The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-03-11

Temple of Hera on Samos.
numerous olive groves. although not
nearly so many as on the sister island
of Mytilene. The roads are not good,
and the means of conveyance are
rather uncomfortable, especially il
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
huence 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 civilization; 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
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
maa the prestige of Samos began to
wane, and it gradually sank into in
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 har5or of ancient Samos,
and the immense moles once erected |
by Polycrates have, for the most part,
been reconstructed. The walls, scat
tered fragments of a 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 Wnll of China. They are well
and there are no less than
30 towers still standing.
Herodotus dwells at length upon
the harbOr, the conduit under the
and the Temple of Hera.
The aqueduct is n 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 guide and candles
one may penetrate some distance into
the channel
The Temple of Hera was the finest
monument ever erected on the island
IF Samos, and IIerodotus says that II
vas the largest known to him in all
his travels. All that remains of this
great temple today is one solitarr col
lmn. 8t eeaet arg'se.' ri