cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第5部分

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at　the　stake　for　religious　principles；　or　put　in　a　bell…tent　in　the　sun
with　the　thermometer　at　110　degrees　Fahr。　simply　because　they　are
British　soldiersit　does　not　much　matterbut　the　moment　your　merchants
are　slain　upon　the　altar；　the　boiling…point　is　reached。

The　store…keepers　sat　despondingly　behind　their　counters　while　the
hinges　of　their　doors　rusted　from　the　absence　of　in…comers。　It　was
impossible　to　rouse　them　from　their　state　of　mercantile　coma；　except　by
one　word；　which　had　a　magnetic　effect　upon　their　nervous
system…〃Custom　House。〃

〃I　suppose　you　have　no　difficulty　at　the　Custom　House；　Mr。in　this
simple　island？〃　This　was　invariably　the　red　rag　to　the　bull。

〃No　difficulty；　Sir！no　difficulty？it　is　THE　difficultywe　are
absolutely　paralysed　by　the　Custom　House。　Every　box　is　broken　open　and
the　contents　strewed　upon　the　ground。　The　duty　is　ad　valorem　upon　all
articles；　and　an　ignorant　Turk　is　the　valuer。　This　man　does　not　know　the
difference　between　a　bootjack　and　a　lemon…squeezer：　only　the　other　day
he　valued　wire　dish…covers　as　‘articles　of　head…dress；'　（probably　he　had
seen　wire　fencing…masks）。　If　he　is　perplexed；　he　is　obliged　to　refer　the
questionable　article　to　the　Chief　Office；this　is　two　hundred　yards
from　the　landing　place：thus　he　passes　half　the　day　in　running
backwards　and　forwards　with　trifles　of　contested　value　to　his　superior；
while　crowds　are　kept　waiting；　and　the　store　is　piled　with　goods　most
urgently　required。〃　。　。　。

I　immediately　went　to　see　this　eccentric　representative　of　Anglo…Turkish
political…and…mercantile…combination；　and　found　very　little
exaggeration　in　the　description；　except　that　the　distance　was　187　paces
instead　of　200　which　he　had　to　perform；　whenever　the　character　of　the
article　was　beyond　the　sphere　of　his　experience。　As　this　happened　about
every　quarter　of　an　hour；　he　could　not　complain　of　a　sedentary
employment。　A　few　days　after　this；　migratory　birds　arrived　in　Cyprus
upon　the　inhospitable　shore　opposite　the　Custom　House　in　the　shape　of
two　Liberal　M。P's。　from　England；who　visited　the　island　specially　to
form　an　honest　opinion　free　from　all　political　bias。　Whether　these
gentlemen　were　undervalued　by　the　eccentric　official　to　whom　I　have
alluded；　or　whether　he　suspected　Liberals　as　opponents　to　be　regarded
and　treated　as　spies；　we　never　could　determine；　but　utterly　disregarding
their　innocent　exterior；　he　subjected　them　to　the　extreme　torture　of　the
Custom　House；　and　dived　and　plunged　into　the　very　bowels　and　bottoms　of
their　numerous　small　packages；　rumpling　clean　linen；　and　producing　a
toilettic　chaos。　To　the　honour　of　these　members　of　the　Opposition　they
never　brought　the　question　before　the　House　upon　their　return　to
England；　neither　did　they　make　it　the　foundation　of　an　attack　upon　the
Government。

An　excess　of　zeal　is　not　uncommon　among　ignorant　officials　newly　raised
to　a　position　of　authority：　thus　Larnaca　was　outdone　by　the　Custom　House
representative　at　Limasol　in　vigilance　and　strict　attention　to　the
administrative　tortures　of　his　office。　I　have　heard　of　cases　of　crockery
being　unpacked　upon　the　beach　and　spread　out　to　be　counted　and　valued
upon　the　loose　stones　of　shingle！

The　unfortunate　European　traders　of　Larnaca　were　shortly　relieved　of
their　Custom　House　troubles　by　the　total　absence　of　imports。　The　native
Cypriote　does　not　purchase　at　European　shops；　his　wants　are　few；　the
smallest　piece　of　soap　will　last　an　indefinite　period；　he　is　frugal　to
an　extreme　degree；　and　if　he　has　desires；　he　curbs　such　temptations　and
hoards　his　coin。　Thus；　as　the　natives　did　not　purchase；　and　all
Europeans　were　sellers　without　buyers；　there　was　no　alternative　but　to
shut　the　shutters。　This　was　a　species　of　commercial　suicide　which　made
Larnaca　a　place　of　departed　spirits；　in　which　unhappy　state　it　remains
to　the　present　hour。　Even　the　club　was　closed。



CHAPTER　II。

THE　GIPSY…VANS　ENCOUNTER　DIFFICULTIES。

My　gipsy…van　was　not　of　doubtful　character。　I　had　purchased　it　direct
from　the　gipsies　in　England；　and　it　had　been　specially　arranged　for　the
Cyprus　journey　by　Messrs。　Glover　Bros。　of　Dean　Street；　Soho；　London。　It
had　been　painted　and　varnished　with　many　coats　both　inside　and　out；　and
nobody；　unless　an　experienced　gipsy；　would　have　known　that　it　was　not
newly　born　from　the　maker's　yard。　Originally　it　had　been　constructed　for
shafts；　as　one　horse　was　considered　sufficient　upon　the　roads　of
England；　but　when　it　arrived　in　Cyprus　it　appeared　to　have　grown　during
the　voyage　about　two　sizes　larger　than　when　it　was　last　seen。　As　the
small　animals　of　Larnaca　passed　by；　where　my　lovely　van　blocked　up　the
entire　street；　and　forced　the　little　creatures　upon　the　footpath；　they
looked　in　comparison　as　though　they　had　just　been　disembarked　upon　Mount
Ararat　from　the　original　Noah's　ark；　represented　by　the　gipsy…van！　The
Cypriotes　are　polite；　therefore　I　heard　no　rude　remarks。　The　Cypriote
boys　are　like　all　other　boys；　therefore　they　climbed　to　the　top　of　the
van；　and　endeavoured　by　escalade　to　enter　the　windows。　On　one　occasion　I
captured　HALF　A　BOY　（the　posterior　half）　who　was　hanging　with　legs
dangling　out　of　the　window；　his　〃forlorn…hope〃　or　advance　half　vainly
endeavouring　to　obtain　a　resting…place　upon　vacuity　within　（as　the　fall
slab…table　was　down）。　I　had　no　stick；　but　the　toes　of　his　boots　had
imprinted　first　impressions　upon　the　faultless　varnish。　What　became　of
that　young　Cypriote　was　never　known。

Even　in　Cyprus　there　are　municipal　laws；　and　now　that　the　English　are
there　they　are　enforced；　therefore　my　huge　van　could　not　remain　like　a
wad　in　a　gun…barrel；　and　entirely　block　the　street。　A　London　policeman
would　have　desired　it　to　〃move　on〃　butthis　was　the　real　grievance
that　I　had　against　Larnacathe　van　COULD　NOT　〃MOVE　ON；〃　owing　to　its
extreme　height；　which　interfered　with　the　wooden　water…spouts　from　the
low　roofs　of　the　flat…topped　houses。　This　was　a　case　of　〃real　distress。〃
My　van　represented　civilisation：　the　water…spouts　represented　barbarism。
If　a　London　omnibus　crowded　with　outside　passengers　had　attempted　to
drive　through　Larnaca；　both　driver　and　passengers　would　have　been　swept
into　I　have　not　the　slightest　notion　where；　and　my　van　was　two　feet
higher　than　an　omnibus！

I　determined　that　I　would　avoid　all　inferior　thoroughfares；　and　that　the
van　should　pass　down　Wolseley　Street；　drawn　by　a　number　of　men　who　would
be　superior　in　intelligence　to　the　Cypriote　mules　and　be　careful　in
turning　the　corners。

I　did　not　see　the　start；　as　a　person　with　an　〃excess　of　zeal〃　had
started　it　with　a　crowd　of　madmen　without　orders；　and　I　was　only　a　late
spectator　some　hours　after　its　arrival　opposite　Craddock's　Hotel。　It
rather　resembled　a　ship　that　had　been　in　bad　weather　and　in　collision
with　a　few　steamers。　How　many　water…spouts　it　had　carried　away　I　never
heard。　The　fore…axle　was　broken；　as　it　appeared　that　in　rounding　a
corner　it　had　been　dragged　by　main　force　upon　the　curbstone　about
sixteen　inches　high；　from　which　it　had　bumped　violently　down。　It　had
then　been　backed　against　a　water…spout；　which　had　gone　completely
through　what　sailors　would　term　the　〃stern。〃　One　shutter　was　split　in
two　pieces；　and　one　window　smashed。　Altogether；　what　with　bruises；
scratches；　broken　axle；　and　other　damages；　my　van　looked　ten　years　older
since　the　morning。

Fortunately　among　the　Europeans　who　had　flocked　to　Cyprus　since　the
British　occupation　was　a　French　blacksmith；　whose　forge　was　only　a　few
yards　from　Craddock's　Hotel；　where　my　wrecked　vessel　blocked　the　way。　I
had　a　new　fore　axle…tree　made；　and　strengthened　the　hinder　axle。　I　also
fitted　a　bullock…pole；　instead　of　shafts；　for　a　pair　of　oxen；　the
springs　I　bound　up　with　iron　wire　shrunk　on　while　red…hot。　I　took　out
the　stove；　as　it　was　not　necessary；　and　its　absence　increased　the　space；
and　I　inserted　a　ventilator　in　the　roof　in　place　of　the　chimney。　When
repaired；　the　van　looked　as　good　as　new；　and　was　much　stronger；　and　well
adapted　for　rough　travel。　The　only　thing　it　now　wanted　was　a　ROAD！

The　highways　of　Cyprus　were　mere　mule…tracks。　The　only　legitimate　road
in　existence　was　of　most　recent　construction；　which　represented　the　new
birth　of　British　enterprise；　from　Larnaca　to　the　capital；　Nicosia　（or
Lefkosia）；　about　twenty…eight　miles。　The　regrettable　paucity　of
stone…hammers　rendered　it　impossible　to　prepare　the　metal；　therefore
huge　rounded　blocks；　bigger　than　a　man's　head；　had　been　thrown　down　for
a　foundation；　upon　which　some　roughly　broken　and　a　quantity　of　unbroken
smaller　stones　had　been　spread。

Of　course　there　was　only　one　method　of　travelling　upon　this　route　with
the　gipsy…van：　this　was　to　avoid　it　altogether；　but　to　keep　upon　the
natural　soil　on　the　side　of　the　newly…made　level。

My　second　van　was　most　satisfactory；　and　was　light　in　proportion　to　its
strength　and　capacity。　This　was　arranged　specially　for　luggage；　and　was
entirely　closed　by　doors　at　either　end；　which　were　secured　by　bolts　and
locks。　Above　the　luggage；　and　about　two　feet　six　inches　below　the　roof；
a　sliding　deck　formed　of　movable　planks　afforded　a　comfortable
sleeping…berth　for　a　servant。　In　the　front　a　projecting　roof　sheltered