The Blue Van Was In The Middle Of The Crowd; The Oxen Answered To The
Inspiriting Shouts, And More Especially To The Ceaseless Pricks Of The
Driving Sticks, And Presently It Was Dragged Safely To The Level Of The
Opposite Bank.
A few alterations in the new road were necessary for the
larger gipsy-van, and taking the drag-shoe off the blue van, we were
thus enabled to secure both the hind-wheels for the steep descent.
By
careful management, after one or two narrow escapes from capsising, we
succeeded in landing the Noah's Ark safely by its fellow, amidst the
cheers of the good-natured crowd.
The delay had been great, and the evening was drawing near: we were
about seven miles from the upper portion of Kythrea, where we had
proposed to camp, and the route was partly across country, to avoid
layers of natural rock which in successive ridges made it impossible for
the vans to keep the track. Several deep watercourses intervened, which
required the spade and pickaxe, and it was quite dark when we were
obliged to halt about a mile from Kythrea.
On the following morning Mr. Kitchener, Lieutenant of the Royal
Engineers, called at our camp, and was kind enough to pilot us to the
celebrated springs about three miles above the village. This able and
energetic officer was engaged, together with Mr. Hippersly of the same
corps, in making the trigonometrical survey of the island, and they were
quartered in a comfortable house on the outskirts of the town.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 84 of 524
Words from 22527 to 22784
of 143016