Gilpin observer., 1913-06-19
OWN ASA DIX recently wrote
for the New York Evening Post
an entertaining letter of travel
n along parho rv'u coaatc From

an entertaining letter of travel
A along Barbary's coasts. From
his description of Tripoh the
following paragraphs are taken,
though it will be seen that he wrote
before the ancient city had become
the center of a military movement:
Tripoli in Barbary. the Turkish city.
stands up wonderfully behind its long
walls. as viewed from the deck in
the early morning. Its distant build
ings show every tint Of bun and am
ber and creamy white. with here and
there n dash of pink or soft blue.
Seven minarets. each with tip or spire
OF emerald green. point the way Of
heaven to the faithful. and two frown-
ing gray fortresses threaten the way
The view Is distant, because there Is
no harbor and the wide bay is shall
low Ships must lie well out in the
offing.
Here Is city little known to the
world. though SO alluringly in the cur
rents OF the worlds travel and trade.
Few traders and fewer tourists visit
Tripoli Probably not many persons
could even tell you exactly where this
Turkish desert colony is.
Must Have Escort.
The landing Is made In small boats.
and passports or passes consulaires
muGt be shown at the little landing
stage before permission to land is
granted 1t is well to repair at once
to the British. French. or Italian con-
sulate. to obtain the escort and pro-
lection of a kavass. for the native
TEpolitans are none too well dis
posed toward casual foreigners. Un-
der the guidance. then. OF the kavass
or Janissary. resplendent ebony in
dividual in a gorgeous uniform and
bearing the baton or big stick Of Of
fee. we explore the city.
One realizes at once that one has
left European soil and the methods
of European municipal governments
The streets are dirty. narrow. and ILL.,
paved: everywhere are evidences that
the city is left largely to govern It.
self in tht approved Turkish fashion
But 1t Is full of novelty and varied In
terest. Here is great market square
with arcades at the sides. and with
a rude but massive stone fountain in
the center. Vendors squat on the
ground behind strips OF mating. on
which are little piles Of oranges.
lemons, figs. vegetables. grains. nuts.
fish, dried locusts and other unedible-
looking edibles.
Cooks fry fritters in oil over basins
- oil ct,
push their way through the throng.
&amels strut sullenly by. children
shout and play. and all the daily life
OF a busy Oriental mart unrolls itself.
Farther on are the long. covered alleys
OF the chief bazaar, the Sioux ell Turc.
Here are ivory and ostrich feathers
and quaint native jewelry. In another
direction lies the Hara or Jewish
quarter. giving glimpses into queer
little shops and into the patios or
interior courts Of the private houses.
Roman Arch.
In the very center OF the city we
are reminded that Rome. the univer-
sal. has been in Tripoll Here stands
a solid ornate triumphal arch. built in
the comparatively rare form styled
quadrifons, OF marble once white. now
darkened and defaced by time. An
inscription still legible records that It
was erected by quaestor under the
Joint reign of Lucius Aelius verus and
Marcus Aurelius. It stands low. for
It is half-buried in the accumulated
soil. and one OF Its portals is debased
&c the purpose OF native cooper's
shop. But its carvings still preserve
something of their ancient beauty. and
the structure standing there in the
heart Of an alien city and civilization
during all these centuries speaks Of
the power and prestige Of the days Of
the Caesars.
The desert comes close up to Tripoli
on all sides. There is no hinterland,
as there is with Tangier and Algiers
and Tunis. There are rich resources