Cyprus, as I Saw It in 1879

Sir Baker Samuel White

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pubOne.info present you this new edition. 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.

Informations

• Publié par: Pub One Info
• Date de parution: 06 novembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782819949657
• Langue: English

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INTRODUCTION
I do not intend to write a history of Cyprus, asauthorities already exist that are well known, but were generallyneglected until the British occupation rescued them from secludedbookshelves. Even had I presumed to write as a historian, the taskwould have been impossible, as I am at this moment excluded fromthe world in the precincts of the monastery of Trooditissa amongthe heights of ancient Olympus or modern Troodos, where books ofreference are unknown, and the necessary data would be wanting. Ishall recount my personal experience of this island as anindependent traveller, unprejudiced by political considerations,and unfettered by the responsible position of an official. Havingexamined Cyprus in every district, and passed not only a few days,but winter, spring, and summer in testing the climatic andgeographical peculiarities of the country, I shall describe “Cyprusas I saw it in 1879, ” expressing the opinions which I formed uponthe spot with the results of my experience.
Although I have read many works upon this island, Ihave no books with me except that interesting record of thediscovery of antiquities by General di Cesnola, and the invaluablecompilation for the Intelligence Branch, Quartermaster-General'sDepartment, Horse Guards, by Captain Savile, 18th Royal IrishRegiment. It is impossible to praise the latter work too highly, asevery authority, whether ancient or modern, has been studied, andthe information thus carefully collected has been classed underspecial headings and offered to the reader in a concise and graphicform which renders it perfect as a book of reference. I mustexpress my deep appreciation of the assistance that I have derivedfrom Captain Savile's work, as it has directed my attention to manysubjects that might have escaped my observation, and it hasfurnished me with dates, consular reports, and other statisticalinformation that would otherwise have been difficult to obtain. Thestudy of M. Gaudrey's able report to the French government upon theagricultural resources and the geological features of Cyprus,before I commenced my journey, guided me materially in theinteresting observations of the various formations and terrestrialphenomena. The experiences of the late British Consul, Mr. HamiltonLang, described in his attractive volume, together with those ofVon Loher, Doctors Unger and Kotschy, have afforded me an advantagein following upon footsteps through a well-examined field ofdiscovery.
Before I enter upon a description of my personalexamination of the island, it will be advisable to trace a briefoutline of the geographical position of Cyprus, which caused itsearly importance in the history of the human race, and which hasbeen accepted by the British government as sufficiently unchangedto warrant a military occupation in 1878, as a strategical pointthat dominates the eastern portion of the Mediterranean, andsupplies the missing link in the chain of fortified ports fromEngland to the shores of Egypt.
In the world's infancy oceans were unknown seas uponwhich the vessels of the ancients rarely ventured beyond the sightof land; without the compass the interminable blue water was aterrible wilderness full of awe and wonder. The Phoenicians, whofirst circumnavigated Africa by passing through the then existingcanal between Suez and the Nile, coasted the whole voyage, as didin later years the famous Portuguese, Vasco di Gama, and stationswere formed along the shores at convenient intervals. Hanno theCarthaginian coasted to an uncertain and contested point upon thewestern shores of Africa, but no ocean commercial port was known tohave existed in the early days of maritime adventure. TheMediterranean offered peculiar advantages of physical geography;its great length and comparatively narrow width embraced a vastarea, at the same time that it afforded special facilities forcommerce in the numerous ports and islands that would form a refugein stress of weather.
The countries which surrounded this great inland seawere rich; the climate throughout its course combined the temperatewith almost tropical, according to the changes of seasons;accordingly, the productions of the earth varying upon the northernand southern coasts, were all that could be required for thenecessities of the human race. In this happily situated positioncommerce was first cradled, and by the interchange of ideas andnatural productions, artificial wants were mutually created amongthe various countries around the great sea margin; the supply ofthese new requirements and exchange of commodities establishedtrade. With the development of commerce, wealth and prosperityincreased; nations became important through the possession ofsuperior harbours and geographical positions, and the entiremaritime strength and commercial activity of the ancient world wasrepresented by the Mediterranean. The Phoenicians of Tyre and Sidonwere the English of to-day; the Egyptians and the Greeks werefollowed as the world grew older by the Venetians and Genoese, andthroughout the world's history no point possessed a more constantand unchangeable attraction from its geographical position andnatural advantages than the island of Cyprus, which in turn wasoccupied 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 magneticinfluence in attracting towards this island the leading nations ofthe world were in ancient days undeniable. When vessels directedtheir course only by well-known landmarks, or by the position ofcertain stars, it was highly necessary for a maritime power tooccupy a continuous chain of stations, where, in case of dangerfrom a superior force, a place of refuge would be near. Cyprus fromits peculiar geographical position commanded the eastern portion ofthe Mediterranean. The harbour of Famagousta was only a few hours'sail, with a favourable wind, to the coast of Asia Minor. The baysof Larnaca and Limasol were roadsteads with a safe anchorage, andPaphos (Baffo) was a convenient harbour upon the south-westernportion of the island, capable of protecting a considerable numberof the small vessels of the period. Thus Cyprus possessed twoharbours upon the south coast in addition to good roadsteads; whileupon the north, Cerinea (Kyrenia) and Soli, although never large,were serviceable ports of refuge, exactly facing the coast ofCaramania, plainly visible. The lofty mountains of the Carpas rangewhich overhang these harbours command the sea view at an elevationof between three and four thousand feet, from which the approach ofan enemy could be quickly signalled, while the unmistakable peaksof the rugged sky-line formed landmarks by which vessels couldsteer direct to the desired ports. The same advantage of descryingan enemy at a distance from the shore exists in many parts ofCyprus, owing to the position of the heights; and the rocky natureof the coast (with the exception of a few points such as Limasol,Morphu Bay, and c. ), rendered the landing of a large forceextremely difficult. As a strategical point, there was no moreformidable position than Cyprus; it formed a common centre withinimmediate reach of Alexandria and all the coasts of Syria and AsiaMinor. It was not only a military place d'armes, such as Malta andGibraltar now are, dependent upon maritime superiority for thenecessary provisions, but it was a country of large area,comprising about 3500 square miles, with a soil of unboundedfertility in a high state of cultivation, a population sufficientlynumerous for all requirements of the island, and forests of timberthat was in great request for the architect and ship-builder. Inaddition to these natural sources of wealth, the mineralproductions were celebrated from the earliest history, and thecopper of Cyprus was used by the Phoenicians in the manufacture oftheir celebrated bronze.
The Chittim wood of Scripture, imported to Syriafrom Cyprus (the ancient Chittim), was probably a species ofcypress at that time composing the forests which ornamented aconsiderable portion of the surface. There are two varieties ofcypress in the island: that which would have been celebrated growsupon the high mountains, and attains a girth of from seven to ninefeet, the wood being highly aromatic, emitting a perfume resemblinga mixture of sandal-wood and cedar; the other cypress is a dwarfvariety that seldom exceeds twenty feet in height, with a maximumcircumference of two feet; this is a totally different wood, and isintensely hard, while the former is easily worked, but durable. Thederivation of the name Cyprus has been sought for from manysources; and the opinions of the authorities differ. English peoplemay reflect that they alone spell and pronounce the word as“Cyprus. ” The name of the cypress-tree, which at one time clothedthe mountains of this formerly verdant island, is pronounced by theinhabitants “Kypresses, ” which approximates closely to the variousappellations of Cyprus in different languages. The Greek name isKypros, and it is probable that as in ancient days the“chittim-wood” was so called from the fact of its export fromChittim, the same link may remain unbroken between Kypros and thetree Kypresses.
The geographical advantages which I have enumeratedare sufficient to explain the series of struggles for possession towhich the island has been exposed throughout its history; the tombsthat have been examined, have revealed the secrets of the dead, andin the relics of Phoenicians, Persians, Assyrians, Egyptians, andthe long list of foreign victors, we discover proofs of theimportant past, until we at length tread upon pre-historicalvestiges, and become lost in a labyrinth of legends. From theresearches of undoubted authorities, we know that Cyprus possesseda written character peculiarly original, and that it was occupiedby a people highly civilised according to the stand