THE SMYRNA FIG AT HOME AND ABROAD 13 



CHAPTER II. 

 IN THE LAND OF THE SMYRNA FIG. 



Smyrna is undoubtedly the most important town of Asia Minor, and is the 

 principal commercial port of the Ottoman Empire. The city is well built, partly 

 on level ground and partly on the lower slopes of Mt. Pagus. From the bright 

 blue waters of the gulf, the eye wanders over the harbor crowded with ships of all 

 nations, to the stately line of buildings along the quay, the towers and cupolas of 

 the Christian churches, the tapering minarets, the tall cypresses in the cemeteries, 

 the picturesque ruin that crowns Mt. Pagus, and the more distant hills with their 

 graceful outlines. 



Giaour ("Infidel") Smyrna, as it is called by the Turks, is divided into five 

 quarters, viz., the Moslem quarters on the hillside in the higher part of the town, 

 and the ^Jewish, Greek-.; amJP Armenian quarters in the lower and flatter portions. 

 The Frank quarter consists of three streets running parallel with the quay, and is 

 occupied mostly by Europeans. The consulates and many fine marble front residences 

 are located in this quarter on the street facing the quay; here are also numerous 

 open-air theatres, cafes, all of which face the water's edge. At night from 6 

 to 10 P. M. in the summer, the inhabitants (that is the better classes) congregate and 

 promenade up and down the quay, patronize the theatres and caf6s, and have a 

 general good time. This quay is two miles long, and is a substantial affair, being built 

 of solid blocks of stone. It was constructed by a French company in 1870-'75. A street 

 car propelled by mule power, traverses its entire length. 



The climate as a whole is delightful; in summer the temperature often runs over 

 100 degrees in the shade; the heat, however, is tempered by the afternoon trade 

 winds, so that the inhabitants have little to complain of. 



The population is in the neighborhood of 300,000, and includes nations and creeds 

 from all parts of the world, although the greater number are Moslems. 



The following day after my arrival in Smyrna, I called on Dr. Rufus W. Lane, 

 the American consul, presented my credentials, and explained to him my mission. 

 In order to carry out my objects successfully he kindly promised to give me all the 

 assistance in his power. On his advice and suggestion I engaged the dragoman and 

 interpreter of the consulate as my guide, a Mr. B. .1. Agadjanian, who was born in 

 Smyrna, spoke excellent English, having resided in New York for a number of years, 

 hence thoroughly familiar with the country. Having many friends in various parts 

 of Asia Minor, he assisted me very materially in pursuing my work. 



Needless to state here it was for the purpose of learning definitely all the facts 

 in connection with the caprification of the Smyrna fig, that I made my hurried trip 

 to Smyrna. It was intimated to me by several, including Dr. Lane and the dragoman, 

 that I had arrived too late to observe this interesting phase of the question. Very 

 much perturbed on receiving this information, after having traveled 8000 miles 

 with only this one object in view, I determined to learn all the facts myself. In 

 company with my interpreter, we engaged a carriage and drove out into the suburbs. 



Numerous fig trees were seen, mostly of the Bardajic variety, and I had almost 

 given up in despair of finding a Capri fig tree, when on descending into a small valley 



