The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-06-03

| DdSSGu ny tnOuSuuus vi
wealthy tourists on their way to Egypt,
and only divided from Italy by n mar
| row strip of the Adria, is in a certain
sense the anamoly of Europe, says
Reginald Wyon in Blackwood's Maga-
| zine. Yet here we have n land un-
known and Stunned. its maps far more
| inaccurate than those Of Central Africa
for most of it has been filed in by
guesswork-and peoplcd by nation
of fierce and reckless warriors. The
| country is unique in Europe; for while
even little Montenegro has its schools,
it's law courts and its newspapers, AL
| bania knows of none of these things.
Even its language is entirely distinct
from any other European-in fact. its
| origin, as well as that OF the Albanians
| themselves, is clad in mystery. The
! language Is soft, and not unlike the
Italian in sound-but here further re-
Somblance ceases-and consists of
about six hundred words. An Italian
priest has compiled a dictionary and
rough grammar and this work Is the
sole representative Of Albanian lltera-
ture. The language is not easy to learn
because of the immense amount of
idoms used in conversation. but 1t
presents no i@s-DCraD!c difficulties to
The student.
AS t. the O2ooia themselves, spoken
of col. 'ctive,y ns Aijanians, or some
times .\raau;s. the idea gained thereby
of a united nation is quite erroneous.
They nus first re divided into three,
according to tho rclglons-namely.
Mahommetans. Ggeal; Orthodox and
Roman Catholic Christians. These
three religious factions constitute
three entirely different peoples, each
arima. ed BY fnaaical hatred of the
other; AMI they can lie subdividcd into
clans and factions ad lib. AS each
clan can be recioned rs miniature
autocratic kingdom ready at any mo-
ment to 90 to war with its next door
neighbor. united only in n case of COM
mon danger. the anarchy existing all
| over Albania can be family imagined.
| In their love Of utter independence
they have bond, and in this alone;
but even then one religious faction
would fight another on the slightest
pretext At q pinch the Mahommetan
section would fight for the Turks If
the common enemy was Christian and
appeared to be aiming at their en-
slavement but it is n fact that the
Porte has just as much trouble with
the Mahommetans as with the Chris
tlans. One and all defy the Turk in
every manner. They pay no taxes and
! give no soldiers. though some of them
volunteer for military service. With
sublime Indifference to the law, they
20 armed to the teeth; and though Tur-
key has sent vast armies in the past
TO dlsarm them and enforce the law,
| within n year or two every man and
youth possessed rifle and revolver
once more. To-day Turkey has neither
the power nor the wish to disarm their
| last bulwark against the threatening
West and in this respect no little
cleverness is displayed We sometimes
read of Mahommetan atrocities on
Christians in Albania, hut this is only
where the Christian is in the minority.
| Where the positions are reversed. the
| Mahommetan gets just as much perse-
cution as the Christian.
1t is far beyond the writer's power
to describe even family the whole of
| Albania Macedonia is not included).
Months of travel would be necessary
| to tell of Old Serva and the feuds
between Mussulman and Greek Or
thodox: or OF the Eplrus where the
Greek Albanian mutilates the Mahom-
etan in one district, and vice versa a
few miles away; or of the dangers OF
the vast tract OF country between
Monastir and the Adrla. where the
| Mahon:etan reigns supreme.
But Of the northern regions the
writer may speal; with some authority.
In every respect this part of Roman
! Catholic Albania Is of extreme interest,
both as regards the inhabitants and
! the magnificent scenery. On the lake
! barring its name lies Scutari. the cap
[ ital of Albania, the seat of yali ana
! n large garrison. 1t Is the only town
! of Albania that can be reached with
any ease by tourists. and 1t Is particu-
larly safe. A visit OF few days Is
| revelation to any one unacquainted
with these lands. 70: the bewildering
variety of national costume TO be wit.
| ISSScu llltEe Oll i--t h'Nh4g huihSt
| day-or bazar--is one OF the most Won
derful sights in Europe. The noun
taineers descend in their thousands.
journeylng from far and near, armed
with Martini rife and revolver, but
| which they must leave behind at the
guard houses on the outer precincts of
the city. With mules, donkeys or wiry
! ponies. they enter the city in long
strings, brawny. fearless looking men;
pretty. tastefuly attired girls, and
| iaded women.
All the numerous clans live absolute
" independent of each other, some In
blood feud. where they shoot each
other at sight wherever they meet. AS
! their borders are not always most
satisfactorily defined. and each of the
two nelghbors holds strong convic.
tions. battles royal often ensue. Then
each clan turns out in full strength,
and the victor establishes the border
line until the defeated clan Is strong
enough again to demonstrate. Several
OF these disputes occur annually among
themselves and also with the Monte
negrins. Sometimes the slaughter Is
great at others they are content with
half dozen killed on each side.
Hospitality Is part of the very es-
sence OF the true Albanian. When
| o,.o H. a. oOnx.tpoaJ that tho ofro ., ..n..