Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-30

NJ
tention of the
world was drawn to that fevered sec
ton. Their work has appeared from
time to time in a magazine, ana Is now
issued in book form.
Mr.. Guerin was run to earth in MS
studio in Gramercy Park. New York.
and questioned about his journeyings
in the near east.
when j made ny trip, said Mt
Guerin, the outcome of which was
these paintings, war was simmering. |
could look down from my hotel window
and see ten or twelve Italian battle
ships lying in the Golden Horn. In the
hotel the Pera Palace, which might
accommodate 500 people. there were
only about eight guests. There were
soldiers in the streets everywhere,
cafes filled with arguing crowds. and
that peculiar fanatical type, the howl
Ing dervish the kind of men who gem
orally incite to discomfort and war.
zone afternoon i saw half dozen of
these fanatics. holding high positions
In their religions. dance at Scutari, back
In a garden. After long incarnation and
a gradual swayinG Of the body from
right to left-with every fourth or fifth
word 'Mohammed-they began to whirl
about and then commenced literally
to froth at the mouth. This in the broad
sunlight. have seen more agreeable
sights.
IT felt at the time that at almost
any moment war would be declared. and
I hurried my work along and got out
Of Constantinopie as quickly as possible,
not only on this account. but also on
account of the cholera, which was rag
ing at the time
at night at Constantinople one could
look out of his hotel and see the white
sheeted bundles and hear the shuttle of
the feet OF the burial parties. During
A cholera epidemic they burn the bodies
with auicklimc.
Yes, Robert IIichens was with me at
that moment" said Mr.. Guerin in answer
to a question
HE is most charming companion in
every way, witty and delightful. We
started TO travel together. but We found
out that q man who is painting and one
who is writing cannot very well stay to-
gether on a trip like this. The trouble
Is one does not always want to remain
In the same place the same length of
time: for instance. in one historic place
STAYED about ten days and Hichens drove
right through the town. OF course, there
was a great deal for me to paint, and
many things that l wanted to do but the
place did rot appeal at all to Hichens
He went on 10 another town to take the
Turkish baths.
LAS rule we exchange letters and get
a general idea of each others plans, and
then after he has done as he wants to
do and I have accomplished what wish.
we arrange to meet in some place and
talk things over; that is what We did in
Constantinopie and on various other oc-
casions. we don't travel together; We
tried to. but gave it up.
Asked his impression of Constantinople,
Mr.. Guerin said: You can stand on the
bridge crossing the Golden Horn from
Constantinople. and see all humanity
within a days time-ail rushing heaven
knows whither-apparently simply hurry
ING out and hurrying back.
Here we get that characteristic din
Of the eastern cities-that low per-
bfstent buzzing. unlike any sound ever
heard in Europe or Amerfca-made up of
the cries of the boatmen. the calling
pf the nuezzins to prayer from the
different minarets, the bargaining in the
bazaars and on the streets, the shut
fling of donkeys feet the shouts of
the drivers, etc-the usual melee Of an
senses except that OF hearing and de-
vote your attention to ii. this hum is
tremendously apparent and quite unfor-
gettable-you know Immediately that you
are not in an European city.
x
THE carriages in Constantinople are
excellent. strange as II may seem, but
the roads are dreadful and when a vii
famous looking Turk gets on the box you
say goodbye to your hotel, no one knows
where you will turn UP. He drives like
mad. with his mind. if he has any only
or one point. and that is to dump you
there as quickly as he can.
Every one smokes. usually cigarettes
aud never cigars. The Nohammedan al
most never drinks alcohol. as il Is against
his religion; occasionally you will see
two men in corner OF cafe slipping
a little brandy. but this is never done
In the open. The regular tipple of the
cast is coffee. a man will drink ten To
thirty small cuBs of Turkish coffee in q
day, grounds and all. Ii is very strong
and ] should say has five or six times
the amount of caffeine that a cup of Or
binary coffee has
Turkish coffee is ground into powder
and boiled with sugar. and the result is
hot strip. A few cups of this are very
stimulating, almost the same as alcohol.
man does not reel with it. but IL stimu-
lateS, and i1yery apparent in the eyes.