New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-22
A PICNIC IN CRETE
VISIT TO A MONASTERY. AND a LUNCH.
EON OF REMARKABLE COMPOSITION

From The London Globe.
world for picnic, and was accordingly some:
what surprised when WORTHY crstan ASsism OF
inviting me and the three women Of my party 70.
al fresco" luncheon in the lovely grounds Of
hour from the ramparts Of Gambia. my cretaa
friend is one Of the most enlightened follower OF
Of Bosnia n to pay Ike Eng
iishmen n Bu, sII was ., som me :ts S
vent-a place within a short distance Of the mill
tary Gordon. on which only the day before man
was killed and boy wounded by the Turkish
soldiers. AS the Doctor would, however. take no
morning saw us start from one Of the three old
Venetian gateways OF Gambia, some on the appall.
our feet. over the dry rIver-beds which in Crete
are by polite fiction described as roads. Our
western Culture to walk and nd arrived fresh as
paint at his Journeys end But less progressive
was severely punished by the heat. and looked ex-
tremely glad when We had reached the hosptAbls
The monastery in question which is close to the
site OF the famous Labyrinth OF Crosses, Is at
man refugees. who have fled from the country.
which is entirely in the hands of The Christians
tremely. pretty-and tall and handsome men
crowded around us, while the women who peered
their immense surprise at the golden tooth OF one
Of our party the s IKE OF which ss had
a mark of great beauty. An old Dcrvish. clad
sort Of reception-room, hung with the crudest
pictures ina gnable. where coffee and cigarettes
After we had had time to inspect the designs on
the walls-for this monastic order is the only ono
thing-we were ushered into the presence OF TIP
old Dervsh. Safyet Baba. who is at the head -
the monastery. The old gentleman babe the women
OF the party sit down on the dvan. 10 which he
was, chained by mis- rheumatism, and. while We
smoked more cigarettes, dscoursed pleasantly In
Greek men and things. We next visited tho
ruins Of Crosses where Arthur Eyans Of the The
the purchase Of piece OF land. and then took
our places beneath the lemon-rees OF the convent
our entertainment. But first large glasses OF hot
coffee boiled with milk, were served out 10 eacn
member or the party, which was soon increased oy
the arrival OF our hosts son-in,law-elect. Behar
b wn an Sep ere o' the
The womans feelings did not, however. permit
party had to visit her in the harem where she wei:
coined them In excellent French. and Informed
surprising Tor a Candote seeing that the AL
lance FRANCHISE" has founded an excellent IL
was served to us ali around our Moslem friends
partaking OF it with zest. and then young Behar.
taking a photograph OF the jewellers. each man.
with one exception. firmly graspng his liquor
next-door neghbor. he OF the zebra waistooat.
who laid down his glass and seized loaf OF bread
In it's place only resume the glass soon as tho
fatal operation was over. The worthy man was
II prudent that his alcoholic tastes should not be
perpetuated by photograph. which could be used
as evidence against him hereafter. 49,
began The first course consisted OF lamb roasted
whole and stuffed with 'pilaf." the particular form
OF rice which does duty all over the Levant. On
this occasion the rice was seasoned with cocoanut
And Wh SO ha5 ' s
our host had given me guests unGTrs,ana' wsse
ion with their fingers; but our progressive friend
new knives and forks were provided. 10 our great
sorrow. and changed between courses. FISH
tpaSSY t deysh for ana our BENEFIT our
host said. the. English always eat potatoes. and
scene and as at this period Of the performance
showed signs OF intense thirst the young progress
mixed with vichy water-the latter. may mention.
being regarded as the greatest triumph OF Western
up the repast. and | felt that one more Mussulman
picnic on similar lines would nnish me of
the garden where some fell asleep and the others
slipped coffee BY this time the enser' ainmesnt
had been protractei TIL in the afternoon. and We
hs time to go BuJ o our most Of Se n0s
desired that their European sisters should stop with
a1 that pT M sf so sh behind
keep him company. our good friend the Doctor Ley
vs. so AND We GanS the man " Of the zebra
waistcoat escortng us back. II took me several
titudinous kinds of fare OF which I had partaken
But our experience WAS cheaply bought at the
TO see the young TURK at play is both amusing
and instructive and our hosts hospitality Knew
bounds. Politics. even ~ the hotbed OF them.
were never once mentioned. ana we might nave
been living In profound peace az Corfu instead or
in "A state OF civil war in Crete. And when We went
70 pay our respects 10 our entertainer next day
we were surprised TO find his family receiving In
struction in English and Australian 60 GEOGRAPHY
from two large maps which hung the wall.
Poor man. his great sorrow is that he cannot get
some English clergyman to settle in Gambia and
teach his young hopefuls English. At present
they have 10 content themselves with an English
primer. ana | awestruck while one OF the little
girls told me how "A Fat cat sat mat" Such
aspirations for Western culture are touching;
even the man OF the zebra waistcoat carries .
notebook In one OF his pockets in which he tots
down all the English words he hears In turkish
| Characters. SO there Is hope for poor crete.