Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-04-21
EXPERIENCES
AT ATHENS
SMYRNA, April lst., 10

in that city. Our ship anchored at
Piraeus, five miles from Athens, where
we remained for two days and half,
making frequent trips, in small sail
boats, to the dock, from whence we
proceeded by train to Athens, the
capital and largest city of Greece.
This ancient city grew up around the
Acropolis. and cont Ains besides the
Palace aud Government Buildings, a
university museum and foreign schools
for classical studies. Among the many
thenon, the Erechtheum, the walls Of
Kimon. the Temple of Nike Apteros,
Theatre of Dionysius. Temple of Zeus
Olympus, Gate of Hadrian, Mars Hill,
Athenian House of Assembly and Stad-
ium, which is being renewed and will
seat so. 900 people
Old Athens, where the Apostle Paul
walked and talked and did his mighty
works in the name of God, whom he
loved and faithfully served is an in
teresting place. Here we are in the
presence of ruins so vast and of such
magnificence. that we are greatly i'm
pressed with the thought of the scholar
ship, eloquence and heroism of the
great statesmen, orators, poets, writ
ers aud men of brain and Drawn who
lived and thought and worked in days
long since gone. The architectural
beauty of the buildings, which stand
in ruins, is something beyond descrip-
ton. Great marble columns, eight
feet in diameter, with enough of the
cornice left to suggest their original
grandeur. symmetry, stand as silent
monuments of the conception of beauty,
grace and refinement that was in the
minds of the Athenians of old. For
descriptions of the many places OF in
terest in Athens, must refer the read
er to books containing more salts
factory account than it would be posi-
BILE to give from so brief visit as was
made by the writer | am glad to have
had the pleasure and privilege of see
ing with my own eyes these historic
things and places.
The days spent i'll modern Athens
were most delightful--the weather be-
ing warm and pleasant. The harbor
at Piraeus, where our vessel anchored,
is a beautiful place and was filled with
sailing vessels, men Of war, and boats
of every descriptions veritable net
work of masts and sails and flags of
all nations were seen on every side,
forming picture that was delightful
to the eye. As usual we were not long
in the harbor before our vessel was
surrounded by the residents of Piraeus,
who came in boats offering their wares
for sale. They consisted of articles
made i'll and about Athens, many of
which were bought for souvenirs.
Modern Athens is a beautiful city
and pleasantly located. Many of the
streets are broad and the sidewalks of
proper width; but. as a rule, the
streets and sidewalks are narrow.
Marble is used extensively, and there
are some beautiful buildings, built en-
tirely of marble. The stores. bazaars,
hotels, and markets, are, in most re-
spects like other places, except that
the wares offered for sale in some cases
are products of the place. There are
and electric lights and
street cars. which are drawn by three
horses, hitched abreast Horses and
donkeys are the burden bearers. We
did not see any oxen here. We were
conveyed by rail from Pireaus to
Athens and we're given drive of an
entire day around the city to visit the
many places of interest, which proved
a most pleasant and profitable expert
ence. Lunch at the best hotels was
provided for our entire party, both
days of the visit, at the expense OF
VI ldDkeLueHlS.
The city is surrounded by high
and the valleys though not
especially verdant. are beautiful for
Being the Capital city and
the residence OF the King, there are
great many soldiers in Athens. There
are also some Egyptians and many
who come in from the sur
rounding country.
visit to the Kings Palace and the
Royal Gardens, also to the Greek
market places, public squares,
National Museum and principal
gave US an idea of the
people and their customs. In our
rounds of sight seeing we met num-
Der of Americans, one Of whom "a
Creek had served three years in the
civil war, and is now receiving a pen
sion from Uncle Sam.
We witnessed a Greek funeral pass
ing through the streets, which was a
novel and sad sight. The body of a
young girl, lying in a coffin, borne by
men. followed by the priests and the
mourners on foot The hearse was
empty, as were also the carriages ;
these would be occupied by the mourn
ers and friends returning from the
grave. The corpse was srrayed in a
rich gown and exposed to view, as the
pail bearers marched through the prin-
eli pal thoroughfares to the grave. At
the grave the corpse would be dressed
in shroud and the gown taken off