Limasol. The coast to Baffo. At tance. From Cape Kiti the coast trends south-west for 28 miles After Amathus, the coast curves round to the southward for six miles to Limasol, and the shore is a low and sandy beach enclosing Akroteri Bay, on the west side of which is the town of Limasol. This shore appears to be suitable for the disembarkation of troops of all arms, as it was selected for this purpose by Richard Cœur de Lion in 1191, and again by the Turks when they invaded Cyprus in 1570. There is no harbour at Limasol, but there is an anchorage off the town in from seven to twelve fathoms with good holding ground. This roadstead is, according to the "Mediterranean Pilot considered preferable to that off Larnaca; it is quite sheltered from the prevailing westerly winds, but is directly open to the east and south-east. From Limasol, the low sandy beach continues for six miles due from Limasol south to Cape Gata, which is the eastern extremity of Akroteri Peninsula, a projection extending about five miles from the general run of the coast. Cape Gata is the most southern point of Cyprus. The peninsula is six miles wide, and attains a height of 188 feet close to the sea midway between Cape Gata and its western extremity, Cape Zephgari. Gata Light. Baffo. On Cape Gata, at a height of 190 feet, is a fixed white light, varied by a flash every two minutes, visible in clear weather 15 miles. Off Akroteri Peninsula there is foul ground for a mile out, and a wide berth should be given. West of Cape Zephgari the coast recedes about six miles, and then, curving round westward to Cape Bianco, forms Episcopi Bay, the shore of which is, between Cape Zephgari and Episcopi village, a low sandy beach, and, beyond the village, a series of small sandy bays backed by high cliffs. This bay is fully exposed to the prevalent westerly winds, and the swell which is continually rolling in, renders the anchorage both unsafe and uncomfortable. From Cape Bianco to Paphos Point (Cape Baffo), a distance of about 20 miles, the coast trends nearly northwest; for the first five miles the shore is high and rugged, with rocks and sunken ledges extending out about a quarter of a mile, this is succeeded by a low, sandy, and stony beach, and the inland country is here somewhat marshy and unhealthy. The Moulia Rocks, two and a half miles south-east three-quarters south of Baffo (the ancient Nea Paphos), extend one and a-half mile off shore, leaving a channel of 12 feet inside them. There is a summer anchorage to the south-east of this reef. At Baffo there was a small harbour formed by two moles, which have now broken away in several places, exposing the port and rendering it very unsafe; it is, moreover, nearly choked with sand, and there are only four to eight feet of water at the entrance, and 10 to 12 feet in a small space inside, so that it can only be used by vessels of very small burden and light draught. notoriously unsafe during south and south-east gales. The place is Bay. From Baffo the coast trends nearly north for 27 miles to Cape The coast Arnauti (Acamas), the north-west extremity of the island. Through- from Baffo to out this distance the shore presents a forbidding aspect, as there Khrysokho are reefs and ledges of rock projecting out along the greater part of it, and on these a heavy sea is generally breaking; the coast itself consists of a succession of small sandy bays and cliffy bights; the shoal ground extends generally from one-third to three-quarters of a mile from the land. Cape Arnauti is a low and sharp headland, of which the western side is nearly perpendicular, but the eastern part is thickly wooded, and slopes gradually down to the beach of Khrysokho Bay in which Khrysokho there is summer anchorage and good holding ground. The "Medi- Bay. terranean Pilot" states that this bay is much used by local coasting vessels which come for corn and firewood. At the head of the bay near Poli (Khysokho) village is a small jetty, and the shore is here a low and sandy beach nine miles in length. The width of the Bay from Cape Arnauti to Pomo Point, its eastern extremity, is about 16 miles, and it enters the land about six miles. The end of Pomo Point is low and sandy, but in other parts the shore is rugged and skirted by rocks; off the point there is shoal water for one mile in a north-westerly direction. The coast now trends east, but after 16 miles of rocky shore it Morpho Bay. curves to the northward for 20 miles to Cape Kormakiti, and encloses Morpho Bay, on the eastern side of which there is a low pebbly and sandy beach; off this is deep water and a good bottom; still this anchorage is generally considered unsafe, being entirely exposed to westerly winds, which drive in a heavy sea, and often render a landing from boats quite impossible. Morpho Bay is 21 miles across from Cape Kormakiti to Cape Kokkino, and enters the land about 10 miles. About 23 miles east of Cape Kormakiti is the town of Cerinea, Cerinea. or Kyrenia, which has a small port, into which it was reported in 1855 that vessels of 120 tons could enter. It is considered that if provided with a mole, Cerina would become a favourite port for vessels bound from the Archipelago. The roadstead is large, but the holding ground is not very good, and northerly winds raise a heavy sea; this anchorage is now only used by small vessels trading between Cyprus and the opposite coast of Caramania, as the port is not protected from the north. Andrea to The 75 miles of the north coast from Cerinea to Cape St. The north Andrea require but brief notice. The shore is almost straight, is coast. without ports or shelter, and is very scantily inhabited. The Karpas mountains border the sea and slope steeply down to it. Off Cape St. Cape St. Andrea are several small rocks and islets surrounded by Famagusta. deep water. From Cape St. Andrea the coast trends south-west for about 37 miles to Cape Elæa, before mentioned as the northern point of Famagusta Bay; the shore throughout this distance is nearly straight, and has no shelter. From the foregoing description of the coast of Cyprus it appears Remarks. that there are three open roadsteads, viz.: Famagusta, Larnaca, and Limasol, the first of which is undoubtedly capable of being converted, with a certain outlay, into a safe and commodious harbour, but equal facilities do not appear to exist at the other two places, though perhaps something may be done to provide shelter. There are also insecure harbours now existing at Baffo and Cerinea, which in a very small way are used for trading purposes by light coasting vessels; but, to render them safe, the existing moles must be repaired, and at Cerinea a new one constructed; a certain amount of dredging work would also have to be undertaken to enable them to admit the ordinary class of trading vessel. In all the roadsteads of the southern shore ships have good holding ground, and, with proper care, may ride out any storm without danger. The only disadvantage of these anchorages is the shallowness of the water in-shore, which causes a dangerous surf to break in stormy weather. The native coasting craft often have not sufficient cable to anchor outside the surf, and consequently numbers are driven ashore every year, but Consul Lang says that during the nine years of his residence in Cyprus, no casualty ever occurred to a European vessel at anchor, nor can he remember that any such vessel was ever obliged to go out to sea for safety. On the whole it appears that ironclads or any sea-worthy vessels with good anchors and cables may lie off Larnaca, Famagusta, and Limasol during the worst of the winter months, viz. January and February, but it may frequently happen that ships in the roadsteads are unable to hold any communication with the shore for several days. On the north coast the sea room is more restricted, and it does not appear that the ports on this side can ever be turned to much use, though small coasting vessels may perhaps find shelter at Cerinea and Morpho in certain winds. CHAPTER VI. THE CLIMATE OF CYPRUS. To obtain an accurate knowledge of the climate of our new possession, is naturally a matter of the highest importance, in order that the proper sanitary measures may be adopted to ensure the health of the British garrison and the inhabitants generally. The first reports which were circulated when the occupation of the island by England was announced, although conflicting, were, on the whole, unfavourable; but later and more reliable information tends to show that whilst certain fevers are very prevalent during the hot months, they are generally of a mild type, and that the acknowledged unhealthiness of certain towns and districts is not really attributable to the climate, but rather to local insanitary conditions, all of which are capable of removal, and indeed there is little doubt that many of the sinister reports concerning the general unhealthiness of the island are much exaggerated. The health statistics of the troops during the first few months of the occupation cannot be accepted as a fair criterion of what may be expected in future summers, for the present conditions of service are peculiarly trying, in consequence of the amount of extra work and exposure involved in the disembarkation, the first occupation of the island, and the want of suitable accommodation; but even under these exceptional circumstances the cases of illness are nearly all recognized as ephemeral fever, due to exposure to solar heat, and, as the name implies, of but short duration. To arrive at a correct conclusion regarding the climate of Cyprus, not only must the atmospheric conditions which affect health be considered, but also the numerous and various causes of unhealthiness which inevitably result from the existence of marshes, scarcity of water, imperfect drainage, and the absence of trees. On the first subject, the climatological aspect of Cyprus, some valuable information has been kindly supplied by Alexander Buchan, Esq., Secretary of the Scottish Meteorological Society, who writes as follows: - "Between the years 1863 and 1867, the Scottish Meteorological Society established various Climatological Stations in different parts of Europe, with the view of collecting trustworthy information concerning the climates of places which might be recognized as Sanataria. Four such stations were established, viz., at Jerusalem, Beyrout and Damascus in Syria, and at Larnaca in Cyprus, mainly through the instrumentality of the late Dr. Keith Johnston, at that time the Society's Honorary Secretary, whilst on an eastern tour in the spring of 1863. Admiral Fitzroy most cordially cooperated with the Council in this matter, and secured sets of the best instruments for the observers from the Board of Trade. The observer at Larnaca was Thomas B. Sandwith, Esq., H.M.'s ViceConsul for Cyprus, who was supplied by the Board of Trade, through this Society with a barometer, six common thermometers, one maximum, and one minimum thermometer, and a rain gauge. The observations commenced in October 1866, and were continued with a few interruptions for about four years, or till about the time Mr. Sandwith left Larnaca. The results were published from time to time in the Society's Journal "The following tables give a condensed résumé of these four years' observations, particularly as regards their climatological aspects, and it is believed that no other meteorological data exist which can throw a better light on the climate of Cyprus." |