the traveller comes across the crumbling walls of vineyard and olive plantation that mark the presence in former times of a Turkish community, he need only go a little way to find the location of the Greek settlement that has acquired the freehold of the Ottomans, and is taking their place in the country. The land is everywhere passing into the hands of the Hellenic immigrants and natives, for they buy up village after village as the Moslems remove further and further away from contact with the encroaching infidels. In the larger towns and mercantile centres, the increase of the Greek element has been more rapid and more noticeable, of course, than in the rural districts. Hence the facts with regard to towns like Smyrna, Aidin, Brussa, and so forth are tolerably well known. But the growth of the Greeks in some of the less important places of the same district is not a little suggestive of the change that is in progress there. Twenty-five years ago, Pergamos counted a population of seventeen thousand Turks, and only a thousand or so of Greeks. In the interval, more than half the Moslems have disappeared, and their places have been taken by Hellenic immigrants, who now constitute the majority. Dikali, the port of Pergamos, was only a collection of a dozen mud huts a few years back; now it is a flourishing shipping centre, inhabited by from four thousand to five thousand Greeks, with only a stray Turk or two. The same may be said of the neighboring isles. In Chios, the Greeks were simply exterminated in 1830, and the place planted with Moslems. There are now sixty thousand Greeks there, and less than four thousand Turks. When Carl Hermann wrote a few years ago, he estimated the Greek immigrants of north-western Asia Minor at about five hundred thousand, with the same number of Turks and mountain nomads. At present the Greek settlers are nearer seven hundred and fifty thousand, while the Moslems have proportionately declined; and be it remembered this represents but the immigration and growth of a single generation. At the same rate of increase, the Hellenic colonists in this part of Asiatic Turkey will double in the course of another twenty-five or thirty years; and with a million and a half Greeks located there in place of the rapidly disappearing Moslems and mountain-folk, Lycaonia will become virtually a compact Greek colony, with Greek traditions, Greek sympathies, and, it may be depended upon, with Greek aspirations also. The immigration of Jews in the Syrian villayet has been numerically much smaller, though relatively far more rapid, than that of the Greeks in the north of Asiatic Turkey. They are at present over thirty-five thousand in number in the ten cities for which figures are available, — Jerusalem, Saphet, Tiberias, Jaffa, Hebron, Sidon, Haifa, Acco, Sichem or Nablous, and Gaza. But this excludes the multitude forming isolated and small com. munities all over the country now, as well as the Jewish colonists, of whom more presently. The total, including these, will certainly exceed forty thousand, indeed, it will be likely to approach fortyfive thousand. But even the former figure shows a notable growth in a single generation, for it represents a fourfold increase, since the number of Jews in Palestine was certainly not more than from ten thousand to eleven thousand twenty-five years ago; and the immigration of Jews is likely to go on in future at a constantly augmenting rate. But the mere increase in the number of Jewish settlers in southern Syria would, in our opinion, hardly be worth notice, great as it comparatively is. The significant and noteworthy circumstance is that the Jews are beginning to cultivate the soil. The Jewish colonies there have long passed the tentative stage, and are an established success. The men show themselves capable farmers, for they do their own field-work, and their produce last year was such as to beat anything grown by the picked German settlers located near Jaffa. A list of these colonies, which are all the creation of the last ten years, taken in conjunction with the figures before given showing the increase in the number of Jewish immigrants, will enable people to form a fair idea of the proportions the movement is assuming always remembering that it is only the growth, practically speaking, of the last decade, and that up to recently the Turkish government did all it could to hinder the formation of Jewish settlements in the south of Syria, while western Jews have also cold-shouldered them as much as they could. The first and largest of the Jewish colonies is that known as Pethach Tikvah -the Gate of Hope. It comprises three hundred and thirty persons, settled on fourteen thousand odd donums of land, · each donum is about nine hundred square mètres. They include one hundred and one actual field laborers, have about one hundred and seventy head of cattle, and a suitable proportion of horses and other live stock. They own vineyards, planted with nearly fifty thousand vines at pres- | dred donums, with thirty-one colonists, ent; and olive-gardens, containing about who have also only just succeeded in estabsixteen hundred trees, besides fruit-trees lishing themselves, and the more imporof other kinds. The next important col- tant colony, Nahalath Reuben - the Inony is the Zichron L'Faacob — Memorial heritance of Reuben. This is also one of Jacob-near Samarin. It comprises of the Jewish agricultural centres which ten thousand donums of land. On it are shows signs of marked progress and cafive hundred and fifty souls, of whom one pacity on the part of the people located hundred and sixty are field hands. They there. It covers an area of fifteen hunhave two hundred and sixty head of cattle, dred donums; but the manner in which and have planted up to date about thirty every inch of ground is being turned to thousand vines. Next comes the Rishon account by the thirty colonists there, L'Zion - First to Zion a colony which argues well for the skill and future prosis going in for viticulture on a very big perity of these Jewish farmers. They go scale, and with great success. The set-in for vine-culture, but most largely for tlers here are only one hundred and sixty fruit-growing. They had planted up to in number, but they have a greater pro- last year some thirty thousand vines, and portion of adults, and nearly all are actual over six thousand fruit-trees. The last of laborers. Their vineyards contain over the Jewish colonies is the small settlefive hundred thousand vines in bearing ment Yehudieh, where about sixty persons now, besides nurseries of young canes for have located themselves on some sixteen extending the plantations. They have hundred donums of land. They are workthree thousand olive-trees, and the same ing on a small scale, but had more than a number of almond-trees, and over a hun- year ago already planted two thousand dred head of cattle. The Jews in this vines, and some two hundred and fifty fig colony have given evidence of first-rate trees. These are, so far, the principal capacity as vine-growers and farmers. settlements of the children of Israel in the The next colony in point of size is that land of their fathers. But individual Jewknown as Mazkereth Baitha the Me-ish farmers may also be found in fair morial of the House -near Ekron. Its numbers throughout Palestine where, not extent is about five thousand donums, the twenty years ago, the idea of a Jewish number of settlers one hundred and eighty- agriculturist or farmer would have proone. These go in rather extensively for voked nothing but laughter. And it may mulberry-growing, with an eye, it may be be pointed out that these colonists owe presumed, to silk-culture. They have al- their existence to no charity, for, exceptready plantations containing fifteen thou- ing, we believe, in one case, the settlers sand trees, and the number is steadily have received no help of any kind. They being increased; and they own over one are the spontaneous outcome of the desire hundred and thirty head of cattle. Then felt by large numbers of Jews in eastern follows the settlement Rosh Pinah-the Europe to return once more to the land of Chief Corner-Stone- - with an area of three their ancestors in the capacity of husthousand six hundred donums, and one bandmen, the only capacity in which, as hundred and seventy-eight colonists. they understand, they can ever take root These devote themselves rather largely to in the soil. They are men of the better vine-growing, but also to other branches class of Jews the mere circumstance of of mixed husbandry. So that while they their devoting themselves to agricultural possess nearly two hundred and fifty thou- work shows that- and far different from sand vines, three thousand olive-trees, the peddling huckster who, in the eyes of twenty-five hundred fruit-trees, and three so many people in western Europe, passes thousand citrons, they own likewise one for the typical Jew. They are of the hundred and ten head of cattle, one hun- tough and hard-shell type to which Judadred and fifty sheep- -a rather unusual ism owes such strength and permanence thing thereabouts and one hundred as it has ever possessed, the kind of Hegoats. The next largest colony is that of brew who, having put his hand to the Gedera, about three thousand donums in plough, will not lightly leave it again. extent, with some thirty-two settlers. These have only made a start, and have recently begun planting and field-work; it is, therefore, too early to give any further details of their present condition and prospects. After this, we have the settlement Yesod Ma'aleh, of about twenty-four hun The spectacle of the Jew, after an absence of two thousand years, ploughing again the soil of Palestine, is, like the return of the Greeks to the region of the five rivers in Asia Minor, full of historic suggestiveness, on which it would be easy to dilate. But our object has been only to draw attention to facts and figures re- cance. From The London Times. taken them; you would be the first to condemn me unheard-without asking me a word. I cannot be put in that position. Let me work somewhere else. Gordon: If you were offered a bribe could you not tell me at once? Emin: Would that be honest in a country where it is a universal custom? I cannot turn informer against these people. Let me go some. where else. Gordon: Well, go.' Emin left him, but continued, as usual, to dine at his table. Gordon utterly ig leave the table without speaking when the meal was finished. This, says Emin, became unbearable, and he at last demanded an explanation. He said: "You are angry because I exercise my perfect right to refuse what you offer me, and because at your express command I tell you the truth. Either give me work or let me go to my own country.' Gordon said: "Well, you shall have work," and some time later asked him whether he would go to Unyoro. Emin expressed his willingness. Gordon asked him whether he knew the country, that it was in Kabba Rega's territory, and reminded him that it was a dangerous mission. Emin replied that he remembered Baker's experiences, but that he would go. Gordon told him that he should have £40 for his outfit and might apply to the stations for necessaries. Emin asked for a letter to the stations. Gordon refused, saying, "No, I will not give you letters, for then if something happens to you your people will blame me. Emin: "But still you are sending me, pasha.' Gordon: "No. I will not send you officially." Emin went; his pay was £40 a month. On his return he was some time at Uganda, and then, as governor-general of the Equatorial Province, got £50 a month. AN interesting account of the way in which Emin Pasha became governor-gen-nored him, spoke no word, and would eral of the Equatorial Province is given by the Cairo correspondent of the Times. The story was told by Emin Pasha to Mr. Stanley, and by the latter to the Times' correspondent: Emin was a doctor in the Egyptian army at £25 per month when, in 1877, Mason Bey told him that he was to go to Gordon at Khartoum, and that he would probably be appointed governor of Massowa. The French consul there had asked that a governor might be appointed who spoke French; and the qualification was rare among Egyptian officials in the Soudan. He went to Khartoum; Gordon received him most kindly, and at once employed him in writing his correspondence. One day Gordon told Emin that he liked him, and asked whether he would be his secretary. Emin asked for a day to consider. The next day Emin returned as usual and wrote letters at Gordon's dictation._Suddenly Gordon said: "Well, Doctor Emin, what is your answer? Emin: I beg, pasha, that you will not be offended; I am willing to do any work you give me; but I will not be your secretary. Gordon : You will not be my secretary! Why, it is the best place in the Soudan next to the governor-general. You shall live in the palace with me. Why do you refuse? Emin: My reasons are private ones; I cannot tell them. Gordon: You must tell them to me. Emin: I would rather not do so; but I will if you order me to do so. Gordon: Then I order you to do so. Emin Because, pasha, though I should like to serve you and though I respect you, I cannot be seen with your associates. I should have to associate with people I cannot respect-with your Arab interpreter, who is infamous; with your Greek doctor, who is notoriously guilty of malpractices; with - Gordon (angrily): You dare to say this to me? Emin: Did you not ask me? As your secretary I should be continually approached by people who would offer me bribes to secure my influence with you. Some day you would be told that I had When he arrived in his new province he found it fertile and badly cultivated ; so he sent to Gordon and asked him to procure him some seeds for sowing. Gordon replied, "I sent you to be a governor, not a gardener." Later he asked for a photographic apparatus which he knew was lying idle at Khartoum. Gordon replied again, "I sent you to be a governor, not a photographer;" and he returned the apparatus to Cairo. One day he was walking with Gordon from Rooli to Magumbo. They were chatting pleasantly when suddenly Gordon ceased and said, "Stop talking." Emin thought that there must be some danger, but, seeing none, attempted after a little while to resume conversation. The same command was given more gruffly, and a third time still more | his back his administration left nothing so. The next day Gordon asked, "Were to be desired. It was impossible for his you surprised at my stopping your talking people to avoid respecting his indulgent yesterday?" "I was a little," replied justice and kindness, and those who might Emin. "I was praying," said Gordon, "and your conversation disturbed me. Why did you not ask the reason?" Many (says the correspondent) are the stories which Emin tells of Gordon's eccentricities. "Full of a hundred contradictions; but a just man and most pious" is his verdict. have been disposed to presume upon it were restrained by the fear of changing him for a harder taskmaster at Khartoum. But as soon as the power at Khartoum fell and Emin had to stand alone, there was wanting that physical force which must always be in reserve to render any government efficient. His officers deMr. Stanley speaks in the warmest ceived him, intrigued against him, robbed terms of Emin Pasha, his administrative him; but he never doubted their good ability, his tact with native tribes, and the faith. Until they had actually made him peculiar gentleness of his nature, which prisoner, he declined to doubt their loyalty, was exaggerated until it became a fault in and even afterwards he was at once reasthe sole governor of a province. As long sured by empty professions of penitence. as a central government existed at Khar-In many respects (says the correspondent) toum to which Emin could send officers he was like Gordon; but Gordon would who got beyond his control - as long as have hanged the rebels first and have felt there was, in fact, a strong executive at 'needlessly contrite afterwards. copy?-a question not decided to this day. - In an THE FINDING OF THE LAOCOON. The | the question, was it Pliny's Laocoon or a Laocoon may be the original statue bepraised by Pliny, but even that is open to doubt. The history of the finding of this statue was in this wise. It happened in 1506, when Raphael, a youth of three-and-twenty, was painting in Florence. In the month of June a messenger arrived in hot haste at the Vatican to tell Pope Julius II. that workmen excavating in a vineyard near St. Maria Maggiore had come upon statues. The pope turned to one of his grooms, and bid him run to his architect, Giuliano di San Gallo, to tell him to go there at once and see about it. San Gallo instantly had his horse saddled, took his young son Francisco, who relates this, on the crupper behind him, and called for Michelangelo, and away the three trotted through the hot and dusty streets, as we may imagine, in a great state of excitement. When they reached the place, they beheld that agonized face which we all know so well, and which many of us have tried to copy so often. "It is the Laocoon of Pliny!" exclaimed San Gallo. Mad with excitement, they urged on the workmen, a great hole was cleared away, and they were able to contemplate that wonderful group, certainly the finest monument of antiquity which had as yet been revealed to the modern world. After this, as Francisco says, they went home to dinner. How they must have talked! We can imagine the poor wife crying despairingly to her lord: "Dear Giuliano, do leave off talking for a moment, dinner is getting quite cold!" I should like to have been there; but this is idle. The statue was transferred to the Belvedere, and then arose THE EYES OF YOUNG CHILDREN. article on "Blindness and the Blind," in the Journal of the Franklin Institute, Dr. Webster Fox refers, among other things, to the need for care being exercised with regard to the eyes of young children. The eyes are more sensitive to light in childhood than in adult life, yet a mother or nurse will often expose the eyes of an infant to the glare of the sun for hours at a time. Dr. Webster Fox holds that serious evils may spring from this, and he even contends that "the greater number of the blind lose their sight from carelessness during infancy." From the point of view of an oculist, he protests against the notion that children should begin to study at a very early age. He thinks that until they are between seven and nine years old the eye is not strong enough for school work. When they do begin to learn lessons, they "should have good light during their study hours, and should not be allowed to study much by artificial light before the age of ten. Books printed in small type should never be allowed in schoolrooms, much less be read by insuffi cient light." Nature. For EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. Remittances should be made by bank draft or check, or by post-office money-order, if possible. If neither of these can be procured, the money should be sent in a registered letter. All postmasters are obliged to register letters when requested to do so. Drafts, checks, and money-orders should be made payable to the order of LITTELL & Co. Single Numbers of THE LIVING AGE, 18 cents. |