There Are Extensive Subterranean Caves And
Dungeons, But These Have Not Yet Been Explored.
Above this fine old
specimen of Venetian fortifications, upon the high platform of the tower
facing the harbour, was
A flag-staff, upon which a small bundle of rags
fluttered in the strong wind, as though they, had been arranged to
frighten the jackdaws from building within the crevices of masonry. It
appeared that this miserable remnant of tattered bunting had once
represented a British Union Jack! and the colourless, poverty-stricken
thing flapped and cracked as it tore itself into the finest threads of
misery in the gale, too truly representing the result of our ambiguous
position according to the terms of the Cyprian occupation. I felt
ashamed that such an exhibition should meet the eye of any foreign ship
upon entering the harbour of Kyrenia, and I was informed "that it was
the only flag that was possessed by the authorities." As all the revenue
of the island was handed over to the Porte excepting a bagatelle
insufficient for the requirements of the country, the really overworked
and energetic servants of the Crown were absolutely obliged to practise
a most rigid economy, commencing with their own salaries, equally
vexatious to themselves and unworthy of our high position.
The curious collection of old cannon had all been removed by the Turks,
but one iron piece remained, which, being almost worthless as metal, had
been left behind when the bronze guns had been shipped to
Constantinople. This was a great curiosity, as it somewhat resembled a
hand-bell about five feet in length; the bell which formed the mouth to
receive the ball was only two feet in length, although the muzzle was
sufficiently wide to admit the stone projectile of nineteen inches
diameter. The portion which resembled the handle of a bell was the
continuation which formed the narrow chamber for the powder; this was
about three feet long and eight inches thick*. (*These measurements are
from memory, excepting the diameter of muzzle, which I took on the
spot.) There were no trunnions to this singular old gun, but it may have
been lashed to some lever which could be raised or depressed, and it was
evidently intended for firing into shipping from the fort walls, to
command the harbour at a short range. It had been cast with concentric
rings, which I examined carefully, as at first I imagined they had been
wrought-iron shrunk on to the casting: this was not the case, but the
extra thickness of metal at the rings added sufficient strength. The
large stone shot, formed of a peculiarly hard metamorphous rock (a
conglomerate of matter that had been fused by heat), were to be seen in
various positions within the fortress. A few were on the parapet above
the drawbridge, as though prepared for rolling over upon an assaulting
party. I found this quality of rock upon the mountains within two miles
of Kyrenia.
There were evidently two harbours, which included the small bay upon
either side of the present fort; that upon the west was the most
important, as the depth of water is greater, and it shows evident signs
of having received peculiar attention.
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