New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-01
TURKS HERO A DETECTIVE
Exploits Of American SIeuth
Even Shown in Moving Pictures.
FOSTER TELLS OF TOUR
New York Lawyer Has Inter
esting Narrative of Long Trip
in Asia Minor.

The American detective in general and
William a. Pinkerton in particular IS the
hero Of Turkey. according to Roger Fos-
ter. a lawyer of No So Liberty street,
who has just returned from a long trip
IN Asia Minor. The sleuth's exploits are
illustrated I'm moving pictures and told
again and again in stories.
In q narrative of his travels Mr. Fos-
ter remarks that the willy Mussulman has
at last circumvented Mahomet's injunc-
ton against the use of spurious liquors
by holding that beer does not fan under
the prohibition. Hence beer is coming
into favor with the Turks.
Mr.. Foster said he travelled about
three hundred miles into the interior OF
Asia Minor, besides making voyages by
steamer and sailboat along the western
and southern coasts and among the ISL
onds, most of which have been conquered
by the Italians.
Transit in Barrel.
"AIy travels on land were by railroad,
on horseback and in cart" he 7aid.
"rhis last, although dignifed by the
Greek word which we were taught at
school to translate as chariot, is moth
ing more than r large painted barrel
perched lengthwise on four wheels, ,usu-
ally without springs, and always devoid
Of upholstery. There is a crossboard for
the driver, but no other seats. TIE pas
sengers. consisting Of myself and an
armed Kavass TO defend us against high
waymen. had TO lie on our backs in the
belly of the barrel, protected by straw or
a hard mattress.
'In these ways i traversed the valley
Of the meandering river Meander This
includes a large part Of the old caravan
road from Damascus TO Ephesus, over
which Christianity spread from Syria
toward Europe.
my primary object was TO complete
series Of pilgrimages to the Seven
Churches Of Asia, mentioned in the Apoc-
alypse. and l supposed that l had done
so when | saw there the sites OF Ephe-
sus, Laodicea and Colossi. The second
did not at eli correspond to st. Paul g
description, for, instead OF being luxe
warm, II was the hottest place IN Asia
Minor Upon my return to place where
I could see a Bible found that my mem
DRY had betrayed me as to the Colos-
SLAMS, for; although they were honored
by two OF the Epistles. they did not wor-
ship in one of the Seven Churches emu
rnerated by the author OF the BOOK OK
Revelations, and I shall be compelled 10
80 to the present town OF Alascher. bulit
on the site Of Philadelphia, before my
pilgrimages are over.
Discovery in Mythology.
incidentally. made what believe TO
be a discovery in Greek mythology. This
was the result of a visit TO the scene OF
the match between Apollo and Marsyas'
when the prize was awarded TO the latter
by the Muses., which 80 enraged the goa
that ne bound the victor TO a tree ana
than skinned him alive. The tale Is SAID
10 be symbolic OF the supplantins IN
ordinary use Of the cithara by the pipe :
pf string by reed instruments
THE place was on the banks of lake
almost entirely covered by reeds In a
lonely moor. still uninhabited, except by
few gypstes. whom l saw passing from
mouth TO mouth the tube of water pipe.
At night I myself heard the bass OF the
frogs joining with the treble OF the insects
in the vegetation compose harmony that
would not be monotonous 10 cars accus-
toned 10 other music besides that OF Wag-
ner and Richard Strauss. When the wind
Is properly attuned. II Is said that IL
blows out OF the reeds flute notes that re-
sen1ble the nightingale's. The banks must
have been used In olden times for manu-
factory of flutes and pipes. Thus much Is
known TO scholars. My addition TO the
explanation Of the myth concerns the fate
Of Apollo's rival
"a few hours drive from this lake the
River Marsy runs us short course head
long down a steep hill. at the foot OF
which II emptles into the Meander. The
rocks divide the short river into several
curying streams pouring through, beside
and beneath the streets Of the town there
built, which is as well watered as Damas-
Gus. This abundance of the greatest lux
ury In that hot climate caused XerXes TO
build palace on the hill and the younger
Cyrus had there park which is men
toned In the Anabasis.
Fertile Ground for Fancy.
But at some time there were no buhd-
ings to disturb the view OF the river from
the plain 1t must then have required
little Imagination in q shepherd to see IN
the contorted branches Of the spraying
streams q likeness 10 the body OF a man
with twisted limbs, writing In agony
and dripping blood from every pore.
1.-THE soil here as in all the plains OF
Asia Minor. in spite Of the old-fsshioned
methods Of cultivation, which on most
farms have not changed since the time
Of Moses, is unusually fertile. The taxes
many OF which are collected by publ
cans, are so oppressive as to discourage
all attempts at Improvement Should
these be reformed and modern egricul-
tural machinery introduced Asia Minor
would undoubtedly enjoy great prosperity
'The valley OF the Meander has al
ways been a great military road. There
XerXes marched TO attack Crdsus and
sardis, as described by Herodotus. Up
this Cyrus led the ten thousand In the
unsuccessful expedition that was immor-
talized by the retreat described by
Nenephon. and Alexander's army
marched 10 the conquest of Asia.
Down the same valley the trains now
daily carry Turkish troops eager to de-
iend the coast against the Italians.
ines9 conscripts are even more en-
thusiastic than our volunteers They cling
national songs, fire pistols from the win
{ dows OF their cars and cover the walls
WIN parlotic verses IN Greek and