Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-04-28

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that stands on the Thames embank
ment Both of those were trans
planted from the soil in which the
Pharaohs originally erected them to
show how Christian nations some
times despoil the heather. 1t is an
old trick. Rome Is filled with objects
of art of which her emperors robbed
the Athcnians.
he Parthenon had a varied ex-
perience. 1t was first temple to
the Goddess of Wisdom; for several
the worship of Jewish peasant wo-
man, and at the time of it's destruc.
tion 1t had been for centuries a mos
que dedicated to camel driver.
The most important modern event
that has occurred upon the Acropolis
in modern times, and it has personal
interest for u.s. was the discovery two
years ago by Eugene p Andrews of
Oswego. N. Y. then a student at the
American School of Classical Studies
and now instructor at Cornell Univer-
sity, of an inscription of Nero upon
the arcbtrave of the Parthenon.
which had been unknown all the cen
turies. 1t was a great achievement
one of the most notable events In
modern archaeology. He thought
that the holes in the marble must
have served some useful purpose
when the temple was intact, and so
he let himself down from the top by
a rope ladder similar to those that
sailors use. and discovered that they
had once beer occupied by nails
which fasten on brass letters. BY
taking a series of impressions with
damp wrapping paper be secured
diagram, upon which he. was able to
trace the Greek letters. and the in
scrfption, which had never been sus.
pected, was announced to the scholars
of the world by Professor Richardson.
the director of the American college.
And that is not the only discovery
which the students of the American
college have made. In the center
of Athens is a monument to Lysi-
crates, one of the most interesting
relics of the classic age 1t bears a
frieze representing the fable of Diony-
sius turning the pirates into dolphins
In all of the descriptions that have
ever been incorrectly interpreted
The mistake was due to reading the
reliefs in the wrong order, until Her
bert f. De Cou of Chicago noticed
that by commencing the interpreta-
tion at another tablet the mysteries.
which no one had been able to explain
We're very clear. His report upon
| tbiG subject al ,n1 ott
tion among psychologists. and his
theory was promptly challenged, but
examination demonstrated its accur-
acy, and his Interpretation is now uni
versally accepted.
The remarkable purity of the at
mosphere at Athens enhances the eff
feet of artificial as well as natural OBJ
| iects of interest. Far off mountains
are brought close to the eye as with
field glass. and as you approach
them they recede in a most provoking
way. Hymettus and Pentelilson. the
two famous mountains, which lie on
either side of Athens are often de-
veloped in a curious pink glow at sun
set, and then, as the flame fades out
of the sky. they take on deep violet
tinge. The Greek sunset is some
thing that cannot be represented on
canvas. Artists and poets rave about
it, but 1t is beyond their power to re
produce.
Excepting Japan, southern Italy and
the Tyrol, no country compares with
Greece in the beauty of It's land
scapes. 1t is not land for luxurious
people. however. The climate is
more to be recommended than the
hotels. but the natural scenery has
variety. a richness and a color that
no other part of Europe affords. The
| foliage and the flowers are abundant
and beautiful. and in the rural dis
tricts the people are picturesque in
manners, customs and dress. Their
habits and social life have not been af-
fected by what we call the advances OF
modern civilization. In public con
veniences. however. Greece is still far
behind the times. Athens is the only
place where the hotels are tolerable
and travellers who go into the in
terror must take their own provisions
and bedding. Even those who make
little excursions by carriage for a
single day in the neighborhood of
Athens must carry lunch basket be-
cause the inns are primitive and filthy.
Railway facilities are limited. With
few exceptions the roads are bad
but they are gradually improving, and
most of the centers of great interest
to tourists may now be reached by
carriage. Only few years ago trav-
elers had to go on horseback or on
foot as they do in the Holy Land
Even now those who visit some OF the
most interesting places have to put
up with discomforts. Inconvenience
and good deal Of dirt and bad smells
although they are fully repaid.
Excavations are being made in num-
erous parts of the country principally
under the direction of the American,
German, French and English schools
of archaeology. Every season new
treasures are found. new historical
controversies are raised and old ones
are settled. There seems to be no
limit to the buried cities. and, indeed,
If Athens itself were not built over
50 compactly with modern structures,
there is no telling what might be
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