Front:
ALBANIA
COPYRIGHT 1894, BY THE SINGER MANUFACTURING CO.
OVER.
Back:
ALBANIA
FORMS THE SOUTH-WESTERN PORTION OF THE REMAINING IMMEDIATE
POSSESSIONS OF EUROPEAN TURKEY, AND EXTENDS ALONG THE WESTERN
SHORE OF THE BALKAN PENINSULA, FROM THE RIVER BOJANA TO THE
GULF OF ARTA. TO THE NORTH, IT IS BOUNDED, SINCE 1878-'80, BY
THE NEWLY-WON MONTENEGRIN TERRITORY, INCLUDING DULCIGNO, AND BY
BOSNIA; ON THE SOUTH IT IS SEPARATED, SINCE 1881, FROM GREECE
BY THE RIVER ARTA. THE EASTERN BOUNDARY 18 VAGUELY DEFINED
BY A MOUNTAIN RANGE, WHICH TO THE NORTH ATTAINS A MAXIMUM
ALTITUDE OF 7990 FEET. WESTWARD OF THIS RANGE LIE PARALLEL
CHAINS, INCLOSING ON THE ONE SIDE LONG ELEVATED VALLEYS AND SINK-
ING ON THE OTHER IN TERRACES, DOWN TO LEVEL STRIPS ALONG THE
COAST, WHICH MOSTLY CONSIST OF UNHEALTHY SWAMPS AND LAGOONS.
A FINE CLIMATE, THE HEAT OF WHICH IS TEMPERED BY HIGH MOUNTAINS
AND THE PROXIMITY OF THE SEA, AND A FAVORABLE SOIL, WOULD SEEM
TO INVITE THE INHABITANTS TO AGRICULTURE; BUT FOR THE MOST PART
IN VAIN.
THE INHABITANTS FORM A PECULIAR PECPLE, CALLED BY THE
TURKS ARNANTS AND BY THEMSELVES SKIPETARS.
AT ONE TIME THEY
WERE ALL CHRISTIANS; BUT AFTER THE DEATH OF THEIR CHIEF, THE
HERO SCANDERBEG IN 1467 AND THEIR SUBJUGATION BY THE TURKS, A
LARGE PART BECAME MOHAMMEDANS, WHO DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES
BY CRUELTY AND TREACHERY TOWARDS THE TRIBES THAT REMAINED TRUE
TO THEIR OLD FAITH. THEY ARE MOSTLY DIVIDED TRIBALLY INTO GHEGHS,
Tosks, LJAPS, ETC. OUR PICTURE GIVES AN EXCELLENT IDEA OF THE
COSTUMES WORN BY THE MEN AND WOMEN OF ALBANIA, AS IT IS MADE
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN FROM LIFE.
THE SINGER MANUFACTURING CO.
