New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-07-27

Ne re tfe J]eN HOE sneL - SteS4f. 1bc v.1Ss
&c EIaaed n the 6pr.Ds, tie es,th % dag up.
raised .nto heaps between sae stalks And finely pu
verzed, AMI they are then left to their fste. Owe
and mulberry trees are planted, AID that 10 AL
TIE produce both Of slk aud eurrAn.s is slowly bus
steadily Increasing, and the number Of olive trees,
which in 1888 was 200, 600, now amounts to
100000. Yet in spite Of this apparent growth,
the country Il poorer now than it was under the
Turkish domination. The little Province Of
AchaiA Alone, yielded 10 the Latin princes duriog
the middle sges a greater revenue than the whole
kingdom Of Greece at present. The fact is, the
country 10 poor, only because tie development OF
its resources has been most shamefuly neglected.
4 circumstance which more than anything else,
perhaps retards ths development, is the religious
indoieHce OF the Greek farmers. A creed which
turns one h0J IL. days Of the year into sanity ami
ver,aries On which !. is sinful TO do any manner Of
work, would ruin any country in the world. In
addition to these saints days, there are four grand
fssts, and number Of smaller ones, amounting, in
oil, to over one hundred and fifty days, or tee
months. These are most risidly kept, and though
the temperate Greek satisfies Lis hunger with
bread olives and onions, bis capacity for labor is
seriously affected. To crown his shortcomings as
az ssriculturist, add his egregous vanity, which
prevents him from suspecting that there lie any
knowledge IN the world superior to his own. An
English gentleman, long settled 10 Greece, assured
me thst he found it almost impossible to teach his
workmeD, owing to this trait of character When
ever he directed anything to be done, instead of
being obeyed, he always received instruction. from
them as to how it might be better done. After
twenty -four years experience he was almost ready
to despair Of their improvement.
i. found the country Greeks generally honest.
We met with two or three instances OF downright
imposition, but this might o:cur in any country
except Sweden. Those who have the worst repu-
tat IN are the most friendly aud agreeable The
Mainote robbers as they are called, the Dsphians
and the Dorisns, are hearty, cheerful, hospitable
people, and l shall long remember them with
pleasure. The timid traveller need no longer hest
tate to visit Greece, from vision of fierce pakars
leveliDg their long guns at him in the mountain
passes. Northern Greece has been oyerrun this
Spring by band Of robbers under the command of
the chief, Kalabalik, but within the last ten days
himself aid the greater part Of bis men have been
shot by the Government troops, near Thebes.
While crossing Mount Parnes on our way from
Chslcis, we met three individuals, whom we sup
posed TO be refugees from his band. With the
desth of KalabaliE brgandage is suppressed in
Greece. Since 1854 the Dumber of robbers shot
or executed has been 1913 must state, however,
on the authority of the Minister of War; that only
twenty Of the whole number were born within the
limits of the kingdom.
Beside her neglected fields and forests, Greece
has also neglected mines. There is the material
for a hundred ParthenOrs yet in Pentelicus; the
white, waxy marble Of Naxos and Paros; precious
verde antique and rouge antique in Taygetus; coal
in Eubea, sulphur On the Isthmus and emery in
NaxOs. 1t is said that the treasures of Paros are
to be exploited, but of the other mineral produc-
tops sulphur and emery, only, are quarried to a
limited extent. Agriculture, however, should be
the first care of nation, and until Greece has roads
for the transportation Of her corn, wine and oil,
she will scarcely be able to make her quarries avail
able. have not yet heard Of any geological survey
of the country, but know an intelligent young
officer, who spent eighteen months, by the order
and at the expense Of the Government, in making
secret military Reconnaissance of Turkey Offer a
plan for the irrigation of the Cephissian plain, and
you will be politely snubbed. Offer another of the
f)rtifcat of ConstantinOple, and you will be
well paid
Enough of dry statement. Let Inc not lose
the pensve sweetness and sadness OF this last even
ing in Athenr. The sun is sinking in clear saffron
light hey ond the pass of Daphne, aud purple flush
plays all along the high, barren sides of Hymettus
Before me rises the Acropolis, with it's crown of
beauty, the Parthenon, on whose snowy front the
suntets of two thousand years have lef their golden
stain. In the distance is the musical Esean,
dancing with light-whsperiDg waves to fill the
rock hewn ssrcophsgus of Themistocles. Platos
olives send silver simmer through the dusk that
is creeping over the Attic plain. Many an evening
have conte mplated this ilust,iOus landscape bat
it was never so lovely as now, when look upon it
for the last time. Every melodous wave 10 the
lorg outline of the immortal mountains-every
SCARED marble in the august piles of ruin-every
blood-red anemone on the banks of the Mssus, and
every asphodel that blossoms the hill Of ColonOs
Il SnOW them and they know me. Not as
curious stranger shall leave Athens; not as
traveller, eager for new sctnes but with the regret
of one who knows and loves the sacred soil, to
whom il has been at once sanctuary and home.
BIT.