Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-08

| November II last at the little city of
Monastir in the primitive state of AL
! bania. If you will look at the map YOU
| will notice that European Turkey is Il
narrow strip OF territory stretching from
| the Adriatic sea to the sea of Marmora,
| and it is called Rumiia or by some
similar nrme-there are several ways of
| spelling Turkish nomenclature.
Albania and It's People.
The Turkish territory along the Adriatic
| and Ionian seas is called Albania. 1t is
! bounded on the north by Bosnia, on the
| east by Servia, which used to be a Turk
| ish province, and by Macedonia which is
| still and on the south by Greece. AL
! bania was formerly part of Greece. and
! in ancient times was known as Epirus and
! 1llyria. The country is rugged and noun
! famous. the larger area 1000 to 1900 feet
above the Adriatic, with many mountain
| peaks as high 5000 feet. whose sum-
| mits are covered with snow, except in
midsummer The mountains are clothed
| with dense forests aboundins in wild ami
mails. There is very little agriculture,
| but the people have large herds of cattle
and focks of sheep and goats.
! 1t is the most primitive part of Europe
and the least civilized. There is one short
railway from Monastir to Salonik, the
| port of Macedonia the Mediterranean,
but when YOU pass from that line Of
traffic You enter wilderness With rev
roads and no vehicles. but only pack
horses: no manufactures, no commerce,
few schools, few courts and population
of nearly two million thrifty. frugal, hos
ptable people, intensely patriotic but very
suspicious of strangers.
The Alhanans are physically unsur-
passed by any people, being large OF
stature. muscular and enduring, brave
and lOyal-the descendants of a race of
hardy warriors whe have never been sub
1Iynd nix rit VA1 md htnrl
practically independent and allowed to
have their own way for centuries because
all the forces of Turkey were not strong
enough to conquer them. They have been
allowed greater liberty than any other
subjects of the sultan because they have
furnished his bodyguard. which he has
trusted absolutely. and they are the only
portion of his army he did trust.
Were Loyal to Abdul Hamid.
During the first days of the constitution
there was a great deal of anxiety among
the leaders of the Young Turk party for
fear the -Albanians would not agree to
their program, and it was necessary for
them to make terms with the Albanian
chiefs who command the household sarri-
son at YildZ Kiosk. The sultan's minis
ters and secretaries We're not difficult to
deal with. but the imperial guard was
loyal to its sovereign, and as faithful as
fanatics. The leaders of the revolution
were compelled to assure them that Alb
dull Hamd would not be removed from the
throne and the Alba mans. accepting that
assurance. turned the scale in favor of the
constit luton. That has been their record
for centuries. They are as loyal as the
Swiss.
The Albanians have the most pictur-
esque costumes in Eu1opea close-fitting
vest. and zouave jacket with open or
slashed sleeves deliberately embroidered
and trimmed with braid; a plated kilt
4
made of white linen, and fails TO the
knees; cloth or leather legSinS. with wide
girdles in which they carry arsenas of
knives and pistols. over all they wear
coaks of horse hair. called capotes which
shed the rain. keep out the cold and are
used as sleeping blankets at night.
The Albanians have the reputation of
being disagreeable to travellers. and few
strasers ever visit the country There
are no cOnvenicnceS of travel. no hotels,
and nobody ever goes there except to
hunt. They have reason. from centuries
of experience, to be suspicious of stran-
gers. Eut if they are once convinced of
the friendly disposition of a stranger they
are the most hospitable of people
The Great Skanderbeg.
The great Skanderbeg. or Islander Ghe
Turkish word for AleXander), one of the
most romantic figures of the middle ages,
was native of Albania. being born in
1sc3, the son of John Castriot. Lord of Ell
amathia, hereditary principality. George
Castriot. as Skanderberg was known at
home, with three baby brothers. was cap
tGred by the Turks and held as hostages
for the fidelity of their father. Three Of
them died in childhood and the fourth,
who was called Islander by the Turks,
pleased the sultan by his beauty. BRAY
cry, muscular strength and military skill,
and was brought up member of the
royal household When he was only
eighteen years old he was made com
mander of a troop of janissaries, the for
eien element in the Turkish army which
enjoyed certain privileges and prercga-
tives
Skanderbess military skill and cour-
age were proved in many a campaign and
If YOU want to know more about him YOU
must read one of the most thrilling of all
novels. called The Captain of the Jan
| issaries." by Rev. James NJ. Ludlow. pas
tor of Presbyterian church at Orange
y j.. who has written several other his
torical tales 1t is as interesting AS Ben
Hur.
Made Albania Independent
When Skanderbeg was forty years old
, lie determined 10 leave the Turkish serv-
ice aud return to his own country He
| entered the tent of the sultan's chief sec
rotary and compelled that functionary To
write and seal formal order appointing
! him viccroy of Albania. He then stabbed
the secretary and fastened to his native
place, renowned the Moha mmed:tn faith
declared himself Christian. proclaimed
the independence OF Albania and for near
| ly thirty years held his own against
Mahomet the conqueror OF Constantine
pie. 1t was one of the most romantic
revolutions in human history, but the re-
sources of the little country were finally
exhausted. the population was almost eX-
terminated by the Turks, and those who
survived We're fugitives in the mountains
Skanderbeg himself died fugitive i'm
Venice. The janissaries obtained his
| body, cut his bones into small pieces and
wore them amulets i'll reverence for his
memory. All of his family were MUIR
dered by the Turks except an infant son.
who was adopted by the Neapolitan gov
eminent elevated to Il dukedom and was