The Red Cloud chief., 1913-04-10


OF a peninsula jutting into the
Aegean sea, the mountain shoots up more than
5000 feet. and its peak of white limestone Is a
landmark for many miles out to The old
Greek legend was that the giant Athos hurled
this mountain at the gods upon Olympus, but
that It dropped back and fell at the edge Of the
0sa.
The entire peninsula, OF which Mount Athos
forms the southernmost point. II about forty
miles long and from four to seven miles In width,
cut by numerous ravines and by long arms OF
the sea. The narrow ,isthmus which connects the
mountain with the main peninsula was cut by q
canal built by Xerxes when he came to invade
Greece. and traces Of the canal still visible,
though It has long since become dry land.
The slopes OF Mount Athos have for many
turtles been the home Of monks and hermits Of
the Greek church. Most Of the monasteres
which cling to the steep slopes Of the mountain
were founded by Byzantine emperors; one OF
the Oldest. the monastery OF st. Laura, has been
In existence since $685. There are still several
thousand monks living upon the mountain. sup
porting themselves by tillins hillside farms and
living very much as their predecessors did q
thousand years ago
In 1900 years no woman has been allowed to
set foot on Athos. Few travellers come to
Athos; It lies out Of the beaten track Of travel.
and the monks would not welcome intrudsys.
since the fall Of the Byzantine euAvire and
Constantnople in 1883. Athos has been nomi.
nally under Turkish rule. Tho Turks, however.
have been liberal In their treatment Of the Greek
Catholic monks. and have permitted them prac.
tically to govern themselves. council com.
posed Of representatives Of the several monas.
tories has maintained law and order in the col.
ony.
The comparatively few English and European
travslsrs who have ever been to Athos unite In
enthusiastic praise Of the natural beauties Of the
place. The steep sides OF the mountains are heav.
lily wooded with huge oak and chestnut trees.
while here and there pine and cypress give Q
touch OF deeper color. The roads wind In and
out along the mountain side. frequently affording
slimpsss Of the deep blue sea which frsts At
Athos' feet.
Through the Middle Ages the Athos monas.
tsries were the treasure houses In which much
Of the learning and culture of tho Greeks was
preserved to the world. The monks must have
spent q world OF time patiently copying the
works OF the old masters, and the libraries Of
Athos. even today. contain much that is fascinat.
lng to the antiquarian and the bookover. But
the monks themselves have fallen into sad igno-
rance; tho Libraries Of the monasteries are little
used and some Of them have been permitted to
20 completely to rack.
At Mount Athos according to legend, tho Vir.
gin Mary and st. Thomas were wrecked and then
miraculously saved and since that day Of grace
NO female foot has been allowed to tread the
peninsula Of Athos; indeed. since the eleventh
century no female animals whatever have been
permitted there. II 10 said that the only excep-
tion ever made to this rule In the last nve hun.
dred years was In favor OF Lady Stratford dc
Redcline. and II 10 kept 90 strictly that not only
must the whole population be masculine but
hens even may not live on the rock hence all
the eggs. of which q great number are consumed,
are imported Tho population OF the Holy Noun.
TAIN called generally THE Garden Of the Moth.
Or Of God." II between siI and seven thousand.
made up Of some three thousand monks and three
or four thousand lay brothers. Most Of the
monks are Creeks but there are also many Rus.
slams few Roumanians, and some Bulgarians.
Servians and Qsorsians. The Turks respected