The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-12-20
prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington. ID. c.


TAIL from Piraeus, port of Ath-
- ems, skirt the islands of MelOs
and Antimelos. of the Cyclades
group, and after 10 hours of sail
ing the mountainous profile of Crete
comes into view.
The island has area of about $500
square miles, being 100 miles long and
varying in width from 80 to ~ miles.
But what matter 100 miles in length?
They could be traversed in a few
were railroads. 1t takes days and
days to cover Crete by land from one
end to the other.
The more accessible sections Of
Crete are now covered with a network
of fairly important highways, but in
remote districts the traveller must use
the traditional means of transpOrta-
tiOn-dOnkey or mule, over trails or
uneven paths. And if it is necessary
TO adapt oneself to the fatigue and
the needs of ones animals, it is also
essential to take into account the
aversion which every Cretan feels at
the prospect of travelling at night.
The whole island is dominated by
the mountains which intersect it. They
include the LaSithi range in the east,
with Mount Dicte; the PsilOriti, with
Mount Ida near the center of the is
land, and TO the west the White noun.
tains, locally. and rightly, named the
Desert of Stone" These peaks rise
to more than 1000 feet and are COW
cred with snow in winter. but in sum-
mer and early autumn large herds of
sheep Craze on the slopes.
After the traveller leaves these herds,
and the round stone huts where the
solitary shepherds live, he may wan
der over many trails without meeting
a living soul.
Then, from mountain path, sud-
denly great plain will come into view
like that of Lasithi, formerly occu-
pied by lake.
On broad, elevated pass one some
times sees a straight line of wind
mills occasionally as many as twenty
or more, each placed in a specially
advantageous position to catch all the
wind which the large wings require.
The peasants from the villages climb
up to them with their donkeys laden
with grain. On the other hand, along
the steep mountain slopes water mills
are built in the ravines. The mills
run only in winter, for during summer
there is no rain; hence no water.
Ancient Affairs in Grottoes.
While Crete has an extremely heavy
rainfall, 1t is limited to the wet sea-
son. which commences in October or
November. The water accumulates
and rushes down the mountains in
violent torrents; it penetrates the soil
and circulates through a vast network
of limestone grottoes. 1t was in these
grottOes. now fairyland of stalac-
tites and stalagmites. that the first
inhabitants of the island established
the worship of their gods. Today one
finds among the rocks the affairs and
paraphernalia of ancient rites.
Some of these grottoes are veritable
pits, into which one descends with the
aid of ropes. One readily appreciates
the impression they must have pro-
duced on the Imagination of the men
of other days, when one notes the re-
spectful awe they still command. The
natives in their folklore still people
these caves with monstrous men and
animals.
Villages dot the borders of the Gre
tan plains, and the inhabitants come
to their doors and smilingly invite the
pGsser-by to enter.
Occasionally one meets peasant on
his way TO the village, carrying on his
head basket overlooking with grapes.
He will stop, select the most beautiful
cluster, and offer them to the stranger
with touching simplicity.
In regions which are less protected
from the elements, the locust tree
grows, but it is bent and gnarled by
it's battle with the violent north wind
There are vineyards on the hillsides
and vegetables grow in the river beds,
which are dry in summer, or on the
thin layers of fertile soil which cover
the stone of some of the seashore
plains. Irrigation is practiced intel
ligently; large windmills raise the wa
ter, or nOrias grind away as the wa
ter is raised pail by pail from wells.
Canea and Gambia.
Canea, surrounded by Venetian ram
parts, is the capital Of Crete; it is sit
uated in the western part of the is
land.
Gambia, farther to the east and also
on the northern shore, is the only 9TH
er city of commercial Importance. Dur
ing the Venetian occupation of the is
land this stronghold was known as
Megalo Castro (Great Fortress but