cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第7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！



On　the　following　morning　the　thermometer　marked　40　degrees。　The　natives
were　early　at　work；　ploughing　land　that　was　to　remain　fallow　until　the
following　season。　The　oxen　were　sleek　and　in　good　condition；　and　not
inferior　in　weight　to　the　well…known　red　animals　of　North　Devon。
Although　the　native　plough　is　of　the　unchanged　and　primitive　pattern
that　is　illustrated　on　the　walls　of　Egyptian　temples；　it　is　well　adapted
for　the　work　required　in　the　rough　and　stony　ground　of　Cyprus。　I　was
surprised　to　see　the　depth　which　these　exceedingly　light　implements
attained；　with　apparent　ease　to　the　pair　of　oxen；　this　was　not　less　than
eight　inches；　and　the　furrows　were　regular；　but　not　turned　completely
over。　The　ploughshare　is　not　adapted　for　cutting　the　roots　of　weeds　by
means　of　a　flat　surface　and　a　sharp　edge；　but　the　rounded　top　of　the
native　iron　passes　beneath　the　soil　and　breaks　it　up　like　the　wave
produced　by　the　ram…bow　of　a　vessel。　The　plough；　when　complete；　does　not
exceed　forty　pounds　in　weight；　and　it　is　conveniently　carried；　together
with　the　labourer；　upon　the　same　donkey；　when　travelling　from　a　distance
to　the　morning's　work。　European　settlers　in　Cyprus　should　be　cautious
before　superseding　the　native　plough　by　the　massive　European　pattern；
there　are　certain　soils　where　the　powerful　iron　plough；　or　even　the
double　implement；　might　be　worked　with　advantage；　but　as　a　general　rule
I　should　advise　an　agriculturist　to　wait　patiently　at　the　commencement
of　his　operations；　and　to　gain　practical　experience　of　the　country
before　he　expends　capital　in　the　purchase　of　European　inventions。　There
can　be　no　doubt　that　by　degrees　important　improvements　may　be　introduced
that　will　benefit　the　Cypriote　farmer；　although　it　will　be　long　before
his　primitive　method　will　be　abandoned。　The　great　difficulty　in　Cyprus
consists　in　reducing　the　soil　to　a　fine　surface；　huge　lumps　of　tenacious
earth　are　turned　up　by　the　plough；　which；　under　the　baking　influence　of
the　sun；　become　as　hard　as　sun…dried　bricks。　The　native　method　of
crushing　is　exceedingly　rude　and　ineffective。　A　heavy　plank　about
sixteen　feet　long　and　three　inches　thick；　furnished　with　two　rings；　is
dragged　by　oxen　over　the　surface；　which　generally　remains　in　so　rough　a
state　that　walking　over　the　field　is　most　laborious。　There　are　many
stone　columns　lying　useless　among　the　heaps　of　ruins　so　common　in
Cyprus；　that　would　form　excellent　rollers；　but　the　idea　of　such　an
implement　has　never　entered　the　Cypriote　head。　The　plough；
smoothing…plank；　and　the　ancient　threshing…harrow；　composed　of　two　broad
planks　inlaid　with　sharp　flint　stones；　are　the　only　farm　machinery　of
the　cultivator。　As　in　the　days　of　Abraham　the　oxen　drew　this　same
pattern　of　harrow　over　the　corn；　and　reduced　the　straw　to　a　coarse　chaff
mingled　with　the　grain；　so　also　the　treatment　in　Cyprus　remains　to　the
present　day。　The　result　is　a　mixture　of　dirt　and　sand　which　is　only
partially　rejected　by　the　equally　primitive　method　of　winnowing。

Mr。　Hamilton　Lang　gives　an　amusing　description　of　the　strictly
conservative　principles　of　the　Cyprian　oxen；　which　have　always　been　fed
upon　the　straw　broken　by　the　process　described　in　threshing　by　the
harrow　of　sharp　flints。　This　coarse　chaff；　mixed　with　cotton…seed；
lentils；　or　barley；　is　eaten　by　all　animals　with　avidity；　and　the
bullocks　positively　refused　Mr。　Lang's　new　food；　which　was　the　same
straw　passed　through　an　English　threshing…machine　and　cut　fine　by　a
modern　chaff…cutter。　This　fact　is　a　warning　to　those　who　would　introduce
too　sudden　reforms　among　men　and　animals　in　a　newly…acquired　country；
but　if　Mr。　Hamilton　Lang　had　sprinkled　salt　over　his　chaff　I　think　the
refractory　appetites　of　the　oxen　might　have　been　overcome。　A　pair　of
oxen　are　supposed　to　plough　one　〃donum〃　daily　of　fifty　paces　square；　or
about　half　an　acre。

Having　watched　the　various　teams；　and　conversed　with　the　ploughmen　by
the　medium　of　the　cook　Christo；　who　spoke　English　and　was　an　intelligent
interpreter；　I　ordered　the　vans　to　move　on　while　I　walked　over　the
country　with　the　dogs。　There　was　no　game　except　a　wild…duck　which　I　shot
in　the　thick　weeds　of　a　neighbouring　swamp。　Larks　were　in　great
quantities；　and　for　want　of　larger　birds　I　shot　enough　for　a　pilaff；　and
secured　a　breakfast。　The　route；　which　could　be　hardly　called　a　road；　had
been　worn　by　the　wheels　of　native　carts。　These　were　narrower　than　our
vans；　and　one　of　our　wheels　was　generally　upon　a　higher　level；
threatening　on　some　occasions　to　overturn。　The　country　around　us　was
desolate　in　its　aridity。　We　passed　through　the　ruins　of　an　ancient　city
over　which　the　plough　had　triumphed；　and　literally　not　one　stone　was
left　upon　another。　A　few　stone　columns　of　a　rough　description；　some　of
which　were　broken；　were　lying　in　various　directions；　and　I　noticed　a
lower　millstone　formed　of　an　exceedingly　hard　conglomerate　rock；　these
pieces　were　too　heavy　to　move　without　great　exertions；　therefore　they
had　remained　in　situ。

After　a　short　march　of　three　miles　we　arrived　at　the　steep　banks　of　the
river　a　mile　above　the　village　of　Arpera。　The　bed　of　this　river　was
about　forty　feet　below　the　level　of　the　country；　and　here　our　first　real
difficulty　commenced　in　descending　a　rugged　and　precipitous　track；　which
at　first　sight　appeared　destructive　to　any　springs。　The　gipsy…van　was
conducted　by　the　owner　of　the　fine　pair　of　bullocks；　but　this　fellow
（Theodoris）　was　an　obstinate　and　utterly　reckless　character；　and　instead
of　obeying　orders　to　go　steadily　with　the　drag　on　the　wheels；　he　put　his
animals　into　a　gallop　down　the　steep　descent；　with　the　intention　of
gaining　sufficient　momentum　to　cross　the　sandy　bottom　and　to　ascend　the
other　side。　If　the　original　gipsy　proprietor　could　have　seen　his　van
leaping　and　tossing　like　a　ship　in　a　heavy　sea；　with　the　frantic　driver
shouting　and　yelling　at　his　bullocks　while　he　accelerated　their　gallop
by　a　sharp　application　of　the　needle…pointed　driving　prick；　he　would
have　considered　it　the　last　moment　of　his　movable　home。　I　did　the　same；
but；　to　my　astonishment；　the　vehicle；　after　bounding　madly　about；　simply
turned　the　insane　driver　head　over　heels　into　the　river's　bed；　and　the
bullocks　found　themselves　anchored　in　the　sand　on　the　opposite　side。
Glover　Brothers'　blue　van　was　driven　by　a　fine　fellow；　Georgi；　who　was
of　a　steady　disposition；　and　this　very　handy　and　well　constructed
carriage　made　nothing　of　the　difficulty。　Georgi　was　a　handsome　and
exceedingly　powerful　man；　upwards　of　six　feet　high；　of　a　most　amiable
disposition；　who　always　tried　to　do　his　best；　but　the　truth　must　be
told；　he　was　stupid：　he　became　a　slave　to　the　superior　intellect　of　the
bare…brained　rascal　of　the　gipsy…van。　Why　amiable　people　should　so
frequently　be　stupid　I　cannot　conceive：　perhaps　a　few　are　sharp；　but
Georgi；　poor　fellow；　had　all　in　bone　and　muscle；　and　not　in　brain。

There　is　great　advantage　in　travelling　with　more　than　one　vehicle；　as　in
any　difficulty　the　numerous　animals　can　be　harnessed　together　and　their
combined　power　will　drag　a　single　cart　or　carriage　through　any　obstacle。
Thus　one　by　one　the　vans　were　tugged　up　the　steep　bank　on　the　opposite
side；　and　after　a　drag　across　ploughed　fields　for　nearly　a　mile　we
halted　on　the　edge　of　a　cliff　and　camped　exactly　above　the　river。
Although　the　bed　was　dry　below　this　point；　we　found　a　faint　stream　of
clear　water　above　our　position；　which　was　subsequently　absorbed　by　the
sand。　The　cliffs　were　not　perpendicular；　but　were　broken　into　steep
declivities　from　successive　landslips：　the　sides　were　covered　with　the
usual　prickly　plants；　but　the　edges　of　the　stream　were　thickly　bushed
with　oleanders　which　afforded　excellent　covert　for　game。

In　travelling　through　Cyprus　there　is　a　depressing　aspect　in　the　general
decay　and　ruin　of　former　works。　I　strolled　with　my　dogs　for　some　miles
along　the　river　banks；　and　examined　the　strong　masonry　remains　of　many
old　water…mills。　I　found　a　well…constructed　aqueduct　of　wonderfully　hard
cement　at　the　bottom　of　a　cliff　close　to　the　present　bed　of　the　river：
this　must　at　a　former　period　have　passed　below　the　bed；　and　the
deepening　of　the　stream　has　exposed　and　washed　away　the　ancient　work。
There　was　no　game　beyond　a　few　wild　red…legged　partridges；　although　the
appearance　of　the　country　had　raised　my　expectations。

On　the　following　morning　I　rambled　with　the　dogs　for　many　hours　over　the
range　of　hills　which　bounds　the　plain　upon　the　north；　and　from　which　the
river　issues。　These　are　completely　denuded　of　soil；　and　present　a
glaring　surface　of　hardened　chalk；　in　the　crevices　of　which　the　usual
prickly　plants　can　alone　exist。　Some　of　the　hill…tops　exposed　a　smooth
natural　pavement　where　the　rain　had　washed　away　all　soluble　portions　and
left　the　bare　foundation　cracked　in　small　divisions　as　though
artificially　inlaid。　Now　and　then　a　wretched　specimen　of　the　Pinus
Maritima；　about　six　feet　high；　was　to　be　seen　vainly　endeavouring　to
find　nourishment　in　the　clefts　of　the　barren　rocks。　I　do　not　believe　the
tales　of　forests　having　formerly　existed　upon　the　greater　portion　of
Cyprus：　it　would　certainly　be　impossible　for　any　species　of　tree　to
thrive　upon　the　extensive　range　of　hills　near　Arpera；　which　are
absolutely　valueless。

In　many　places　the　surface　glistened　with　ice…like　sheets　of　gypsum；
which　cropped　out　of　the　cold　white　marls　and　produced　a　wintry
appearance　that　increased　the　desolation。　I　walked　for　some　hours　over
successive　ranges　of　the　same　hopeless　character。　Great　numbers　of　hawks
and　several　varieties　of　eagles　were　hunting　above　the　hill…tops；　and
sufficiently　explained　the　scarcity　of　game。　The　red…legged　partridges
found　little　protection　in　the　scant　cover　afforded　by　the　withered
plants；　and　I　saw　one　captured　and　carried　off　by　an　eagle；　who　was
immediately　chased　by　two　others　of　the　same　species；　in　the　vain　hope
that　he　would　give　up　his　prize；　he　soared　high　in　air　with　the
partridge　hanging　from　his　claws。　On　the　same　day　I　saw　another　capture；
and　there　can　be　little　doubt　that　the　partridge　forms　the　usual　food　of
these　large　birds　of　prey。　The　British　government　has　already　protected
the　game　by　establishing　a