CHAPTER 1._Cyprus, as I Saw It in 1879

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CYPRUS

AS I SAW IT IN 1879

by SIR SAMUEL WHITE BAKER, M.A., F.R.S., F.R.S.A.,

F.R.G.S., &c.

Author of "Ismailia," "The Albert N'Yanza," "The Nile Tributaries of

Abyssinia," "Eight Years in Ceylon," "The Rifle and Hound in Ceylon."

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I. ARRIVAL AT LARNACA

CHAPTER II. THE GIPSY-VANS ENCOUNTER DIFFICULTIES

CHAPTER III. ROUTE TO NICOSIA

CHAPTER IV. THE MESSARIA

CHAPTER V. START FOR THE CARPAS

CHAPTER VI. CAPE ST. ANDREA

CHAPTER VII. KYRENIA AND THE NORTH COAST

CHAPTER VIII. ROUTE TO BAFFO

CHAPTER IX. FROM BAFFO TO LIMASOL

CHAPTER X. THE WINE DISTRICT OF LIMASOL

CHAPTER XI. FROM LIMASOL TO THE MOUNTAINS

CHAPTER XII. THE MONASTERY OF TROODITISSA

CHAPTER XIII. WOODS AND FORESTS

CHAPTER XIV. REMARKS ON IRRIGATION

CHAPTER XV. LIFE AT THE MONASTERY OF TROODITISSA

CHAPTER XVI. SOMETHING ABOUT TAXATION

CHAPTER XVII. THE DISTRICT OF LIMASOL AND LANDOWNERS

CHAPTER XVIII. ON POLICE, WAGES, FOOD, CLIMATE, ETC.

CHAPTER XIX. POLITICAL REFLECTIONS

CHAPTER XX. CONCLUSION

APPENDIX

INTRODUCTION.

I do not intend to write a history of Cyprus, as authorities already

exist that are well known, but were generally neglected until the

British occupation rescued them from secluded bookshelves. Even had I

presumed to write as a historian, the task would have been impossible,

as I am at this moment excluded from the world in the precincts of the

monastery of Trooditissa among the heights of ancient Olympus or modern

Troodos, where books of reference are unknown, and the necessary data

would be wanting. I shall recount my personal experience of this island

as an independent traveller, unprejudiced by political considerations,

and unfettered by the responsible position of an official. Having

examined Cyprus in every district, and passed not only a few days, but

winter, spring, and summer in testing the climatic and geographical

peculiarities of the country, I shall describe "Cyprus as I saw it in

1879," expressing the opinions which I formed upon the spot with the

results of my experience.

Although I have read many works upon this island, I have no books with

me except that interesting record of the discovery of antiquities by

General di Cesnola, and the invaluable compilation for the Intelligence

Branch, Quartermaster-General's Department, Horse Guards, by Captain

Savile, 18th Royal Irish Regiment. It is impossible to praise the latter

work too highly, as every authority, whether ancient or modern, has been

studied, and the information thus carefully collected has been classed

under special headings and offered to the reader in a concise and

graphic form which renders it perfect as a book of reference. I must

express my deep appreciation of the assistance that I have derived from

Captain Savile's work, as it has directed my attention to many subjects

that might have escaped my observation, and it has furnished me with

dates, consular reports, and other statistical information that would

otherwise have been difficult to obtain. The study of M. Gaudrey's able

report to the French government upon the agricultural resources and the

geological features of Cyprus, before I commenced my journey, guided me

materially in the interesting observations of the various formations and

terrestrial phenomena. The experiences of the late British Consul, Mr.

Hamilton Lang, described in his attractive volume, together with those

of Von Loher, Doctors Unger and Kotschy, have afforded me an advantage

in following upon footsteps through a well-examined field of discovery.

Before I enter upon a description of my personal examination of the

island, it will be advisable to trace a brief outline of the

geographical position of Cyprus, which caused its early importance in

the history of the human race, and which has been accepted by the

British government as sufficiently unchanged to warrant a military

occupation in 1878, as a strategical point that dominates the eastern

portion of the Mediterranean, and supplies the missing link in the chain

of fortified ports from England to the shores of Egypt.

In the world's infancy oceans were unknown seas upon which the vessels

of the ancients rarely ventured beyond the sight of land; without the

compass the interminable blue water was a terrible wilderness full of

awe and wonder. The Phoenicians, who first circumnavigated Africa by

passing through the then existing canal between Suez and the Nile,

coasted the whole voyage, as did in later years the famous Portuguese,

Vasco di Gama, and stations were formed along the shores at convenient

intervals. Hanno the Carthaginian coasted to an uncertain and contested

point upon the western shores of Africa, but no ocean commercial port

was known to have existed in the early days of maritime adventure. The

Mediterranean offered peculiar advantages of physical geography; its

great length and comparatively narrow width embraced a vast area, at the

same time that it afforded special facilities for commerce in the

numerous ports and islands that would form a refuge in stress of

weather.

The countries which surrounded this great inland sea were rich; the

climate throughout its course combined the temperate with almost

tropical, according to the changes of seasons; accordingly, the

productions of the earth varying upon the northern and southern coasts,

were all that could be required for the necessities of the human race.

In this happily situated position commerce was first cradled, and by the

interchange of ideas and natural productions, artificial wants were

mutually created among the various countries around the great sea

margin; the supply of these new requirements and exchange of commodities

established trade. With the development of commerce, wealth and

prosperity increased; nations became important through the possession of

superior harbours and geographical positions, and the entire maritime

strength and commercial activity of the ancient world was represented by

the Mediterranean. The Phoenicians of Tyre and Sidon were the English of

to-day; the Egyptians and the Greeks were followed as the world grew

older by the Venetians and Genoese, and throughout the world's history

no point possessed a more constant and unchangeable attraction from its

geographical position and natural advantages than the island of Cyprus,

which in turn was occupied by Phoenicians, Greeks, Egyptians, Persians,

Romans, Byzantine rulers, Saracens, Byzantine rulers again, English,

Lusignans, Venetians, Turks, and once more English in 1878.

The advantages which had thus possessed a magnetic influence in

attracting towards this island the leading nations of the world were in

ancient days undeniable. When vessels directed their course only by

well-known landmarks, or by the position of certain stars, it was highly

necessary for a maritime power to occupy a continuous chain of stations,

where, in case of danger from a superior force, a place of refuge would

be near. Cyprus from its peculiar geographical position commanded the

eastern portion of the Mediterranean. The harbour of Famagousta was only

a few hours' sail, with a favourable wind, to the coast of Asia Minor.

The bays of Larnaca and Limasol were roadsteads with a safe anchorage,

and Paphos (Baffo) was a convenient harbour upon the south-western

portion of the island, capable of protecting a considerable number of

the small vessels of the period. Thus Cyprus possessed two harbours upon

the south coast in addition to good roadsteads; while upon the north,

Cerinea (Kyrenia) and Soli, although never large, were serviceable ports

of refuge, exactly facing the coast of Caramania, plainly visible. The

lofty mountains of the Carpas range which overhang these harbours

command the sea view at an elevation of between three and four thousand

feet, from which the approach of an enemy could be quickly signalled,

while the unmistakable peaks of the rugged sky-line formed landmarks by

which vessels could steer direct to the desired ports. The same

advantage of descrying an enemy at a distance from the shore exists in

many parts of Cyprus, owing to the position of the heights; and the

rocky nature of the coast (with the exception of a few points such as

Limasol, Morphu Bay, &c.), rendered the landing of a large force

extremely difficult. As a strategical point, there was no more

formidable position than Cyprus; it formed a common centre within

immediate reach of Alexandria and all the coasts of Syria and Asia

Minor. It was not only a military place d'armes, such as Malta and

Gibraltar now are, dependent upon maritime superiority for the necessary

provisions, but it was a country of large area, comprising about 3500

square miles, with a soil of unbounded fertility in a high state of

cultivation, a population sufficiently numerous for all requirements of

the island, and forests of timber that was in great request for the

architect and ship-builder. In addition to these natural sources of

wealth, the mineral productions were celebrated from the earliest

history, and the copper of Cyprus was used by the Phoenicians in the

manufacture of their celebrated bronze.

The Chittim wood of Scripture, imported to Syria from Cyprus (the

ancient Chittim), was probably a species of cypress at that time

composing the forests which ornamented a considerable portion of the

surface. There are two varieties of cypress in the island: that which

would have been celebrated grows upon the high mountains, and attains a

girth of from seven to nine feet, the wood being highly aromatic,

emitting a perfume resembling a mixture of sandal-wood and cedar; the

other cypress is a dwarf variety that seldom exceeds twenty feet in

height, with a maximum circumference of two feet; this is a totally

different wood, and is intensely hard, while the former is easily

worked, but durable. The derivation of the name Cyprus has been sought

for from many sources; and the opinions of the authorities differ.

English people may reflect that they alone spell and pronounce the word

as "Cyprus." The name of the cypress-tree, which at one time clothed the

mountains of this formerly verdant island, is pronounced by the

inhabitants "Kypresses," which approximates closely to the various

appellations of Cyprus in different languages. The Greek name is Kypros,

and it is probable that as in ancient days the "chittim-wood" was so

called from the fact of its export from Chittim, the same link may

remain unbroken between Kypros and the tree Kypresses.

The geographical advantages which I have enumerated are sufficient to

explain the series of struggles for possession to which the island has

been exposed throughout its history; the tombs that have been examined,

have revealed the secrets of the dead, and in the relics of Phoenicians,

Persians, Assyrians, Egyptians, and the long list of foreign victors, we

discover proofs of the important past, until we at length tread upon

pre-historical vestiges, and become lost in a labyrinth of legends. From

the researches of undoubted authorities, we know that Cyprus possessed a

written character peculiarly original, and that it was occupied by a

people highly civilised according to the standard of the early world at

so primitive an era, that all records have disappeared, and we are left

in the darkness of conjecture.

The changes in the importance of certain geographical positions, owing

to the decline and fall of empires, which at one time governed the

destinies of the Eastern world, have been strikingly exhibited on the

shores of the Mediterranean; Tyre, Sidon, Carthage, Cyprus, had lost

their significance upon modern charts, even before the New Worlds

appeared, when America, Australia, and the Eastern Archipelago were

introduced upon the globe. The progress of Western Europe eclipsed the

Oriental Powers which hitherto represented the civilisation of mankind,

and two points alone remained, which, shorn of their ancient glory,

still maintained their original importance as geographical centres, that

will renew those struggles for their possession which fill the bloody

pages of their history--Egypt and Constantinople.

No country had been more completely excluded from the beaten paths of

British travellers than the island of Cyprus, and England was startled

by the sudden revelation of a mystery connected with the Treaty of

Berlin, that it was to become a strategical point for a British military

occupation!

On the 4th June, 1878, a "Convention of Defensive Alliance between Great

Britain and Turkey" was signed, which agreed upon the following

articles:-

ARTICLE I.

"If Batoum, Ardahan, Kars, or any of them, shall be

retained by Russia, or if any attempt shall be made at

any future time by Russia to take possession of any

further territories of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan

in Asia, as fixed by the definitive treaty of peace,

England engages to join His Imperial Majesty the Sultan

in defending them by force of Arms.

"In return, His Imperial Majesty the Sultan promises to

England to introduce necessary reforms, to be agreed

upon later between the two Powers, into the government,

and for the protection of the Christian and other

subjects of the Porte in those territories; and in

order to enable England to make necessary provision for

executing her engagement, His Imperial Majesty the

Sultan further consents to assign the island of Cyprus

to be occupied and administered by England.

ARTICLE II.

"The present Convention shall be ratified, and the

ratifications thereof shall be exchanged, within the

space of one month, or sooner if possible.

"In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries

have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seal

of their arms.

"Done at Constantinople, the fourth day of June, in the

year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.

"A.H. LAYARD.

"SAFVET."

It was eventually agreed between the contracting Powers:-

"That England will pay to the Porte whatever is the

present excess of revenue over expenditure in the

island; this excess to be calculated and determined by

the average of the last five years."

and:--

"That if Russia restores to Turkey Kars and the other

conquests made by her in Armenia during the last war,

the island of Cyprus will be evacuated by England, and

the Convention of the fourth June, 1878, will be at an

end."

I knew nothing of Cyprus, but I felt sure that the Turks had the best of

the bargain, as they would receive the usual surplus revenue from our

hands, and be saved the trouble and onus of the collection; they would

also be certain of a fixed annual sum, without any of those risks of

droughts, famine, and locusts, to which the island is exposed, and which

seriously affect the income.

Although there would only be a wildly remote chance of Russia ever

relinquishing her Asiatic prey, the bare mention of the words "will be

evacuated by England" was a possible contingency and risk, that would

effectually exclude all British capital from investment in the island. I

could not discover any possible good that could accrue to England by the

terms of the Convention. If Cyprus had been presented as a "bonus" by

the Porte to counterbalance the risk we should incur in a defensive

alliance for the protection of Asia Minor, I could have seen an addition

to our Colonial Empire of a valuable island, that would not only have

been of strategical value, but such that in a few years, money and

British settlers would have entirely changed its present aspect, and

have created for it a new era of prosperity.

If England had purchased Cyprus, I could have understood the plain,

straightforward, business-like transaction, which would have at once

established confidence, both among the inhabitants, who would have

become British subjects; and through the outer world, that would have

acknowledged the commencement of a great future.

But, if we were actually bound in defensive alliance with Turkey in case

of a war with Russia, why should we occupy Cyprus upon such one-sided

and anomalous conditions, that would frustrate all hopes of commercial

development, for the sake of obtaining a strategical position that would

have been opened to our occupation AS AN ALLY at any moment? On the

other hand, if we distrusted Turkey, and feared that she might coquet

with Russia at some future period, I could see a paramount necessity for

the occupation of Cyprus, and even Egypt; but we were supposed to be,

and I believe were, acting in absolute and mutual good faith as the

protector of Asiatic Turkey, in defensive alliance with the Sultan. In

that position, should we have entered into a war with Russia, there was

no necessity for the occupation and responsibility of any new position,

as every port of the Ottoman dominions, even to the Golden Horn of

Constantinople, would have welcomed our troops and boats with

enthusiasm.

Turkey is a suspicious Power, and the British government may have had to

contend with difficulties that are unknown to the criticising public; it

may have been impossible to have obtained her sanction for the

occupation under other conditions. The possibility of future

complications that might terminate in a close alliance between the

conquered and the victor, may have suggested the necessity for securing

this most important strategical position without delay, upon first

conditions that might subsequently receive modifications. At first sight

the political situation appeared vague, but I determined to examine the

physical geography of Cyprus, and to form my own opinion of its

capabilities.

CYPRUS AS I SAW IT IN 1879.

CHAPTER 1.

ARRIVAL AT LARNACA.

On the morning of the 4th January we sighted Cyprus at about fifty miles

distance, after a smooth voyage of twenty-six hours from Alexandria. The

day was favourable for an arrival, as the atmospherical condition

afforded both intense lights and shadows. The sky was a cobalt blue, but

upon all points of the compass local rain-clouds hovered in dark patches

near the surface, and emptied themselves in heavy showers. The air was

extremely clear, and as we steamed at ten knots each hour brought out in

prominent relief the mountain peaks of Cyprus; Olympus was capped with

clouds. Passing through a rain-cloud which for a time obscured the view,

we at length emerged into bright sunshine; the mists had cleared from

the mountain range, and Troodos, 6,400 feet above the sea-level, towered

above all competitors.

We were now about ten miles from the shore, and the general appearance

of the island suggested a recent snowfall. As the sun shone upon a bare

white surface, the sterile slopes and mountain sides were utterly devoid

of vegetation, and presented a sad aspect of desolation, which reminded

me of the barren range on the shores of the Red Sea.

First impressions are seldom correct, but the view of Cyprus on arrival

from the south was depressing, and extinguished all hopes that had been

formed concerning our newly-acquired possession. This was the treasure

acquired by astute diplomacy!

For about twenty miles we skirted this miserable coast, upon which not a

green speck relieved the eye; at length we sighted the minaret which

marked the position of Larnaca, the port or roadstead to which the mail

was bound; and in the town we distinguished three or four green trees.

We cast anchor about half a mile from the shore. Nine or ten vessels,

including several steamers, were in the roadstead, and a number of

lighters were employed in landing cargoes.

Disappointment and disgust were quickly banished by the reflection that

at this season (January) there was nothing green in England: the

thermometer in that dreary land would be below freezing-point, while on

the deck where we stood it was 64 degrees Fahr. We were quickly in a

boat steering for the landing-place.

All towns look tolerably well from the sea, especially if situated

actually upon the margin of the water. The town represented a front of

about a mile, less than five feet above the level of the sea, bordered

by a masonry quay perpendicular to the surface, from which several

wooden jetties of inferior and very recent construction served as

landing-places.

The left flank of Larnaca was bounded by a small Turkish fort,

absolutely useless against modern artillery upon the walls the British

flag was floating. We landed upon the quay. This formed a street, the

sea upon one side, faced by a row of houses. As with all Turkish

possessions, decay had stamped the town: the masonry of the quay was in

many places broken down, the waves had undermined certain houses, and in

the holes thus washed out by the action of water were accumulations of

recent filth. Nevertheless, enormous improvements had taken place since

the English occupation. An engineer was already employed in repairing

the quay, and large blocks of carefully faced stone (a sedimentary

limestone rock of very recent formation) were being laid upon a bed of

concrete to form a permanent sea-wall. The houses which lined the quay

were for the most part stores, warehouses, and liquor-shops. Among these

the Custom House, the Club, Post Office, and Chief Commissioner's were

prominent as superior buildings. There was a peculiar character in the

interior economy of nearly all houses in Larnaca; it appeared that heavy

timber must have been scarce before the town was built, as the upper

floor was invariably supported by stone arches of considerable

magnitude, which sprang from the ground-floor level. These arches were

uniform throughout the town, and the base of the arch was the actual

ground, without any pillar or columnar support; so that in the absence

of a powerful beam of timber, the top of the one-span arch formed a

support for the joists of the floor above. In large houses numerous

arches gave an imposing appearance to the architecture of the ground

floors, which were generally used as warehouses. Even the wooden joists

were imported poles of fir, thus proving the scarcity of natural

forests. The roofs of the houses were for the most part flat, and

covered with tempered clay and chopped straw for the thickness of about

ten inches. Some buildings of greater pretensions were gaudy in bright

red tiles, but all were alike in the general waste of rain-water, which

was simply allowed to pour into the narrow streets through innumerable

wooden shoots projecting about six feet beyond the eaves. These gutters

would be a serious obstacle to wheeled conveyances, such as lofty

waggons, which would be unable in many cases to pass beneath. The

streets are paved, but being devoid of subterranean drains, a heavy

shower would convert them into pools. Foot passengers are protected from

such accidents by a stone footway about sixteen inches high upon either

side of the narrow street. Before the English occupation these hollow

lanes were merely heaps of filth, which caused great unhealthiness; they

were now tolerably clean; but in most cases the pavement was full of

holes that would have tested the springs and wheels of modern vehicles.

I had heard, prior to leaving England, that hotels, inns, &c., were

unknown in Larnaca; I was, therefore, agreeably surprised on landing, to

find a new hotel (Craddock's) which was scrupulously clean, the rooms

neatly whitewashed, and everything simple and in accordance with the

requirements of the country.

The miserable reports in England respecting the want of accommodation,

and the unhealthiness of Cyprus, had determined me to render myself

independent; I had therefore arranged a gipsy travelling-van while in

London, which would, as a hut upon wheels, enable us to select a

desirable resting-place in any portion of the island, where the route

should be practicable for wheeled conveyances. This van was furnished

with a permanent bed; shelves or wardrobe beneath; a chest of drawers;

table to fall against the wall when not in use, lockers for glass and

crockery, stove and chimney, and in fact it resembled a ship's cabin,

nine feet six inches long, by five feet eight inches wide.

I had another excellent light four-wheeled van constructed by Messrs.

Glover Brothers, of Dean Street, Soho: both these vehicles had broad and

thick iron tires to the wheels, which projected 5/8 inch upon either

side beyond the felloes, in order to afford a wide surface to deep soil

or sandy ground without necessitating a too massive wheel.

The vans with all my effects had left London by steamer direct for

Cyprus, I therefore found them, upon my arrival from Egypt, in the

charge of Mr. Z. Z. Williamson, a most active agent and perfect

polyglot; the latter gift being an extreme advantage in this country of

Babel-like confusion of tongues.

I was now prepared to investigate Cyprus thoroughly, and to form my own

opinion of its present and future value.

The day after my arrival I strolled outside the town and exercised my

three spaniels which had come out direct from England. The dogs searched

for game which they did not find, while I examined the general features

of the country. About three-quarters of a mile from the present town or

port are the remains of old Larnaca. This is a mere village, but

possesses a large Greek church. The tomb of Lazarus, who is believed to

have settled in Cyprus to avoid persecution after his miraculous

resurrection from the grave, is to be seen in the church of St. George

within the principal town.

From this point an excellent view is obtained of the adjacent country. A

plain of most fertile soil extends along the sea-coast towards the east

for six miles, and in breadth about four miles. The present town of

Larnaca stands on the sea-board of this plain, which to the west of the

port continues for about four miles, thus giving an area of some ten

miles in length, forming almost a half circle of four miles in its

semi-diameter; the whole is circumscribed by hills of low but increasing

altitudes, all utterly barren. Through the plain are two unmistakable

evidences of river-action which at some remote period had washed down

from the higher ground the fertile deposit which has formed the alluvium

of the valley. Within this apparently level plain is a vestige of a once

higher level, the borders of which have been denuded by the continual

action of running water during the rushes from the mountains in the

rainy season. This water action has long ceased to exist. There can be

little doubt that in the ancient days of forest-covered mountains, the

rainfall of Cyprus was far greater than at present, and that important

torrents swept down from the hill-sides. We see evidences of this in the

rounded blocks, all water-worn, of syenite and gneiss, which are

intermingled with the bits of broken pottery in the vale, alike relics

of the past and proving the changes both in nature and in man since

Cyprus was in the zenith of prosperity.

A level plateau about eighteen feet above the lowest level of the plain

shows the original surface. The soil of the entire valley is calcareous,

and is eminently adapted for the cultivation of the vine and cereals. As

the rain has percolated through the ground, it has become so thoroughly

impregnated with sulphate of lime that it has deposited a series of

strata some six or seven feet below the surface, which form a flaky

subterranean pavement. The ancients selected this shallow soil of a

higher level for a burial-ground, and they burrowed beneath the stratum

of stony deposit to form their tombs. One of the chief occupations of

modern Cypriotes appears to be the despoiling of the dead; thus the

entire sides of the plateau-face for a distance of about two miles are

burrowed into thousands of holes to a depth of ten and twelve feet in

search of hidden treasures. If the same amount of labour had been

expended in the tillage of the surface, the result would have been far

more profitable. A small proportion of the land upon the outskirts of

the town was cultivated, some had been recently ploughed, while in other

plots the wheat had appeared above the surface. Water is generally found

at eight or nine feet below the level, but this is of an inferior

description, and the town and environs are well supplied by an aqueduct

which conveys the water from powerful springs about seven miles to the

west of Larnaca, near Arpera. This useful work was constructed according

to the will of a former pacha, who bequeathed the sum required, for a

public benefit.

Large flocks of sheep were grazing in various portions of the

uncultivated plain. At first sight they appeared to be only searching

for food among the stones and dust, but upon close examination I found a

peculiar fleshy herb something like the stone-crop which grows upon the

old walls and rocks of England. This plant was exceedingly salt, and the

sheep devoured it with avidity, and were in fair condition. The wool was

long, but of a coarse wiry texture, and much impaired by the adherence

of thistles and other prickly plants. The musical sound of distant bells

denoted the arrival of a long string of camels, laden with immense bales

of unpressed cotton on their way to the port of Larnaca. Each animal

carried two bales, and I observed that the saddles and pads were in

excellent order, the camels well fed, and strongly contrasting with the

cruel carelessness of the camel owners of Egypt, whose beasts are galled

into terrible sores from the want of padding in their packs. The cotton

had been cleaned upon the plantation, but it would be subjected to

hydraulic pressure and packed in the usual iron-bound bales for

shipment, upon arrival in the stores of Larnaca.

It was impossible to resist a feeling of depression upon strolling

around the environs of the town and regarding the barren aspect of the

distant country. Every inch of this fertile plain should be cultivated,

and numerous villages should be dotted upon the extensive surface.

"Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth" was a curse that

appeared to have adhered to Cyprus.

It was unnecessary to seek for the chief cause of unhealthiness; this

was at once apparent in the low swamps on the immediate outskirts of the

town. In ancient days the shallow harbour of Cittium existed on the east

side of modern Larnaca; whether from a silting of the port, or from the

gradual alteration in the level of the Mediterranean, the old harbour no

longer exists, but is converted into a miserable swamp, bordered by a

raised beach of shingles upon the seaboard. The earth has been swept

down by the rains, and the sand driven in by the sea, while man stood

idly by, allowing Nature to destroy a former industry. All the original

harbours of the country have suffered from the same neglect.

There was little to be seen in the neighbourhood. The site was pointed

out where the troops were encamped in the tremendous heat of July in the

close vicinity of the swampy ground, upon pestiferous soil, and the

usual tales of commissariat blunders were recounted. Close to the

borders of this unhealthy spot, but about twenty feet above the level of

the lowest morass, stands the convent belonging to the Sisters of

Charity, which includes a school, in addition to a hospital. Great

kindness was shown by these excellent ladies to many English sufferers,

and their establishment deserves a liberal support from public

contributions.

I walked through the bazaar of Larnaca; this is situated at the west end

of the town near the fort, close to which there is a public fountain

supplied by the aqueduct to which I have already alluded. Brass taps

were arranged around the covered stone reservoir, but I remarked a

distressing waste of water, as a continual flow escaped from an

uncontrolled shoot which poured in a large volume uselessly into the

street. Within a few yards of the reservoir was a solitary old banian

tree (ficus religiosa), around which a crowd of donkeys waited, laden

with panniers containing large earthen jars, which in their turn were to

be filled with the pure water of the Arpera springs.

Although the crowd was large, and all were busied in filling their jars

and loading their respective animals, there was no jostling or

quarrelling for precedence, but every individual was a pattern of

patience and good humour. Mohammedans and Cypriotes thronged together in

the same employment, and the orderly behaviour in the absence of police

supervision formed a strong contrast to the crowds in England.

The Mosque being within a few feet of them, the Mussulmans could perform

their ablutions at the threshold. Around the font, women were

intermingled with a crowd of men and boys. The girls and lads were

regular in features and good-looking, though dirt and torn clothing of

various gaudy colours gave a picturesque, but hardly an attractive,

appearance to the group. The bazaar was entered at right angles with the

quay; the streets were paved with stones of irregular size, sloping from

both sides towards the centre, which formed the gutter. Camels, mules,

bullock-carts, and the omnipresent donkeys thronged the narrow streets,

either laden with produce for the quay, or returning after having

delivered their heavy loads. The donkeys were very large and were mostly

dark brown, with considerable length of hair. In like manner with the

camels, they were carefully protected by thick and well stuffed packs,

or saddles, and were accordingly free from sores. They appeared to be

exceedingly docile and intelligent, and did not require the incessant

belabouring to which the ass of other countries is the victim. Large

droves of these animals, each laden with three heavy squared stones for

building, picked their way through the narrow streets, and seemed to

know exactly the space required for their panniers, as they never

collided with either carts or passengers.

The shops of the bazaar were all open, and contained the supplies

usually seen in Turkish markets--vegetables, meat, and a predominance of

native sweets and confectionery, in addition to stores of groceries, and

of copper and brass utensils. An absence of fish proved the general

indolence of the people; there is abundance in the sea, but there are

few fishermen.

An hour's stroll was quite sufficient for one to form an opinion of

Larnaca. A good roadstead and safe anchorage offer great advantages, but

until some protection shall be afforded that will enable boats to land

in all weathers Larnaca can never be accepted as a port. There is shoal

water for a distance of about two hundred yards from the shore, which

causes a violent surf even in a moderate breeze, and frequently prevents

all communication with the shipping. The quay was in many places

undermined by the action of the waves, and it would be necessary to

create an entirely new front by sinking a foundation for a sea-wall some

yards in advance of the present face. There would be no engineering

difficulty in the formation of a boat-harbour, to combine by extensive

pile-jetties the facility of landing in all weathers. A very cursory

view of Larnaca exhibited a true picture of its miserable financial

position. The numerous stores kept by Europeans were the result of a

spasmodic impulse. There was no wholesome trade; those who represented

the commercial element were for the most part unfortunates who had

rushed to Cyprus at the first intelligence of the British occupation,

strong in expectations of a golden harvest. The sudden withdrawal of the

large military force left Larnaca in the condition of streets full of

sellers, but denuded of buyers. The stores were supplied with the usual

amount of liquors, and tins of preserved provisions; none of the

imported articles were adapted for native requirements; an utter

stagnation of trade was the consequence, and prices fell below the cost

of home production. The preceding year had been exceptionally sickly;

many of the storekeepers were suffering from the effects of fever,

which, combined with the depression of spirits caused by ruined

prospects, produced a condition of total collapse, from which there was

only one relief--that of writing to the newspapers and abusing the

Government and the island generally.

There must always be martyrs--somebody must be sacrificed--whether burnt

at the stake for religious principles, or put in a bell-tent in the sun

with the thermometer at 110 degrees Fahr. simply because they are

British soldiers--it does not much matter--but the moment your merchants

are slain upon the altar, the boiling-point is reached.

The store-keepers sat despondingly behind their counters while the

hinges of their doors rusted from the absence of in-comers. It was

impossible to rouse them from their state of mercantile coma, except by

one word, which had a magnetic effect upon their nervous

system---"Custom House."

"I suppose you have no difficulty at the Custom House, Mr.--in this

simple island?" This was invariably the red rag to the bull.

"No difficulty, Sir!--no difficulty?--it is THE difficulty--we are

absolutely paralysed by the Custom House. Every box is broken open and

the contents strewed upon the ground. The duty is ad valorem upon all

articles, and an ignorant Turk is the valuer. This man does not know the

difference between a bootjack and a lemon-squeezer: only the other day

he valued wire dish-covers as `articles of head-dress,' (probably he had

seen wire fencing-masks). If he is perplexed, he is obliged to refer the

questionable article to the Chief Office,--this is two hundred yards

from the landing place:--thus he passes half the day in running

backwards and forwards with trifles of contested value to his superior,

while crowds are kept waiting, and the store is piled with goods most

urgently required." . . .

I immediately went to see this eccentric representative of Anglo-Turkish

political-and-mercantile-combination, and found very little

exaggeration in the description, except that the distance was 187 paces

instead of 200 which he had to perform, whenever the character of the

article was beyond the sphere of his experience. As this happened about

every quarter of an hour, he could not complain of a sedentary

employment. A few days after this, migratory birds arrived in Cyprus

upon the inhospitable shore opposite the Custom House in the shape of

two Liberal M.P's. from England,--who visited the island specially to

form an honest opinion free from all political bias. Whether these

gentlemen were undervalued by the eccentric official to whom I have

alluded, or whether he suspected Liberals as opponents to be regarded

and treated as spies, we never could determine; but utterly disregarding

their innocent exterior, he subjected them to the extreme torture of the

Custom House, and dived and plunged into the very bowels and bottoms of

their numerous small packages, rumpling clean linen, and producing a

toilettic chaos. To the honour of these members of the Opposition they

never brought the question before the House upon their return to

England, neither did they make it the foundation of an attack upon the

Government.

An excess of zeal is not uncommon among ignorant officials newly raised

to a position of authority: thus Larnaca was outdone by the Custom House

representative at Limasol in vigilance and strict attention to the

administrative tortures of his office. I have heard of cases of crockery

being unpacked upon the beach and spread out to be counted and valued

upon the loose stones of shingle!

The unfortunate European traders of Larnaca were shortly relieved of

their Custom House troubles by the total absence of imports. The native

Cypriote does not purchase at European shops; his wants are few; the

smallest piece of soap will last an indefinite period; he is frugal to

an extreme degree; and if he has desires, he curbs such temptations and

hoards his coin. Thus, as the natives did not purchase, and all

Europeans were sellers without buyers, there was no alternative but to

shut the shutters. This was a species of commercial suicide which made

Larnaca a place of departed spirits; in which unhappy state it remains

to the present hour. Even the club was closed.