We also visited the ruins at Ephesus, to which we went by a slow train. Frequent earthquakes have laid everything in magnificent ruin—remains of ampitheatres, temples, aqueducts, are all levelled to the ground. Most of the houses are built of wood which give in seismic shocks, but the facades are of marble.
The Hamals are wonderfully strong, short but active men, and carry immense loads upon their backs, the veins in their legs looking like ropes. These are all Armenians and are trained from infancy.
We visited the Bazaar and the Turkish quarter, but were glad to escape the dust and the quaint species of humanity.
It may not be uninteresting reading now that the papers are filled with news of the war between the allies and Turkey, if I recall one of the pleasantest and most exciting days I ever spent during my sojourn in the Ottoman Empire. I would first of all remark, that Turkey occupies the most beautiful portion of Europe. The soil, being so volcanic, produces a wealth of luxurious fruits, especially grapes and figs; but the Turkish Government, as well as the Turks themselves, being naturally indolent, never think of cultivating the soil as they might. Therefore, there is more poverty among them, through their laxity, than wealth.
The part of Turkey in which I happened to have recently arrived was the lovely island of Lesbos, the birthplace of Sappho, and with very mixed feelings have I stood on the very spot on the road to Polyknito, where that impulsive maid so long ago threw herself from that Leucadian steep into the blue waters beneath. Of recent years, a young lady I knew, threw herself from the same spot and perished—a victim of unrequited love.
Well, two or three Greek girl friends and myself made up our minds to have a real good day’s outing, so, packing our luncheon baskets, we were off before sunrise, as, living some distance from the town of Mitylene, we had a long walk in front of us. We started in high spirits, and were nearing the town when I heard what, to my unsophisticated ears, was a most peculiar awe-inspiring sound. I found it was produced by the Hozahs at sunrise, calling from the minarets of the mosques, the faithful to prayer. And Turks they may be, but, they shame us by their devotions, which all the jeers in the world would never prevent.
We toiled along up the hill towards the Konah, the kiosk, being near by the Governor’s residence, and at the top we stood admiring the sunrise over the hills of Anatolia, in Asia Minor; and the view right along to the heights of Smyrna in the distance was superb. Every inch of this part of eastern Europe is teeming with historical interest. We walked along past the Turkish graveyard, the tombs of which are all surmounted with turbans beautifully sculptured, giving in the dusk a most weird appearance, as though human beings stood there on guard.
At length we arrived at the Loutra, as it is called. The thermal water is conducted underground from the hot springs. We entered a small garden enclosed by a wall; then we were ushered into a room containing dozens of small cupboard-like compartments, scrupulously clean. Our entrance fee was five piasters, or tenpence in English money. We were each supplied with clean towels. Then I, at least, went timorously towards the apartment where the first portion of our ablutions were to be carried out. An attendant came forward to receive us. The first apartment was very warm, and we remained there until the perspiration began to trickle down on to our towels which we secured round our waists. Then came the ordeal.
On entering the “chamber of horrors” (I thought at first) I could scarcely breathe, the air was so hot, and then I noticed that the floor in this dome-shaped chamber sloped towards the middle. Suddenly several taps were turned on, gently at first, and the attendant smeared us all over the top part of our bodies with Fuller’s earth, after which, the taps were turned on full speed, and we raced round that room while the attendants pursued us, and smacked us soundly in turn. We slid around on the marble floor, but kept losing our footing. Our faces were scarlet, and oh! the dirt that came from the pores of our skin. And we had thought we were clean! Well, the smacking process went on; the water seemed hotter than ever, and at last we were allowed into the cooler chamber, as we were feeling exhausted. The attendant was a Turkish woman, but spoke Greek sufficiently to make herself understood. I have often thought since she was an unusually active person for a Turkish woman.