The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-10-26

riod began in 1886, when 1t placed
itself voluntarily under Venetian pro-
lection. In 1401 Venice assumed com-
plete control and for 400 years held
the island. 1t was during this period
that the island took its modern name.
1t was a veritable stronghold against
the Turk when Ottoman heels were on
all OF mainland Greece and practically
all her islands. Time after time the
Turks tried to seize Corfu, but the
Nenetians always managed to drive
them back.
1t took the great political cataclySm
that Napoleon brought about to shake
Nenice's hold from Corfu. When Bo-
naparte handed Venice to Austria In
was occupied by the French for only
two years, however. Then a combined
force of Russians and Turks captured
the island, and combining it with the
six other IOnian islands, set up The
Federation Of the Seven Isles under
Turkish sovereignty. The short pc
riod from 1899 to 1903 was the only
one during which the Turks held even
nominal control over this island that
had so long defied them and which
they SO long had coveted.
In 1907 the French again came into
possession Of Corfu, but they were
ousted ut the European clearing
house OF 1915. Then Corfu ADDED
another erratic chapter to It's check
cred career and became with the other
Ionian isles Il protectorate Of Great
Britain. In 1864 Corfu once more
found herself a part of Greece when
Great Britain coded the Ionian isles
to that kingdom.
Corfu does not show the marks OF
its many masters as plainly as might
be expected. Only the scantiest OF
relies of ancient Corcyra and the
Greek classic age are found, and there
is hardly a trace Of Roman works. A
few buildings show British influence,
a few military works the hand Of
France. Probably the deepest impress
was made by Venice. Not only in the
town of Corfu, but throughout the
island as well, are numerous monas-
terlcs and other buildings showing an
unmistakable Venetian cast.
Population Is Mixed.
The people show more plainly the
effects Of the man. cross-currents of
authority that have flowed over the
island. In Corfu city, for example,
a considerable fraction of the pOpula-
ton Is made up Of Jews; something
like a third are of mixed Greek and
Venetian blood and the rest are a
mixture Of all the strains Of the many
peOpled shores Of the Mediterranean
Greek, Italian, Turk, Albanian, NAL
tese. Dalmatlan and many others.
The town of Corfu, like many other
communities that have survived from
the Middle ages. has In It's lower part
a labyrinth Of narrow streets, many
OF them 100 steep and rough and con-
stricted to permit the use Of wheeled
vehicles. The hand Of Italy appears
again in the many arcades, and the
East shows It's influence In the dark
recesses and crowded bazaars. On a
higher level the city Is built on q
more open plan with better and more
slightly buildings.
The town is picturesque II some
what dirty. But the real charm of
Corfu Is in the open and higher u
try. Passably good roads skirt the
sea cliffs and penetrate the hills from
both Of which there are enhancing
views Of sea and sky and mountain,
olive and cypresS-clad hills and cult
waited lowlands. On one Of the hills
Is the AchilleiOn, the palace-villa built
for the unhappy Empress Elizabeth Of
Austria and purchased for a winter
home by the former German emperor
I'm 1907.
The wonderful olive groves of
island. in few places in the world do
those valuable trees grow to such size
and age as In this Ionian island. The
Venetians, during their control of
Corfu, paid a bounty for each olive
tree planted. The thrifty ~husbandman
Of those days collected the bounties
with a will. and as a result large sec
tons Of the Islands uplands are huge,
unbrOken olive groves.
The pressing and shipment Of the
oil constitutes Corfu's chief industry,
hundreds of thousands OF gallons
being shipped annually. The all
important olive vintage begins with
n great festival each September.
Just as Corfu had been an impor-
tant naval base in Grecian, Roman and
Venetian days, 1t played a stellar role