In
The Centre Of Which Was The Fort And Harbour Of Kyrenia.
I could just
distinguish our white tents among the caroub-trees far beneath.
To
complete this superb landscape there should have been a few sails upon
the sea; but all was blue and barren, without signs of life. The castle
of St. Hilarion stood before us on the left as we faced the sea, and the
towers occupied the peaks within less than a quarter of a mile of our
position. Continuing along the narrow vale, a mountain-top upon our
left-hand, which sloped to the path upon which we rode, appeared
slightly higher than the extreme summit of the castle peak; the sides of
this steep slope were covered with dwarf cypress and occasional young
pines, and it was clear that St. Hilarion would be commanded by a
battery upon these heights, or even by the fire of modern rifles.
Ascending the zigzag path among blocks of fallen stone, which had rolled
from the partially dismantled walls, we entered the gateway, and at once
perceived the great extent of the old fortress. The entire mountain-top
is encircled by a high wall, flanked at intervals by towers, and
crenellated for archers or cross-bowmen. Although the opposite mountain
would by artillery fire completely command the inner and lower portion
of the works, which we had now entered, the distance would have been far
beyond the range of catapults or arrows at the time when the defences
were erected.
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