The Ely miner., 1928-07-06

ster of the deep. Now a river winds
along, like shining thread, with wide
sandy banks, that indicate the pres
ence of a wider sheet of water not
SO very long ago.
Buildings Cling to Rock Walls.
AS the traveller looks in wonder at
a detached colossal pillar of stone, he
discovers on its seemingly unattain-
able summit a building! This habi-
tation of man, half natural rock and
half artificial, seems most extraordi-
nary. Guides draw attention to the
higher precipices, and as one grows
accustomed to their outlines he sees,
on all sides, monasteries tucked into
the lodges of the perpendicular walls.
They are not all inhabited today, but
they are there, bearing testimony that
man has climbed, and built, and lived
on crags that seem impossible for
goats to climb.
The first abode of the contempo-
rary monks is Barlaam, which is said
to contain a wonderful Byzantine Ii
brary; entrance to this monastery is
barred to- women. An hour further
on lies another monastery, Trinity,
where both men and women visitors
are allowed to enter.
The whole of the west plain of
Thessaly lies behind, and the white
mountains of the Pindos range rise
rugged and imposing ahead. At the
base of the rock on which Trinity is
perched, like an eagles nest, the
guides halloo and beat with a stick
on tin can, found in the bushes.
Soon an answering cali comes back,
and over the precipice, some 800 feet
above, the peering faces of several
monks appear. Then something SER
pentine flies into the air, and as it
drops perpendicularly, discloses, dam
CLING from coil of rope, what looks
like a small fish net When the cable
touches the earth the fish net proves
to be large-sized rope bag, which
opens and spreads cut fat on the
ground.
One at a time would-be visitors are
invited to step into the middle of this
net and, squat, Turk-fashion The
edges are then gathered together on
to large iron hook. A shout is CIV
en-, and the net scars upward, while
its occupant feels somewhat like an
orange at the bottom of market
woman's bag.
Hauled Up by Rope.
The ascent takes just three min
utes. Occasionally the open-work ele-
vator swings into the rock with
slight bump, but the monks at the top
wind the windlass slowly, and the
humping doesn't hurt, but as a COM
pensation the view grows more beau
tiful every second. At last the top is
reached. There is a final swing out
ward, to get a rebound inward, several
pairs of hands are Outstretched to pull
the net over to the platform, and then
comes a drop on to the stone floorl
The hook is detached, the meshes
opened, and the passenger is helped to
his feet by The black-robed brothers.
They all gather around with words of
welcome and hands ready to be shak-
en- in greeting.
In their aerie monastery the monks
live comfortably enough. The visi-
tors parlor and the room reserved for
guests to Sleep in are scrupulously
clean, and the cells. though austere,
are also spOtless, the walls covered
with whitewash. Visitors are refreshed
with jelly and brandy as is the custom
in many parts of Greece.
The chapel is the most ornate of the
rooms of the monastery. 1t is Byzan-
tine in form and in decoration. Fres-
Goes cover the walls silver lamps hang
from the ceiling. The numerous pic
lures of saints are crowned with sill
yer hands extended in blessing.
Visitors to Trinity are relatively
few, but the monks seem glad to have
contacts with people of the world be-
low their pinnacles, and show the
sightseer their domain with marked
hospitality. One acts as guide, while
the others straggle on behind.
Beyond Trinity, the monastery of
Saint Stephen can be visited without
resort to windlass and rope elerator.
One climbs by trail to a neighboring
pinnacle and then crosses chasm to
Saint Steplen over narrow bridge.
At the farther end the visitor must
pass through lOw-vaulted stable with
its pigs, sheep, and goats. Beyond a
courtyard lies the monastery equipped
much like Trinity.