The Hawaiian gazette., 1869-04-07

THE DARDANELLEs.-These celebrated cas-
ties, four in number, are on the confines OF
Europe and Asia, on the shores of the Hells-
pont. They are on opposite sides OF the
Straits, which is some II leagues long, and
named from the strong towers which flank
its shores, the Strait of the Dardanelles.
| These castles are so situated as to protect
the approach to Constantinople, of which
city they are regarded as the key, although
the day has not always been efficient In pre-
serving inviolate the metropolis of the Tur-
kish Empire. The name Dardanelles" is
supposed to have been derived from the
ancient city of Dardanum. The entrance
to the Helespont is guarded by two castles,
built in the middle of the seventeenth CEN
tury, by Mahomet the Fourth, as a means
of protection to the Turkish fleets against
the enterprising Venetians. The forts are
well armed but poorly manned. A little
distance from the town OF Schenekalessi
narrow strip of land projects into the sea.
This was the spot where the ancient Abydos
was situated, and there is a corresponding
projection on the Europern side Ofthe Helles-
pont, made memorable by being the locality
of Sestos. II was between these projections
that the enamored Leander crossed to visit
his beautiful Hero; here, too, 1t is supposed
that the imperious Xerxes built his bridge,
and crossed with his immense host TO his
contemplated subjugation of Greece, and
here, also, was where the great Alexander
passed to accomplish his wonderful Asiatic
conquests. Lord Byron, in emulation OF
Leander, swan across the HellespOnt at the
same point as his romantic prototype, though
the feat is not one of difficult accomplish
ment, as the distance between the two points
is only about seven-eights of mile, and
since Byron caught his ague in the attempt,
it has been successfully performed by many
others, unnamed and unnoticed-
The Hellespont-the classic name OF the
rdaneles-takes its title from Helle,
NEUROLOGICAL parsonage, said to be the daugh-
ter of Athamas and Nephale. She fled from
her fathers house. with her brother to avoid
the persecution of her mother-in-law, Ino.
Some of the ancient poets relate that she
was carried through the air on golden ram,
which her mother had received from Nep-
tune, and, becoming giddy, she fell into the
sea, which, from that circumstance, took
its name; others assert that she was borne
on a cloud, or 1ying-ship, from which she
fell into the sea and was drowned.
1t has been a delusive idea of the Turks
that their capital was so protected by the
fortifcations on the shores ofthe Dardanelles
as to be impregnable, for in several instances,
enemies ships of war have passed these
Notifications and without material injury
This occurred in 1770, when the Russian
Admiral Elpeinstone passed and re-passed
them; Commodore BaiBbridge, in 1901, in
the frigate George Washington did the same
thing, and it was also done in 1907, by the
English. Admiral Duckworth. II, in the
crisis of her fate, Turkey has not, in the
hearts of her population, the energy requi-
site for her preservation, the fortifcations on
the shores Of the Dardaneles will not save
her from becoming Russian province.