Show LETTER IEM FROM TURM TURKEY on saturday june 29 at 6 5 pm brother W H smart and myself boarded a russian steamer at constantinople bound for in the interior of turkey in asia a journey of about ten days by sea and land we had bad been out a short time only when dark and dismal clouds appeared overhead and suddenly a violent storm a combination of ofra ra thunder and lightning burst furiously upon us its violence however soon ceased and all was then as calm and serene as a summer morn A sight long to be remembered was the gorgeous sunset that evening on 4 the sea of marmora a magnificent body of water on sunday morning we sailed down the famous straits of darda nelles or famous as having been crossed in battle array by so many ancient roman grecian persian and other emperors bors and monarchs among whom M 1 may Y mention alexander the great he crossed with an army of men and defeated the persian army of men under the command of memnon the able and efficient general of darius also the notorious xerxes who arrived here at the head bead of an army said to have been greater than has ever been collected either before or since his infantry numbered men and his cavalry 80 his fleet consisted of 1207 vessels each carrying fighting men and 20 vessels of men each A bridge of boats had been constructed for the passage across the of this vast army which was destroyed by a violent storm enraging him to such an extent that in a fit of passion he ordered the workmen to be put to death the water to be scourged urged with lashes lashe sand and chains to be thrown into it A second attempt was successful cess ful a bridge abridge was completed and the host was occupied seven seved days and seven nights in crossing he was defeated by the greeks abandoned his army and with a few attendants tend ants hastened back finding his bridge destroyed he was compelled gelled oat boat to cross in a small fishing after leaving this noted channel we entered the mediterranean sea took a southerly direction in view of the asiatic const coast and the many islands of the archipelago and anchored at 11 p pm m ou sunday night at smyrna the city which contains one of the seven churches of asia revelations 2nd and chapter ath to alth verses versee As the boat was to remain here until 4 pm on monday the early morning found us in a row boat on our way to the shore then for the first time we set foot on OB the soil of asia A few minutes after landing we witnessed the arrival from the country a daily occurrence as we were informed of a caravan of camels Dum numbering bering probably large jarge and small young and old heavily laden and plodding alo along n tur in single file in a steady manner their heads high in the air and making a very odd and interesting spec spectacle the camel and donkey are the delivery express and freight wagon of this ancient city they can he be seen at all times moving about its narrow streets conveying building material hay grain merchandise and in fact all articles used by its inhabitants the next thing in order was to take in the sights of the town which we did by hiring for the sum of often ten plasters pi tasters asters about 45 cents two donkeys ays eys with an attendant who followed 10 wed behind on foot about an hour afterwards we I 1 arrived at a spring called jacobus jacobs well said to have anciently po hessed remarkable healing bealing properties A cool and refreshing drink of its T ij waters was partaken partaker par taken of after which we visited visite i a church near by said to be years old and to stand on the the identical parcel of land occupied by the church mentioned heretofore 1800 years ago from here our little sure footed chargers carried us to the summit of the mountain where stands the ruins of an ancient genoa castle with a subterranean passage on the walls of which can be seen numerous signatures and monograms mono grams in as many different languages to these we naturally added ours we then proceeded down the other side of the mountain entered the city and passed through the bazar the store of the orient observed very closely by everybody down to the boat where we dismounted pronouncing noun cing our first experience in asia a novel one we sailed early on tuesday morning stopping some time at chio and messina but did not go ashore until the morning of july ath when we reached Alex andretta this being the end of our sea voy voyage age through the kindness of president hintze three guides were waiting here to pilot us over the wild mountainous country they had by way of conveyance to carry five fi ve of us with luggage bedding etc and food for the animals three mules and a very small donkey the affair was managed by strapping our valises on either side of two of the mules and throwing our bedding over them thus making the saddle for our ride of about miles the other mules was to carry the balance of the luggage and one of the guide the donkey the other while the third was to foot it these arrangements completed we started at noon on our hot and tedious journey the animals ani rials on account of their load going at a walking pace all the way at dusk we came to a small khan situated iu in a valley containing a lake and some marshy land where we camped we had bad been in bed only a short time when we were attacked and completely defeated by a tremendous band of bold barbarous mosquitoes the noise of the advancing hosts came faintly to the ear on the still night air becoming more audible as they drew nearer and presently swooped down upon us they were really hornets in disguise we wrapped ourselves in blankets overcoats etc and still were lanced most horribly without exaggeration I 1 had at least one hundred and fifty marks on each foot to say nothing of my face arms and hands it is needless to add that I 1 failed tz to obtain one moments sleep durl during 13 g the whole night our journey was resumed next morning traveling through a 9 most desolate and barren waste of country we camped again in an 0 pell open newly plowed field at 6 pm had retired to rest by 10 and at I 1 clock 0 were up and off again arriving at a town named kelles at 6 am he here re we halted at an old time khan the oriental hotel a large square court formed of a low building extending x on either side the lower portion being a stable for animals the upper story partitioned off n single unfinished unfurnished rooms with a porch on the insider inside extending the full length of the 66 building there is but one ent miles to the court 0 in the evening a number of abw ai medians men ians learning that some I mons MODS were in town called on oil u for the purpose of learning thi the principles of our religion after answering questions and explain explaining im the gospel one of them who under stood english aati ir g as inte interpreter for two or three hours and the time 4 arriving for their departure they asked us to pray with them WO complied arid and during this time titi paid strict attention on leavittjr leaVit vl jR they expressed a desire to hear more mom of our oar doctrines quitting kelles at 3 olum tuesday morning we passed over hills and down dales around mountain sides on paths so narrow that one false step would have ed mule and rider a hundred feet below we ex experienced pe r le ne ed during the day some excessively hot weather and suffered somewhat from thirsk water being very scarce finally we at 6 5 p m reached our destination dest law where we had bad the pleasure of meeting president hintze brother broth C U V locander and a lerl mom brother from palestine E D vs AIN TAia turkey aug 8 ISO 1889 |