The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1918-01-24
isle OF SERPENTS
Roumania's Historic Little Rock
In the Black Sea.
ONCE NEARLY CAUSED A WAR.

After the crimean Treaty Of Pe4oe The
Question of Its Control Brought Eng.
land and Russia to the Very Verge o,
Renewed Hostiiities.
Less than thirty miles east OF Sulina.
the second important Black sea port
Of Roumania after Constanza, is the
tiny Island Of Serpents, around which
cling many fantastic legends of fas-
chatting interest as well as several his
torical episodes which at one time
threatened to become OF international
moment, says the National Geographic
society bulletin.
Unlike the monotonous reaches of
reed covered marshland which stretch
for fifty miles along the Roumanian
and Russian shores to the north and
south OF the Sulina mouth Of the DAN
ube and seldom attaining an elevation
OF more than two feet above the level
or the Black sea, the Island OF Ser
penis, or Fido-nisi, thrusts its precip-
itous cliffs above the water to heights
ranging from fifty TO q hundred feet.
1t is a mere fleck OF rock In a sea
whose depth few yards from the
shore is twenty fathoms.
The islet is scarcely more than q mile
In circumference. but has been a bea-
con guiding ships to the Danube for
many centuries, its elevation being I'm
such striking contrast to the delta land
Of the great river.
In ancient times Fido Nisi had a va
rfety OF names, but Grecian poets and
travellers referred to it most frequently
as Lcuce, or the White island, or ac-
count Of the numerous sea fowl which
at certain seasons OF the year swarmed
over fits cliffs.
: 1t was to this island that Thefis. the
marine goddess, 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. An
other legend relates that Thetis snatch
ed the body OF Achilles from the funeral
pyre, that he was restored to life and
that thereafter he lived on the island |
with Iphigenia. the daughter OF Aga
memnon. who had been saved from
sacrifice by the goddess Artemis
One OF the most poetic descriptions
OF the island and its temple is given by
Arrian In the account Of his voyage
around the Black sea In the second /
century OF the Christian era. He
wrote:
1T is related that Thetis gave this
Island to Achilles and that he still In
habits It. His temple and statue. both
d very ancient workmanship, are seen
here. No human being dwells on Il.
It has only few goats. which mari
hers convey to it as votive offerings.
Other offerings or sacred gifts are sus.
'ended In honor OF Achilles, such as
'ases. rings and precious gems.
Seabirds, divers and fowl innumer-
lpie frequent the island, and the birds
llone have the care of the shrine
every morning they repair to the sea
mo, dipping their wings in the waves.
prinkle the temple and afterward
weep with their plumage its sacred
avement."
ne hame Island or Serpents grew I
ut OF the fact that numerous black.
makes from four to five feet long were !
discovered here by mariners. MANY 1
I the reptiles are said to have fallen
the cisterns Of the island and mol. ,
lted the waters. which are now un- +
The Amazons are supposed to have :
ttempted to seize this island ON one !
ccasion, but the ghost of Achilles ap- :
cared and SO terrified the horses OF
ne female warriors that the riders
ere thrown and severely trampIed :,
pom, whereupon the expedition was
bandoned.
rms meager rock brought England :
nd Russia to the verge OF war sixty e
ears ago. following the treaty OF IL
eace which ended the Crimean con. v
ct. The island was not mentioned q
the terms of the treaty, and when u
urkey sent a small party to relight q
e lighthouse, which bad been dark 4