The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-12

come over tne water, WHICH IchcSeo
each light in a long path of glittering
diamonds. Once more land fades from
sight and for thirty-three hours we
hold our course for Kalamata and
anchor in the harbor at the first glow OF
dawn.
Kalamata is in the northern end of
the bay Of Messenia and near the old
Pharae The town itself Is situated on
what seems to be the dry delta OF an
enormous river The mountains come
down to the bay on two sides and rise
behind the town like two sentinels. We
are not allowed to go on shore on ac-
count of quarantine, so all we can do Is
to look at the mountains.
At sunset of the fourth day we are
allowed to proceed, and with brisk,
cool wind from the east, which rolls
the surface of the sea into miniature
snow-capped mountains and rocks one
in the easiest cradle ever known, We
round the southern extremity of Greece
and lay our course for Syra.
We run through the Cyclades, passing
Melos, Sipfanos and Paros, coming at
last to Delos, once sacred to Apollo,
and SO to SYRIA.
The Unique City of Syra.
The city of Syra Is unique. Nowhere
cam one see a more quaint or striking
city. The situation is wonderful. The
sea runs in and the land closes around
in two curves, as If fearing it's escape,
while directly across the opening Is an
island. Two conical hills, with their
bases in contact, battle their feet In the
tap OF Il ,hn xxtha
the ships move directly to the shore,
and on these two hills the city is built.
The basement of one house overlooks
the roof of that just below it. The
style of building is that of the youth
full artist who makes his first house.
perfectly plain with regularly arranged
| windows and doors, and in color, with
few exceptions blazing white.
We have an hour on shore after a
days quarantine, and climb one hill
to Greek church. The dress-or, as
l had almost said, costumes-for the
whole effect is that of picture or tab
leau; the language-without a single
harsh or discordant sound; entire free
dom from the noise of rolling wagons,
for no team could ascend those streets
in Greek character, make one awake at
| last to the reality of the situation.
On to the Dardancllcs.
| The trip from SYRIA to the Darda-
| nelles was accomplished without spe-
cial interest as smoky southwest
| wind hid everything.
We are shored off the mouth Of the
HellespOnt only long enough to get the
necessary permission to proceed after
an inspection of our quarantine papers,
| and at o'clock in the morning we
weighed anchor.
The run up the straits and across the
| Marmora takes eleven hours.
MOOrcd in the Golden Horn.
For many hours before we moored
| in the Golden Horn we had watched
| COnstantlnople grow as If out of the
| sea. About noon the first object was
sighted--the top of the Serasker tower,
| built by Mohamed III. 1t Is of white
marble and is the fire tower. 1t Is
situated on the highest part of Stambul
| and from 1t the whole of the city can
| be seen. Soon the summit of minarets
| appear here and there, like the lances
of disbanded cavalry troop; then the
sharp conical caps grow into a round
column; then balcony appears, around
each one, where, five times a day,
Muezzin calls the faithful to prayer
| from the four ends of the GLOBE next
| the gilded crescent, followed by the
| dome which it surmounts; then more
and more clearly and swiftly, as if a
veil had been lifted. the whole of Stam-
| bul bursts to view from the tottering
walls along the shore of the sea, to
Santa Sophia, up and up still higher
to the fire tower; the minarets, the
| domes like miniature mountains, and
| one knows not what to admire most.
| whether the site, the old crumbling
walls, the wonderful mosque of "The
Holy Wisdom" the gracefulness of the
minarets, or the setting sun as he tints
all these wonders with red and
gold as If to mock their former wealth.
| Lest you have already wearied let us
rest here. At another time, with your
permission, / will speak somewhat
about the customs and places of inter-
est in and around Stambul.
Miles Tracy Hand.