View PDF version of this page

were necessary for the larger gipsy-van, and taking the drag-shoe off the blue van, we were thus enabled I to secure both the hind-wheels for the steep descent. By careful management, after one or two narrow escapes from capsising, we succeeded in landing the Noah's Ark safely by its fellow, amidst the cheers of I the good-natured crowd. The delay had been great, and the evening was drawing near : we were about seven miles from the upper portion of Kythrea, where we had proposed to camp, and the route was partly across country, to avoid layers of natural rock which in successive ridges made it impossible for the vans to keep the I track. Several deep watercourses intervened, which I required the spade and pickaxe, and it was quite I -dark when we were obliged to halt about a mile ι from Kythrea. On the following morning Mr. Kitchener, Lieutenant I of the Royal Engineers, called at our camp, and was kind enough to pilot us to the celebrated springs about j three miles above the village. This able and energetic officer was engaged, together with Mr. Hippersly of I ihe same corps, in making the trigonometrical survey I of the island, and they were quartered in a comfortable I house on the outskirts of the town. With this excellent guide, who could explain every inch of the surrounding J country, we started upon a most interesting ride. The entire neighbourhood was green with abundant crops of cereals, some of which at this early season were eighteen inches high. The effect of irrigation could be traced for several miles into the plain and along the base of the mountain range, until by degrees the green became more faint, and gradually but j surely merged into the dead brown which denoted

View PDF version of this page