Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-07-05
THE ISLAND OF LESBOS.

Washington, d. C.-The island or
Lesbos, whose inhabitants were not far
behind the Cretans in expressing in
revolutionary outhurst their dissatis-
faction with the failure to throw the
weight of Greek arms int the scales
OF war on the side of the entente allies,
is the subject of a timely wal gcog-
raphy bulletin issued by the National
Geographic society, from its headquart-
ers in Washington which ays
Lesbos often called Mytilene after
the islands famous capital and chief
city, lies on the eastern edge Of the
Aegean sea, separated from the shores
of Asia Minor by a channel which at its
narrowest point Is not more than eve
miles across. That part of the main
land was known in ancient 1ices as
Troad (the land of Troy) and in Ho-
meric legend Lesbos was given as one
of h bounds of the region ruled by
King Priam. 1t lies almost midway be-
tween Smyrna and the Dardanelles.
THE area of Lesbos is about 675
square miles, eco square miles larger
than the Isle of Pines, off the coast of
Cubn), and its surface is a succession
of ~well-wooded mountains and fertile
valleys. The shallow Gulf of kalloni.
entering from :he southwest, almost
cuts the island in two Mt. Olympus,
on the southern promontory. reaches an
of more than 5000 feet.
I'm ancient days Lesbos was famous
for its wines, its oils and its grain, but
the vineyards are no longer especially
productive. The olive is now the CHIEF
product of the island, and much of the
Oil of this fruit is converted into soap
and exported. Figs, almonds. cattle
and hides are other articles Of com
merce, also the acorn of the valonia
oak,. extensively used in tanning and
IN the preparation of vegetable dye
stuffs.
Although 80 per cent. of the islands
population of 10000 is Greek, the ter
ritory was under Turkish rule until
three years ago when Greece assumed
control. following the second Balkan
war. The Turk came into possession OF
the island in the middle OF the 18th cen
u when M~ohaInmed ii wrested it
from the descendants of the Genoesc
noble francesca Gattilusis. who had re
ceived It from the Byzantine emperors
in 1854
Besides the famous struggles over
the city of Mytilene, several important
marine engagements have been fought
IN the waters adjacent to Lesbos, nOta-
bly, those in which the venetians de.
feated the Turks in 16s0-9S, and The
Greeks bested the same power in 1921.
In addition to Pittacus. one of the
Seven Sages Of Greece. and Sappbo. the
greatest woman poet OF the ancients,
Lesbos hall OF fame Doasts OF Terpan-
def, the founder of Greek classical mu-
Sic and of lyric poetry mt a famous
composer of drinking songs; Alcaeus.
poet and inventor of the Alcaic stanze,
much used by Horace and Theophras-
tus, the famous philosopher and pupil
OF Aristotle whom the latter named as
guardian of his children and to whom
ne ~bequeathed the Aristotelean libraA,
and ortganal works. After Aristotlc's
death Theophrastus presided aver the
pertpatetic school for IS years. up to
me time Of his death in 2S7 B. c., when
ne was given a public funeralsin Athens
and mOurned by the entire populaee.
Lesches. author ofa.The Little 1iiaa,. a
continuance OF the Homeric epic from
the death of Hector through the inc..
dents Ielatingfto the contest of Ulysses
and Ajax over the armor OF Achilles,
was also a native OF Lesbos, having
been born at Pyrrha, one OF the five
toHns which gave the island the am