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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by M. A. Stein 

 THE) CUSTOM-HOUSE) AND BOAT LANDING AT SCUTARI: ALBANIA 



The boat commonly used on Lake Scutari is known as a londra, and somewhat resembles 

 a Venetian gondola, though more crudely built. Both prow and stern are sharp-pointed and 

 run high out of the water. According to its size, it may be propelled by from one to. twelve 

 oarsmen, who stand facing the bow and sing a wild barbaric chant as they force their oars 

 through the water in short, quick jerks. 



Malarial fever afflicts both Albania and 

 Macedonia. The army medical report in 

 my possession gives a rate of 25 per cent 

 since the occupation of Albania — prob- 

 ably an average, for I have heard of one 

 command having 80 per cent of its men 

 sick with malarial fever at one time. 

 However, the health of the troops at the 

 time of which I am writing, the spring 

 of 1918, was very good. 



The fever of the Balkans is persistent, 

 but is not especially fatal. Still, it is to 

 be dreaded for its lingering effects and 

 the great debility it causes. The usual 

 specific is quinine, a supply of which is 

 placed on the mess table or carried about 

 in the pocket. 



In Macedonia, especially north of Sa- 

 loniki, in the Struma Valley, which pro- 

 duces probably the finest cigarette tobacco 

 of the world, there is found a climate said 

 to be as bad as that of the west African 

 coast. 



Winters are short, but cold and rainy, 

 and the country roads become almost im- 

 passable lakes of mud, over which there 

 can be little transportation. In conse- 

 quence, military operations are limited to 

 the few metalled roads that exist and to 

 the dry season. 



SPLENDID HIGHWAYS BUILT BY ITALIANS 



Before the arrival of the Allies, one of 

 whose first cares was to improve the 

 roads, few highways existed in Albania 

 and Macedonia, except the old Turkish 

 road from Santi Quaranta to Saloniki, 

 with its branches in the former country 

 south to Janina, in old Greece, and north 

 to Berat. 



During my stay in Albania I traveled 

 by motor over many miles of road built 

 by the Italians — not mere ephemeral mili- 

 tary lines of communication, but perma- 

 nent highways, admirably traced and skill- 

 fully built. I speak particularly of the 



