Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1916-05-12


- tion to be drawn into the mael-
strom of the European war,
was once part of the ancient
Roman province of Lusitania, says
bulletin issued by the National Geo
graphic society.
With population scarcely exceed
Ing the combined population of New
York city, Jersey City, and Newark,
and an area in Europe less than the
state of Indiana, Portugal has not
played major role in the politics of
continental Europe in many years,
not, in fact, since Wellesley, after
ward the Duke of Wellington, land
ed his English forces and, with the
aid OF native troops, defeated Soult
and Massena, Napoleon's marshals, in
the two peninsular campaigns.
a But the colonial empire of Portugal
Is out Of all proportion to the i'm
rortance of the home country. In
fact there were, at the beginning of
the war, Caly three other countries in
Europe Britain, France, and
Germany--whose flags foated over
more territory beyond the boundaries
OF the home country. The combined
area of the New England and North
Atlantic states would equal less than
-one-fourth of the territory under the
dominion of the tiny republic occupy
ing the western edge Of the Iberian
peninsula, whose navigators in the If
teenth and sixteenth century were the
wonders OF the world. Yet all thfs
vast territory is held by 5000 colo
NAL troops, supplemented by native
armies.
Peasants Arc Poets.
A curious anomaly Is to be found
among the peasants of Portugal, who
are classified as among the most IL
literate of Western Europe, yet among
the most intelligent. Many of the
farmers-three-fifths of the population
is devoted to agricultural pursuits
have a remarkable gift for versifica-
ton, and many Of the poems of the
country are handed down from, gen.
GRAFTON to generation without being
recorded. The peasants also are noted
for their sobriety, and yet the annual
production Of wine exceeds 25 gallons
for each inhabitant. So great, in fact.
lis the product OF the vineyards that
in the cities the various qualities of
water are discussed with keener an
terest than the grades of wine.
While Portugal's maritime glory is
q thing of the past, large number
Of Portuguese stil 'ol'aw the sea for
a livelihood. and fishing industry
Is important Thu Portuguese sar-
dimes, however. are preserved in Ital-
ian olive oil, although one-fifteenth of
the cultivated area of the nation is
given over to olive groves. for the pro-
duction of oils of q cheap grade.
The Portuguese peasant woman is
an important bread winner, but she
receives for her days labor of 16
hours in the field only a shilling or
less, while the men get two shillings.
One of the profitable and extremely
popular industries" of the rural pop
ulation is a placid laying in wait for
tourists who attempt to motor through
the country on the less-frequented
and often impossible public roads.
With an ox-team the peasant waits at
q favorable spot until motorist,
travelling on an automobile on which
an import tax of $120 has been col
lected by the Portuguese government.
sticks in the mud. To haul out such
an unfortunate Is often more profit
able than several days work in the
wheat, maize. or rice fields.
Llsbon's Beautiful Harbor.
The harbor Of Lisbon. where the
seizure of the German merchant ships
precipitated Portugal into the war, IL
one Of the most beautiful in all Eu-
rope, ranking scarcely second to Ma
pies and Constantinople. The city is
about the size OF Pittsburgh. and has
been the political center OF the ma
ton since It was wrested from the
Moors in the middle Of the twelfth CEN
tury by Alfonso HenriQues. the founder
Of the kingdom. It was the English
Who aided Alfonso IN his war against