The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-12-10

tPrspared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington. ID. c.
Sivas and Kaisariye, back country
cities Of Turkey, gave the traveller 6
rich conception of early Turkish
glories as we'll as an excellent insight
into the Turkey of today outside the
maelstrom of politics. A trip in by
the Black sea port of Samsun leaves
Angora well to the west and confines
the entire journey to the less often
visited regions of Anatolia.
Though rather battered and insig-
nificant at first sight, Samsun still
boasts commercial Importance
which was already established when
its ancient site was known as AmiSuS
and the district as Paphlagonia. 1t is
the receiving port for the camel
trains which are constantly moving
northward or southwark across the
500 miles of naked country lying be-
tween the Black sea and the Eu-
pirates.
Off for the interior over wretched
roads, one passes field after field Of
/ tobacco, for what has elsewhere
earned the pseudonym, weed" is the
smokers ambrosia if it comes from
Samsun. The Greek or Armenian to-
bacco grower plows his field with the
metal-tipped CROOKED stick" of his
ancestors then sets out his plants in
burrows a foot apart, choosing some
sheltered valley into which the winter
inc, .fo1,
Daily from mid-July onward hts
picks the maturing leaves, of which
the finest arr the topmost on the
stalk. The gathered leaves are
stretched parallel across wooden dry
ing frames. At night the frames are
suspended over well, the leaves thus
absorbing sufficient moisture to pre-
vent cracking.
The execrable highway climbs out
of the tobacco county over mountain
ridges and through almost treeless
plains. But from time to time fertile |
regions appear. To jog along for ten
hours over monotonously treeless
plain, then suddenly to spy some
white town tucked in crease of the
valley its minarets lifting from
among green meadows and luxuriant
poplar groves-such is typical of
travel in wide Anatolia, with It's I'M
expected GASES Of charm.
Mosques of Sivas.
Ever since one of the later Ar
menian kings retreated before the
westward sweep of the Seljuk Turks
by bartering his province for Sivas,
that city has been preponderantly Ar
nenian in population, a refuge for
his Christian people flying from the
IIoslem terror. Nine hundred years
nave passed, yet today Sivas is still
4 refuge, sought by those Armenian
girls who have escaped from the Mos
en- harems Into which they were
'orced during the war.
Though the Seljuk emperors Of
lum-that is, Anatolia-have been
lust for seven centuries their glory
still lives in those magnificent
mosques and mosque colleges which
ire found in half dozen. Anatolian
owns. and in the vast crumbling
,hans which dot the surrounding
'lnins.
To walk through the shoddy streets
4 Sivas and come suddenly upon {,
ONE tremendous stone temple carved
yer in style which has at once ,,
Gothic vigor lacelike delicacy,
No In t,ri,i of i- |
reathless experience. Here are por-
ais suggestive Of stalactite caverns,
esigns evolved from the forms tf
casts, birds, lily-pads and six-ponte |
tars, and arabesques so cunning that !
he eye can scarcely grasp the bal
need completely of their interviewer a
mes.
The massive walls lncloSe paved
Duftyard, from under whose arched
orridors peer the cell-like windows
ehind which divinity students once
ored over their Kornns.
The whole is thing of barbaric
compared with which
he Turkish mosque down the street r
mere whitewashed conventional
v.
Not to the Ottoman Turks, but TO o
,elr predecessors, the Seljuks, must n
lie turn for glimpse of Islams "
,rly glories. IL
OF all the worlds great monuments, ii
lie Seljuk mosques are today. per-
APPS, the most neglected and forlorn. IL
ne of them has become grain de- j
,t, another o shelter for beggars, a 81
ird prison.. The doorkeeper- a
I'd seldom there Is one-can only tell o.
~, "Mosque-very old--long time o
zcr as he shows you through some t,