View PDF version of this page

W e arrived at Rizo-Carpas, which is situated mm gently-sloping vale about 450 feet above the sea-leveii but surrounded upon all sides by superior heights, fron* which the coast of Caramania is distinctly visible during clear weather. The valley and slopes ardi highly cultivated with cereals, and plantations oil mulberry-trees for the support of silkworms ; numerous, caroub-trees throughout the district give an agreeable and prosperous appearance. Athough there is no actual town, native dwellings are dotted over the face, of the country for some miles, ornamented by three, churches, which present an air of civilisation and prosperity. The inhabitants were, as usual, very polite,I and as Lady Baker .and myself were sitting upon a rug beneath a tree which we had selected for the evening's halt, and waiting for the arrival of our camels,. a crowd of women and children arrived with the' ugliest and most witch-like old hag that I have ever1 seen. This old creature had brought fire and dried? olive-leaves in a broken pot, with which she immediately fumigated us by marching round several times,^ and so manipulating her pot as to produce the largest volume of smoke. This custom, which is sel general throughout Cyprus, is supposed to avert the| evil-eye ; but I imagine that it originated during a period when the plague or some other fatal epidemic was prevalent in the island, and fumigation was-J supposed to act as a preventative. There is no medicinal property in the olive-leaf, but as the tree is practically undying, I attribute the use of the leaves as incense to be symbolically connected with the blessing of a long life expressed to a welcomed guest. It is one of those vestiges of tree-] worship which may be traced in almost every country,

View PDF version of this page