New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-05

Henry Fanshawa Tazcr. NJ. A.. +. II. g. 5 wi, Win
maps. 12mo. PIP. 1862. Tie 'iarc"uo"
Mr. ya,er visited the Aegean Islands fully equipped
- resa,s Crook scholarship. and urged by an en-
thusiasm which insured the most careful obserNhuo"
and the kcencs research The Journeys rccoTdco !"
this volume made at three dlher'h' p'''o''
the completion OF the itinerary having been aeon"
plished in 1880. Travelling in and among tl' iNios
NJ Greece continued 10 be attended with dih'nlues
and sometimes dangers. From ihc lsla'u''' '"c'' :
indeed nothing fear; but the current are 'rons
and caprcious the winds tlcachcron, ana voich'' IL
is always the case In regions where h-" MOUNTAINS
break the air currents at irregular intervals. 'ohi-
munication with many Of the Islands l.. too' uhoer-
tain the regular steamer lines finding no snm'lcm
commercial Inducements to call regularly "hlic INC
harbors and roadstesds are not lnircqucn'N u'nc""
N .nnro,ch d, wanting in shelter from the prevailing
winds Mr. Tazcr's experiences generally warrant
the conclusion that the lslc~ of Greece. where rurn
ing Sappho loved and ,unc. have undergone changes
ono eject Of which is f. eliminate very much OF the
romance from them. As to the disputes coh'''''nr
the sites of ancient cities and temples. the only III
stance in which any approach 10 solution has oceh
reached those which have been the subject OF eA
ploration on systematic basis. and even mere 'he
results are sometimes doubtful
Dut there are more pcrplcNinG questions tan those
Of the sites Of buildings and cities for III az cS' ono
case there is ground for the theory that Erea'
natural convulson has radically altered the form OF
the island, sinking into the sea volcano winch Wa
active in the steal period. which l. so dc'crned
by many ancient writers. hut OF which no trace can
be fond at present. This is the island of Lcmno''
and the newest hypothesis is that the old Vol'aho'
which was situated end Of the island Is az
preseht represented by reef which lies snort
distance from the shore. As no submarine surveys
have been made Of course this whole theory Is con
iertural alone on LcmnoS Mr.. TazcT encountered p
curious old superstition in moribund condition For
lind, p4g.h
through the ancient world - Lehman Garth was
reported to possess marvellous therapeutic virtues.
II was thought sovereign remedy for snake venom
and II applicable to as many unrelated diseases
as modern patent medicine. This Lehman carth
was only dug one day the year: the extraction was
prefaced by solemn religious ceremonies the earth
must ms. through the hands Of Tire Iriestcss Of
Artcnis who mixed. kncadcd and strained II, ana
Il was then made into small cakes and stamped Win
the seal OF Artcmis. prepared was eagerly Sought
by kings and princes. Galcn. who lived in the sc'ohu
century Of our era examined and described II care
fully Plinv and DoscoriGcs who wrote OF II he
fore him. spoke only from hcar-av. From the time
Of GaIen down To the sixteenth century the reputation
of the Lehman earth continued To be high ana zen
cra and 1t was throughout this long period regularly
used in pharmacy. In the sixteenth century IL was
held 70 be a remedy for the plague among other dis
orders and amba. ,adors To- ConsantInople' whch re-
turning home were wont 10 procure as much Of II rs
possible 10 present 20 their masters Mt IazcE r.
marks that further proof Of its vauc lc> In the fac'
that II was largely countcrfrcd In Western europe
A was known as sigilata" Garth from
the seal OF Art,mis which was impic''ci
on every cake Calcn describes IL rcd earth. ana
SO does a later French observer. Beon. But mas
much as the ALLEGED medieval earth al present tS Ia
Iemnos is not red but clay ccorcd and since ANALYSIS
has demonstrated that Il o-,csscS no virtues "ha'
ever IL Is believed by that the modern Lehman
earth Is spurious that either the old and genuine VEN
ia cxh @
Incidence the present cNcavator~ At all events ire
reputation Of earth has sunk 70 ana Nh Iahcr
predicts that In year two the ancient ceremonies
IN connection with II Will be abandoned II seems
scarcely necessary "a assume the -nh-Wuuon OF \
spurious earth in this case. one MAY believe that
Calen's red earth was neutral tic modern KIND.
and still credit the old storic, of It, efficacy. NJ
doubt Icmnian Garth was INT an ancient prototype
Of bread pills which, taken in faith have often proved
more efcaclous than drugs. Down to and beyond tho
Middle ACES faith abundant. and med camcni> com
nendcd by supernatural If not divine sanction were
sure TO be potent In great number OF cases. Mr.
Tazcr evidently thinks that there must have been
genuine curative properties f'c original Lehman
earth but that assumption j, IN no way necessary.
one is glad To- know that when Byron wrote d" FIJI
High the Bowl with Samian Nlnc"-h, indication Of
the vintage to be preferred for festive purposes was
based upon exact knowledge Mr. Tazcr asserts that
earos produces the best wine in the Islands Of the
Aegean and gather that it is free from TIE horrible
ro~in with which the Greek, Of the mainland Tor some
inscrutabc reason Systematically poison their most
promising vlnidges. much fuller account OF the
rnonastcres and monastic nic of Mount Athos would
have been welcomed though Greek monastrics gen
orally In decadcnt state. Turkish msrule has
hlghted most of the islands. the condition Of Crete
being Of course the most unhappy. Mr.. TazcT visited
that irreprcssibe crater Of revolt between two n~ur
rections. The people had not recovered from the
last mcrcilc-s repression by the ottoman sword their
property was all destroyed; their rich men were
auced Indulgence; there scarcely habi,abic
house left t. them but already they looking for
ward TO another rising and the eagerly for that
they had this time nothing to lose but their lives,
which they did not OvervalEc.
Mr. Tazer in his three Journeys visited Dclos.
RlIcncla and Tevos. Crete. Nascos los Si@inos,
6antorin Antiptrcs and Paros Lesbos. ClOs, slnOs.
Patmos. Rhodes. LcmnOs, IhssO, and samOtlrace. At
samos he examined Tie famous Tunnel Of Eupallnus.
the account Of which by icrodotls long regarded
as an invention. but which modern exploration has
quito recently rc-dscoVercd and rcopened, with re-
suits demonstrating tho accuracy OF the Father Of
History. The visit % patmos full Of interest By
reason OF its apOcaly p;c association. and Mr. TazcIs
description Of the ways which the residence OF 81
John arc commcmorated will be found curious. Tho
book is written in a style Of simplicity. and
while little more infusion of classical spirit might
have lent additional attractions to IT, the sober and
exact recital is sufficiently interesting as 1t stands