The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1917-03-09
ISLE OF SERPENTS
FANTASTIC LEGENDS THAT CLING
AROUND SPOT IN BLACK SEA.
Fido-Nisi, Tomb of Achilles, Guards
the SuIina Mouth of Danube-Once
Nearly Caused War Between
Russia and Britain.

Less than 80 miles east of Sulina,
the only important Black sea port re-
naming in the possession of Rouma-
mia since Field Marshal Won Macken-
Island of Serpents, around which cling
many fantastic legends as we'll as sew
eral historical episodes which at one
time threatened to become of interna-
tional moment, says the National Geo
graphic society bulletin.
Unlike the monOtonOuS reaches of
reed-covered marshland which stretch
for so miles along the ROumanian and
Russian shores to the north and south
of the Sulina mouth of the Danube,
seldom attaining an elevation of more
than two feet above the level of the
Black sea, the Island of Serpents, or
Fido-nisi, thrusts it's precipitous cliffs
above the water to heights ranging
from 80 to 100 feet.
1t is a mere fieck of rock in a sea
whose depth few yards from the
shore is 20 fathoms. The islet is
scarcely more than a mile in circum-
ference, but it has been a beacon guild
ing ships to the Danube for many CEN
turies, it's elevation being in such strik-
ing contrast to the delta land of the
great river.
In ancient times F'ido-nisi had va
riety Of names, but Grecian poets and
travellers referred to it most frequent
ly as Leuce, or the White island, on
account of the numerous seafoWls
which at certain seasons of the year
swarmed over its cliffs.
1t was to this island that Thetis is
supposed to have carried the ashes Of
her son, Achilles, hence the temple
erected here in honor of the hero Of
the Trojan war. Another legend re-
lates that Thetis snatched the body
of Achilles from the funeral pyre, that
he was restored to life and that there
after he lived on the island with
Iphigeneia, the daughter of Agamem-
non, who had been saved from sacri-
flee by the goddess Artemis.
The name Island of Serpents grew
out Of the fact that numerous black
snakes from four to five feet long were
discovered here by mariners. Achilles
was often referred to as 1.-The snake
born" and his mother, Thetis, frequent
ly assumed the form of a snake.
The Amazons are supposed to have
attempted to seize this island on one
occasion, but the ghost of Achilles ap-
peared and so terrified the horses Of
the female warriors that the riders
were thrown and severely trampled-up-
on, whereupon the expedition was
abandoned.
This meager rock brought England
and Russia to the verge of war 60
years ago, following the treaty of
peace, which ended the Crimean con-
fiict.
The island was not mentioned in the
terms of the treaty and when Turkey
sent a party to relight the lighthouse,
which had been dark throughout the
struggle of 1858 to 1856, Russia at
tempted to take control of the beacon,
which stands as a guidepost to the
Danube's mouths.
England protested, and sent fleet
across the Black sea to enforce her de-
mands in behalf of her recent ally, the
sultan. Russia, after a brief threat of
resistance, yielded. The island passed
into Roumanian hands when that ma
ton threw off the Ottoman shackles in
1877.