Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-12-08

At last at two in tie afternoon. Chios,
the lll-starred, is in sight ASH SID had
glory enough in giving birth to 8 he
blind old man of Scio's rocky isle, she
must add to the great epic fiery ordeal
and tragedy. The isle is only about the
size of Orange County, New York, thir-
ty-two by eighteen miles, but it is big
with renown Cut off by narrow
strait from Asia, it looms upon the vision
IN three-fold mountainous magnihcence.
AS we near it breeze blows down the
strait from the northwest. How do j as
contain this point of the compass Not
alone by the red, blue, and white Rus
clan ensign, whose double eagle dallies
wind and scorns the sun not from the
white plumes which shine upon the
cloven helmet of the wave, but from the
dozen Moslems ON the deck, who, with
lnfailing piety, turn, by starlight OF
sunlight, toward Mecca, and "com-
pass our thought. One of these Mos
lens is soldier, three are Caucasians,
one an Imam, or priest, and all are pill
grims bound to Mecca. As Chios is more
clearly sighted, one of this number calls
to prayers 1t is the Moolah. How
strange and audacious his call, on this
steamer of civilization Soon the car
pets are upon the deck, and the genu-
Elections and monotones of the pilgrims
begin Then, putting upon their pray
ers q splendid climax, and then pulling
on their slippers, they, too, take a curl
Gus look at the celebrated and Inflated
island. This isle is known to the Mo-
hommedans, not for its wine, for they
are abstinent not for its figs, for other
places are more prolific not for its silk,
for silken Broussa outvies all these isles
but for its mastjc, the product of the
lentisk tree, which when incised drops
its gum about the middle of August.
When refined it is used by the Levantine
females, who are not too languid to knit
like Penelope, and not too lazy to chew.
1t is to the female what tobacco is to our
sex. 1t also makes liquor. This gum
was the chief source Of revenue to the
mother Of the Sultan, and the isle is
said to have had some political and
other advantages by reason Of this pc.
culiar product.
AS we draw nearer to this isle of Chios
/ look about to see the terrible work Of
the earthquake. What a catastrophe,
for eyer so little a tremble Looking
away to the east for moment the main
land appears rocky reach Of high,
clear-lined mountains. They are streaked
with dark lines and wales Geyond and
above Scio the shade and sunlight alter.
nate, and at their base there are fiat
green spots, deltas of mountain streams.
A few villages are scattered along The
city of Castro itself, which once con.
tanned 10000 people, was the capital Of
the island when it had 10000. This
was before the Greek revolution of 1922
1t now looks like a shriveled, twisted
skeleton. Its very sea walls give token
Of its shattered condition. AS we APP.
proach still nearer We perceive a hun
bred vessels in the harbor, if it may bt
called one, by courtesy The mountains
above now seem topped by palisades,
and still above them and remote are
other dreamy Grecan mountains, full OF
myths and with little specks of green
where dryads, and olives, and Pan, and
Nature once lurked. The sea never
looked so blue in its bonnets Of white
The ragged sea-walls give n still more
desolate look to Inc harbor. to which the
demolished castle adds its sad aspect
The city looks like a disordered BODY
Holding a crazy mind There are trees
amidst tue ruins They give even 70 the
desUlation son Of sylvan Greciar
beauty, for trees ate now rare on these
denuded Greciaa isles. Now, as We
come still nearer, the waves are seen tc
make cascades over and channels through
the broken MOLE Some windmills fly
their sails ON the lowest lands. A few
other sails on the steadier element-the
sea-ply their work IN front of the har.
Dor. - CONGRESSMAN Cor az NcW york
ErDress,