cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第69部分

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When　the　wooden　wheel　of　about　seventeen　feet　diameter　has　been　fixed
upon　its　horizontal　shaft；　it　is　arranged　with　a　chain　of　large　earthen
jars；　those　of　Egypt　contain　about　three　gallons　each；　but　the　Cyprian
pots　are　very　inferior；　scarcely　exceeding　the　same　number　of　quarts。

These　jars　are　secured　upon　a　double　line　of　stiff　ropes　formed　in
Cyprus　of　the　long　twisted　wands　of　myrtle；　which　are　exceedingly　tough；
and　are　substitutes　for　willows　in　basket…work。　When　completed；　the
chain　resembles　a　rope　ladder；　with　the　numerous　jars　sufficiently　close
together　to　represent　spokes　separated　by　about　sixteen　inches。　This　is
suspended　over　the　edge　of　the　wheel；　and　hangs　vertically；　the　lower
portion　of　this　necklace…like　arrangement　being　about　three　feet　below
the　water；　or　as　near　the　bottom　as　is　possible　with　safety　to　the　jars。

When　the　wheel　turns　the　necklace　of　pots　must　of　necessity　obey　the
movement；　and　as　they　dip　successively　and　fill　in　the　deep　water；　they
in　turn　rise　to　the　surface　with　the　revolutions　of　the　wheel；　upon
passing　the　centre　they　invert；　and　empty　their　contents　into　a　large
trough　connected　with　a　reservoir　capable　of　containing　many　hundred
hogsheads。　A　circular　chain　or　ladder　of　twenty　feet　diameter　will
contain　about　twenty　jars　of　three　gallons　eachequalling　a　delivery
of　about　two　and　a　half　gallons　per　jar；　as　there　is　generally　a　loss　of
water　during　the　movement；　therefore　one　complete　revolution　of　the
wheel　would　deliver　fifty　gallons　into　the　reservoir。

The　wheel　is　turned　by　a　simple　contrivance　of　wooden　cogs　and　drivers；
worked　by　a　long　revolving　lever；　to　which；　for　a　powerful　machine　such
as　I　have　described；　a　pair　of　mules　or　oxen　would　be　necessary。　A　child
sits　upon　the　pole　or　lever　and　keeps　the　animals　to　their　work。

There　is　no　specified　limit　to　the　depth　at　which　this　instrument　can
work；　as　it　must　depend　upon　the　length　of　chain　and　the　number　of　jars；
which　of　course　increase　the　weight　and　strain　upon　the　machinery　and
animals。　In　Cyprus；　where　the　water　is　generally　near　the　surface；　the
advantages　are　obvious；　and　I　feel　convinced　that　no　modern　invention　is
so　well　adapted　for　the　Cypriote　cultivator。

The　cost　of　erection　of　such　a　machine　complete；　together　with　the
sinking　of　the　pit；　is　calculated；　at　an　average　of　localities；　as　12
pounds；　a　pair　of　oxen　will　cost　10　pounds：　thus　the　water…wheel　in
working　order　will　amount　to　22　pounds。　One　wheel　will　irrigate　eighty
donums；　or　about　forty　acres　of　cereals；　but　the　same　instrument　would
only　suffice　for　about　six　acres　of　garden　ground；　which　requires　a　more
constant　supply　of　water。　It　may　therefore　be　understood　that　in
calculating　the　power　of　a　water…wheel；　various　conditions　must　be
considered；　and　I　shall　confine　myself　to　the　farm；　upon　which　it　will
be　necessary　to　establish　one　water…wheel　or　sakyeeah　for　every　forty
acres；　this　entails　a　first　outlay　of　eleven　shillings　per　acre；　and　at
once　ensures　the　crop　and　renders　the　farmer　independent　of　the　seasons。
But　including　the　cost　of　constructing　the　numerous　water…channels　of
clay　to　conduct　the　stream　to　the　desired　fields；　together　with　the
expense　of　erecting　the　reservoirs　of　masonry　upon　a　sufficient　scale；　I
should　raise　the　original　outlay　for　irrigation　by　cattle…wheels　to　20
shillings　per　acre　（1　pound）。　This　would　include　the　services　of　a　pair
of　oxen　for　other　work　when　the　sakyeeah　should　not　be　required。*　（*The
wheel　I　have　described　is　double　the　power　of　those　in　general　use　in
Cyprus；　where　a　single　animal　works　the　sakyeeah；　and　it　would　irrigate
a　larger　acreage。）　According　to　this　calculation；　which　exceeds　by　a
large　margin　the　figures　given　to　me　by　several　native　farmers；　the
owner　of　a　hundred　acres　must　only　expend　100　pounds　to　ensure　his
annual　crops！　To　us　this　appears　nothing；　but　to　the　Cypriote　it　is
everything。　Where　is　he　to　obtain　one　hundred　pounds？　To　him　the　sum　is
enormous　and　overpowering。

In　times　of　scarcity；　which　unfortunately　are　the　general　conditions　of
the　country；　owing　to　the　deficiency　of　rain；　the　farmer　must　borrow
money　not　only　for　the　current　expenses　of　his　employment；　but　for　the
bare　sustenance　of　his　family；　he　has　recourse　to　the　usurer；　and
henceforth　becomes　his　slave。　The　rate　of　interest　may　be　anything　that
can　be　imagined　when　extortion　acts　upon　one　side　while　poverty　and
absolute　famine　are　the　petitioners。　The　farm；　together　with　the　stock；
are　mortgaged；　and　the　expected　crops　for　a　stipulated　number　of　seasons
are　made　over　to　the　usurer　at　a　fixed　sum　per　measure　of　corn；　far
below　the　market　price。　Another　bad　season　adds　to　the　crushing　burden；
and　after　a　few　years；　when　the　unfortunate　landowner　is　completely
overwhelmed　with　debt；　perchance　one　of　the　happy　years　arrives　when
propitious　rains　in　the　proper　season　bring　forth　the　grand
cereal…producing　power　of　Cyprus；　and　the　wheat　and　barley；　six　feet
high；　wave　over　the　green　surface　throughout　the　island。　The　yield　of
one　such　abundant　crop　almost　releases　the　debtor　from　his　misery；
another　year　would　free　him　from　the　usurer；　but　rarely　or　never　are　two
favourable　seasons　consecutive；　the　abundant　harvest　is　generally
followed　by　several　years　of　drought。　This　pitiable　position　may　be
quickly　changed　by　government　assistance　without　the　slightest　risk。

The　first　necessity　is　capital；　and　the　usurer　must　disappear　from　the
scene。　I　do　not　think　that　an　agricultural　bank　will　be　practically
worked；　as　the　value　of　money　in　the　east　is　above　6　per　cent。；　which　is
the　maximum　that　the　Cyprian　cultivator　should　pay。　The　government　must
advance　loans　for　the　special　erection　of　water…wheels；　or　other　methods
of　irrigation；　at　6　per　cent。；　taking　a　mortgage　of　the　land　as　their
security；　this　loan　upon　water…works　to　take　precedence　of　all　others。
The　government　can　borrow　at　4　per　cent。；　and　will　lend　at　6；　which　is
not　a　bad　beginning　for　a　national　bank。　The　water…wheels　can　be
constructed　in　a　few　weeks；　and　their　effect　would　be　IMMEDIATE；　there
would　be　no　doubtful　interval　of　years；　but　the　very　first　season　would
leave　the　cultivator　in　a　position　to　repay　the　loan；　at　the　same　time；
the　government　would　reap　the　direct　benefit　of　a　certain　revenue　from
the　irrigated　and　assured　production　of　the　land。

This　is　no　visionary　theory；　the　fact　is　already　patent　in　the　few　farms
belonging　to　wealthy　land…owners　that　I　have　already　described；　as
exhibiting　the　simple　power　of　a　few　water…wheels　to　produce　abundance；
while　upon　the　margin　of　such　verdant　examples　the　country　is　absolutely
desert；　parched　and　withered　by　a　burning　sun；　yielding　nothing　either
to　the　owner　or　to　the　revenue；　while　at　the　same　time　the　water…supply
is　only　four　or　five　yards　beneath　the　feet　of　the　miserable　proprietor；
who　has　neither　capital　nor　power　to　raise　it　to　the　surface。

There　is　no　necessity　for　the　government　to　embark　in　any　uncertain
enterprise；　neither　should　they　interfere　with　the　native　methods　of
irrigation；　and　above　all　things；　no　money　should　leave　the　island　to
fill　the　pockets　of　English　contractors　in　the　purchase　of　pumps；　or
other　inventions。　All　that　is　required　by　the　Cypriote　is　capital；　lend
him　the　money　at　6　per　cent。：　the　government　will　be　saved　all　trouble；
and　the　profit　to　all　parties　will　be　assured。　The　money　expended　in　the
erection　of　water…wheels　or　other　works　will　circulate　throughout　the
island　in　the　payment　of　native　labour；　and　will　relieve　the　wants　of
many　who；　in　the　absence　of　land；　must　earn　their　livelihood　by　manual
labour。　〃Water！〃　is　the　cry　throughout　this　neglected　island；　it　has
been　the　cry　in　Eastern　lands　from　time　immemorial；　when　in　the　thirsty
desert　Moses　smote　the　rock；　and　the　stream　gushed　forth　for　multitudes；
when　Elijah　mocked　the　priests　of　Baal　with；　〃Call　him　louder！〃　in　their
vain　appeal　for　rain；　and　the　〃little　cloud；　no　bigger　than　a　man's
hand；〃　rose　upon　the　horizon　in　answer　to　his　prayer。　In　the　savage
tribes　of　Africa；　the　〃rain…maker〃　occupies　the　position　of　priest　and
chief。　In　England；　the　clergy　offer　prayers　for　either　rain　or　for　fine
weather。　In　Cyprus　the　farmer　places　the　small　picture　of　the　Virgin
upon　his　field；　before　which　he　lights　his　tapers；　which　the　wind
extinguishes；　at　the　same　time　THE　WATER…SUPPLY　IS　CLOSE　BENEATH　HIS
FEET；　and　the　expenditure　of　a　few　pounds　sterling　would　produce　a
permanent　blessing　and　uninterrupted　prosperity　by　practical　common
sense　and　labour；　without　any　miraculous　interposition　in　his　behalf。

There　are　few　countries　where　such　facilities　exist　for　irrigation；　and
the　work　should　be　commenced　without　delay。　Should　next　year　be　one　of
drought　like　the　spring　of　1879；　the　greatest　misery　will　befall　the
population；　there　is　already　sufficient　disappointment　in　the　want　of
progress　since　the　British　occupation；　and　the　feeling　will　be
intensified　should　the　assistance　of　government　be　withheld　in　this
crying　necessity　of　artificial　irrigation。

The　Cypriote　well…sinker　is　wonderfully　clever　in　discovering　springs；
and　I　have　already　described　the　method　of　multiplyi