Cyprus, as I Saw It in 1879Baker, Samuel White, Sir
History
Cyprus, as I Saw It in 1879
Baker, Samuel White, Sir
Cyprus -- Description and travel
The large village, or town of Varoschia is an important adjunct to
Famagousta, from which it is hardly separated. It was originally founded
by the Venetian Christians, who were expelled from Famagousta after the
Turkish conquest. There is a large Greek Church, extensive bazaars, and
several manufactures of pottery, for which the locality is celebrated.
We saw a vessel loading in the harbour entirely with these--jars,
water-bottles, dishes, &c.--but the earthen-ware is of a coarse
description, and the quality of the clay does not admit of sufficient
porosity for the purpose of cooling water or of filtering, like the
Egyptian ware; at the same time it is not sufficiently impervious for
the retention of wine or oil without a considerable loss by absorption.
Varoschia has been always celebrated for a large production of a high
quality of silk, but the quantity has fallen off, as in all other parts
of the island. There are some good houses in this thriving and busy
little town, and it is said that decent accommodation may be had; but I
preferred the cleanliness and independence of our own tent.
Varoschia is not much healthier than Famagousta, as it suffers from the
same cause, in addition to an enormous accumulation of filth on the
heights at the rear of the town. If this were carefully stored to manure
the numerous gardens, it would be profitably utilised; but it belongs to
nobody in particular, and is a public nuisance. A fine should be
inflicted upon the municipal authorities in the sanitary interests of
the population, and the refuse of the neighbourhood should be
periodically collected into heaps and burned. Captain Inglis and the
various British officials moved their quarters from Famagousta to the
healthy village of Derinia, about three miles distant, during our stay
near Varoschia. The new station is to the south-west of the port, and
completely beyond the influence of the marshes, the elevation being
about 250 feet above the sea. Should this locality become a permanently
healthy settlement, the sanitary difficulty of our position will be
considerably modified, as the troops might be quartered at Derinia in
time of peace, and even during war they would be immediately within
call.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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