Part 13 (1/2)

”This admixture of which the Athenian population is composed is a curious study.

”On the Sunday, everybody leaves the cross roads in front of the _Beautiful Greece_ to frequent the esplanade of Patissia (a corruption from Pachiscliah); the men stroll about talking together, and the women, abandoning their household G.o.ds for this day only, follow a few paces behind them. The crowd walks round and round a kiosk till a military band placed there has finished playing, and then goes home; not into the house, however, but into the streets, for during the warm summer nights nearly everybody sleeps _al fresco_. These sleepers advertise their presence by a continual hum, which is a kind of internal monologue, an echo of the day's conversation, for the Greeks still remain the wittiest and the most eloquent chatterers in the world.”

We place side by side with the Greeks the Albanians, whose language has some relation to Greek. Concentrated in the mountains of their country, they appear to be the lineal representatives of the ancient inhabitants of these districts. They are the descendants of the ancient Illyrians, mixed up with the Greeks and the Slavonians. Restricting themselves almost exclusively to the profession of arms, the Albanians const.i.tute the best soldiers of the Ottoman army. Their numbers scarcely reach two millions, although Albania is of great extent and contains several rather important towns.

Albania, part of Turkey in Europe, bounded on the north by Montenegro, Bosnia, and Servia, on the east by Macedon and Thessaly, on the south by the kingdom of Greece, on the west by the Adriatic and Ionian seas, const.i.tutes the pachaliks of Janina, Ilbessan and Scutari. It possesses three seaports, Durazzo, Avlona, and Parga. The most important towns are Scutari, Akhissar, Berat, and Arta.

Semi-barbarians, partaking more of the pirate and the brigand than of the cultivator and the labourer, the Albanians pa.s.s their lives in a state of petty warfare among themselves.

[Ill.u.s.tration:

_P. Sellier, p.^{t}_

_Imp. Dupuy, 22, R. des Pet.i.ts Hotels_

_G. Regamey, lith._

GEORGEAN

ARAB

WHITE OR CAUCASIAN RACE]

They professed Christianity up to the fifteenth century, but after having under Scanderbeg gloriously resisted the Turkish invasion, they were forced to submit to the victorious Ottomans, who compelled the Albanians to embrace the religion of Mahomet. In some parts of Albania the Greek church still survives. In the north, between the sea and the black Drin, the courageous tribe of the Mirdites practise the Roman Catholic religion and enjoy liberty.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 70.--ALBANIAN WOMAN.]

Fig. 70 represents the Albanian costume.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PORTRAIT OF AN ARMENIAN.]

CHAPTER II.

ARAMEAN BRANCH.

Cuvier has thought fit to give the name of Aramean (derived from the ancient appellation of Syria) to the race of people who inhabit the south-west of Asia and the north of Africa. Since primeval historic times, the Aramaic race developed itself in the south-west of Asia and the north of Africa, and it has remained there up to our own day. It also extended its settlements to the south of Europe, where it became a.s.similated to the inhabitants of that part of the world.

At a period when Europeans were immersed in the depths of ignorance, the Arameans successfully cultivated science and art. But later, whilst progress was making rapid strides amongst the Westerns, the Arameans on the contrary came to a halt; so that the civilization of these Asiatic races is still pretty much the same as it was two thousand years ago.

Christianity sprang up amidst the Arameans, but it made few converts.

Mahometanism and Buddhism attracted nearly the whole of this numerous race.

Four leading divisions are recognised among the Arameans: the Libyans, the Semitics, the Persians, and the Georgians and Circa.s.sians.

THE LIBYAN FAMILY.

The _Libyan Family_ is composed of the _Berbers_ and the _Egyptians_.