Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-31

Sailing Through she Greciaa Archipel.
Axo-vtstss 20 Cyprus and smyrna
Queer Sights and Customs.

On BOARD u. s. 8. LANcAsTE,

Correspondence Of TIE EVENING srsn
On BOARD u. S. s. LANCASTER
SMYRNA, TURKEY, 26rH APRIL. 1884.
The day before we sailed from
Beirut several Of US took ride ont to Dog
river. For about twelve miles the road lies
along the beach. which is firm and solid and as
We had good Arab horses we had some splendid
gallops On leaving the beach the road enters the
pass through which Dog river flows, In the
pass are the remsins Of AN old road, plainly vsi-
Die, and the ruts Of the chariot wheels Of the
armies which passed over IL are still to be seen in
some places Through this pass came and went all
the armies which marched into or through Syria.
HE kings and generals each left tablet recit-
ing tue fact- Scattered along the road at irreg-
uiar Intervals. are large inches cut In the solid
rock in which are cut inscrin,ions and TO-
ures. They are chiefly Assyrian. Eyyptian and
Roman Among them is pointed out one which
is said to have been cut by the order Of Nebuch-
adnezzer, another one, well preserved. is attrib-
uted TO Constantine.
NATIVE REPAsr.
We had luncheon In a little native house On
the riverside. consisting Of hard boiled eggs
colored red, Lebanon wire-sweet aud aroma
tic, as il made from raisins,-lebnee, OF cottage
cheese, made of goats milk, rather sour and
musty, and ukz or bread made Of corn and oat-
meal. The ukz was shaped like pancake, and
was over three feet In diameter thin as Tissue
paper, and tough as leather. The proper way
to eat II is 10 tear of piece by main strength,
spread II thickly with lebnee. roll tup. then
bite 1t of II you can. While the taste is not SO
bad after all, believe l prefer homemade pam
cakes
VISIT To CYPRUS.
We left Beirut about four o'clock In the
afternoon, and arrived off Larinka, on the
southeastern extremity OF Cyprus. the next
forenoon. Larinka is a miserable little village
Goldsmtn's Deserted Village" was a populous
city compared TO il. We wandered through the
streets an hour or more and did not see more
than dozen people. and they appeared TO be
strangers The island of Cyprus. as you know,
is under the protection OF England for which
privilege she pays the Sultan 10000 annually.
The island Is of but little importance EXCEPT in
case of war, when 1t would be a strong strare-
tic point, and splendid place for base OF sup
plies for English fleets.
GREAT sCoURGE IN THE ISLAND
are the locusts, and they are destroyed system-
atically in great numbers They appear fret as
small worms on the top OF mountains and high
hills. When 1t is found the worms are COM
mencing TO move, they are completely surrounded
by smooth oilcloth placed vertically. up and
over which they cannot pass. They then crawl
along its foot, until at intervals, deep large pits
uit NtItIt lIt OliClOlD hangs over The edge.
and down into these pits they fall When the
pits are full they are covered over and mashed
TO death and afterwards used TO fertiiiZe the
ground where grows the grain they would have
destroyed. 1t is said that one hundred thous-
ana tons are destroyed In this way yearly.
SMYRNA.
We left Larinka the next morning, andin four
days anchored In Smyrna harbor. Ii was very
misty and overcast during the voyage through
n
but We passed in sight of Rhodes, where once
stood the famous Colossus and Patmos. where
John wrote the Book of Revelations. Nothing
could be seen OF it, however, except high bar
rem hills. Near Smyrna We passed number Of
white and glittering piles of SALT each one as
large as a church. LII is manufactured By evan
Grating sea water In immense salt pans
The city OF Smyrna is situated in vast level
plain. behind which is arrange Of high hills On
one OF the highest of these are the ruins of a
fortress of the time ofthe crusaders. The walls
have fallen in many places, but enough remains
TO show it was very formidable In itstiar. Along
the waterfront a long stone quay has been built
and it is lined with hotels, cafes and stores Ii
is called the Blum. and is the lounging place Of
the whole city, especially near sunset, when
every one comes out for walk. The city Is
much more European in character than any
oriental city we have yet seen; most OF the peo-
pie wear European styles of clothing and live
in modern style of houses. The bazaars are
Ing after seeing those of Cairo. The great at
traction is
THE RUG BAzAARs.
The rugs are OF all kinds sizes and prices. but
the cheaper ones are much inferior to what can
be bought at home for less money, and are evil
IDENTITY poorly-made machine counterieits The
larger and more expensive ones are the prettiest
in the wOrld-two or three inches In thickness,
soft and silky, with the richest col0rs arranged
in the oldest and most extraordinary ways
The day We arrived at Smyrna was Easter
Sunday with the Greeks, who compose large
part of the population here. They made a regu-
lar Fourth of July" ont Of 1t, with the noise of
fre-crackers, guns and cannOns, and the ship
ping In the harbOr was decorated In the even
quent occurrence here, there having been at
least one every night since our arrival. To Illus
trate the discipline and efficiency of the fire de-
partment of the city / would say that one even
ing some OF us were ashore and visited fire.
1t was In the midst OF the city, aud was sur
rounded closely by dwellings, which, fortunately.
were built of stone. The people were standing
around wringing their hands and making a
great noise, but doing nothing else. Presently
so-called fire company appeared, but they
would do nothing until purse of FIVE pounds
sterling was made up for them, and we had to
make up the purse.
BRIGANDs AND THEIR WAYS.
The country surrounding Smyrna is so much
infested by brigands that it Is not considered
safe to go outside of the city walls unless
accompanied by guard. Recently the English
feet was here, and the chief of the brigands
sent word to the admiral that he would allow
the officers to go into the country on hunting
expeditions. So far as know. he has not ex-
tended similar civlities to us. The authorities
appear to be unable to suppress brigandage,
although the soldiers are walking arsenas.
Each one carries gun aud d saber, and their
broad sashes are filled with pistols and dag
gers. w. ]. b.