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superficial； no money has been expended； and is it to be supposed that
the surface of the earth will spontaneously reveal the secrets of the
interior？
Under the present administration it is quite impossible to say too much
in praise of the energy and painstaking devotion to the interests of
Great Britain and to those of this island by the High Commissioner and
every officer； from the commissioners of districts to the subordinate
officials； but according to the terms of the Convention with the Porte
the island is as completely denuded of money as the summits of the
cretaceous hills have been denuded of soil by the destructive agency of
weather。 It is painful to an English traveller； whose life may have been
passed in practical development； to survey the country as it now is； to
reflect upon what it has been； and to see that even under the auspicious
reputation of an English occupation nothing can be done to awaken
resources that have so long lain dormant。 Money is wantedmoney must
be had。 Without an expenditure of capital； riches may exist； but they
will remain buried in obscurity。
A responsible official would reply〃We will give you a concession； we
will give you every possible encouragement。〃 The capitalist will ask one
simple question； 〃Is Cyprus a portion of the British Empire upon which I
can depend； or is it a swallow's nest of a political season； to be
abandoned when the party…schemes have flown？〃
Any number of questions may be asked at the present moment； but in the
absence of all definite information no capitalist will embark in any
enterprise in Cyprus； which may be ultimately abandoned like Corfu； and
the value of all property would be reduced to a ruinous degree。
The mining interests of Cyprus must remain for the most part undeveloped
until some satisfactory change shall be effected in the tenure of the
island that will establish confidence。
Polis was a straggling place situated upon either side of a river；
through the bed of which a very reduced stream was flowing about three
inches in depth。 A flat valley lay between the heights； both of which
were occupied by numerous houses and narrow lanes； while the rich soil
of the low ground； irrigated by the water of the river withdrawn by
artificial channels； exhibited splendid crops of wheat and barley。
Groves of very ancient olive…trees existed in the valley； and we halted
beneath the first oak…trees that I had seen in Cyprus。 These were wide…
spreading； although not high； and I measured the girth of one solid
stemeighteen feet。
We had hardly off…saddled； when crowds of women and children collected
from all quarters； with a few men； to stare at the new…comers； not at ME
personally； but at my wife。 They were； if possible； more filthy than the
average of Cyprian women； and a great proportion of the children were
marked with recent attacks of small…pox。 I regretted that I had not a
supply of crackers to throw amongst and disperse the crowd that daily
pestered us； any lady that in future may travel through Cyprus should
have a portmanteau full of such simple fireworks。 It was in vain to
explain that the people were a nuisance if too near： when driven to a
moderate distance； they would advance shyly； by degrees； two or three
children would come forward and sit down a few paces in front of the
main body； after a few minutes several others would overstep this
frontier and sit down five or six yards in advance of the last comers；
and by this silent system of skirmishing we were always surrounded in
twenty minutes after the original crowd had been dispersed。 I did not
mind them so long as they were not in personal contact； and were free
from recent small…pox； but some of the red…pitted faces were full of
warning。
There was nothing of interest to detain us at Polis； and we started
early upon the 19th April towards Baffo。 The valley through which the
river Aspropotamo had deposited a layer of fertile alluvium divided the
mountain range； leaving the plutonic rocks to the east； and on the
western side we ascended a steep path over cretaceous limestone； broken
and disturbed at intervals by the protrusion of eruptive rocks。 As we
increased our altitude we looked down upon a picturesque view of the bay
of Krysokhus； with two sails upon its blue waters beneath the dark
cliffs of the western shore。 The ancient Marium or Arsinoe showed no
vestiges except in the modern village of Polis； which； from the
distance； looked better than the reality； as the foliage of numerous
trees shadowing the terrace…built houses upon either side the rich green
valley； backed by the lofty range of pine…covered mountains； completed a
lovely landscape。
An hour had passed； but still we ascended； the path was as usual rugged；
and we already looked down upon the sea and valley at least 2000 feet
beneath。 I had serious misgivings concerning the camels and their loads。
General di Cesnola had examined the whole of this country in his search
for antiquities； but the neighbourhood of the ancient Arsinoe； where
much had been expected； was almost unproductive。
The path still rose； until at length we arrived upon an extensive
plateau about 2400 feet above the sea。 The soil was chocolate…colour；
and the surface was covered with large stones of the sedimentary
limestone that surrounds the coast； and which forms the flat…topped
hills of the Messaria。 In many places the natives had built these into
walls around their fields； in order to clear the ground required for
cultivation。 We passed several villages； all squalid and miserable；
although the rich soil exhibited green crops far superior to anything we
had met with in the lower country。 Extensive gardens of mulberry
explained the silk…producing power of this neighbourhood； and almonds；
figs； apricots； &c。； throve in great numbers and luxuriance。 This
peculiarly fruitful plateau occupies an area of about eight miles from
north to south； and four from east to west。 We halted at the large
Turkish village of Arodes； from which we looked down upon the sea and
the small rocky island opposite Cape Drepano； on the western coast；
almost beneath our feet。 This portion of Cyprus is eminently adapted for
the cultivation of fruit…trees； as the climate and soil combine many
advantages。 The elevation and peculiar geographical position attract
moisture； while the lower ground upon the east is parched with drought。
The evaporation from the sea below condenses upon the cooler heights
immediately above and creates refreshing mists and light rain； which
accounted for the superiority of the crops compared with any that I had
seen elsewhere。 Shortly after halting at Arodes we experienced these
atmospherical changes。 The thermometer at Polis had been 57 degrees at 7
A。 M。； and it was only 56 degrees at 3 P。M。 at this altitude of 2400
feet。 Although the sky had been clear； mists began to ascend from the
chasms and gullies along the abrupt face of the mountain which overhung
the sea； these curled upwards and thickened； until a dense fog rolled
along the surface from the west and condensed into a light shower of
rain。 The Turkish inhabitants of the village were extremely civil； and
made no complaints of scarcity from drought； as they fully appreciated
the advantages of their locality。 The hawthorn…trees were only just
budding into bloom； while those in the low country had shed their
flowers； and had already formed the berries。 In future an extensive
growth of fruit may supply the market of Alexandria； but at present the
total absence of roads would render the transport of so perishable a
material upon the backs of mules impossible。 I had sent back our three
riding mules to meet and to relieve the camels； and by this precaution
the baggage animals arrived at a convenient hour。
The route to Baffo or Ktima； which is now the principal town； lay across
the plateau for about five miles to the verge which formed the
table…land； from which margin we looked down upon the deep vale below；
bounded by the sea at a few miles distance。
We dismounted and walked down the long and steep pass； the mules being
led behind。 The entire face of the perpendicular cliffs was cretaceous
limestone； but the scaly slopes of a hill upon our left； about a mile
and a half distant； formed a loose heap of shale； which had slipped；
either during earthquakes or heavy rains； in great masses to the bottom。
After a long and tedious descent we reached the base of the pass； and
halted in a broad river…bed full of rocks and stones of all sizes； which
had been rounded by the torrent of the rainy season。 There was no water
except in small pools that had been scraped in the sand for the benefit
of the travelling animals。 Having watered our mules and remounted； we
ascended the steep banks of the stream and continued towards the sea；
feeling a sensible difference in the temperature since we had descended
from the heights。
The country was exceedingly pretty； as it sloped gently downwards for
three or four miles； the surface ornamented with caroub…trees； until we
at length reached the sea…beach and crossed the sandy mouth of the
river's bed。 The crops of cereals were perished by drought in the
absence