My Guide Conducted Me Over Very Likely
Ground Down Into Ravines With Bush-Covered Sides, Then Upon The
Hill-Tops, And Among Patches Of Cultivation Where The Hares Had Played
Sad Havoc In Nibbling The Wheat And Barley; But We Found None.
My dogs
hunted every bush in vain, and the burning sun had dried out every
vestige of scent.
I believe the hares escape the sun by taking refuge
beneath the rocks, otherwise we must have moved at least one or two. My
guide was much disappointed, but as game was absent he hunted for wild
asparagus, which grew in considerable quantities beneath the thick
clumps of bushes upon the hill-sides. By the time that we arrived in
camp he had collected sufficient for a good dish. This variety is not
quite so thick as good cultivated asparagus, but it is superior in
flavour, although slightly bitter.
We rode to Lefka, about three miles distant. This is one of those happy
lands of Cyprus which is watered with unfailing streams from the Troodos
range, that have enforced prosperity. The town is important, and is
situated upon the sides of the hills, which form a valley, through
which, in rainy weather, a river flows; at other seasons, like all
Cyprian torrents, the bed is dry. The houses of Lefka are almost
concealed by the luxuriant foliage of the gardens and orangeries. We
rode through narrow lanes streaming with water, and shaded with the elm,
ash, maple, and innumerable fruit-trees. Mills, turned by water, the
masonry of the aqueducts being ornamented with the graceful maiden-hair
ferns, enlivened the otherwise dull lanes by an exhibition of industry.
The orange-trees and lemons were literally overweighted with fruit,
which in some instances overpowered the foliage by a preponderance of
yellow. Lefka supplies the whole western district with lemons, in
addition to the market of the capital, Lefkosia. As usual, I observed
that the fruit-trees were ridiculously crowded, thus preventing the
admission of the necessary air and light. I forbear at present to
describe the fruit, as none existed at this season, excepting oranges
and lemons, and I wish to introduce my readers to every scene and object
precisely as they met my eye in travelling through the country. The
lemons are some of the best I have ever tasted, but the oranges are full
of seeds, with thick skins, and although juicy and refreshing in this
hot climate, they would be rejected in the English market.
A very cursory view of Lefka was sufficient to explain its agricultural
importance, and to (for the hundredth time) awaken the reflection that
most portions of the island might equal such exceptional prosperity, if
special attention were bestowed upon the development of artificial
irrigation.
On 16th April we left Caravastasi, and rode over almost the worst road,
but one of the most picturesque in Cyprus. It was a succession of the
steepest ups and downs through and over mountain spurs, to cut off the
promontories which projected into the sea at right angles with our
route. It seemed impossible that loaded animals should be able to
traverse such steep and dangerous defiles, and I made up my mind that
Iiani's ancient camel would terminate its career, together with that of
our possessions upon its back, by rolling several hundred feet into the
dark angle of some precipitous ravine. Even Iiani kept awake, and
presently I heard a faint exclamation from behind, and upon turning
round I discovered Lady Baker upon the ground, the saddle having twisted
beneath her mule in descending a steep and rocky gulley; fortunately she
fell upon the wall-side of the path, instead of upon the edge of the
precipice; and she was unhurt.
Although the route was abominable it was most interesting. As the
drainage of the mountains was at right angles, we crossed a succession
of heights which afforded short glimpses of the sea some 600 feet
beneath, with the perpendicular rock-bound coast below us, and then
alternately descended into the depths of the intervening gullies. This
peculiarity exhibited to perfection the geological formation. We had
entered upon trap rocks and the greenstone, all of which showed traces
of copper. Notwithstanding the wild and dangerous route, every available
plot of ground was cultivated, although no villages were perceptible.
The peasants carried their light ploughs upon donkeys from considerable
distances, and with these exceedingly useful implements they ploughed
inclines that would have been impossible to cultivate with any European
implement except the hoe. At length we descended to the sea-beach, and
marching through heavy sand for about a mile, we arrived at Pyrgos, our
halting-place, twelve miles from Caravastasi.
This is one of the wildest portions of Cyprus. There is no village, but
the position is simply marked by the presence of one building above the
sea-beach, which has been a depot for the spars and poles of pine that
have periodically been delivered from the mountains by the torrents,
when heavy rains have swollen them sufficiently to enable them to force
the timber towards the sea. As the mountains upon this portion of the
coast descend in many places actually to the shore, while in no places
are they more than half a mile distant, the rivulets are numerous, as
there is no time, or area, sufficient for their absorption by the soil.
Within a hundred and fifty paces of the timber store beautiful streams
of clear water issued from the ground in three different places, which
converged into a brook abounding with water-cresses, and this, after
passing through a small and thick jungle of tamarisk-bushes, formed a
pool above the sea-beach which overflowed upon the shingle, and met the
waves. We ascended the stream for a short distance, until, tempted by
two or three large plane-trees, we halted for luncheon beneath their
shade. The river, which occasionally flooded sufficiently to bring down
heavy timber when felled among the mountains, flowed through an
extremely rich but narrow valley, which extended into a glen between
their precipitous slopes until it became a mere ravine.
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