The Breeze Was Northerly, And A
Heavy Surf Broke Upon The Coast, Exhibiting The Exposed Position Of
Morphu Bay From North To West.
On the eastern side the beach is sandy
and the water deepens rapidly, affording good and safe anchorage near
the shore; but should the wind change suddenly to west or north, the
position would be dangerous.
The bay is the most striking of all the
numerous indentations on the shores of Cyprus. The bold points of Cape
Kormachiti and Cape Kokkino form the chord of an arc twenty-one miles in
length, from the centre of which the bay enters the land about eleven
miles. It would be impossible to land from boats even during a moderate
breeze from the west to north without considerable danger; but I can see
no difficulty in arranging a floating breakwater that would afford
shelter for small vessels and add materially to the importance of the
roadstead. These are the necessary improvements which require an outlay,
and unfortunately under the existing conditions of our occupation the
revenue that would be available for public works is transferred to the
treasury of Constantinople; thus the Turk still hampers progress, as he
governs Cyprus in the uniform of the British official. We rounded the
base of the hills, which rose rapidly from the shore, and crossed
several small streams thickly fringed with tamarisk, that would be
impassable during sudden storms of the rainy season. Several villages
were distinguished by their bright green appearance among the hills,
which denoted the existence of springs or rivulets, and as we proceeded
we observed that all crops in the low ground had benefited by artificial
irrigation.
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