cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第65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！


the　present　moment　the　stringent　enactment　against　the　destruction　of
trees　may　be　evaded　like　any　of　the　Ten　Commandments；　because　there　is
absolutely　no　staff；　nor　special　officers　for　the　supervision　of　woods
and　forests。　This　important　subject　requires　a　separate　department；　and
nothing　can　be　more　simple　if　administered　by　persons　qualified　by
education　for　the　development　of　trees　suitable　to　the　island。　The
poverty　of　the　local　government；　owing　to　the　miserable　conditions　of
our　tenure；　which　send　the　cream　to　Turkey；　and　suckle　the　necessary
staff　upon　the　thin　skimmed…milk；　does　not　permit　the　real　improvement
of　the　forests。　It　is　simply　ridiculous　to　make　laws　without　the　active
weapons　to　enforce　authority；　we　may　as　well　rest　satisfied　with　the
game　laws　in　England　and　dismiss　our　keepers；　as　prohibit　the　cutting　of
wood　in　Cyprus　without　supervising　the　forests　by　a　staff　of　foresters。
If　the　words　〃Thou　shalt　not　steal；〃　even　from　a　divine　command；　were
sufficient　to　prevent　felony　and　petty　larceny；　it　would　be　folly　to
incur　the　expense　of　police；　but　we　know　that　practically　all　laws　must
be　upheld　by　force；　represented　by　the　authorised　guardians　of　the
state。　At　this　moment　in　Cyprus　the　law　proclaims；　〃Thou　shalt　not　cut　a
tree；〃　while　practically　you　may　cut　as　many　as　you　like　in　the　mountain
forests；　as　there　is　no　person　authorised　to　interfere　with　your　acts。
Some　miserable　offender　may　be　pounced　upon　in　his　own　garden；　near　one
of　the　principal　towns；　where　the　law　SHOULD　NEVER　HAVE　BEEN　ENFORCED；
as　interfering　with　the　individual　rights　of　private　property；　but　in
the　situations　where　the　prohibition　is　of　the　first　importance；　there
is　literally　not　an　officer　or　man　to　prevent　the　usual　depredations。
Why？　The　answer　must　be　accepted。　There　is　no　money；　and　we　cannot
afford　an　independent　department　of　〃Woods　and　Forests。〃　If　the　country
is　to　continue　in　this　slip…shod　form　it　is　a　disgrace　to　England。
There　is　time　to　save　the　forests　from　absolute　destruction；　and　in　my
own　opinion；　before　anything　is　done　beyond　the　necessary　roads　and
irrigation　loans；　every　possible　attention　should　be　concentrated　upon
the　protection　and　development　of　forest…trees。

The　position　at　this　moment　is　as　follows。　Throughout　the　entire
mountain　range　there　are　not　5　per　cent。　of　pines　free　from　mutilation。

The　whole　of　Troodos；　and　the　mountain　districts　from　near　Lithrodondo
to　as　far　west　as　Poli…ton…Khrysokus；　are　naturally　adapted　for　the
growth　of　pines　and　cypress；　which　love　the　soil　of　the　plutonic　rocks；
and　drive　their　roots　deep　into　the　interstices；　deriving　nourishment
where　nothing　else　would　thrive。　Upon　the　highest　altitudes　there　is　not
a　dwarf　shrub　to　cover　the　surface　of　the　loose　coffee…coloured　rocks；
where　in　the　winter　the　snow　accumulates　to　a　depth　of　twenty　feet；　yet
there　we　find　the　pines　and　cypress　in　their　greatest　vigour；　but　even
to　these　solitary　heights　the　Cypriote　has　penetrated　with　his　unsparing
axe；　and　has　created　a　desolation　that　must　be　seen　to　be　understood。
There　is　no　sight　so　exasperating　as　this　uncalled…for　destruction；　it
is　beyond　all　belief；　and　when　the　amount　of　labour　is　considered　that
must　have　been　expended　in　this　indiscriminate　attack　upon　forest…trees
THAT　ARE　LEFT　TO　ROT　UPON　THE　GROUND　where　they　have　fallen；　the　object
of　the　attack　is　at　first　sight　inconceivable。　The　sight　of　a　mountain
pine…forest　in　Cyprus　would　convey　the　impression　that　an　enemy　who　had
conquered　the　country　had　determined　to　utterly　destroy　it；　even　to　the
primaeval　forests；　he　had　therefore　felled；　and　left　to　rot；　the　greater
portion　of　the　trees；　but　finding　the　labour　beyond　his　means；　he　had
contented　himself　with　barking；　ringing；　and　hacking　at　the　base　of　the
remainder；　to　ensure　their　ultimate　destruction。

The　extreme　heights　of　Troodos；　shoulders　and　head；　are　about　6300　feet
above　the　sea；　from　which　altitude　the　pines　and　cypress　descend　to
within　1500　feet　of　the　level。　There　are　rough　native　mule…paths
throughout　the　mountains；　and　the　sure…footed　animals　will　carry　a　man
with　ease　where　walking　would　be　most　fatiguing；　owing　to　the　loose
rocks　and　smaller　stones；　which　cover　every　inch　of　the　surface。　I　have
walked　and　ridden　over　the　greater　portion；　but　in　all　cases　I　have　been
overcome　with　anger　and　dismay　at　the　terrible　exhibition　of　wanton　and
unwarrantable　desolation。　If　a　hurricane　had　passed　over　the　country　and
torn　up　by　the　roots　nine　trees　out　of　every　ten　that　composed　the
forest；　the　destruction　would　be　nothing　compared　to　that　of　the　native
Cypriote；　who　mutilates　those　which　he　has　not　felled；　the　wind　would
only　upturn；　but　would　spare　those　whose　strength　had　resisted　the
attack。　Magnificent　trees　lie　rotting　upon　the　ground　in　thousands　upon
thousands；　untouched　since　the　hour　when　they　fell　before　the　most
scientifically　applied　axe。　I　never　saw　a　higher　example　of　woodcraft。
The　trunks　of　pines　two　feet　in　diameter　are　cut　so　carefully；　that　the
work　of　the　axe　is　almost　as　neat　as　that　of　a　cross…cut　saw。　These
large　trees　are　divided　about　four　feet　from　the　ground；　as　that　is　a
convenient　height　for　the　woodman；　and　spare　his　back　from　stooping　to
his　blow。　Each　cut　with　the　axe　is　nearly　at　a　right　angle　with　the
stem　and　so　regularly　is　the　cutting　conducted　completely　round　the
tree；　that　at　length　only　two；　or　at　the　most　three　inches　of　wood
remain　to　support　the　trunk；　which　in　the　absence　of　wind　remains
balanced　to　the　last　moment；　until　overthrown　by　the　wedge。

Upon　first　arrival　in　the　country　it　is　difficult　to　comprehend　the
reason　for　this　general　destruction；　but　as　a　gipsy　in　Turkey　will　burn
down　a　handsome　tree　in　order　to　make　his　wooden　spoons；　so　the　Cypriote
will　fell　a　large　pine　for　the　sake　of　the　base　of　five　or　six　feet　in
length　that　will　afford　him　a　wooden　trough　either　for　water　or　to　feed
his　pigs。　A　great　number　of　the　larger　trees　are　cut　and　partially
scooped　for　four　or　five　feet　before　their　destruction　is　determined
upon；　as　the　carpenter　wishes　to　prove　the　quality　of　the　heart。　Many
are　rejected；　and　the　operation　proceeds　no　further；　but　the　tree
remains　mutilated　for　ever。

Other　trees　are　felled　for　the　purpose　of　obtaining　tar。　Before　they　are
absolutely　cut　down　they　are　tapped　by　cutting　a　deep　incision　nearly
into　the　centre　of　the　heart；　like　a　huge　notch；　and　they　are　left　for　a
time　to　prove　whether　the　tar　will　run；　as　exhibited　by　the　production
of　the　resin。　If　unfavourable；　the　tree　is　left　thus　cut　to　the　heart
and　blemished。　Nearly　every　tree　is　thus　marked。　If　the　signs　of　tar　are
propitious；　the　tree　is　felled；　the　branches　are　lopped；　and　the　trunk
cut　into　sections　and　split。　All　pieces　are　then　arranged　longitudinally
in　a　rude　kiln　formed　of　loose　stones　and　earth；　in　which　they　are
burned；　and　the　tar　as　it　exudes　is　led　by　a　narrow　gutter　formed　of
clay　into　the　receptacle　prepared。

Should　a　straight　pole　be　required　for　any　special　purpose；　a　large　pine
is　felled；　and　the　tapered；　pointed　top　is　cut　off　to　a　convenient
length；　the　great　spar　being　rejected　and　left　to　decay　upon　the　ground。
I　have　never　seen　pit…saws　used；　but　as　a　rule；　should　a　beam　or　stout
plank　be　required；　a　whole　tree　is　adzed　away　to　produce　it；　and　great
piles　of　chips　are　continually　met　with　in　the　forests；　where　some　large
trunk　has　thus　perished　under　the　exhausting　process。　I　was　rather
surprised；　when　the　military　huts　were　conveyed　at　an　immense　expense　of
transport　to　the　mountain　station；　that　a　few　pairs　of　English　sawyers
had　not　been　employed　to　cut　the　inexhaustible　supply　of　seasoned　wood
now　lying　uselessly　upon　the　ground；　that　would　have　supplied　all
necessary　planks　and　rafters；　&c。

Fires；　either　accidental　or　malicious；　are　not　uncommon；　and　I　have　seen
hill…sides　completely　destroyed。　At　a　certain　season　the　pines　change
their　foliage　and　the　ground　becomes　thickly　covered　to　the　depth　of　a
couple　of　inches　or　more　with　the　dry　and　highly　inflammable　spines。
Should　these　take　fire；　the　conflagration　in　a　high　wind　becomes
serious；　and　spreads　to　the　trees；　which　perish。

Nothing　would　be　easier　than　to　defend　the　interests　of　the　woods　and
forests　by　an　efficient　staff　of　foresters；　who　should　be　Highlanders
from　Scotland　accustomed　to　mountain　climbing；　or　English　game…keepers；
who　would　combine　the　protection　of　forests　with　that　of　game。　These
men；　under　the　command　of　a　certain　number　of　officers；　should　be
quartered　in　particular　districts；　and　would　quickly　acquire　a　knowledge
of　the　localities。　The　higher　mountains　would　be　their　home　during　the
summer　months；　from　which　points　the　sound　of　an　axe　could　be　heard　from
a　great　distance；　and　from　the　commanding　elevation　a　depredator　could
be　distinctly　identified　with　a　good　telescope。　The　Cypriotes　are　easily
governed；　and　should　a　few　severe　examples　be　made　public　when　the
destroyers　had　been　taken　in　the　act；　an　exceedingly　small　staff　of
foresters　would　be　sufficient　to　insure　order　and　protection。

The　pine　and　cypress　are　the　trees　most　generally　attacked；　and；　as　I
have　already