Evening star., 1930-12-01
HOME OF MEDICINE
SCENE OF MOVING
Ancient Cirene Was Known
as "Bread Basket" of
Roman Empire.

Announcement has been made in
Rome of the successful transfer of some
80 900 Arabs with household equipment,
camels and herds from the desert
regions Of Italian-owned Cirenaica to
the more hospitable coastal plain.
This North Africa area was called
Cirene by the ancients and to them its
name was synonymous with medicine y
says bulletin from the headquarters
of the National Geographic Siciety.
From its historic port, Apollonia
(Marsa Susa), was shipped a famous
cure for all ills ranging from Group and
raw wounds produced bv whipping to
bites bv mad dogs This miraculous
herb, silphium, became so valuable that
it was worth more than its weight In
silver. Later, under Roman dominion,
Cirene's citizens destroyed every living
plant to avoid an excessive tax This
unfortunate killing of the goose that
laid the golden egg stopped the stream
of drug-laden galleys that enriched the
independent city.
May Again Ee Bread Basket of Rome" ="
Situated en- a bold promontory pro-
truding into the Mediterranean, Ciren-
aica is dry, parched land with scarcely
a stream or creek. A shelf of limestone
hills, resembling gigantic backbone.
stretch across the base of the foreland.
Between this ridge and the blue sea, a
fringe of fertile fields 60 to 10 miles
wide, lying dormant for centuries now
teens with Italian colonists and migrat-
ing Arabs. With the help of modern
irrigation methods it is hoDed this
region again will merit its historical
nickname, bread basket of Rome
"Southward is the vast Libyan Desert,
rocky and barren, gradually, farther
inland, becoming a sea of orange
colored sand. Green, palm studded
oases with a deep well of cool, pure
water in the heart of each, called by
the Bedouins isles of the Blest,' from
the southern border of Cirenaica proper.
These oases are ports for camel cara
vans which plod slowly south toward
Cufra, the trading center of the war
like and fanatical Senussi.
Camels, Donkeys and Motor Cycles.
Visitors to Cirenaica usually sail
from Brindisi on steamers laden to ca
pacity with Italian officers and their
families bound for Bengasi, the princi-
pal seaport and capital Because of a
rocky bottom which prevents dredging
in the mole-incloSed harbor, passengers
disembark into small boats, which bob
precariously on the gentle swell char
acteristic Of these coastal waters.
First impression of Bengasi is OF a
bit of Europe transplanted. Since 1911,
when Cirenaica was occupied by the
Italians, new town on modern lines
has been built alongside the old Arab
section. Wide avenues shaded by date
palms and lined with neat houses pat
termed after Moorish architecture bor-
der public park planted with imported
tropical plants and shrubs Donkeys
carrying nondescript loads. from hooded
Arabs to bundles of firewood larger than
themselves, and camels pad padding
along, vie with motor cycles and auto
mobiles for right of way. Lovely, dark
hued debutantes fresh from Rome and
Paris and proud army officers, resplend-
ent in the white tropical uniforms of
Italy, stroll along wide sidewalks in
striking contrast to slow-moving bur-
noosed Arabs. scurrying fed-fezzed boys
and veiled Moslem women ornamented
with gold coins.
Where CameIs Take q Drink.
while hundreds of miles of hard
surfaced roads have keen built, the au-
to iobile in outlying sections still fol-
lows caravan trails used for centuries.
A group of camels being watered beside
the trail is an amusing sight. The
cameleer draws rain-caught water in
goatskin bags from well and dumps it
on the rocks. The camels then fight
and snarl to suck this odorous, yellow
fluid from the puddleS, each one as 1t
fills swelling like a leech. Without the
camel life in the desert regions would
be difficult. Heynot only provides trans
portation but milk, meat when mutton
is absent. and wool for tents, ropes and
grain sacks.
From time immemorial sponge and
tCnny fishing have been the chief in
dustries along the coast of Cirenaica.
Greek divers swim down, holding a
rock, pluck a sponge from the bottom,
and then upon releasing the weight float
70 the surface. The Cirenaican variety
being especially fine, it is sometimes
transplanted to other parts of the Med
iterranean. In ancient days, it is said,
sponges were put in Greek helmets as
shock absorbers' for the warriors
"The principal agricultural and food
crop is barley. quantities of which are
exported to the motherland and Scot
land. Henna, olives. vegetables, fruit
and grapes are raised in the more fer
tile regions, while dates, figs and skins
brought in by caravans from the south
are shipped to Italy, the last to be
made into gloves and shoes.
: A Beautiful Venus Found.
"All that remains of the splendor that
was Cirene's are few marble founda-
tions, columns and monuments un-
earthed by archeologists. The lovely
nude statue, Venus Of Cirene, was
found in the ruins after a heavy rain
storm. This graceful figure is consid-
cred by many, even though headless
one of the finest bits Of Greek sculpture
eve brought to light.
There are several strange animals
| resident in dry Cirenaica. One is the
pug-ncsed jerboa. rat-like anomal,
whose tail is longer than its body
When chased it jumps in great leaps
longer than a galloping horses stride
The yellowish Libyan wildcat is an an
cestor of our own domesticated 'tabbies
In the pouch of the civet cat a fatty
substance of musky odor is found, which