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To
the east of Youti, there is another mountain
called Shiromantrika (the name means pig fold)
and below it there is the stream where pigs love
to roll, to cool themselves. On the heights
above Yiouti stands a small building erected
during the Second World War as an
observation-post. It was able to give early
warning of German air-attacks. Let us climb up
there. What a magnificent view, for miles
around, and we can see nearly the whole northern
coastline of our Island! And on this clear day,
we can look right across the deep blue sea at
the southern coast of Turkey. We will rest here
for a time, and have our lunch. Let us now go on
to Koutsoulas. Here we find the ruins of houses
destroyed by the Saracens, square or rectangular
slabs of dressed honey-coloured stone. I know it
well; in fact, I own about twenty acres of land
there. It was given to me by a forester who had
rented it from the Government, but found it more
than he could manage. So he offered it to me,
his young priest; all I had to pay was the
nominal rent, about five shillings an acre,
annually, to the Government. I bought modern
farm-machinery, and sowed wheat and barley, and
had excellent crops. The land was sheltered from
the wind by walls, built in terraces. One day,
while ploughing, I came upon a number of curved
stones which must been used as a water-conduits.
Neighbours coveted these, but I could not let
them have them as they held the soil firm and
prevented it from disintegrating and being
washed down into the sea. Turning north-west, we
come to a shingle beach, with-coloured rocks.
Along the edge of the bay is a large rock, used
probably for storing water. Nearby is another
small bay, called Louma, with small boats
bobbing about, but not deep enough for large
ships to anchor. However, it has an important
function: as a sheep bath. It is quite easy to
get the sheep down to it from the headland; you
need only to push one sheep over the edge, and
all the others follow. In very hot weather, the
sheep enjoy the cool water and washing away the
dust and the ticks which torment them. It is an
ideal place for them, with a natural platform on
one side, and on the other a well, giving water
for them to drink.
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On the headland, about
half-way between the sheep-dip and the
harbour of Kambos tou Youtiou there is a
valley of honey-coloured rocks, with
spring-water only in winter. Here is a cave
of St. Afxentions. He was an army chief from
Alamania (Germany) who fought in the
Crusades in the 12th century. On his way
back, he remembered, and thought deeply
about, the monasteries he had seen in the
Holy Land. A storm drove his ship into
Yiouti harbour, he walked alone through the
forest, thinking how wonderful it would be
to settle in this beautiful island and live
a life of prayer and contemplation. He made
his decision, and chose his site well. |
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