Show IAN Z OT VP 0 elm rhe PORT A ALMATIA belongs to austria D DALMATIA but austrian no that it la ii not after a hundred years of possession its native language la is serb with much italian italia n also spoken on the coast but german one scarcely Bc arcely hears at all except in the shops frequented by austrian visit visitors oril its people are simple and ignorant very tenacious to old ways customs and costumes and not noi easily to bel be converted into a commercial and modern modera people jt it was in search first of cfall all of warmth and sunshine that we northerners set out tor for ragusa the most southerly of dalmatian ports porta writes V clutterbuck in country lite life also we hoped to find less lesa of odthe the monotonous luxuries prepared for travelers in france and italy in this hope wo we were not disappointed tor lor with the exception ot of one very goodard goo good dand and veri very expensive hotel at ragusa full to oyer over flowing ot of austrian Aus irlan visitors there was vlas no accommodation to be round any pretensions to comfort we were vere at once face to face ace with primitive notions the coming of the steamer seemed to bo be the great event ot of the day or on possibly of several days it if one can an judge by the eager jabbering lib bering crowds flocking to the to glean all possible news of the world outside their island home and to comment on the strange travelers leaning over the steamers rail As evening fell them the setting sun turned the bare browna brown hills and distant distan high thigh range of mountains into peaks of coral and garnet a and d kept us late on deck wondering as to the unknown inland country its one fine hardy people and how they lived apparently on stones nothing being visible but rock and stone no green val leya A no wooden hills only small gra gray y trees brees shrubs and again stones ragusa enchanting and un unspoiled a polled early morning found us anchored at Gra vosa the excellent protected harbor at ragusa about a mile away and here unfortunately in a dismal downpour of rath rain we first made acquaintance with the natives of the near east the porters and cab delv drivers in their partly eastern dress of baggy blue knickerbockers embroidered white stoc stockings kingi embroidered coat at and waistcoat and scarlet fez ragusa is enchanting un spoilt by its overflowing garrison or eveia even by its fashionable austrian lan visitors it seems part of the great rocky hills themselves so cunningly Is it built up p ledge upon ledge of the selfsame stone the town covers as well a tiny peninsula at the fostof foot of the hillo hilla likon landslide of ct stone kept dinits in its pl place a ea iad guarded from the sea by massive encircling walls the walls creep creed on upward up the mountain sida and clasp clasi the little town iown firmly so firmly hint she withstood many a siege ane sheltered many a trembling le fugee she even defied proud venice flagus Ra gusins ans have the pride of a nation n tiny one certainly hut but of ancient lineage it is claimed that chit Ragus was a republic from A D and lasted so BO with intervals of bf vary during wLl cathe territory as under the protection of hungary constan constantinople ti nople venice and ni fiance ance to 1814 when austria finally took poa session cession thanks to the courtesy of the commander of the garrison we with other visitors vist iorA walked round the top of the great walls so wide that they contain prisons stores bar barracks rocks a corid world ot of activity hidden from the view of all except seagulls and friendly dwal laws iowa maybe who can peer into the loopholes ea from the tha walls walle one gets the best beet idea of the crowded town its pare carefully fully protected gateways now without portcullis or drawbridge its broad paved central street forming a valley through the town anufrom and from it t lanes becoming ways climbing to the brow ot of the cliffs on n one hand and to theroun the mountainside ta on the other but all within the great walls many buildings stand out prominently churches palaces monasteries but the general impression Is ot of a crowd ot of old irregular i pinkish tiled roofs early morning in the market now letus let us go and walk in the town early in the morning one must be an early bird to fo catch the worm here for everyone la Is astir with th the e sun aun and business Is most brisk int in the be market before 8 a m by 9 a m all la is over some of the country people come many hours tramp over the 1 mountains to ragusa market from Herze herzegovina govina and occasionally from montenegro Mante negro they start in the night and arrive with the dawn these stalwart handsome men and women not white and and tired footsore and weary but strong gay and ready tor for many hours yet ye of 0 strenuous activity they fiad have carried heavy loads of uce on their heads in big brouna baskets walking over sharp loose stones or have laden ponies now all their gooda goads must be sold and good bargains made and then aho ho baskets must once more refilled be filled with town goods needed at the distant farm and by ten work gossip refreshment must be over and the homeward climb begun what manner of men and women are they who work so hard and look so hardy they are tall muscular brown very jovial with each others but shy of pt strangers rangers and shyer still ot of a camera it Is a crowd full of color blue and red predominating but all wearing his bis or er her national dress so that those who understand know at a glance what district each comes from on sundays the town was thronged thron ged again arth peasants come to spend a gay and sociable day first attending mass at greek or roman roma catholic churches as many man of one as of the other then endlessly strolling up and down the main street and chat ting volubly Is still medieval of the many fascinating old towns on the coast chast and islands of dalmatia perhaps the most interesting Is near Sp alato it is scarcely changed at all since medieval times an and d though it is full of subjects tor for brush and camera but tew few travelers dare test its accommodation and therefore never come to know it it was only by a lucky chance that ve we found a new and clean house outside the walls walla where we could picnic with enjoyment has no street wider than twelve or fourteen feet all its build ings are of massive stone all the lower windows barred its piazza paved with great flags Its cathedral porch one of tt the to richest in carved stonework in the the cathedral was wag built bull in the early thirteenth century the glorious west door being dated 1240 and is indeed the bridd ot of all dalmatia it isalio Is also signed with a slay slav name Radu anus or radovan in native speech at the people were smaller and darker than at ragusa dressed in brown homespun and the men wore tho the queerest little red caps on the side ol oi the head one cannot imagine any headdress less useful or ornamental and only great antiquity can explain its use towards the open sea trat was guarded in olden days by a castle no now w in ruins the busy town ot of near by has more history than a book would hold there stand yet the massive walls walla of palace the lower fower tiers being naw shops and houses his mausoleum is the cathedral his temple the baptistery the great black marble pillars ot of the octagonal cathedral are worn by worshipers of differing creeds the frieze of pagan dahners dau cers on all alike |