cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第17节

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！


some　vast　subterranean　caverns　in　the　limestone　form　natural　reservoirs；
which　supply　the　celebrated　springs　of　Kythrea　throughout　the　year。〃

I　believe　these　few　words　contain　the　real　secret　of　the　springs；　which
have　been；　and　still　are；　considered　to　have　a　mysterious　origin。　Some
people　indulge　in　the　theory　that　the　water　is　forced　by　hydraulic
pressure　at　the　superior　altitude　of　Caramania　in　Asia　Minor；　and
passing　by　a　subterranean　conduit　far　beneath　the　bottom　of　the
intervening　channel；　it　ascends　at　the　peculiar　rock…mouth　of　Kythrea。
This　is　simple　nonsense；　and　can　only　be　accepted　by　those　who　adore　the
unreal；　instead　of　the　guide；　〃common…sense。〃　The　actual　volume　of　the
outflow　at　Kythrea　has　never　been　calculated；　although　the　problem　is
most　simple；　but　a　cursory　examination　is　sufficient　to　explain　the
origin　of　the　supply　which　a　certain　superficial　mountain　area　collects
and　stores　during　the　rainy　seasons：　to　yield　gradually　through　some
small　aperture　or　leak　in　a　grand　subterranean　reservoir。

In　all　countries　where　water　is　scarce；　unfailing　springs　are　objects　of
veneration；　and　are　clothed　not　only　with　undying　verdure；　but　with　a
continuous　growth　of　legends：　from　the　day　when　Moses　smote　the　rock　in
the　wilderness；　and　the　stream　gushed　forth　to　the　thirsty　Israelites；
to　the　present　hour；　water；　which　is　man's　first　necessity；　will　in
drought…smitten　countries　be　hailed　with　more　than　usual　reverence。　The
devout　Mussulman　sinks　a　well　and　erects　a　fountain　for　the　public　good；
and　his　friends　bury　his　body　in　the　neighbourhood　of　his　last　act。

　　　　〃Rest；　weary　pilgrim；　rest　and　pray
　　　　　For　the　kind　soul　of　Sybil　Grey；　　　　　　　　　　
　　　　　Who　built　this　Cross　and　Well。〃

Christian　and　Mahommedan；　and　all　creeds　and　races；　men　and　animals；
yield　unanimously　to　the　great　want；　which　in　a　thirsty　land　alone　will
bring　the　lion　and　the　lamb　to　drink　in　the　same　stream。　I　have　myself
seen　in　moonlight；　animals　of　various　and　conflicting　natures　revelling
in　the　rest　of　nature's　armistice；　drinking　in　crowds　at　the　solitary
pool；　the　only　source　of　water　in　the　desert。

The　Cypriotes　in　their　natural　love　of　the　marvellous　insist　upon　the
mystery　attached　to　the　Kythrea　springs；　but　they　attach　no　importance
to　the　extensive　subterranean　water…stores　of　the　Messaria　plain；　simply
because　they　do　not　see　it　issue　from　the　ground：　still　the　fact　is
there；　the　water　in　vast　quantities　always　exists；　and　were　it　tapped　at
a　higher　level；　it　would　flow　（as　it　actually　does　in　certain　places）；
and　exhibit　the　same　principle　upon　a　much　larger　scale　than　the
romantic　and　picturesque　mountain　springs　of　Kythrea。

As　we　increased　our　altitude　the　scenery　improved　in　interest：　we　were
no　longer　in　barren　mounds　of　water…washed　debris；　but　the　rich　soil
among　the　dark　grey　rocks　gave　birth　to　numerous　shrubs；　including　the
evergreen　mastic；　arbutus；　and　the　dwarf　cypress。　Although　the　route　was
only　marked　by　the　continual　tracks　of　the　lime…burner's　mules；　our
sturdy　animals　mounted　the　steep　rocky　ascents　with　comparative　ease；
and　skirted　the　deep　water…worn　ravines　without　missing　a　footstep。
Heaps　of　rough　crumbling　rocks　resembling　cairns　attracted　my　attention
on　all　sides；　these　were　the　rude　lime…kilns；　and　at　an　elevation　of
about　a　thousand　feet　above　Kythrea　we　came　upon　the　families　of
lime…burners　who　for　several　generations　have　resided　in　these　heights；
either　in　caves；　or　rude　huts；　according　to　the　conditions　of　the
locality。　Women　and　girls　were　hard　at　work　with　strong　grubbing…axes；
digging　out　the　roots　of　brushwood　from　among　the　rocks　and　making　them
into　faggots；　as　fuel　for　burning　the　grey　limestone。　The　work　was　most
laborious；　and　I　was　struck　by　the　great　thickness　of　the　roots　of
comparatively　small　shrubs。　Upon　regarding　the　surface；　no　bushes
appeared　sufficiently　substantial　for　the　use　of　fuel；　but　in　fact　a
they　had　for　centuries　been　cut　and　hacked　to　a　degree　that　reduced　them
superficially　to　mere　saplings；　while　the　ancient　roots　had　increased　in
size。　The　great　piles　of　limestone　were　only　partially　reduced　to　lime
by　the　rough　method　and　the　scant　fuel　employed；　but　I　admired　the
industry　of　these　poor　people；　who　were　working　like　the　Israelites　for
Pharaoh；　〃making　bricks　without　straw。〃　Some　of　the　girls　were　pretty；
but　in　figure　they　were　mere　rag…dolls　in　locomotion。

The　lime　was　conveyed　by　donkeys　to　the　lower　country；　and　we　presently
arrived　at　a　snow…white　heap　lying　in　the　centre　of　the　path；it　was
explained；　that；　during　the　heavy　shower　of　yesterday；　a　donkey　was
carrying　his　usual　burthen　of　quick…lime；　when　he　was　overtaken　by　the
rain；　which　slaked　the　load；　and　it　was　necessary　to　immediately　abandon
it；　to　save　the　animal　from　burning。

After　an　hour　and　a　half's　scramble　we　turned　to　the　right　beneath　a
perpendicular　cliff　of　exquisite　colouring　on　our　left；　combining　the
bright　red　which　denoted　the　presence　of　iron；　with　the　dark　purple　and
the　silvery　grey　of　the　Jura　limestone。　On　our　right　was　a　deep　and
precipitous　ravine；　sparsely　covered　with　evergreen　shrubs。　In　this
spot；　metamorphic　rocks　lay　in　rough　and　huge　blocks　of　various　shapes
and　colours；　and　while　examining　these　I　was　struck　by　the　presence　of
the　rare　and　peculiar　green　marble　known　as　verde　antica。　In　the
immediate　neighbourhood　I　discovered　great　masses　of　the　same　stone；　but
minus　the　green　base；　exhibiting　at　the　same　time　the　characteristics　of
irregular　mosaic　in　the　angular　fragments　of　white；　black；　and　various
coloured　pieces　which　appeared　to　be　artificially　inlaid。　These　marbles；
especially　the　true　verde　antica；　would　be　exceedingly　valuable　if　cut
into　slabs　and　exported；　and　there　would　be　little　difficulty　in
constructing　a　feasible　route　for　camels；　which　would　convey　with　ease
large　slabs　secured　in　frames　slung　upon　either　side。

A　few　yards　above　this　spot　we　arrived　at　a　solitary　cypress…tree；　which
in　density　of　foliage　resembled　a　yew…tree　in　an　English　churchyard。
Close　to　this　rare　object　was　an　aperture　in　the　rocks　upon　the　right
hand；　a　few　roughly…hewn　steps　enabled　us　to　descend　into　a　narrow　cave；
where　water　dripped　from　the　roof；　and　formed　a　feeble　stream；　which　was
led　through　crevices　to　a　cistern　some　yards　below。　This　cistern　was
within　a　few　feet　of　the　cypress…tree；　and　accounted　for　its　superior
growth；　as　the　roots　had　been　duly　nourished。　About　a　hundred　feet　above
this　spot　were　the　ruins　of　an　ancient　Greek　church；　that　had　no　doubt
been　associated　with　the　holy　dripping　fountain；　and　the　solitary　tree
had　been　spared　from　the　ruthless　axes　of　the　lime…burners　through　some
superstition　connected　with　the　spot。　On　arrival　at　the　crumbling　ruins
of　the　church；　we　dismounted　from　our　animals；　and　put　them　in　the　rude
stable　of　the　lime…burners　who　had　located　themselves　among　the　walls　of
the　once　religious　buildings；　which　they　had　converted　into　huts。
Animals　could　go　no　farther；　we　therefore　continued　the　ascent　on　foot；
to　the　delight　of　my　dogs；　who　seemed　to　think　it　looked　more　like
business。

There　was　a　large　growth　of　the　usual　shrubs　arbutus；　mastic；　and
dwarf…cypress；　and　the　surface　of　the　ground　was　so　completely　covered
with　masses　of　rock　that　walking　was　most　difficult。　Notwithstanding　the
apparent　barrenness　of　the　locality；　we　arrived　at　a　tolerably　even
surface　of　rich　brown　soil　in　a　hollow　near　the　shoulder　of　the
mountain；　this　had　recently　been　cleared　for　cultivation　by　the
lime…burners　to　the　extent　of　about　two　acres；　and　I　remarked　that　both
pine…trees　and　cypresses　as　thick　as　a　man's　thigh　had　recently　been
felled　and　burnt　in　spite　of　the　government　stringent　regulations。　In
these　out…of…the…way　localities　the　natives　can　laugh　at　laws　and
special　enactments。

Upon　arrival　at　the　crest　of　the　mountain；　which　formed　a　shoulder　for　a
peak　of　silvery　rocks；　about　100　feet　above　me；　my　aneroid　showed　1830
feet　above　Kythrea。　From　this　point　the　view　was　superb；　and　extended
north　and　south　from　sea　to　sea。　There　was　an　extraordinary　contrast
upon　these　two　divisions　formed　by　the　wall…like　Carpas　range　upon　which
we　stood：　to　the　south　all　was　brown　and　desolate　excepting　the　few
miles　of　green　belonging　to　Kythrea　beneath　our　feet。　The　town　of
Lefkosia　stood　out　in　bold　relief；　the　cathedral　and　even　the　fortress
walls　affording　distinct　outlines　in　the　clear　atmosphere；　the
salt…lakes　of　Larnaca　showed　plainly　in　the　distance；　backed　by　the　blue
sea；　and　the　mountain　of　Santa　Croce　with　the　monastery　upon　its　summit
was　a　well…known　landmark。　This　side　of　the　mountain　range　was　not
inviting；　and　if　it　had　been　exhibited　before　the　occupation　there　can
be　little　doubt　of　an　unfavourable　impression。　We　turned
〃right…about…face〃　to　the　north。　This　was　indeed　a　wonderful　change　of
aspect！　We　looked　down　from　the　picturesque　and　precipitous　wall　of
mountains　which　stretched　far　away　to　the　east　and　west；　the　sides　were
covered　with　evergreens；　through　which　the　bold　crags　protruded　in
rugged　points；　the　dark　indentures　upon　the　steep　slopes　marked　deep
ravines　in　which　streams　of　wate