The mountains rose abruptly upon either side, and a dry ravine above the
rocks upon which we stood exhibited the natural channel by which in
heavy rains the surface-water would be conducted to the lower
stream-bed. A rough arch of masonry and a tunnel in the rock for about
forty feet formed the embouchure, from which the water issued into a
carefully constructed stone aqueduct, which led directly to the first
mill of the Kythrea series, about a hundred and twenty yards distant.
The temperature was considerably warmer than the air, but I had no
thermometer to mark the difference.
The aqueduct would have carried at least one-third more than the present
volume, which was about twenty-six inches deep, and three feet in width.
The water was beautifully clear and the current rapid, but I had no
means of measuring the velocity.
The stone-work of the aqueduct, always moist from the percolation, must
form a charming exhibition of maidenhair ferns during summer-time, as
the crevices were all occupied by plants, whose leaves, even at this
season (February), were several inches in length.
We strolled up the dry ravine above the spring, and ascended the hill to
an extensive plateau, upon which grew two or three caroub-trees; here
was a sudden change; the soil was red, and we entered the compact grey
limestone (jurassic) which forms the Carpas range.
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