cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第57部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


jars；　loss　by　accidents　of　seasons；　when　the　wine　turns　sour；　neither　is
any　margin　allowed　for　extraneous　casualties。

At　first　sight　the　position　appears　impossible；　as　a　stranger　would　ask
the　pertinent　question；　〃Why；　if　vineyards　do　not　pay；　does　the　owner
continue　the　occupation？　Why　does　he　not　substitute　some　other　form　of
cultivation？〃　The　answer　is　simple。　Wherever　the　conditions　of　the
locality　permitted；　they　have　already　done　so；　but　vineyards　are
cultivated　where　no　other　crops　could　grow；　upon　the　sides　of　inclines
so　steep　that　it　is　even　difficult　to　stand；　and　these　positions；
although　peculiarly　adapted　for　the　cultivation　of　the　vine　by　reason　of
the　soil；　would　be　absolutely　worthless　for　other　uses。　The　vine
requires　little　water　after　the　young　grapes　have　formed；　and　the
burning　sun…light　which　is　favourable　for　their　development　would
destroy　all　cereals　upon　those　steep　inclinations；　where　a　casual
shower；　instead　of　soaking　into　the　earth　and　nourishing　the　crops；
rushes　quickly　over　the　surface　and　drains　superficially　into　the　deep
vale　below。　The　land　of　the　vineyards　is　WINE　land；　and　adapted
specially　by　the　quality　of　the　soil　and　the　peculiarity　of　climate　for
the　production　of　grapes。　In　addition　to　the　impossibility　of　converting
this　land　to　other　purposes　of　cultivation　would　be　the　loss　to　the
proprietor　of　all　his　plant；　buildings；　jars；　&c。；　&c。；　which　would
become　valueless。

This　is；　as　well　as　I　can　describe　the　grievances；　the　real　position　of
the　vine…grower。　Although　since　the　British　occupation　he　has　escaped
the　extra　extortion　of　the　tax…farmer；　he　is　still　the　slave　of　petty
vexations　and　delays；　which　strangle　him　in　red…tape　and　render　his
avocation　a　misery；　without　profit；　leaving　only　a　bare　subsistence。
What　is　to　be　done？

The　first　necessary　change　is　a　system　of　roads；　only　sufficiently　wide
to　admit　of　the　native　two…wheeled　carts；　with　sidings　every　half　mile
to　enable　them　to　pass　when　meeting。　Our　usual　English　mistake　has　been
made；　in　the　only　two　metalled　highways　that　the　engineers　have
constructed　in　Cyprus；　〃that　everything　must　be　English；〃　thus　we　have
two　costly　roads　of　great　width　from　Larnaca　to　Lefkosia；　and　from
Limasol　to　Platraes；　which　are　entirely　unsuitable　to　the　requirements
of　the　country；　and　as　there　are　no　branch　roads　in　communication；　the
people　are　hardly　benefited；　as　they　cannot　reach　the　main　artery　with
wheeled　conveyances。　The　military　road　from　Limasol　might　as　well　be　a
railway　without　any　branch　traffic；　as　it　is　entirely　independent　of
other　roads：　thus；　should　carts　be　established　to　convey　the　wine　of　the
district　to　Limasol；　they　must　be　loaded　by　mules　that　will　bring　the
produce　from　the　roadless　vineyards　in　the　usual　manner　by　goat…skins；
and　the　wine　will　be　tainted　as　before。　A　network　of　cheap　useful
cart…tracks　can　be　easily　made　throughout　the　wine　districts；　and　they
MUST　be　made　before　any　improvement　in　the　quality　of　the　wines　can　take
place。　The　goat…skins　and　the　tarred　jars　must　be　thrown　aside　before
any　change　can　be　expected：　these　cannot　become　obsolete　until　the
necessary　roads　for　the　conveyance　of　casks　shall　be　completed。

If　we　regard　the　present　position　of　the　vine…grower；　we　must　advise
him　thus：〃The　first　necessity　is　to　improve　your　QUALITY；　and　thus
ensure　a　higher　price。　It　costs　no　more　either　in　labour　or　in　plant　to
produce　a　good　wine　than　to　continue　your　present　rude　method　of
production。　You　may　double　the　value　of　your　wine　by　an　improved　system；
without　adding　materially　to　your　expenses；　you　will　then　have　a　large
margin　for　profit；　which　will　increase　in　the　same　ratio　as　the　quality
of　your　wine。〃

The　grower　will　reply；　〃We　must　have　roads　for　carts　if　we　are　to
substitute　barrels　for　goat…skins。　So　long　as　the　mule…paths　are　our
only　routes　we　must　adhere　to　the　skins；　which　we　acknowledge　are
destructive　to　the　quality　of　the　wine　and　reduce　our　profits。　Give　us
roads。〃

This　is　a　first　necessity；　and　it　is　simply　ridiculous　to　preach　reforms
of　quality　to　the　cultivators　so　long　as　the　present　savage　country
remains　roadless。　It　is　the　first　duty　of　the　government　to　open　the
entire　wine　district　by　a　carefully　devised　system　of　communication：　for
which　a　highway　rate　could　be　established　for　repairs。

If　this　simple　work　shall　be　accomplished　the　goat…skins　will　disappear；
or　should　some　cultivators　cling　to　the　ancient　nuisance；　a　tax　could　be
levied　specially　upon　wine　skins；　which　would　ensure　their　immediate
abolition。　A　new　trade　would　at　once　be　introduced　to　Cyprus　in　the
importation　of　staves　for　casks；　and　the　necessary　coopers。　The　huge
jars　that　are　only　suggestive　of　the　〃Forty　Thieves〃　would　be　used　as
water…tanks；　and　the　wine　would　ripen　in　casks　of　several　hundred
gallons；　and　be　racked　off　by　taps　at　successive　intervals　when　clear。
The　first　deposit　of　tannin　and　fixed　albumen　would　remain　at　the　bottom
of　No。　1　vat；　the　second　deposit　after　racking　in　No。　2；　and　the　wine
which　is　now　an　astringent；　cloudy；　and　muddy　mixture　of　impurities；
would　leave　the　vine…grower's　store　bright；　and　fit　for　the　merchant's
vats　in　Limasol；　and　command　a　more　than　double　price。　This　is　a　matter
of　certainty　and　not　conjecture。　Should　the　black　wines　be　carefully
manufactured；　they　will　be　extensively　used　for　mixing　with　thin　French
wines；　as　they　generally　possess　strength　and　body　in　large　proportion
to　their　price。

It　will　be　universally　agreed　that　the　making　of　the　roads　is　the　first
necessity；　but　if　the　island　is　in　such　financial　misery　that　so
important　a　step　must　be　deferred；　the　grievances　of　the　vine…growers
should　be　immediately　considered。　The　first　question　to　the　cultivator
would　be；　〃What　reforms　do　you　yourself　suggest？〃　He　replies；　〃Fix　an
annual　rate　per　donum；　and　leave　us　free　to　send　our　wine　wherever　we
choose；　without　the　abominable　vexations　and　delays　caused　by　the
present　arbitrary　system；　let　the　tax　per　donum　include　every　charge　for
which　we　shall　be　liable：　we　shall　then　know　at　once　the　limit　of　our
liability。〃　I　cannot　see　any　practical　difficulty　in　such　an
arrangement；　a　highway　rate　might　be　an　extra　when　the　roads　should　be
completed。　A　small　export　duty　at　the　various　ports　would　become　a
material　source　of　increase　to　the　revenue　when　the　wine　trade　became
invigorated　and　extended　by　government　encouragement；　and　although　such
a　duty　would　indirectly　affect　the　grower　in　the　price　which　the
merchant　would　pay　for　the　new　wine；　it　would　be　a　collateral　tax　that
would　not　be　felt　individually。

Unless　the　present　oppressive　system　shall　be　abolished　the　wine　trade
of　Cyprus　will　languish；　and　an　industry　that　may　be　profitably　extended
to　an　important　degree　will　share　the　fate　of　a　commercial　and
agricultural　depression　which　has　resulted　from　the　vague　conditions　of
the　British　occupation；　and　from　which　no　recovery　can　be　expected　until
confidence　in　the　future　prospects　of　the　island　shall　be　established。



CHAPTER　XI。

FROM　LIMASOL　TO　THE　MOUNTAINS。

The　barley　harvest　was　in　active　operation；　and　the　fields　around　our
camp　were　crowded　with　men；　women；　and　children；　all　hard　at　work；　but
producing　small　results　compared　with　an　equal　expenditure　of　European
labour。　Their　sickles　were　large　and　good；　but　a　great　proportion　of　the
crops　were　either　broken　off　by　hand　or　were　dragged　out　by　the　roots；
and　the　earth　that　adhered　was　carelessly　dusted　off　by　a　blow　against
the　reaper's　boots。　In　this　dry　climate　there　was　no　necessity　for
piling　the　sheaves；　but　the　small　bundles　were　at　once　laden　upon
donkeys　and　also　conveyed　in　the　two…wheeled　carts　to　the　threshing…
ground；　upon　which　it　would　remain　until　valued　for　taxation　by　the
government　official。　In　the　dry　atmosphere　of　Cyprus；　Syria；　Egypt；　&c。；
the　straw　breaks　easily；　and　beneath　the　sharp　flints　of　the　ancient
threshing…harrow　in　present　use　is　quickly　reduced　to　the　coarse　chaff
known　as　〃tibbin；〃　which　forms　the　staple　article　of　food　for　horses　and
all　cattle。　Taking　advantage　of　the　numbers　of　people　congregated　in　the
fields；　some　itinerant　gipsies　with　a　monkey　and　performing　bears　were
camped　beneath　the　caroub…trees；　about　half　a　mile　from　our　position。
The　bears　were　the　Syrian　variety。　Throughout　Cyprus　the　gipsies　are
known　as　tinners　of　pots　and　makers　of　wooden　spoons；　which　seems　to　be
the　normal　occupation　of　their　tribe　throughout　the　world；　they　have
also　a　character　for　a　peculiar　attachment　to　fowls　and　any　other　small
matters　that　belong　to　private　individuals　which　may　be　met　with　during
their　wanderings。

The　beans　of　the　caroub…trees　were　already　large；　and　promised　a　good
crop　in　spite　of　the　dry　weather。　The　roots　of　these　evergreens
penetrate　to　a　great　depth；　and　obtain　nourishment　from　beneath　when　the
surface　soil　is　perished　by　drought。　I　have　never　seen　a　caroub
overthrown　by　the　wind；　although　the　extremely　large　head　that　is　at　all
seasons　covered　with　leaves　must　offer　a　great　resistance。　The　fruit　of
this　tree　（Ceratonia　siliqua）　is　already　an　important　export　from
Cyprus；　and　if　the　cultivati