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 water now rippled, while all on the south
were stony and exhausted. The strip of land between the sea and the
northern base of the Carpas range was hardly three miles wide; this was
covered with well-rounded caroub-trees, whose dark green foliage gave a
rich appearance to the shore, broken by countless rocky bays and coves,
filled with the cobalt waters of the Mediterranean. This was a lovely
scene; I could not believe that I was in Cyprus--that
whitey-brown-paper-coloured, desert, smitten, God-forsaken isle! Upon
the left, about eight miles distant, lay the town and important port of
Kyrenia, with an apparently very little harbour, the houses surrounded
by gardens, and ornamented by date-palms backed by a perfect forest of
caroub-trees which extended for some miles. On the extreme summit of the
crags upon our left, overlooking Kyrenia and forming an unmistakable
landmark for all sailors, was the castle of Buffavento, cutting the blue
sky-line 3240 feet above the sea. Exactly opposite, at about sixty miles
distance, were the snow-capped mountains of Caramania, which in the
transparent atmosphere seemed to be within a day's long march. Far, far
away along the north-eastern shore, and also towards the west, all was
lovely: I could only regret that all vessels and strangers must arrive
in the unfortunate ports of the Messaria, instead of gaining such
favourable first impressions as would be induced by the lovely picture
of Cyprus from the north.
While I had been admiring the view, my dogs had been hunting the dense
bushes to very little purpose, and although we scrambled for more than
two hours over the mountain, we only moved ten or twelve red-legged
partridges, which rose upwards of a hundred yards in front of the gun;
it was quite impossible to obtain a shot.
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