The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-14
Maximii.n,. Booi-"Oa the Wing"

extracts:
PIcNIcKING WITH THE QUEEN OF FRANCE.
We drove with the queen in a chsr-a-banc to
the mountains. We were, however, soon met by
the royal horses, on which we must needs climb
the steep part of the way. The COS
tune of the villagers resembled that of Eleusis.
The further we journeyed into the country, and
the higher We climbed, the more oriental and
more primitive did the land and its inhabitants be-
come. They are a hearty, independent race of
men, strong in their fixed belief, powerful in
body and mind, and, therefore, easy and dgnifed
IN their bearing and graceful In their movements.
II the cTaftiness Of the ancient Greeks and the
slyness Of the slave did not appear in this unfet.
tered people, l should compare them with the
steadfsst Tyrolese. This gloomy shadow throws
an unpleasing darkness over the shepherds Of this
mountain peninsula. Owing to these mountain
spurs, which make harbors on the shore OF the
sea, the people have acquired the cunning of the
traders. The warlike, sanguinary mind which en-
abed them, protected as they were by their
rocky fortresses, 70 chase the enemy with long.
nourshed vengeance from their country, was not,
as with the TyrOlese, settled peacefully after the
hardly won victory. The strife was too long and
fierce, and, combined with the cunning elements
Of their character, has degenerated into robbery,
from which violence even such great expeditions
as we were making seemed not to be quite
secure, for we saw gendarmes to-day placed at
several points OF the road.
At last we found ourselves at the end of our
charming journey; the weather was most beauti-
iul, ana lle ruins OF tue ICrLebS lay
point Of telerAbly broad plateau, oYergroWn
with luxurious vegetation. These ruins are com.
posed Of q not very long square wall of colossal
plain freestone at the cornefs are placed four
towers, Of which one is round, which proves that
the Greeks already knew how TO build round
walls. Phia was the refuge Of the thirty tyrants,
in which they fortified themselves TO escape the
anger of the Athenians. We see from this that
from the middle ages. These thirty gentlemen
could contemplate the town OF Athens from their
eagles nest, through the cutting in the mountain,
go dangerous TO them, with its dazzling back
ground Of the azure mirror Of the sea. The chains
OF the tyrants are broken, the protecting walls
decsyed; and now the peaceful ivy, the usual
mantle Of the dead, weaves a luxurant green net
work over the ruins. The much dreaded castle
has become g romantic object for an excursion.
The view of Athens, of AcrOpOlis aud the noble
sea. was truly bewitching; between the dark
masses of the mountain il looked like miniature
set in a frame.
The most remarkable spot was still in store for
us. AS ! cannot say the path, will use the ex-
preston our direction, was now TO reach the bot
tom Of the ravine. The place where we had to
turn was the projection Of 3 rock, on which
horse could only just stand. The queens horse
arrived on this dizzy point; then the noble lady
became suddenly aware of the danger. Neither
horse nor rider wished TO go forward; but one
step backwards and she would be dashed down
the precipice. The situation was fearful; but
the helping hand of the queens equerry arrived
whom we also happily passed this terrible place.
We could now see the end Of this pass, in which
water flowed; but where was the convent! The.
world seemed nailed up in boards. Where should
we now discover the work Of mems hands be-
tween rocks and pines in this primitive nature
We suddenly saw at the turning of the path that
the direction we had taken was cut of at the end
of the valley by little wall between the over
banging masses OF rock. But where were we to
the little wall could only be considered as bar
rier in the road. The riddle became more and
more exciting. We stood before the wooden gate
of the wall, the hinges creaked, and we found
ourselves all at once, as by the stroke of magic
wand, in a romantic and lovely picture of-peace-
full loveliness-the convent court. Without threat
ened the wilderness; within spread large vine,
like tender guard, over the quiet rest of prayer
Only the clear blue eye Of heaven had entrance
into this refuge OF pious souls.
LUNCH WITH THE PASTA OF SMYRNA.
Scarcely had we seated ourselves whea the
room filed with attendants, who amused them
selves greatly at our expense, laughing at our as
tonishment and unskillful manners. On the mid
die OF the table they laid small round leather
cushion, upon which the dishes were placed one
after the other. The number of these was more
than twenty. They were all white and blue porce.
lain. AS il may be interesting to European
"gourmets," i give the bill of fare. The first
dish was some maccaroni soup, which might
have done honor TO O French cook. Then fol-
lowed some roast mutton stuffed with lice, re.
markable for its tenderness and excellence. The
soup we had eaten with spoons, but into this dish
the pasha thrust his soft thick hand, and gave Us
10 understand we might follow his bold example.
All threw themselves like wild beasts upon the
roast, and soon the flaments were loosened and
brought TO our mouths, with good deal OF want
Of skill.
Ont of particular politeness and courtesy the
governor tore off q soft bone and presented II to
me with an smisble smile, exactly as if 1t had
been flower. We were somewhat embarrassed
| TO know where to put cur remaining bones, but
the pasta helped US out of this difficulty by sign.
ing TO TO let them drop on the grit table, These
"beaux restes u from the Oriental meal remained
strewn throughout the dinner all over the table,
offering not very edifying spectacle to the eyes
| of the guests. After this little episode came a
fiat white dish of puff paste, called by the Turks
"borek." Ali made use Of q happy moment when
/ we not attending and raised up the center of the
! pie. whereupon, TO our great establishment, q
| goldfnch few out. Our merry host laughed i'm
moderately at this specimen of Turkish Wit. 1t
appears these native surprises are the highest de-
| gree Of good taste in Smyrna, for the pasta told
me might relate this little anecdote to my rela
tions in the next letter. By way of finishing this
dish agreesbly he took alice Of the pastry and
rolled il into sort of ball, which he threw grace
fully into his widely stretched mouth. After this
| they brought Us lemonade sherbert, In very ele
| giant French or Saxon porcelain rococo cups
But as this drink is in the West il is most refresh
| ing and good in the East.
Tapidty, and the reviving drink vanished only toe
rapidly. 1t was replaced by baked fish, with
raisiDs. This mixture sounds nasty, bat in reality
| il was not so bad as we thoughtit would be. Then
followed a very good pudding called "kaitiff;
after that "patlitsha," a dish of meat with a
"mace6oine " of vegetables, of which the prin-
cipal ingredient was very highly favored plant
that grows in the neighborhood. We helped our
selves to ell these dishes, which were in half soft
condition, with the aid of pieces of bread, laying
them on our forefngers, and using them with the
help Of our thumbs. Many elegant European and
| finely educated handles would shrink with horror
at this natural method of taking up food. ! only
permit myself this remark: there is no very great
| difference in eating with clean-washed fingers out
Of great dish, in which, III the guests are ski III
their fingers need not come at all in contact witt
those of their neighbors, 10 dinner amongst
delicstely nurtured Europeans who eat with forks
which have already been used by hundreds Of
people. II is all custom and fancy. The Cover
nor told us that he had found il very difficult e
eat with a fork when in 81. Petersburg. Tit
Turks laughed as much at the manners Of the IN
believers as We at theirs.
After the "pslitsha " they brought us goot
roast sesfsh, then some fried rice balls, which thu
Turks find means of squeezing whole into ther