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intercepted the principal gorge at almost a right angle； thus a path
which continued at the same level from the courtyard to the other side
of the ravine； represented the letter V laid horizontally。 From the
walnut…tree across the broad base of the letter would be about a hundred
yards； to a series of cultivated terraces upon an equal level。
This might have been made a lovely station； as no less than three
springs of water issued from the mountain side in various positions： the
first already mentioned； the second on the further side of the letter V；
beneath another splendid walnut…tree； and the third upon the same level
beyond； which fell into a trough beneath a large trellis； upon which
some vines were trained to produce a shade。
The terraces formed an angular amphitheatre； the outer courtyard of the
monastery being the highest level； looking down upon tree…tops of planes
and pines throughout the dark gorge to Phyni。 The gardens appeared much
neglected； they were overcrowded with fruit…trees； including filberts；
mulberry； pears； apples； figs； walnuts； plums； the only grape…vine was
represented upon the trellis； the position was too high for apricots。
An Englishman's first idea is improvement； and I believe that upon
entering heaven itself he would suggest some alteration。 This was not
heaven； but； as a monastery； it was the first step； and a very high one
for this world； being 4340 feet above the sea。 We began by cleaning； and
I should have liked to have engaged Hercules； at the maximum of
agricultural wages； to have cleaned the long line of mule stables； a
dignified employment for which the hero…god was famous； the Augean were
a joke to them。 Piles of manure and filth of every description concealed
the pavement of the capacious outer yard of the monastery。 The narrow
path by which we had arrived from the spring was a mere dung…heap； from
which the noxious weeds called docks； of Brobdignagian proportions；
issued in such dense masses that an agricultural meeting of British
farmers would have been completely hidden by their great enemy。 The
priests or monks had filthy habits； it would have been impossible for
civilised people to have existed in this accumulation of impurities；
therefore we at once set to work。 I had a spade and pickaxe； and we
borrowed some other tools from the monks； among which were strong
grubbers （which combined the hoe and the pick）。 There were a number of
people belonging to the monastery； including some young embryo priests；
that we might accept as deacons； these I set to work with the pickaxe at
one shilling a day wages。 The boys who were being educated for the
Church I employed in removing all the loose stones which choked the
surface of the ground； and subsequently in sweeping and scraping the
courtyard。 I gave them sixpence a day if they worked from early morning；
or threepence if they came at noon after their lessons。 There was a
shepherd's family； upon the hill about 250 feet above the monastery； of
seven handsome children； two boys of nineteen and seventeen； and five
girls。 These were hard at work； even to a pretty little child of four
years old； who carried her stones； and swept with a little broom with
all her heart （this was little Athena）。 Of course they were all paid in
the evening with bright new threepenny pieces which they had never seen
before。 Even the priests worked after a few days； when the spirit of
industry and new shillings moved them； and in the history of the
monastery there could never have been such a stirring picture and such a
dust as we made in cleansing and alterations。 Nearly a month was
occupied in this necessary work； by which time the place was entirely
changed。 I had made a good road as an approach from the spring； with a
covered drain； dignified by the name of an 〃aqueduct；〃 which led the
water when required to a little garden that I had constructed close to
the tent； where a nondescript slope had become a receptacle for filth。 I
had cut this down from the road； and mixed the earth with the
accumulated dirt and manure； which I levelled off in successive layers；
so that the stream led from the spring would irrigate my beds in
succession。 This garden was carefully fenced against the intrusion of
goats and donkeys； to say nothing of pigs； and it was already sown with
tomatoes； cucumbers； melons； barmia； and beet…root。 The priests had a
grand bed of onions upon a terrace； which was usually occupied by the
pigs； goats； and donkeys； as they had been too lazy to arrange a fence。
The docks in the monastery gardens were at least six feet high； I had
these cut and collected to thatch the sides of a peculiar shed （in which
I am writing at this moment）； which was a great comfort and formed a
very original retreat； combining a seat in an amphitheatre with a modern
summer…house。 This was an oblong； of fifteen feet by twelve； erected
within three feet of the tent beneath the walnut…tree upon the extreme
verge of the abrupt incline。 I laid a foundation of stones； which I
covered with pounded earth and water； to produce a level with the tent。
I then placed horizontally a beam of wood； secured from slipping with
stakes driven to the heads into the bank upon the edge of the incline。
Upon this a row of large stones was cemented together with mud to form a
margin level with the floor； from which the abrupt inclination at once
leapt to the lower terraces and the deep gorge； continuing for upwards
of 4000 feet to the sea； this was visible beyond the inferior mountain
tops。
There was nothing pretty in the arrangement of this 〃rachkooba；〃 as it
would be called in Africa； it was a simple square of upright poles；
connected with canes secured across； thatched inside with ferns； and
upon the outside with docks； fastened down with the peeled willow…like
shoots of mulberry…trees。 The mulberry…trees for silkworms are always
pollarded annually； and they throw out shoots about seven or nine feet
in length every season； the wood is exceedingly tough； and the bark of
these wands when stripped is serviceable for tying plants or securing
fences in lieu of cord。 For lack of silkworms the monastery
mulberry…trees had several seasons of growth； and the shoots were
serviceable for our work。 The ceiling of our opera…box was cloth； with a
curtain of about three feet suspended along the front； which broke the
morning sun as it topped the high ridge of the mountain on the other
side of the gorge； about a thousand feet above us。 The shed was carpeted
with mats and furnished roughly with a table and chairs； hat…pegs were
suspended around； made from the red…barked wood of the arbutus； simply
cut so that by inverting the branch with the stem attached to a cord；
the twigs； cut at proper lengths； would form convenient hooks。
From this cool hermitage we looked down upon the dense foliage of
rounded mulberry…tops and the fruit…trees of the gardens within the
gorge； while exactly in our front； a hundred yards across the deep
ravine； was the rocky steep of the mountain side； densely clothed with
ilex and arbutus； until the still higher altitudes banished all
underwood； and the upper ranges of Troodos exhibited a surface of barren
rocks clothed with tall pines and cypress； 2000 feet above us。
By the time we had completed our permanent camp a certain degree of
improvement had taken place in the people； as well as in the actual
cleanliness of the locality。 Everybody washed his； or her； face and
hands。 The customs of the monks had so far reformed that the immediate
neighbourhood was no longer offensive。 When strangers with mules arrived
the road was immediately swept； and upon Saturday evenings a general
embellishment took place in honour of the approaching Sunday。 The young
clergy were remarkably good and active； they worked in my little garden
at a shilling a day； went on errands to Platraes and the camp at
Troodos； and made themselves generally useful for a most moderate
consideration。 I can strongly recommend all young curates who are
waiting in vain for livings to come and work upon the holy soil of
Trooditissa at one shilling per diem； and should they （as curates
frequently are） be poor in this world's goods； but nevertheless strong
in amorous propensities； and accordingly desirous of matrimony； they
will find a refuge within the walls of this monastery from all the
temptations of the outer world； far from garden…parties； balls； picnics；
church…decorations assisted by young ladies； and all those snares of the
Evil One； and the wholesome diet of the monks； including a course of
soaked broad…beans and barley bread； with repeated fastings upon
innumerable saints' days； will affect them sensibly； both morally and
physically； under this discipline they will come to the conclusion that
a wife and large family upon an income of 500 pounds a year in England
would not confer the same happiness as one shilling a day with the
pickaxe； broad…beans and independence； at Trooditissa； which is true
〃muscular Christianity。〃
It was extraordinary to see the result of a life…long diet of beans and
barley…bread in the persons of the monks； who very seldom indulged in
flesh。 The actual head of the monastery