View PDF version of this page

CHAPTER VII. ΚΥΚΕΝΙΛ AND THE NORTH COAST. T HE change from camp-life to the luxury of Government House, with the charm of the society of Sir iGarnet and Lady Wolseley and officers of the staff, ,was a most agreeable interlude in the usually monotonous journey through Cyprus. The view from the verandah had changed, and was certainly not charming, as the few green tints that had looked hopeful on our iformer visit had turned to brown ; but the house ^within more than compensated for the cheerlessness of the exterior landscape. A picnic excursion to the castle of St. Hilarion had been arranged for the 29th instant by Colonel Greaves, C.B., chief of the staff, who kindly included us in the invitation. This point was seldom visited, as it was situated 3240 feet above • the sea upon the sky-line of the crags above Kyrenia, and the ride there and back covered a distance of about thirty miles from Lefkosia. The energy of English ladies rather astonishes the people of this country, where inertia is considered to be happiness, land although our animals were ordered to be saddled punctually at 6 A.M. the owner in Lefkosia was sceptical as to our actual start at so early an hour ; therefore • much time was lost on the morning in question in

View PDF version of this page