Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-02-18

WV S1OfCS, HUI
nearly so many as on the sister island
of Mytilene. The roads are not good,
and the means Of conveyance are
rather uncomfortable, especially If
carriages are used In this respect
Chios could emulate the splendid
roads on the island of Mytilene, which
are considered to be the best any,
where in the Levant.
One feature of the scenery of Chios
is the picturesque old windmills which
crown the ridges and slopes along the
coast. The wheels are large and are
fitted with sails, which supply the
motive power for grinding corn. The
landscape in many places is barren,
especially the hilltops, but the valleys
are usually fertile.
Owing to the possible visitation Of
earthquakes, the houses are rarely
more than two stories high, and when
scattered along the countryside are
usually surrounded by olive or pepper
trees, which add much to the beauty
and charm of the country.
Sailing toward Samos with the
broad harbor of ancient Ephesus only
few miles away to the left, the in
fiuence of the past steals slowly over
one, and soon there comes the mood
for profound reflection.
1t is difficult to realize that among
these barren and denuded hills, which
skirt the coast of both mainland and
islands, there once throbbed the pulse
Of Ionian civilizations that these
shores were graced with picturesque
and happy cities, where hardy men
and beautiful women lived content
among unsurpassed natural environ
ments and all the accomplishments
known to any race; that this SOIL
these seas, were the recipients of the
seed which developed into the base
upon which has been erected the edi-
flee of modern statecraft, philosophy,
science, and art; that this atmosphere
once was pervaded with poetic refine
ment and literary perfection that has
called forth the greatest powers of
emulation on the part of every nation
which has since existed; and that a
school of architecture flourished here
which reared gigantic structures at
once the wonder and admiration of
the ancient world
Story of Samos.
The island of Samos formed one of
the Oldest settlements of the Ionians
in the Mediterranean, and from this
point most Of the colonies on the
coast of Asia Minor and other parts
of the Aegean sea were established.
During the second half of the Sixth
century B. c., the wisdom and skill
of the tyrant PolycrateS won for
Samos the first place in the Ionian
Union. With the death of this great
man the prestige of Samos began to
wane, and it gradually sank into in
significance. The island was also the
birthplace of the great philosopher,
Pythagoras.
Samos came under the yoke, in
turn, of the Athenian Greeks, Romans,
Byzantines, Arabians, Venetians,
Genoese, and finally the Turks. In
the Greek war of independence Samos
fought for Greece and successfully
resisted every effort on the part Of
the Turks to maintain themselves on
the island.
The little town of Tigani is stu
ated by the harbor of ancient Samos,
and the immense moles once erected
by Polycrates have, for the most part,
been reconstructed. The walls, scat
tered fragments of theater, and the
celebrated underground aqueduct are
the only remains of the ancient town,
and they date from the time of the
famous tyrant. The walls which
pass over the lofty ridge behind the
harbor in the distance resemble the
Great Wall of China. They are well
preserved, and there are no less than
80 towers still standing.
Herodotus dwells at length upon
the harbor, the conduit under the
mountain, and the Temple Of Hera
The aqueduct is marvel of engi-
neering skill, considering the time
and age In which it was constructed
The end OF the tunnel is situated
about half way up the hill above the
town, and with a guide and candles
one may penetrate some distance into
the channel.
The Temple Of Hera was the finest
monument ever erected on the island
of Samos, and Herodotus says that 1t
was the largest known to him in all
his travels. All that remains of this
great temple today is one solitary COZ
umn.