It
Appeared That This Miserable Remnant Of Tattered Bunting Had Once
Represented A British Union Jack!
And the colourless, poverty-stricken
thing flapped and cracked as it tore itself into the finest threads of
misery in the gale, too truly representing the result of our ambiguous
position according to the terms of the Cyprian occupation.
I felt
ashamed that such an exhibition should meet the eye of any foreign ship
upon entering the harbour of Kyrenia, and I was informed "that it was
the only flag that was possessed by the authorities." As all the revenue
of the island was handed over to the Porte excepting a bagatelle
insufficient for the requirements of the country, the really overworked
and energetic servants of the Crown were absolutely obliged to practise
a most rigid economy, commencing with their own salaries, equally
vexatious to themselves and unworthy of our high position.
The curious collection of old cannon had all been removed by the Turks,
but one iron piece remained, which, being almost worthless as metal, had
been left behind when the bronze guns had been shipped to
Constantinople. This was a great curiosity, as it somewhat resembled a
hand-bell about five feet in length; the bell which formed the mouth to
receive the ball was only two feet in length, although the muzzle was
sufficiently wide to admit the stone projectile of nineteen inches
diameter. The portion which resembled the handle of a bell was the
continuation which formed the narrow chamber for the powder; this was
about three feet long and eight inches thick*. (*These measurements are
from memory, excepting the diameter of muzzle, which I took on the
spot.) There were no trunnions to this singular old gun, but it may have
been lashed to some lever which could be raised or depressed, and it was
evidently intended for firing into shipping from the fort walls, to
command the harbour at a short range. It had been cast with concentric
rings, which I examined carefully, as at first I imagined they had been
wrought-iron shrunk on to the casting: this was not the case, but the
extra thickness of metal at the rings added sufficient strength. The
large stone shot, formed of a peculiarly hard metamorphous rock (a
conglomerate of matter that had been fused by heat), were to be seen in
various positions within the fortress. A few were on the parapet above
the drawbridge, as though prepared for rolling over upon an assaulting
party. I found this quality of rock upon the mountains within two miles
of Kyrenia.
There were evidently two harbours, which included the small bay upon
either side of the present fort; that upon the west was the most
important, as the depth of water is greater, and it shows evident signs
of having received peculiar attention. The remains of the ancient moles
still exist, and afford considerable protection; but the sea has broken
through in several places and washed away the upper tiers of stones.
These moles were carefully constructed by laying the masonry upon a
foundation of hydraulic cement, which connected the various natural
rocks; the layer of cement still exists, while the squared blocks of the
original surface may be seen at the bottom, where they have been
deposited by the waves. Like all defensive works in historical
countries, those of Kyrenia have undergone continual changes and
modifications, as from time to time alterations may have been suggested
by successful attacks. In a ruined tower which, completely isolated
within the sea, commanded the entrance of the harbour on the west, I
observed that an ancient column of white marble from some old building
has been used as a key to prevent the large squared stones from yielding
to the constant vibration caused by the breaking waves. Each tier of
stones has been cut at the central edge to form a half-circle where the
edges of the adjoining blocks were connected; those have been similarly
shaped to produce a complete circle when faced together. The squared
stones in the lower and upper tiers have been perforated in a circle, so
that when several courses of masonry were completed, the hole
represented a shaft of about twelve inches diameter, sunk from top to
bottom; the marble column has been inserted from the top, and has tied
each course effectively together; the havoc occasioned in this tower of
solid squared blocks is the work of man; the stones have until recently
been removed for the purposes of building.
Kyrenia could never have been a perfectly safe harbour in all weathers,
as the entrance is open to the north. There is a slight turn to the
east, which might have protected a few small vessels during a northerly
gale, but this portion is now silted up, and it should be cleared by
dredging. The houses rise above the harbour from the water's edge to the
cliffs, forming a horseshoe shape. Mr. Holbeach had just completed a
small quay of masonry, and a very moderate outlay would restore the
ancient mole and render Kyrenia an important port for the trading
vessels of Syria and Asia Minor. When a good carriage-road shall be
completed to the capital, Lefkosia, only sixteen miles distant, the
value of Kyrenia as a commercial harbour will be much enhanced. There
are also important towns with a considerable population within eight or
nine miles of Kyrenia on the west: Carava and Lapithas would offer
markets for a great extension of trade, and Morphu would be brought
within the same commercial circle. There is a peculiar advantage
throughout the ports of Cyprus in the presence of stone quarries upon
the spot where the material is required; this is specially marked at
Kyrenia, where the solid rock, with its tombs, cave-dwellings, and
ancient quarries, is on the actual borders of the sea, within a few
yards of the existing harbour. There would be no great difficulty in
converting these quarries into a dock, should a demand for stone be
sufficient to repay the outlay for cutting the supply, according to the
example already exhibited and left to us by the ancients.
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