HISTORY ETHNOGRAPHY NATURE WINE-MAKING SITE MAP
Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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SIR SAMUEL WHITE BAKER
CYPRUS AS I SAW IT IN 1879
page 142

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after which, we would resume the original contract, and their oxen would once more draw the vans from their station at Kuklia. This was an extra expense, as the camels were now engaged in lieu of carts, notwithstanding that I should have to pay for the oxen ; on the other hand, these animals were beautiful specimens of their kind, and Were thoroughly accustomed to the gipsy-van, therefore it was advisable to retain them. The two owners were delighted with the arrangement, and we started for Cape JSt. Andrea, while they were to return to Lithrankomi. The country was now thoroughly enjoyable ; the recent daily showers had freshened all vegetation, and the earth was a carpet of wild flowers, including scarlet ranunculus, poppies, a very pretty dwarf yellow cistus resembling bunches of primroses, cyclamen, narcissus, anemones—purple, white, and a peculiarly bright yellow variety. The route from GallibornQ was extremely wild and picturesque, combining hills, glens, and occasional short glimpses of the sea between the gorges which cleft the precipitous range upon our right. The rounded and sparkling tops of gypsum hills were common for the first few miles ; emerging from these, we threaded a ravine, and arrived upon .the sea beach, and continued for a considerable distance upon the margin of the shore ; the animals scrambling over fallen rocks and alternately struggling through the deep sand and banks of seaweed piled by a recent gale. W e now entered upon the first pure sandstone that I had seen ; this was a coffee-brown, and formed the substratum of the usual sedimentary limestone which capped the surface of the hill-tops. The appearance was peculiar, as the cliffs of brown sandstone were crusted for a depth of about

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