Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-09

teen of the Dixie's old guard were
transferred to her when we were in
South America, SO if the one following
us proves to be the Chicago will
meet some of my old Norfolk friends.
"7 o'clock, December g. 1901.
Here we are anchored in Smyrna
bay, alongside of four Russian battle
ships, two of which are the ones that
We're following us into port.
A Progressing Country.
"The country around this place looks
more prosperous than any have seen
since left the States. This city has
I about 100000 people and there are
I, practically no hills 1t lies on the pref
tiest body of water 1 have seem How
ever, the harbor at present has assum-
ed a rather warlike aspect on account
of the Franco-Turkish dispute Assem-
bled here are large fleets of both the
contending nations as well as those of
the Russians, Italians and English and
last, but not least, the U. S. S. Dixie,
each looking after the interests of their
respective governments. Besides
these there is an endless number of
| tramps, both sailors and steamers, at
anchor in the harbor, which gives it a
busy as well as warlike appearance.
The difference between a tramp ship
and liner Is that the former takes
cargoes from and ships to any port in
the world, while the liner has regular
run and is governed by schedule. l
nave not been ashore yet, but will go
in day or two and will then tell you
as best | can what l have learned of
the country and its people. | will
| mail this letter at that time
Monday, December 9, 1901.
We'll, l have been in Smyrna and
the Midway at the Omaha exposition
\ isn't in it. About the first thing that
f"Yank" will do when he hits the beach
is to look around and then say, well,
I'll be ID" OF course, on our ar
rival On shore there was the usual
number of hack-drivers and guides
looking for job. finally got hold of
a nineteen-year-old Jew, who spoke
good English and started in to see the
town. In the first place about three
ffths of the inhabitants are Greeks
and Jews and the remainder are
| Turks. There is nothing queer about
the former, but the Turks are cork
ers."
The Turk.
They wear boomers, red cap and
sash, ETC., just as you have seen them
pictured, and they also have as many
wives as they are able to feed. The
sultan at present has upwards of three
hundred in his harem and my Jew
friend tells me that although he is
about sixty years old he hasn't stopped
| adding to his collection and corrals ev-
cry pretty girl he sees. When Moham-
med died, 1920 years ago, he ordered
all women to forever wear wells after
they became II years of age and they
| live up to this command to the letter.
| The first place we visited was res
| taurant, where we had beefSteak, eggs,
potatoes, bread, coffee and the ever
| present bottle of wine. The bill was
three and half peasters. A peaster
is small silver piece and is equiva-
lent to about four cents, American
money. They have them in two, TWEEN
ty, forty and one hundred peaster
pieces. The design is the same on all
coins the only difference being the
sizes. will mail one-peaster piece
in this letter They also have copper
pieces which represent in American
| money values of one-sixth cent, one
half cent, four-fifths of a cent, six cent?
and eleven cents.
Visit to Smyrna.
after we had dinner we started
down a narrow, dirty street that was
crowded with people, horses and cam
els. The streets are nothing
| more than alleys with no sidewalks,
the gutter in the center, and roofs over
| them. The shops and stores are dirty
| and dingy and some of them resemble
| f,tr n, i, -, Of hi
anything else l can think of. There
are few streets wide enough for
street sand there are drawn by one
horse or mule.
The Turk at Worship.
"We went to the mosque and saw
the Turk at worship. This perform
ance consists of series of low bows.
touching the forehead, clear to the
| floor, and music. The Turks regard it
as a great sacrilege to go into place
| of worship with shoes on any they al
ways leave that part of their apparel
at the door. Visitors must wear slip
pers over their shoes. We covered the
rest of the town on mules and found
| it much the same the whole place ov-
er-dirty shops and streets everywhere
fellow goes. / wouldn't give two
cent pieces to see any more of this
place. but at the same time would have
greatly disliked missing it.
Forty Miles From Land.
We lie here thirty days, during
which time we will be at anchor in the
harbor Saturdays and Sundays and the
rest of the time out at sea for target
and boat practice. This is Monday
and We ran out here about forty miles
this morning. AS We do not return
until Friday l will be unable to mail
this until we get back next Saturday
and will then tell you what we have
been doing during the week. 1t is now
time for dinner so l will stop and say
goodbye for this time.
y "Wednesday morning.
1--WE are still lying here about forty
miles from Smyrna and doing nothing
but trying to kill time. l learn that
the steam launch is going in today with
mail so will mail this. bid you good
bye and wish you and all the folks a
Merry Christmas and a Hanny Now