I Examined The Entire Promontory, And
Ascended The Rocky Heights, About 500 Feet Above The Sea Upon The North
Side.
It was with extreme difficulty that I could break my way through
the dense underwood, which was about seven or eight feet high, as it was
in many places more than knee-deep in refuse boughs, which had been
lopped and abandoned when the larger trees had been felled.
The largest
stumps of these departed stems were not more than from nine to twelve
inches in diameter: these were the dwarf-cypress, which would seldom
attain a greater height than twenty feet at maturity.
Fine caroubs had shared the fate of all others, and many of the old
stumps proved the large size of this valuable tree, which, as both
fruit-producing and shade-giving, should be sacred in the usually
parched island of Cyprus. At an elevation of about 350 feet above the
sea a spring of water issues from the ground and nourishes a small
valley of red soil, which slopes downwards towards the monastery, two
miles distant. The shrubs were vividly green, and formed so dense a
crest that several partridges which I shot remained sticking in the
bushes as they fell. I never saw such myrtles as those which occupied
the ravines, through which it was quite impossible to force a way. The
principal young trees were Pinus maritima, dwarf-cypress, mastic,
caroub, arbutus, myrtle, and wild olive. The name Cupressus horizontalis
has been given to the dwarf-cypress, but in my opinion it is not
descriptive of the tree: a cypress of this species, if uninjured, will
grow perfectly straight in the central stem for a height of twenty feet
without spreading horizontally. It is probable that the misnomer has
been bestowed in ignorance of the fact that an uninjured tree is seldom
met with, and that nearly every cypress has been mutilated for the sake
of the strong tough leader, which, with one branch attached, will form
the one-fluked anchor required for the roofs of native dwellings already
described. In the absence of its leader the tree extends laterally, and
becomes a Cupressus horizontalis. The wood of this species is extremely
dense and hard, and when cut it emits a resinous and aromatic scent; it
is of an oily nature, and extremely inflammable. The grain is so close
that, when dry, it somewhat resembles lignum vitae (though of lighter
colour), and would form a valuable material for the turner. There are
two varieties of cypress in this island; the second has been erroneously
called a "cedar" by some travellers, and by others "juniper." This tree
is generally met with, at altitudes varying from three to six thousand
feet, upon the Troodos range; it seldom exceeds a height of thirty feet,
but attains a girth of six or even seven. The wood is by no means hard,
and possesses a powerful fragrance, closely resembling that of cedar (or
of cedar and sandal-wood combined), which may have given rise to the
error named. It splits with facility, and the peculiar grain and
brownish-red colour, combined with the aroma, would render it valuable
for the cabinet-maker in constructing the insides of drawers, as insects
are believed to dislike the smell. The foliage of this species exactly
resembles that of the Cupressus horizontalis. The cedar may possibly
have existed at a former period and have been destroyed, but I should be
inclined to doubt the theory, as it would surely have been succeeded by
a younger growth from the cones, that must have rooted in the ground
like all those conifers which still would flourish were they spared by
the Cypriote's axe. The native name for the cypress is Kypreses, which
closely resembles the name of the island according to their
pronunciation Kypris. The chittim-wood of Scripture, which was so much
esteemed, may have been the highly aromatic cypress to which I have
alluded.
After a ramble of many hours down to the monastery upon the rocky shore,
along the point, and then returning through the woods over the highest
portions of the promontory, I reached our camp, which commanded a view
of the entire southern coast with its innumerable rocky coves far beyond
telescopic distance. From this elevation I could distinguish with my
glass the wreck of the stranded steamer in the bay at Volokalida. We
were camped on the verge of the height that we had ascended by the
precipitous path from the lower valley. As the country was a mass of dry
fire-wood we collected a large quantity, and piled two heaps, one for
the camel-owners and the servants, and another before the door of our
own tent to make a cheerful blaze at night, which is a luxury of the
bivouac seldom to be enjoyed in other portions of this island. While we
were thus engaged an arrival took place, and several people suddenly
appeared upon the summit of the pass within a few yards of our tent. An
old woman formed one of the party, and a handsome but rather
dirty-looking priest led the way on a remarkably powerful mule. Upon
seeing us he very courteously dismounted, and I at once invited him to
the tent. It appeared that this was the actual head of the monastery and
the lord of all the promontory who was thus unexpectedly introduced.
Cigarettes, coffee, and a little good cognac quickly cheered the good
and dusty priest (who had travelled that day from some place beyond
Rizo-Carpas), and we established a mutual confidence that induced him to
give me all the information of his neighbourhood.
I had observed hundreds of cattle, goats, sheep, and many horses,
donkeys, &c., wandering about the shrub-covered surface during my walk,
and I was now informed that all these animals were the property of the
monastery. These tame creatures are the objects described in some books
upon Cyprus as "the wild oxen and horses of the Carpas district, the
descendants of original domestic animals"! The monastery of Cape St.
Andrea forms an exception to all others in being perfectly independent,
and beyond all control of bishops.
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