　nobody　could　read　the
contents；　as　Georgi　could　then　say　anything　he　pleased。　I　wrote　an　order
for　the　return　of　the　ox　as　belonging　temporarily　to　me　by　contract；　and
Georgi　having　wiped　his　eyes；　immediately　set　off　on　foot　towards
Gallibornu；　full　of　confidence　and　hope。

Theodori　declared　that　it　would　be　impossible　for　his　oxen　to　reach
Trichomo　in　one　day；　I　therefore　loaded　the　camels；　and　advised　him　to
await　Georgi's　return；　should　they　re…appear　at　Kuklia；　where　the　vans
were　lying；　I　would　re…engage　them　as　far　as　Lefkosia；　and　in　the
meantime　I　would　pay　them　for　the　daily　keep　of　their　animals；　who　were
to　be　well　fed；　and　to　discontinue　the　course　of　wild　artichokes　and
thistles。

We　took　a　different　route　upon　leaving　Lithrankomi；　by　keeping　upon　the
high　plateau　instead　of　the　lower　valleys　through　which　we　had　arrived
on　our　way　from　Volokalida。　We　accordingly　left　this　village　some　miles
to　the　south；　but　as　we　were　passing　through　a　broad　cultivated　plain；　a
portion　of　which　had　recently　been　ploughed；　we　observed　a　crowd　of
women　and　girls　who　were　engaged　with　baskets　in　collecting　wild
artichokes；　which　the　plough　had　dislodged。　As　we　approached　a　sudden
rush　was　made　in　our　direction；　the　baskets　were　placed　upon　the　ground；
and　a　race　took　place　over　the　heavy　soil　to　see　who　would　be　the　first
to　greet　us。　We　discovered　that　these　were　our　friends　of　Volokalida；
who　had　walked　across　the　hills　in　a　large　party　to　collect　wild
vegetables；　they　seemed　delighted　to　see　us；　and　insisted　upon　shaking
hands；　which；　as　they　had　been　grubbing　in　the　freshly…turned　ground；
was　rather　a　mouldy　operation。　We　shook　hands　with　about　thirty　members
of　this　primitive　agricultural　society；　and　were　glad　to　waive　an　adieu
before　the　arrival　of　the　older　women　in　the　rear；　who　with　their　heavy
nailed　boots　were　running　towards　us；　plunging　about　in　the　deep　ground
in　clumsy　attempts　at　juvenile　activity。　A　few　of　the　young　women　were
very　pretty；　but；　as　usual　in　Cyprus；　their　figures　were　ungainly；　and
their　movements；　hampered　by　baggy　trousers　and　enormous　high　boots；
were　most　ungraceful。

On　arrival　at　Trichomo　we　pitched　our　tent　at　some　distance　from　the
dwelling　in　which　we　had　fed　some　thousand　fleas　upon　our　former　visit；
and　on　the　following　morning　I　determined　to　go　straight　Famagousta；
about　twelve　miles　distant。

The　route　from　Trichomo　is　for　the　most　part　along　the　seashore；　but
occasionally　cutting　off　the　bends　by　a　direct　line。　The　plain　is　a　dead
level；　as　it　has　been　entirely　deposited　by　the　floods　of　the　Pedias
river。　We　rode　tolerably　fast；　the　sun　being　hot　and　the　country　most
uninteresting；　we　had　left　the　shrub…covered　surface　of　the　Carpas　with
its　romantic　cliffs　and　deep　valleys　rich　in　verdure；　and　once　more　we
were　upon　the　hateful　treeless　plain　of　Messaria。　During　our　sojourn　in
the　Carpas　district　the　rainfall　by　our　gauge　had　been　1。28　inches；　but
in　this　unattractive　region　there　had　only　been　one　or　two　faint
showers；　hardly　sufficient　to　lay　the　dust。　The　crops　about　five　inches
above　the　ground　were　almost　dead；　and　the　young　wheat　and　barley　were
completely　withered。

About　four　or　five　miles　from　Famagousta　we　arrived　at　the　ruins　of
ancient　Salamis。　The　stringent　prohibition　of　the　British　authorities
against　a　search　for　antiquities　in　Cyprus　had　destroyed　the　interest
which　would　oth