New-York tribune., 1909-02-20
ON THE ADRIATIC.
An 4greeabLe BooL; About the AuS-
trian Side.

Illustrated Svo, pp 420. E. P. Rutton & CO.
It is probable that few readers will close this
volume without a lively desire TO see for them
selves the region so conscientiously and agree
ably described therein. Less travelled than Is
the corresponding eastern shore of the Adrlatlc'
it IS as interesting in the historical sense ana
more interesting in the medieval customs still
TO be observed among the people. There is an
extraordinary mixture of races in these Austrian
provinces. Greeks and Romans built here cities
whose ruins still survive-snd survive now and
again IN stately beauty. Byzantium ruled mere
once and left characteristic names to descend
ants gentle and simple Italians Germans
Croats Bosniaks, Hungarians, Lombards'
Spanish Jews, Swiss, left their impress. The
growing majority is Slav, and in its growth
the author sees the extinction of Italian culture
brought about by the Croats' determination to
get rid of the Italian language in the schools.
There is deep animosity between Croat and
Italian "At Spalato," says Mr.. Jackson. 'the
race feeling is especially bitter; 1t is the only
city In DaImata in which the anniversary of
the Italian defeat at LISA is feted with display
of FLAGS and music by the n1URictpiO. The 1tal-
ian theatre was burned down some years ago
and the Croat majority the council voted a
large sum of money Stated TO have been f6000O
10 build new Croat theatre to replace 1t; ana
this they have refused to let TO Italian COM
panies. But there are no Croat companies ready
TO hear the expense of coming TO Spalato, so
the theatre remains closed
These SIavs still wear their ancient costumes
and maintain many ancient customs, thus pro-
yiding for the traveller pleasures in observa-
ton which, in these days Of sophisticated mo-
dernity are rare. They hold their religious festi-
walls with great devotion, but they are as super
stitious as they religious. They consult the
stars for luck: TO save the vineyard from hail
md ed
the clouds they firmly believe in vampires and
carry thornstick with which to transfx the
fearsome things. Their marriage customs are
picturesque in their suggestions Of the purchase
OF the bride or her capture. OF their love for
music and their constant singing the author
says:
They have proveEb, He & who sings thinks a,oRo not
than those of any other nation. ranging as they
heroical or amorous In character divided into
short verses and sung in two parts the bass de-
in, the long final note with which each finishes
@ 691ng go aMag m m men ln are ciCT9 over 81 even wbe sn
ing over their wine, in which they sometimes eX-
party Of eight or ten sitting round table in
cafe, as serious as II at a fEneTaI with wine pc
On this occasion the alto part fat, and the ef
We came across more than one group Of four.
standing where two streets met and singing with
streets the notes sounded quite in character with
the singers
These people are mostly farmers, cattle raisers,
sailors and fishermen. They proud and pow
erfuI race, the author declares, and he quotes in
illustration story from Forts: Venice was
exchanging prisoners of war with the Turks. and
gave several Turkish soldiers for each Dalma-
tian- a deputy of the Porte observed that this
was scarcely fair, TO whom a. Morlacco Of SinJ
replied iercely: Know that our prince willingly
gives many asses for q horse
From one ancient city TO another along the
coast our author wandered, taking note not
only of modern conditions but OF archaeological
treasures. Damatia and Tstria full of inter
esting architecture, representative Of the pow
ers-Roman, Byzantine Venetian-that built.
destroyed and rebuilt in the fierce old days.
There are venerable basilicas with wonderful
Byzantine decorations; there are medieval cas-
ties, romantic in aspect and in history, and
beautiful palaces of the fifteenth century, mod
elled on those of Venice by the Venetian rulers.
There are fewer relics of the Roman period than
there should be, for later corners have felt them
selves justified in tearing down and using in
their buildings the stone OF earlier con-
structions In this Venice was a deplorabe
offender. The destruction of ancient Pola is
largely due Mr.. Jackson notes, to Venice who
appeared to think that when the communes
gave themselves to her she acquired the right
of removing any of the monuments to beautify
herself; and It even went so far for a patri-
clan to seriously propose to bear the cost Of
transporting the amphtheatre to Venice, and
re-erecting it on the site Of the present public
gardens Happily that absurd project failed
and shattered and crumbling as It is, the great
building still rears its exquisitely tinted arches
in Pola. But vandal hands rifed it in the four
teenth century. when its almost perfect interior
was attacked the seats being removed to repair
the town walls withal and other material being
sold to Venice Another precious relic of the
past in Pola is the arch which the Roman lady
Saliva Postumia, erected in honor Of her hus-
band, his father and his uncle. It is a wonder
that Venice did not this bodily. She
took away a great part of the splendid sixth
century church of S. Maria Formosa, which
was wrecked in various Italian invasions. The
four pillars of Oriental alabaster in ST Marks
at Venice from this church. Sansovno
took the marble columns, and to Venice also
went the African marble, which was placed on
the landings of the Libraria Vecchia. These are
only few of the prizes seized by Venice-in
fact she used the cities OF the western coast
as quarries, and when she did not sack and
ravage she demanded and beguiled, almost in
variably getting what she wanted.
Let those who would see the outside of a
medieval town go to Ragusa. There the walls
built in 1880 are perfect throughout, gateways
and all Many Of the old towns have retained
their walls Of defence, but they are mostly
diIapidated. OF the castelli. built along the
coast for protection against Turkish raids in
the fourteenth. fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
many are still preserved. A fort at Salona by
the way has a curious relic OF Turkish occu-
patton in the shape of mosque which is now
used as an ammunition store. The Austrian
military authorities have modernized, enlarged
and made useful many of the ancient fortresses,
and Turkish invaders would think twice before