Morning journal and courier., 1889-12-26
THE PALESTINE PA RTY.


 Suppression of Press Correspondence
 Waiting Ancient Tarsus-A Connect- icut LiquorIce Factory fin Turkey Cyprus Under English Rule-A Babel Of Arabic Boatmen.
 BEIRUT, Syria, Oct. '. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 letter dated above by the narrow and suspicious Turkish authorities it is reproduced below as near
 One from Jerusalem, placed in the hands of the Turkish postmaster October l7th by myself person. ally, shared similar fate. It will be written anon ths, tmS apa sss s to resch
 We left Athens with all it's classical associations and ruins with some emotions of deep regret. Weeks and months might be spent in the city and environs with increas- ing interest and profit. But the hour of de- parting is memorable. Other and more distant lands remain to be visited. Turkey, Palestine and Egypt including numberless places clothed with historical, biblical or legendary suggestions lure us onward.
 A delightful carriage drive conveyed our party through the most prominent streets of Athens to Pirmus it's seaport. It is distant five miles with a good road, through daily communications are made by railway trains.
 Pireus is situated on peninsula and boasts of three harbors, one being set apart for ships of war. Until the termination of the protracted Persian war Phalerum was the recognized port of Athens. Themistocles, seeing the vast strategic importance of a change, inaugurated the movement. Later generations have fully appreciated his sa- gacity. Pir@us finally fell before the fury of SYlla and his indomitable warriors and subsequently, dwindled into comparative in- significance. During the days of Strabo 1t had degenerated into struggling village, presenting few indications of its former im- portance. The growth of the modern town can be traced no further than the year 1884. It's harbor, though naturally good, like all eastern seaports is allowed to gradually fill up with sediment until even ships of moder- ate drauRht are compelled to anchor some distance from the shore.
 For the first time on our journey we now require passports as we sail to Smyrna where flies the Turkish flag. Armed with polite note of introduction from Mr. Walter Fearn, our popular Minister of the United States, at Athens, three of us was driven rapidly to the residence of the Turkish council general at Pireus. Our steamer would sail in two hours, hence there were no time to be lost.
 Unfortunately, we arrived 8 few minutes before office hours. Vigorous and repeated knocks finally aroused a sleepy clerk. He took the letter from the American minister with lofty manner of disdain and disappeared to receive orders from his superior the Vice consul who was lost in the mazes of an af- ternoon Turkish siests. At length he re- turned, with shrug and an atmosphere of contempt at the Christian dogs who did not happen to know his office hours. He was novice at the work and was soon obliged to call his superior, who at length appeared. With evident i'll humor and insufferable hauteur he completed the work. By his own blunder he had placed the name of lady and gentleman of our party, practi- cally strangers to each other, on one passport, much to their annoyance. While the mistake was being explained to him he shrugged his shoulders, elevated his nose and disappeared, leaving the party to make the best of it, while he jingled the five franc pieces in his pocket.
 The steamers route from Pireus to Smyr- na was of a serpentine character. Through tho sleeping waters of the Eglan Sea, or Grecian Archipelago, which separate Greece from Asia Minor, we pursued our course. The days were clear and the atmosphere balmy. Islands, near and remote, reared their blue outlines from the surrounding sea with delicious and dreamy appearance. All were of a mountainous character with unmistakable evidence of their volcanic or- igin. What important events of song and story are associated with these quiet waters and graceful, tapering, mountain peaks. Contending armies have met. The wall of the dying has mingled with the triumphant shout of victory. The prince and the peas. ant-lovers, warriors and even nations have vanished like very vspors.
 Chios, or Scio, it's modern name, is reached. It is the first land yet sighted under Turkish rule. Conquered in the Fourteenth century, the inhabitants were barbarously butchcred by the bloodthirsty Turk. Later it fell into the hands of the Genese, but was subse- quently recaptured by the same power which has mercilessly ruled it ever since-though insurrections have been of frequent origin. Ion the tragedian, Theopompus the historian and Tqeocritus the sophist were born here Owing to shallow water the steamer an- chored fully one-half of mile from the shore. In g few moments the ship was sur rounded by fleet of small boats, seeking to convey passengers and baggage to the shore. The din was dolefu1 and the tumult inde- scribable as the half lf-clad, ssturdy and swarthy natives vociferated wildly. Finding but two or three passengers to take to the land, many articles for sale. Strange confections, or jellies, in glass tumblers, were offered, but found no purchasers, doubt being expressed regarding their composition and utility. I compromised and purchased some peanuts ] from an innocent-looking vender, but soon regretted my choice, since their antiquated flavor failed to evoke the respect ordinarily due to extreme old age. Had they been pre- served since the close of Mahomst's career