The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1899-09-16
,sTRANoEroWNs OF THEWoRLn
One Built on the Ocean, Another n Ice
and Another Is WOmanlesss

and Another - WOmahAeoSs
The marine village OF Tupuselel, IN
New Guinea, would take lot OF beas-
ing on the score Of singularity. Here
the houses are all supported On piles
and stand right out In the ocean, some
considerable distance from the shore.
The object OF this strange position Is
to protect the inhabitants against SUD
Gen attacks OF the dreaded head-hunt-
ers, who are always on the lookout LOT
victims. Other villages In this happy
land are perched up in all but mac
cessible trees, for the same welgnsS
reason.
Another curious place IS a town
without name on one OF the arms Oh
Lake Huron. This consists OF some
500 wooden huts. During the summer
these little dwellings are hidden away
in clearing On shore, and the Town
contains not single inhabitant. But
on the arrival Of winter, when the lake
is frozen over with a thick coating OF
fee, the owners Of the huts arrive enc
proceed to move their housea out onto
the surface OF the lake. The floor OF
the huts Is taken up and q hole cut
through the ice. Through these holes
the residents fish, carrying on their
operations until the spring releases the
lake from Its Icy bonds, when this ex-
traordinary town is once more broken
up, the shanties go back to their rest
ing place and the fishermen scatter
over the country. This place even
boasts a curing factory and a church,
not to mention several saloons-all on
the Ire.
Athos, town situated On promon"
tory on the coast Of Macedonia, well
deserves the title Of the most curious
town in the universe. The peninsula Is
known as "The Mountain OF the
Monks" from the fact that score or
SO Of monasteries are dotted about tue
rough hillsides or the valleys. In these
establishments dwell 8 numerous BODY
of sscetics, kind and hospttebie to
wanderers, but full Of superstition, and
believing in the doctrine Of separation
to a wonderful degree.
The actual town, as distinct from Its
monastic environs, Is called CaEyes
and supplies the simple wants OF tn'
monks. Here are to be found streets
of shops, crowded bazars, fiorrtshine
trades and all the hustle and energy
of modern town. But one thing soof
strikes the visitor as strange. There
is not female to be seen anywhere
for the gentler sex Is vigorously ban
ished from the place. Even the SINAI
, Turkish garrison, from the command
I ant down to the privates, consists 0
bachelors.
This extraordinary law Is carried on
even among the domestic animals
Only the wild birds evade 1t, and the
> only when free, for no female bird F..
: ever brought to table; the fowl ON
i, has for dinner is sure to be ccckere
For this unparalleled state Of afiair
there Is only legend to account. Al
though to our practical minds tiimsy t
: q degree, it is implicitly believed IN b
4 the inhabitants. 1t appears that IN on
j of the chief monasteries on the prom
,, ontory there Is a miraculous 1col
which is a picture or image sacred
4 members of the Russo-Greek churc'
IS This particular picture is represents
II ton of the Virgin and the legend ga!
j. that one day as the Empress Pulcher!i
who had literally endowed the churcl
as well as beautified and restored
~ was engaged in her devotsons, the vi
Is gin spoke, asking what she, woma!
II was doing in the church. The pio'
d lady. no doubt amazed, did not repl
4 whereupon thu voice commanded h
to leave, saying that the feet OF
woman should never again tread Il
IL floor. The empress, probably surprise
It at the seeming ingratitude of II
G. speech, as we'll as awe-struck, left Il
+ place, which no female has since e.
- tered. How the prohibition thus a
bitrarily established came to compr
IL bend the length and breadth OF Il
q promontory is not very clear. AS
Of residence for bashful bachelors
j. should imagine Athos would be hard
or surpass.