cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第45部分

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waves。　We　ascended　the　stream　for　a　short　distance；　until；　tempted　by
two　or　three　large　plane…trees；　we　halted　for　luncheon　beneath　their
shade。　The　river；　which　occasionally　flooded　sufficiently　to　bring　down
heavy　timber　when　felled　among　the　mountains；　flowed　through　an
extremely　rich　but　narrow　valley；　which　extended　into　a　glen　between
their　precipitous　slopes　until　it　became　a　mere　ravine。　The　mass　of
mountains　in　this　district；　which　form　a　succession　of　wild　and
impassable　steeps；　is　marked　upon　Kiepert's　map　as　〃unexplored。〃　They
were　originally　pine…forests；　but　the　destruction　of　timber　has　been
carried　to　such　an　excess　that　comparatively　few　trees　remain。　With　my
glass　I　could　distinguish　large　trunks　that　lay　rotting　upon　the　ground；
where　they　had　pitched　among　the　stems；　and　roots　of　trees　that　had　been
already　felled；　these　had　been　rolled　from　the　steep　heights　above；　but
having　been　caught　in　their　descent　to　the　torrent　below　by　the　opposing
stumps；　they　had　been　abandoned；　and　other　trees　had　been　felled　in
their　stead；　where　the　inclination　was　more　favourable　for　their
transport。

This　portion　of　the　coast　should　be　thoroughly　explored　by　practical
miners；　as　it　is　rich　in　minerals。　I　procured　some　fine　specimens　of
pyrites　of　copper；　which　the　natives　mistook　for　silver；　and　should　a
mineralogical　investigation　be　made　by　the　authorities；　I　feel　sure　that
the　metallic　wealth　of　Cyprus　will　be　discovered　between　Caravastasi　and
Poli…ton…Krysokhus。

It　was　late　before　our　baggage　animals　appeared；　and　when　they　at　length
arrived；　Iiani's　venerable　camel　was　missing。　It　appeared　that　this
worn…out　old　creature　had　been　performing　acrobatic　feats　in　tumbling
throughout　the　difficult　journey；　and　had　rolled；　together　with　its
load；　down　several　places　that　had　threatened　its　destruction。　It　had
delayed　the　march　several　hours；　as　it　had　been　many　times　released　from
difficulties　by　unloading；　reloading；　and　dividing　the　heavier　portions
of　baggage　among　the　other　camels　which　received　a　smaller　pay。　At
length；　upon　arriving　upon　the　deep　sand　of　the　beach；　about　a　mile
distant；　it　had　fallen　down；　and　given　up　everything　except　the　ghost。

It　was　a　natural　annoyance　to　the　owners　of　the　other　camels　that　Iiani
should　be　paid　highly　for　a　useless　animal；　while　they　had　to　carry　its
load　divided　among　them　assisted　by　a　division　of　the　smaller　weights
among　the　servants'　riding　mules。　The　evening　was　passed　in　grumbling：
everybody　was　in　a　bad　humour。　It　was　declared　impossible　to　pitch　the
tent　upon　the　sandy　beach　by　the　pool　of　fresh　water；　as　there　was　no
holding…ground　for　the　tent…pegs。　I　quickly　instructed　them　in　making
faggots　of　tamarisk…boughs　which；　tied　to　the　ropes　and　buried　in　the
sand；　were　much　more　secure　than　pegs　in　the　hardest　soil；　and　the　tent
was　at　length　arranged。　A　small　species　of　curlew　tempted　its　fate　by
visiting　the　fresh…water　margin　just　before　our　dinner…hour；　I　bagged
it；　and　as　the　cook　was　in　a　bad　humour；　I　made　a　fire　of　driftwood；
with　which　the　beach　was　strewed；　and　when　the　glowing　embers　had
succeeded　to　the　flame　and　formed　a　red…hot　heap；　I　cut　two　forked
sticks；　which；　placed　on　either　side　upright　in　the　sand；　supported　my
bird　upon　a　long　skewer　of　green　tamarisk…wood。　A　little　salt；　pepper；
and　a　smear　of　butter　occasionally；　produced　a　result　that　would　have
beaten　Christo's　best　attempts。

On　the　following　morning　we　were　all　once　more　in　good　humour；　the　old
camel　had　not　died；　but　had　been　brought　into　camp　late　at　night。　It　now
formed　the　object　for　everybody's　joke；　and　its　owner　liani　was
recommended　to　〃try　and　sell　it；〃　or　〃to　make　it　a　present　to　a　friend；〃
or　〃to　ride　it　himself；〃　the　latter　course　would　have　been　a　deserved
punishment。　Iiani　escaped　further　remarks　by　jumping　upon　his　mule　and
riding　ahead；　and　we　followed　our　guide　without　delay　along　the　deep
sandy　beach。

We　rode　for　fourteen　miles　along　cliffs　bordering　the　sea；　with　the　deep
hollows　occasioned　by　the　natural　drainage　causing　a　continual　series　of
ups　and　downs；　which　reminded　me　forcibly　of　the　coast　of　South　Devon
between　Torquay　and　Dawlish。　The　difference　lay　in　the　rocks；　which　were
all　plutonic；　and　in　the　scenery　upon　our　left；　which　was　a　wild　and
confused　mass　of　mountains；　scarred　by　deep　and　dark　ravines；　while　the
more　distant　summits　exhibited　the　still…existing　pine…forests；　these
had　disappeared　from　the　slopes　which　faced　the　coast；　and　had　afforded
facilities　for　exportation。　We　halted　in　a　deep　glen　between　exceedingly
steep　hills；　through　which　a　torrent…bed　had　cut　its　course　directly　to
the　sea。　In　this　secluded　spot；　far　from　all　villages　or　inhabitants；　we
arranged　to　encamp　upon　a　flat　and　inviting　plot　of　turf；　which　in
Cyprus　is　rarely　met　with。　Some　tolerable　elms　and　other　trees　formed　a
dense　shade　in　a　deep　and　narrow　portion　of　the　glen　beneath　the
over…hanging　cliffs；　and　a　beautiful　spring　of　water　issued　from　the
rock；　received　in　a　stone　cistern　beneath。　An　arch　of　masonry　inclosed
the　spring；　which　some　kind　person　had　thus　carefully　arranged　for　the
public　good；　this　was　richly　clothed　with　maiden…hair　ferns。　The　surplus
water；　after　overflowing　the　stone　basin；　formed　a　faint　stream；　which
trickled　over　the　rocks　between　cliffs　only　a　few　feet　apart；　until　it
emerged　from　this　narrow　cleft　and　joined　the　sea。　I　walked　down　this
natural　alley　to　the　beach　and　bathed；　to　the　astonishment　of　my　guide
Iiani　and　another　Cypriote；　who　rushed　to　the　top　of　the　cliff　as　though
they　thought　I　contemplated　suicide；　these　people　having　a　natural
horror　of　cold　water。　The　name　of　this　secluded　glen　was　Symboli。

On　the　following　morning　we　started　for　Polis；　fourteen　miles　by　an　easy
route　along　the　coast。　The　mountains　upon　our　left　were　very
precipitous；　and　exhibited　the　same　character　of　complete　wilderness
which　had　marked　them　for　the　last　two　marches；　the　only　difference
apparent　was　an　increase　in　the　remaining　pines；　which　fairly　clothed
their　summits　and　ravines。　The　sea　was　perfectly　calm；　and　for　the　first
time　during　our　stay　in　Cyprus　we　observed　many　shoals　of　fish　playing
upon　the　surface　close　to　the　beach。　Two　cormorants　were　in　the　bay；　and
I　made　some　fortunate　shots；　killing　one　with　the　rifle　at　upwards　of
200　yards；　and　disabling　the　other　at　about　250。　There　appeared　to　be
more　signs　of　game　in　this　part　of　the　country；　as　the　cock　francolins
were　crowing　in　many　directions　throughout　our　route；　until　we　arrived
at　Polis；　or；　in　full；　〃Poli…ton…Krysokhus。〃

This　place　was　formerly　important　as　one　of　the　principal　mineral
centres　of　the　island；　and　the　large　accumulations　of　scoriae　in　several
mounds　near　the　coast　prove　that　mining　operations　were　conducted　upon
an　extensive　scale。　A　concession　had　recently　been　granted　to　a　small
private　company　for　the　working　of　copper　in　this　neighbourhood；　and
should　the　existence　of　metallic　wealth　be　proved　there　can　be　no　doubt
that　capital　will　be　embarked　in　mining　enterprises；　and　the　locality
will　recover　its　former　importance。　On　the　other　hand；　all　mining
adventures　should　be　conducted　with　the　greatest　caution。　A　common　error
is　committed　by　sanguine　speculators　in　following　the　footsteps　of　the
ancients；　upon　the　supposition　that　because　in　former　ages　a　locality
was　productive；　it　should　remain　in　the　same　profitable　condition。
Nothing　can　be　more　erroneous；　it　is　generally　poor　gleaning　after　the
Phoenicians。　The　bronze　of　those　extraordinary　miners　and　metallurgists
was　renowned　above　all　other　qualities；　they　worked　the　copper…mines　of
Cyprus　and　the　tin…mines　of　Cornwall；　but　the　expenses　of　working　a　mine
in　those　days　bore　no　comparison　with　the　outlay　of　modern　times。　Slaves
were　employed　as　a　general　rule：　forced　labour　was　obtainable；　and　the
general　conditions　of　the　labour…market　were　utterly　at　variance　with
those　of　the　present　day。　The　ancient　miners　would　seldom　have　abandoned
their　veins　of　ore　until　they　were　completely　exhausted；　and　the　vast
heaps　of　scoriae　which　now　mark　the　sites　of　their　operations　may　be　the
remains　of　works　that　were　deserted　as　worn　out　and　unproductive。　It　is
true　that　traces　of　copper　are　visible　in　many　places　throughout　the
metamorphous　rocks；　and　the　greenstone　from　Soli　to　Poli…ton…Krysokhus；
but　it　remains　to　be　proved　whether　the　metal　exists　in　sufficient
quantities　to　be　profitably　worked。　It　is　generally　believed　that　zinc
was　formerly　produced　at　Soli；　where　vestiges　of　ancient　mining
operations　are　to　be　seen　upon　the　surface；　but　for　many　centuries　the
works　have　been　abandoned。

A　very　careful　scientific　examination　of　the　island　has　been　made　by
various　explorersM。　Gaudry；　Unger；　and　Kotschy：　their　reports　are　not
encouraging；　but　at　the　same　time　it　must　be　allowed　that　they　were　not
practical　miners。　The　work　of　M。　Gaudry　must　always　be　accepted　as　a
most　valuable　authority　upon　the　geology；　mineralogy；　and　general
agricultural　resources　of　Cyprus；　but　it　will　be　remarked　by　all
practical　men　that　the　explorations　of　the　country　have　been
superficial；　no　money　has　been　expended；　and　is　it