cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第73部分

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maximum　of　three　inches；　these　are　in　season　until　the　middle　of　June；
after　which　they　become　light　and　empty。　When　alive　they　are　a　brownish
green；　but　when　boiled　they　are　the　colour　of　the　ordinary　crab；　and　are
exceedingly　full　in　flesh；　and　delicate。　The　shell　is　extremely　hard
compared　to　the　small　size；　and　the　claws　must　be　broken　by　a　sharp　blow
with　the　back　of　a　knife　upon　a　block。

We　frequently　had　them　first　boiled　and　then　pounded　in　a　mortar　to　a
paste；　then　mixed　with　boiling　water　and　strained　through　a　sieve；　after
which　cream　should　be　added；　together　with　the　required　seasonings　for　a
soup。　I　imagine　that　the　common　green　crabs　of　the　English　coasts；　which
are　caught　in　such　numbers　and　thrown　away　by　the　fishermen；　would　be
almost　as　good　if　treated　in　the　same　manner　for　potage。

The　calm　monotony　of　a　life　at　Trooditissa　was　disturbed　every　now　and
then　at　distant　intervals　by　trifling　events　which　only　served　to　prove
that　peculiar　characters　existed　in　the　otherwise　heavenly　atmosphere
which　showed　our　connection　with　the　world　below。

One　night　a　burglar　attempted　an　entrance；　but　the　man　（who　was　a
carpenter）　having　been　previously　suspected；　was　watched；　and　having
been　seen　in　the　middle　of　the　night　to　place　a　ladder　against　the　outer
gallery；　by　which　he　ascended；　and　with　false　keys　opened　a　door　that
led　to　the　store…room　of　the　monastery；　he　was　suddenly　pounced　upon　by
two　strong　young　priests　and　fairly　captured。　On　the　following　morning
the　monks　applied　to　me；　and　as　usual　I　vainly　pleaded　my　unofficial
position。　I　was　either　to　do　or　to　say　something。　If　the　man　was　sent　to
Limasol；　thirty…five　miles　distant；　the　monks　would　have　the　trouble　and
expense　of　appearing　as　prosecutors；　the　robber　would　be　imprisoned　for
perhaps　a　couple　of　years；　during　which　his　family　would　starve。　I　could
offer　no　advice。　I　simply　told　them　that　if　any　robber　should　attempt　to
enter　my　tent　I　should　not　send　him　to　Limasol；　but　I　should　endeavour
to　make　the　tent　so　disagreeable　to　him　that　he　would　never　be　tempted
to　revisit　the　premises　from　the　attraction　of　pleasing　associations。　I
explained　to　the　monks　that　although　a　severe　thrashing　with　stout
mulberry　sticks　would；　if　laid　on　by　two　stout　fellows；　have　a　most
beneficial　effect　upon　the　burglar；　and　save　all　the　trouble　of　a
reference　to　Limasol；　at　the　same　time　that　the　innocent　wife　and　family
would　not　be　thrown　upon　their　relatives；　they　must　not　accept　my　views
of　punishment　as　any　suggestion　under　the　present　circumstances。

About　half　an　hour　after　this　conversation　I　heard　a　sound　of
well…inflicted　blows；　accompanied　by　cries　which　certainly　denoted　a
disagreeable　physical　sensation；　within　the　courtyard　of　the　monastery；
and　to　my　astonishment　I　found　that　my　interpreter　and　willing　cook
Christo　had　volunteered　as　one　of　the　executioners；　and　the　burglar；
having　been　severely　thrashed；　was　turned　out　of　the　monastery　and
thrust　down　the　path　towards　the　depths　of　Phyni。　Christo　was　a　very
good　fellow；　and　he　sometimes　reminded　me　of　a　terrier　ready　to　obey　or
take　a　hint　from　his　master　upon　any　active　subject；　while　at　others；　in
his　calmer　moments；　he　resembled　King　Henry's　knights；　who　interpreted
their　monarch's　wishes　respecting　Thomas　a…Becket。

On　6th　June　we　had　been　somewhat　startled　by　the　sudden　appearance　in
the　afternoon　of　a　man　perfectly　naked；　who　marched　down　the　approach
from　the　spring　and　entered　the　monastery…yard　in　a　dignified　and
stage…like　attitude　as　though　he　had　the　sole　right　of　entree。　At　first
sight　I　thought　he　was　mad；　but　on　reference　to　the　monks　I　discovered
he　was　perfectly　sane。　It　appeared　that　he　was　a　Greek　about　forty…five
years　of　age；　who　was　a　native　of　Kyrenia；　and　for　some　offence　twenty
years　ago　he　had　been　ordered　by　the　priests　to　do　penance　in　this
extraordinary　manner。　His　body；　originally　white；　had　become　quite　as
brown　as　that　of　an　Arab　of　the　desert；　he　possessed　no　clothing　nor
property　of　any　kind；　not　even　a　blanket　during　winter；　but　he　wandered
about　the　mountains　and　visited　monasteries　and　certain　villages；　where
he　obtained　food　as　charity。　He　would　never　accept　money　（probably　from
the　absence　of　pockets）；　neither　would　he　venture　near　Turkish　villages；
as　he　had　several　times　received　a　thrashing　from　the　men　for　thus
presenting　himself　before　their　women；　and　it　is　to　be　regretted　that
the　Cypriotes　had　not　followed　the　Turkish　example；　which　would　have
quickly　cured　his　eccentricity。　He　was　a　strong；　well…built　man；　with
good　muscular　development；　his　head　was　bald　with　the　exception　of　a
little　hair　upon　either　side；　and　he　was　interesting　to　a　certain　extent
as　an　example　of　what　a　European　can　endure　when　totally　exposed　to　the
sun　and　weather。　Sometimes　he　slept　like　a　wild　animal　beneath　a　rock
among　the　mountains；　or　in　a　cave；　when　such　a　luxurious　retreat　might
offer　a　refuge；　at　other　times　he　was　received　and　sheltered　by　the
priests　or　people。　This　individual's　name　was　Christodilos；　and
according　to　my　notes　taken　at　the　time；　he　is　described　as　〃originally
a　labourer　of　Kyrenia；　parents　dead：　one　brother　and　two　sisters
living。〃



CHAPTER　XVI。

SOMETHING　ABOUT　TAXATION。

The　monastery　gardens　of　Trooditissa　at　the　close　of　July　exhibited　the
great　fruit…producing　power　of　the　soil　and　climate　at　this　high
altitude；　but　at　the　same　time　they　were　examples　of　the　arbitrary　and
vexatious　system　of　Turkish　taxation；　which　remains　unchanged　and　is
still　enforced　by　the　British　authorities。　I　shall　describe　this　in
detail；　and　leave　the　question　of　possibility　of　development　under　such
wholesale　tyranny　to　the　judgment　of　the　public。　It　is　difficult　to
conceive　how　any　persons　can　expect　that　Europeans；　especially
Englishmen；　will　become　landowners　and　settle　in　Cyprus　when　subjected
to　such　unfair　and　irritating　restrictions。

　　　　NO　PRODUCE　CAN　BE　REMOVED　FROM　ANY　GARDEN　UNTIL　IT　SHALL　HAVE　BEEN
　　　　VALUED　FOR　TAXATION　BY　THE　GOVERNMENT　OFFICIAL　APPOINTED　FOR　THAT
　　　　PURPOSE；　at　the　rate　of　10　per　cent。　ad　valorem。

At　first　sight　this　system　appears　incredible；　but　upon　an　examination
of　the　details　our　wonder　ceases　at　the　general　absence　of　cultivated
vegetables　and　the　propagation　of　superior　qualities　of　fruits。　If　the
object　of　the　government　were　purposely　to　repress　all　horticultural
enterprise；　and　to　drive　the　inhabitants　to　the　Nebuchadnezzar…like
grazing　upon　wild　herbs；　the　present　system　would　assuredly　accomplish
the　baneful　end。　The　Cypriotes　are　called　indolent；　and　are　blamed　by
travellers　for　their　apathy　in　contenting　themselves　with　wild
vegetables；　when　their　soil　is　eminently　adapted　in　the　varying
altitudes　and　climates　for　the　production　of　the　finest　qualities　of
fruits　and　green…stuffs。　I　will　imagine　that　an　Englishman　of　any　class
may　be　placed　in　the　following　position　of　a　cultivator；　which　he
assuredly　would　be；　if　foolish　enough　to　become　a　proprietor　in　Cyprus。

I　am　at　this　moment　looking　down　from　the　shade　of　the　great　walnut…tree
upon　the　terraced　gardens　and　orchards　beneath；　which　are　rich　in
potatoes　of　excellent　quality；　onions；　beet…root；　&c。；　together　with
walnuts；　pears；　apples；　plums；　filberts；　figs；　and　mulberries。　The　pears
and　plums　are　of　several　varieties；　some　will　ripen　late；　others　are　now
fit　to　gather；　but　nothing　can　be　touched　until　the　valuer　shall　arrive；
he　is　expected　in　ten　days；　by　which　time　many　of　the　plums　will　have
fallen　to　the　ground；　and　the　swarming　rats　will　have　eaten　half　the
pears。　The　shepherds'　children　and　the　various　monastery　boys　live　in
the　boughs　like　monkeys；　and　devour　the　fruit　ripe　or　unripe；　from
morning　till　evening；　with　extraordinary　impunity；　women　who　arrive　from
the　low　country　with　children　to　be　christened　place　them　upon　the
ground；　and　climb　the　pear…trees；　neither　colic　nor　cholera　is　known　in
this　sanctified　locality。　The　natives　of　the　low　country　who　arrive　at
the　monastery　daily　with　their　laden　mules　from　villages　upon　the　other
side　of　the　mountains；　en　route　to　Limasol；　immediately　ascend　the
attractive　trees　and　feast　upon　the　plums；　at　the　same　time　they　fill
their　handkerchiefs　and　pockets　with　pears；　&c。；　as　food　during　their
return　journey。　〃There　will　not　be　much　trouble　for　the　valuer　when　he
arrives；〃　I　remarked　to　the　monks；　〃if　you　allow　such　wholesale　robbery
of　your　orchards。〃

〃On　the　contrary；〃　they　replied；　〃the　difficulty　will　be　increased；　we
never　sell　the　produce　of　the　gardens；　which　is　kept　for　the　support　of
all　those　who　visit　us；　but　we　have　much　trouble　with　the　valuation　of
the　fruits　for　taxation。　It　is　hard　that　we　shall　have　to　pay　for　what
the　public　consume　at　our　expense；　but　it　will　be　thus　arranged。　。　。　。
The　valuer　will　arrive；　and　he　will　find　some　trees　laden　with　unripe
fruit；　others　that　have　been　stripped　by　plunder；　the　potatoes；　&c。；
will　be　still　in　the　ground。　We　shall　have　a　person　to　represent　our
interests　in　the　valuation　as　a　check　upon　the　official；　but　in　the　end
he　will　have　his　own　way。　We　shall　explain　that　certain　trees　are　naked；
as　the　fruit　became　ripe　and　wa