cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第24节

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moved　a　considerable　number　of　partridges　during　this　morning's　march；
and　they　heard　the　peculiar　loud　〃chuck…a…chuck；　chuck…a…chuck；〃　of　the
red…legs　in　all　directions。　As　we　advanced　the　hills　increased　in
height；　and　we　passed　through　a　valley；　bordered　on　the　right　by　abrupt
cliffs；　forming　a　wall…like　summit　to　the　exceedingly　steep　slope
beneath；　which　had　been　created　by　the　debris　from　the　wasting　face　of
rock。　This　flat…topped　height　may　have　been　about　500　feet　above　the
valley；　and　the　white　cliff；　which　was　quite　perpendicular　from　the
summit　for　about　one　hundred　feet　to　the　commencement　of　the　steep　green
slope　beneath；　was　in　one　place　artificially　scarped；　and　had　been　cut
perfectly　smooth　like　the　wall　of　a　stone　building。　In　the　centre　of
this　smooth　face　we　could　plainly　distinguish　a　square…cut　entrance；　to
which　an　exceedingly　narrow　ledge　cut　in　the　rock　formed　a　most
dangerous　approach；　more　adapted　for　wild　cats　than　for　human　occupants。
I　halted　to　examine　this　with　a　good　glass；　and　I　could　perceive　that
the　greatest　care　had　been　taken　in　the　formation　of　a　smooth
perpendicular　front；　and　that　the　narrow　ledge　which　formed　the　approach
was　a　natural　feature　that　had　been　artificially　improved。　There　were
several　similar　lines　observable　at　unequal　distances　nearly　parallel
with　each　other：　these　were　the　natural　limits　of　overlying　strata　in
the　sedimentary　rock；　which；　as　the　general　surface　had　fallen　through
decay；　still　preserved　their　character；　and　formed　ledges。　My　guide
assured　us　that　the　entire　cliff　was　honey…combed　by　internal
galleries；　which　had　been　constructed　by　the　ancients　as　a　place　of
refuge　that　would　contain　several　thousand　persons；　and　that　a　well
existed　in　the　interior；　which　from　a　great　depth　supplied　the　water。　I
have　never　seen　a　notice　of　this　work　in　any　book　upon　Cyprus；　and　I
regret　that　I　had　no　opportunity　of　making　a　close　examination　of　the
artificial　cave；　which；　from　the　accounts　I　received；　remains　in　a
perfect　state　to　the　present　moment。

It　was　a　wild　route　to　Gallibornu；　through　a　succession　of　small　valleys
separated　by　wooded　heights；　and　bounded　by　hills；　either　bare　in　white
cliffs；　or　with　steep　slopes　thickly　covered　with　evergreens。　We　passed
a　few　miserable　villages；　one　of　which　was　solely　inhabited　by　gipsies；
who　came　out　to　meet　us　clad　in　rags　and　extremely　filthy；　but　the　faces
of　the　women　were　good…looking。　We　crossed　numerous　watercourses　in　the
narrow　bottoms　between　the　hills；　their　steep　banks　were　fringed　with
bushes　which　formed　likely　spots　for　woodcocks；　but　my　dogs　found
nothing　upon　the　route　except　a　few　partridges　and　francolin；　although；
as　usual；　they　hunted　throughout　the　march。　After　crossing　a　series　of
steep　hills；　and　observing　a　marked　contrast　in　the　habits　of　the
people；　who　constructed　their　dwellings　upon　the　heights　instead　of　in
the　unhealthy　glens；　we　arrived　in　the　closely　pent…in　valley　that　forms
the　approach　to　Gallibornu。　This　village　is　of　considerable　extent；　and
is　inhabited　exclusively　by　Turks。　We　entered　the　valley　through　a
narrow　gap　between　the　hills；　which　on　our　left　formed　perpendicular
cliffs；　with　the　usual　steep　slopes　of　debris　near　the　base。　The　upper
cliffs；　about　400　feet　above　the　lower　level；　were　marked　with　numerous
parallel　ledges　and　were　full　of　blue…rock　pigeons；　which　built　their
nests　in　the　clefts　and　crevices；　the　summits　of　these　heights　were　the
table…tops　which　characterise　this　formation。

It　was　difficult　to　select　a　camping…place；　as　the　valley　would　become
mud　in　the　event　of　heavy　rains。　We　had　experienced　daily　showers　since
we　left　Volokalida；　and　the　lower　grounds　were　damp；　I　disliked　the
immediate　neighbourhood　of　a　village；　and　the　only　available　spot　was
rather　dangerous；　as　it　was　situated　upon　a　flattish　knoll；　so　near　the
base　of　the　cliff　that　enormous　blocks　of　stone　many　tons　in　weight　lay
in　all　directions；　which　had　fallen　from　the　impending　heights。　I
examined　these；　and　found　some　that　were　comparatively　recent；　I　had
also　observed　upon　our　entrance　to　the　valley　that　a　great　portion　of
the　cliff　face　had　lately　fallen；　forming　an　avalanche　of　rocks　that
would　have　destroyed　a　village：　this　my　guide　informed　me　was　the　result
of　last　year's　excessive　rain。　I　examined　the　heights　above　us　with　my
glass；　and　observed　some　crags　that　Polyphemus　would　have　delighted　to
hurl　upon　Acis　when　courting　his　Galatea；　but　as　no　Cyclops　existed　in
this　classical　island　I　determined　to　risk　the　chances　of　a
rock…displacement　and　to　pitch　the　tent　upon　a　flat　surface　among　the
fallen　blocks。　As　a　rule　such　localities　should　be　avoided。　It　is
impossible　to　calculate　the　probable　downfall　of　a　crag；　which；　having
formed　a　portion　of　the　cliff；　has　been　undermined　by　the　breaking　away
of　lower　rocks；　and；　overhanging　the　perpendicular；　may　be　secure　during
dry　weather；　but　may　become　dislodged　in　heavy　rain；　when　the
cement…like　surroundings　are　dissolved：　the　serious　vibration　caused　by
thunder　might　in　such　conditions　produce　an　avalanche。　We　dug　a　deep
trench　round　the　tents；　as　the　weather　looked　overcast　and　stormy。

The　village　of　Gallibornu　was　about　half　a　mile　beyond　our　camp　at　the
extreme　end　of　the　valley；　but　situated　on　the　heights。　The　people　were
extremely　civil；　and　it　would　be　difficult　to　determine　the　maximum
degree　of　courtesy　between　the　Turks　and　Greeks　of　Cyprus。　I　strolled
with　my　dogs　up　the　steep　hill…sides；　and　the　Turks；　seeing　that　I　was
fond　of　shooting；　promised　to　accompany　me　on　the　following　morning　to
some　happy　hunting…ground；　which；　from　my　Cyprian　experience；　I　believed
was　mythical。

On　waking　the　next　day　I　found　the　Turks；　true　to　their　promise；　already
assembled　by　the　servants'　tent；　and　eight　men　were　awaiting　me　with
their　guns。　They　had　a　sporting　dog　to　assist　them；　which　they　described
as　〃very　useful　for　following　a　wounded　hare；　only　it　was　necessary　to
be　quick　in　securing　it；　otherwise　the　dog　would　eat　it　before　your
arrival。〃

I　advised　them　to　leave　this　〃useful　dog〃　behind；　as　hostilities　might
be　declared　by　my　three　English　spaniels　in　the　event　of　his　swallowing
a　wounded　hare。　This　being　agreed　to；　we　all　started；　and；　crossing　the
valley；　entered　a　gorge　upon　the　other　side。　We　now　ascended　naked　hills
of　pure　crystallised　gypsum；　the　strata　were　vertical；　and　the　perfectly
transparent　laminae　were　packed　together　like　small　sheets　of　glass　only
a　few　inches　in　width。　It　was　easy　to　walk　up　the　steep　slopes　of　this
material　without　slipping；　as　the　exterior　edges；　having　been　exposed　to
the　weather；　had　become　rough；　and　were　exactly　like　coarse　glass　placed
edgeways。　We　spread　out　into　a　line　of　skirmishers　extending　up　the
hills　upon　both　sides　of　the　gorge；　and　quickly　arrived　in　very　likely
ground　covered　with　dwarf…cypress。　Here　the　dogs　immediately　flushed
partridges；　and　a　Turk　having　wounded　one；　a　considerable　delay　took
place　in　searching　for　it　at　the　bottom　of　a　deep　wooded　hollow；　but　to
no　purpose。　We　now　arrived　at　lovely　ground　within　a　mile　of　the　sea；
forming　a　long　succession　of　undulations；　covered；　more　or　less；　with
the　usual　evergreen　brushwood　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach。　This　uneven
surface；　broken　by　many　watercourses；　was　about　eighty　feet　above　the
water…level；　and　descended　in　steep　rocky　ledges　to　within　a　few　hundred
yards　of　the　sea；　where　the　lower　ground　was　flat　and　alternated　in　open
glades　and　thick　masses　of　mastic　scrub；　the　beach　being　edged　by　drift
sand…dunes　covered　by　the　dense　jungle　of　various　matted　bushes。

There　was　a　fair　amount　of　game　in　this　locality；　and　had　the　Turks　shot
well　we　should　have　made　a　tolerable　bag；　but　they　did　not　keep　a　good
line；　and　many　birds　went　back　without　being　shot　at；　while　others　were
missed；　and　altogether　the　shooting　was　extremely　wild。　The　sun　was　hot
by　the　time　we　had　concluded　our　beat；　I　had　shot　five　brace　and　one
hare；　including　some　francolins；　and　the　rest　of　the　party　had
collectively　bagged　three　brace。　It　was　late　in　the　season　for　shooting；
but　the　birds　were　not　all　paired；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　in　the　month
of　September　this　portion　of　the　island　would　afford　fair　sport；
although　no　great　bags　could　be　expected。　I　was　surprised　at　the　absence
of　woodcocks；　throughout　my　rambles　in　Cyprus　I　had　only　seen　one；
although　they　were　cheap　in　the　market　of　Larnaca。　The　fact　is　that
every　bird　shot　by　the　natives　is　sent　straight　for　sale；　therefore　an
immense　area　is　hunted　for　the　small　supply　required　by　the　Europeans　in
the　principal　towns。　Upon　our　return　homewards　we　passed　through　a
considerable　space　occupied　by　ancient　ruins。　Among　the　masses　of　stones
and　broken　pottery　were　two　stone　sarcophagi；　which　appeared　to　have
been　converted　into　drinking…troughs　for　cattle。　As　with　all　the　ruins
of　Cyprus；　nothing　of　interest　exists　upon　the　surface；　and　the　tombs
having　been　for　many　centuries　excavated　and　despoiled；　it　is　probable
that　the　sarcophagi　had　been　brought　to　light　by　treasure…seekers　many
years　ago。

As　we　approached　Gallibornu　by　a　mountain　path　the　Turks　assured　me　th