Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-05-12
wATCHMAN & JOURNAL SUPPLEMENTARY H. 1880.

see the spot) IL the field OF Canine where Hanni-
bal so signaly defeated the Romans From here
on, the country Is better farmers are blowing |
for wheat, trimming the grape vines, and spading |
fertilizers about the roots Of olive trees. The |
olives OF this southeastern Italy make the finest
quality Of salad oil The soil is red loan and
clay on bedrock of limestone. OF this stone, |
which is nearly white In color, many Of the houses
are built and at a little distance the villages are
prettler than any others In southern Europe. II
was after dark when we reached Brindis--the
Brundusium OF the Romans-and, as soon rs our |
supper is finished, push off from this gateway
OF western civilization and, embarking on an Aus
tran Lloyd steamer, spend the night on the
Adriatic.
THE IoNfAN ISLANDS.
The next morning after leaving Brindls we
woke to find our steamer just off those
Thunder-cfs OF fear,
The Acrocenunan mountains Of old fame"
OF which Virgil tells us in his account OF the voy-
age of Eneas and his companions. We were re-
versing the course of the adventurous Trojans.
The country is now called Albania, and, unfortu-
nately, Is still under the msrue of the Turks. For
three or four hours we sail along parallel with
these snow-capped peaks, The shore is of bare
the mountains are white with icehoods during
seven or eight months Of the year The tenants
of the valleys are Shepherds now, as in Homer's
time, race I" with unwashed feet and sleeping
on the ground" As we approach Corfu-th an
cient Corcyra, we our left the bay and soi-
tary stones of that old Buthrotum where Eneas was
entertained by his kinsman Helenus 1t is now
good sporting ground for those who are willing to
run the risk of capture by brigands. The strait
between the crescent-shaped island and the main
land there leads us into beautiful gulf eight
miles wide, which seems to have no outlet and
which Is placid as an inland lake on summer
day. The rich green verdure OF the fertile island
contrasts wonderfully with the rocky, barren
sleeps OF the coast and highlands on the east
Right ahead of are those twin peaks OF the cit
adel OF Corfu which Virgil calls the aria Ph9d-
cum drces. The cliffs are girded with forts and
batteries, and at their base, wherever there is
room for perching are built the barracks for the
garrison and the white houses Of the town. As
every where else in Greece, where the harbors are
shallow we anchor at some distance from the
shore and are taken off in small boats. The
boatmen are extortionate, and the best course is
for one to let the porter of the hotel settle with
them and charge the sum paid in the bill of the
hotel The customs officer accepts our statement
that our luggage contains nothing contraband,
and waves us on with polite bow.
Corfu, the city, has population of twenty-four
thousand, and the island of the same name which
includes it has three times the number. 1t Is the
portal to the Orient. In leaving Italy we leave
the purely western civilization behind us. Here
is motley crowd,-English, French, Germans,
Swiss Italians as we have often seen them be-
fore, but mingling with them on the market-place
and in the street, Maltese with swarthy counte-
nances; coarse-featured Turks with bowl-shaped
fez and baggy trousers the dark-haired lustrous-
eyed Greeks, and the rough peasants OF Albania
with their shaggy sheep-skin coaks, white kits,
aud gray leggngs. These last seem to fill and al
most block the streets, since this Saturday is both
a market-day and the eve of a festival The NOR
row, January 18th, is the Greek Epiphany,-all
dates in the Greek calendar being twelve days
later than those Of western time,-and the chief
church of the city, that OF ST. Spiridion, the pat
ron saint of the island, was crowded. The bishop
oficated and was assisted by several lesser clergy
The service consisted of much chanting the read
ing of prayers the creeds, and passages Of Scrip
ture and the passing of the money plates, which
in the course of two hours went round among the
congregation nine times. There was no preach
ing, but at the close the bishop sprinkled the peo
pie with holy water and both before and after
the formal ceremonies many pressed forward to
kiss the pictures Of the Virgin and the tomb of
the patron saint. The Greek church differs from
the Roman in that it rejects the supremacy OF the
pope the doctrine OF purgatory, and that OF the
double procession of the Holy Spirit as set forth
in the Nicene creed. 1t accounts the worship OF
flat pictures as allowable, but that OF images as
idolatry. The Greek priests are less intelligent
than those Of Italy, but more honorable. They
minge much with the people and often earn their
bread by the same toll that of their parishion-
ers. Hence the great influence of these priests
over their countrymen. 1t was an archbishop
who, little more than half-century ago, first
raised the standard OF Greek independence, and
the intense and united patriotism OF the clergy
kept alive the courage OF the people to the end OF
that fierce struggle. This, together with the ma
tional pride of the Greeks, has united the people
! in devotion to their church, and has made the
country hard missionary ground for either Cath
olics or Protestants. Yet the Venetian rule Of
this island from 1886 to 1897 brought in many Ro-
manists, and made the Italian tongue almost as
common as the Greek.
Many pleasant excursions out upon the differ
ent points Of the island may be taken from Corfu.
One is to the kings summer palace building
which, under English occupation, was the resi-
dence of the lord high commissioner Flowers
are in blossom in the gardens, and lemon and or
ange trees are yellow with ripenng fruit The
winter climate of the island Is very mild, and
many invaids come here, especially those afflicted
with pulmonary diseases. Another much fire.
quented spot is Point Canon which looks upon
the sea southeastwards, and upon the rocky
islet that tradition has made to be the ship which
conveyed Ulysses to Ithaca, and which, on its re-
turn, was, according to Homer, overtaken by the
vengeance of Neptune and transformed to stone.
nsnift as the swallow sweeps the llauld way