Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-06-03

writing was taught
Though no census of population has
been taken, it is estimated that the
AlbanianS as q whole number more
than two million people. Their home
land is magnificent country, with it's
chaos of grand mountains, deep and
fertile valleys and beautiful streams
"a region without forests, almost
without woodlands, 1t is true, but SUI
perb in its stern majesty.
The more attractive part of south
ern Albania lies, Of course, near the
| Adriatic. Fruits and grain are profit
ably grown along the seacoast, with
its sunlit inlets shut in by pleasant
hills and with a climate which re-
sembles that of Sicily.
Excellent grazing lands extend up
the mountain sides, affording pastur-
age in times of peace for large fioclzs
and herds, the peoples chief source of
| livelihood, while fish from the sea
and the rivers and game from the
hills-deer, wild boar, hares, game
birds, bear, and even the chamois--
are important resources.
Among the Albanians lives a frag-
ment of a strange people who call
themselves Rumani, said to be deScen-
| dantS of the Romans-of that fifth
Roman legion which dispersed and
was scattered along the old highway
! stretching from Durazzo to CONSTANT
nople. This great road of ancient
Rome (Via Egnatia), called at it's be-
ginning the Appian way. passes
through Italy to Brindisi; begins again
at Durazzo, runs thence through Ell.
basan by Lake Ochrida to Krusha, and
on to MOnaStir and Vodena thence to
Saloniki and beyond to COnstantinople
The Rumani are very proud of their
origin, and answer the question of
race by saying, 81 am a descendant
of the Romans" They are a simple,
pastoral people, not given to robbery
or brigandage. Their primitive little
villages of stone are frequently seen
in the mountains, often perched near
high SUBMITS. A large colony of
them, known as Vlachs, live on the
slope of the Pindus mountains in sight
of Liascoviki, but far away across val
ley and gorge.
What the People Are Like.
In Albania the women are the work
ers, the orthodox more so than the
Mohammedans; but all work. They
are moral, too.
The Albanians are somewhat harsh
| of feature, though the children are
bright and the young girls are some
| times pretty. The unattractive appear.
ance of the women is increased, if not
caused, by the nondescript garments
| commonly worn in these days, shabby,
ill-fitting, and fastened together any
how or nohOw.
The pretty national dress of the AL
bantam is seen only on gala occasions,
when the men come out with the white
skirt, over tight-fitting breaches, vest
and coat of white wool, with the point
ed, tufted shoe and white or red tur-
ban and usually, especially in the rain,
| the long sheepskin cloak, generally
| black. The cap, or fez, however, is
worn when possible as a symbol of
race.
The Albanians are probably neither
so good nor so bad as they have been
painted, but certainly they are worth
the effort necessary to develop them
and their country. Their chief desire
now is to be allowed to manage their
own affairs and to work their little
| farms in the fertile valleys, to herd
| their sheep and weave their garments
| of wool, if only they are let alone
They do not submit easily to govern
ment; have no love for chance stran-
gers, and are slow to accept change in
the manner of living or of cultivating
| the fields.
The lands of Albania are largely
owned by great proprietors. Many of
the estates were in the hands of Turks
| before the war. Others of the great
| landowners are Albanians, among
them the powerful family of the
Vlores, at Valona, which is said to
possess over $50 square miles of land.
BY the application of modern farm
ing methods the Albanian valleys of
the south could be converted into YER
| liable gardens. The Italians made
beginning in the direction of training
| the Albanian farmer by means of ex-
detrimental farms while their military
occupation continued during the World
war.