170

BART EBBOE

MARATHON.

 

 

in grotesque forms appears frequently,
while the red, volcanic tufa adds color in
profusion to the scene. Here and there
one sees the craters of extinct volcanoes,
the principal of which are in the Alban
Lake Alban itself is but the

crater of an old voleano into which the

Mountains.

water has found its way.

Not alone for its natural features is this
plain noted. On that narrow strip of land
between the Alban Mountains and the sea,
were enacted great events in the history of
Rome. Here were fought fierce battles be-
tween the Latins and the Etruscans on the
north, the Sabins on the east and the Vol-
cians on the south. Once a densely pop-
ulated land with many prosperous towns,
it is now a desolate waste. Hardly a tenth

of its surface is now under cultivation.

BATTLE OF

; TRANGE that you never tire |
: of battle stories,” said Mr. |
Gray to the club one evening.

“Well, I too, liked them at your age, but
now I think more of peace making and I
hope the time will come when battles are a
thing of the past; but to-night I will tell
you about Marathon.

The classic land of Greece, the land of
poets, sculptors, statesmen, philosophers

and patriots, has throughout the ages been

With the coming of May, malaria sets in
and the herdsmen and cattle flee to the
mountains. The few people who are obliged
to remain, lead a miserable, fever-stricken
life. Here, too, are seen the ruins of aque-
ducts for which the old Romans were so
famous.

The road winds in and out, up and down,
and passes many points of interest, such as
the Catacombs, the Circus of Maxentius,
the tombs of wealthy old nobles and ruins
almost without number.

After a ride of six hours, broken into by
many walks into the byroads and paths

‘that are constantly leaving the Appian
Way, we returned to our hotel, wearied but
amply, repaid, having filled full our note-

book in which we keep the record of our

 

journey.”

MARATHON.

noted for its valor and bravery. No brighter
example adorns the pages of the world’s

history than the Plain of Marathon, where

was fought a battle that saved to mankind
the growth of free institutions and freed
Europe from the possibility of that semi-
civilization which has hung like a dark
cloud over Asiatic nations through all the
centuries.

The plain lies twenty-two miles from

 

Athens, along the bay of the same name.