NOTES BY LAND AND SEA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12553, 6 January 1903, Page 2

NOTES BY LAND AND SEA.

By Tjwa Koi

No. 11-ATHEUS • Some two years ago there was recovered from the bottom of the 6ca at Corigo a number of moro or loss water-ruined marble and hronze statues. When Sulla, the vie-, torious Roman, general, copying those famous examples .of robbery which 'have been emulated in later times, was conveying from Greece to Rome a shipload of I spoils, his vessel sank in a etorm off Cerigo, in the Mediterranean. And now, after many centuries; accident has restored to the world a part at least of these- submerged, treasures. Most-of them are so delaocd and ruined as to bo little more than masses of corroded and rotten marble, but one or two fortunately romained imbodded in fino sand, and to this fact we owe their preservation. A French export hae only now completed his task of piecing together the portions of a bronze. figure representing a god with outstretched arms, life size, and so beautiful that some have attributed it to Praxiteles; But the names o£ Iwth god and sculptor can now only bo conjectured. The important work of restoring this statue was first offered to a, German. Hβ not only, however, demanded a somewhat excessive pride for his services, but' stipulated further that the precious fragments should be forwarded to him at Munich. Not agreeing to this, tho'Athenians—or rather the Greek Archaeological Society—applied to SI. Andreo, of Paris, and he at once declared hie willingness to undertake the work for nothing but the honour and glory of being instrumental in restoring to the world a lost masterpiece. This was trne love of art indeed,' and everyone rejoices that, for him, tho result is such a triumph. In another fortnight permission will be given for its reproduction in photographs, and the Postal Department has agreed to add it to their very limited number of pictorial cards. For this latter is a Government monopoly in Greece. Another life-like figure in marble, but half ruined by tho action of water, represents a Itnqeling athlete or slave. Further steps will be probably taken by the Archaeological Society to-ensure more seadredging off Cerigo, in hopes 01 rescuing other treasures. Tin's week King George returned from, a three months' visit to Denmark, and - ones more the wind-6plit and torn Greek flag loate from his pslgeo hard by. ,He can hardly be called a popular King—spending as he does nearly six months of overy year away from his capital,—and tho Queen, owing to her Russian proclivities, is decidedly -unpopular. Twice has she raised the feelings of her husband's subjects to such a pitch of animosity, as to make it unsafe for her to, in public for fear of insults. First, for the part she took' during the so-called. "Gospel tiots," .where seven students were killed and their death laid at her door; and second, during the Greek-Turkish war, when the disastrous affair at Larissawas attributed to the influonce of Russian., money and intrigue. Sophia, on the contrary, Crown Princess of. Greece, daughter of the late Empress Frederic, and granddaughter of Queen Victoria, has inherited her mother's solidity aud.high intelligence, combined with her grandmother's tact and art of pleasing,- and is consequently a- great, favourite with the Greeks. When her husband succeeds to the Hellenio throne she will be one of the most popular Queens in Europe. The second son, George, is High Commissioner in that " most

distressful .land,!'. Crete; and the third, Nicholas,' brings back shortly to Athens * Russian: bride, which notable event is causing a groat flutter in, fashionable circles. And having come at 'last to, fashionable; society, I may as well record a. few.imprcs-r sions of Greek women, gathered by- the. way. First of all, they are great linguists, and any woman of education thinks nothing-of speaking four or. fivo languages fluently. ■■ All children of tho better classes have foreign nurees, and. thus learn from their infancy, and very many finish, their educa-. tion by spending a few years in London. But one may bo frivolous or shallow in a dozen languages. I heard a yery pretty Greek girl!asked what her ambition in\Jife was. I sliall marry, of course," she answered; "and what I like best is to dress well, and coquette a good deal; hear musio now and then—not classical,. you. know! Dance musio, or Suppe/s, 'and to rend a French novel occasionally." Another Greek lady, when asked by one of us some trifling question about the Parthenon, confessed that she kRd never 'be,en there! "Why climb up that wearisome Acropolis," she said,.!! whea I can sen the ruins fr.oin my window?" Four hundred years of Turkish rule and oppression in Greece must have left more traces of the harem life than can be eradicated in bo, short a period as 70 years of freedom. Still, there are many notable exceptions to the general rule, and ono lady of great energy and intelligence ■lia3 started a good peculating library, and succeeded in making it eolf-supporting. At first it was ■up-hill work enough, but now, she tells us, Greek - women begin to take\ out serious works instead of only nov.els, and are acquiring a taste for good reading. Lady Egerton, wife of the British Ambassador, lias also instituted a school for reviving the native • needlework, with some success. Tn short, in'the march of progress Greek women will soon shako, off the trammels of a degrading past, and become once more fit helpmeets for their patriotio hu°bands. People talk about Athens haying a severe winter, but we are well on in November and no sigsis of it yet. - Indeed, there is a, semi-Eastern nir about the place suggestive of a climato warmer even than Auckland. Great, bunches of rod and yellow fruit hang : from the date-palms, bringing back fleeting memories of Egypt nnd the green old Nile, and though there is never quite sufficient nun to ripen them thoroughly, still—they look Oriental and pioturefque. Oranges and lemons hear fruit in profusion, aiid the graceful pepper treo, with its red berries and light green sprays hi flowers:, adorns most of the' boulevards. " Just like us in New Zealand," explained one of our party to a Greek friend. Wo let it pass, Nothing liltn being patriotic. . As for the shops, they are. chiefly connected in our minds 'with humiliating attemps to make the natives supply wants, the meaning of which they cannot grasp. To-day, for instance, I took out our methylated . spirits bottle to be ■ ro-filled. "Whisky?" queried the shop-boy blandly on viewing the bottle. " No," said I sternly; "smell." Suiting the action to tho word, lie smolt, Another boy oame up and had a prolonged sniff also. All in vain, Then an old man was summoned from some dark recess where he had apparently been brooding among tinned lobsters and Nestle'j food, and, after trial, pronounced triumphantly, " Inomsoma,|" like someone euessing a riddle porveotlv. A very curious custom prevails here amongst old gentlemen who do not smoke, and therefore feel occasionally unemployed, of parrying rn.*nrir<j. These fhoy twist and turn and count nnd play with, sitting quietly in a corner meanwhile', and looking as though they didn't know enough to come in out of tho rain, as Americans say. But let a friend draw nwr and begin discussing anything— say politics,—and you soon behold a change. Tho rosary never leaves their fingers, but tafos an important part in the conflict, flashing hither "and thither, up and down, drawn out to" its full extent, or crushed into a hall, according to tho sneaker's momentary emotions, (if course thore is nothing religious connected with its use. priests carrv exactly the fume kind. I mentioned politics jU3t how m an exciting subject for discussion, but cms can hardly vaalise without witnessing it what'SavaßO energy the Greek brin? lo bear in their political squabbles. Last night under our hotel windows almost, one man drew a nistol and fired at his opponent, who, seeing thfi weapon in time, stepped back quickly, so that' the shot killed an inoffensive bystander- If such scones takn place now, What shall we experience tit tho general elections next fortnight! Already night after night bands of rival uoliticiarip patrol the Urge Palace fqiiare, behind fifo and.drum, burning red and yellow lights, letting off rockets, squibs, and . crackers, yelling and cheering their rival candidates whenever two factions -pass' eacli oHicr. A hasty word or two mid there would b'fl blows and pistol s':ots. Wo mean to keep indoors a good deal as tho excite ment increimM,' for ;fes>r of being suspected • f oolitical leaniw»»;ii-- : - • .

An event illustrative of the Greek's extra- • ordinary sensitiveness whore bus national character 13 concerned has just taken place ' in Athens. A German naval officer was murdered a few days ago, and the deed attributed to a Greek. A man-of-war, the ' Lorelei had put into the Pireus on her way from Constantinople, to Germany 1 bearing important despatches from the Sultan rela-. five to fortifications. The captain gave all '■ his men leave to sleep 0,1 shore with the- ■ exception of three to guard the box of . documents. Aext morning two wero missing—and the box! Later on the body of one who had slept upon the box to guard it was found, stabbed to death, in the liarbour' t Mturally the inspector's first question on coming on board the Lorelei was, "Do you suspect tho missing man, or any of your, sailors?" "No," replied the captain, "my ■ men are Germans, not Greeks." The inspector, furious with indignation, at once' reported this speech at the German Km- \ bassy, In half an' hour all Athens knew and ' resented the insult. Meanwhile, however, . the impression deepened that a Greek really had done the deed, and gloom reigned' every. : where. Imagine, therefore, what rejoicing ' when yesterday the real murderer was discovered to be n,ono other than the missing Gorman sailor. He had been apprehended by a soldier on the beach at Phaleron—unable to. escape for want of . money—and brought to tho pob'ce station, where ho con- - fessed everything. .The strong box was also' • discovered intact. Our first intimation of, this second act in the drama- was furnished - by an Amerioan hero who went early to » snipping office on business. He found the > whole staff reading newspapers—not a letter • opened—everyone delirious with joy and ex- ' oitement, and certain indications that note, > 'str'dke of work would' be' done that -day..' "Have you heard.the news? Have you .'. heard the news!" resounded on all sides. Athens went wild with delight. Someone had at once rushed: to the palace to tell the . King; and for once King; people, Ministers, and rival politicians wero all of one'mind. !i On his way to prison our murderer was kissed and wept over by men and women, because he was not a Greek! And tho poor " fustaiiclla" peasant soldier who made the !.. capture found himself suddenly enriched,'.-' and the "catch", of his village. For a.M-.< Greek merchant at once paid him the re- j l3 ' •ward offered by the German captain, , : sojfft that he mijjiit not 'touch "dirty Genrian,itr money," and another merchant, not. to be.'rjo outdone in patriotism, paid him a likosumtyM The end of the story (so far) is that -the,;,.-'? murderer ta been handed over to authority, and the Lorelei's captain sumV ; moned to Germany to answer before* his .;} irate Emperor for tho lax guardianship,.of-his (« trust. . ' ' ' ~'..;.'•;

; Athens is not yet included in tho regular,, heat of English tourists—possibly owing to':/'">, such little drawbacks as the "Bulgaria,"— but nothing can baulk American energy and! determination. This hotel is filled with'people from the States, including several,,• professors of Greek in tho universities.there/ ; '., One lady from Washington, -who is not ~' above . enjoying a joke against her own .-■•" countrywomen, told me that in Moscow, - -in -.;■ Cook's office, she had onco been witness t0,,, an amusing scene. A lady bustled in demanded abruptly of the harassed, over^^j , worked official there, "Isn't there a. place !,' r ;~ called Mecca?"—" Yes, madam, there is."— "Then how d'ye Ret there?"—" We'll make . you up a ticket, if you wish," said the "clerk ; sarcastically. "Well, I guess I won't go right off, but look in again," said the lady, ■ and departed. "Well, imurmurod-tho poor clerk, -"I've been asked many a. foolinh,--. question in this office,, but never yel,.'lsn't' there a place called Mecca. , " My Washing- ' ton friend had just been at the North/Cape :■ to see the midnight sun, and afterwards • taken a little run down to Athens, via St. Petersburg, Vienna, and Constantinople!' She was returning to America via Egypt, ; India, Japan, and Vancouver. Let us hope that a little more time will bo devoted to studying; these places than often ■ happens. ' We have heard of two Americans meeting unexpectedly in Cairo. "Hello, how long bavo you been, here?" asks tho first. ' "Since 9 o'clock."—"And when are' you'- , leaving?"—" Not until 4.30." This man < must have vied in historio information wjtb, that other American who declared that he hadn't been in Rome 20 minutes before he found that it had Been its best days V ■ (To bo continued.) • :