IN THE HEART OF THE BALKANS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7, 9 January 1902, Page 3

IN THE HEART OF THE BALKANS.

THE SCENE OF MISS STONE'S CAPTIVITY.

By a fatal combination of fortuitous circumstances it happens ("W.D." 'writes in "St. James's Gazette") that the headcentre of the American Missions in European Turkey is also the focus of brigandage in the Balkans. I am aware that the famous Robert College, at Constantinople is usually regarded as the fountain of missionary enterprise as conducted by American agents in Turkey. That wonderful institution, which was founded by Dr. Cyrus Hamilin, and has been made so famous under Dr. Washburne, is more of an educational establishment than a religious institution. In it nearly all the statesmen of "Young Bulgaria" were trained. The spiritual work of the American propaganda is conducted by missionaries who are scattered throughout the Sultan's territories, at such places in Asia Minor as Smyrna, Mush, Sivas, Tokat, and Tarsus. Having seen some of these self-denying- and steadfast workers from the United States in their own stations in Turkey, I can endorse the admiring testimony of such travellers as Professor Ramsay.Lieutenant-Colonel- Baker and others, JOr. Ramsay says:—"The work of the American missionaries has been to produce an educated middle class in the Turkish lands; and they have done it with a success that implies both good method in their work and good material to work upon." 1 allude to such evidence, which might be extensively multiplied, because many English people who have not

given .special attention to this subject wonder what Miss Stone and her colleagues have been attempting through luny years in "Darkest Turkey." Cul boiio? is a very natural query, implying a measure of incredulity as to the practical utility of religious missions in Turkey. The fact is that the object of the American societies has been widely phil-' anthropic. Men like Dr. Kingsbury and ladies like Miss Stone have had charge of enterprises which aim ut preparmy the laces of the Near East for the inevitable crisis 'which will involve their conversion into autonomous communities whenever the Ottoman debacle may occur. The district where the two captive missionary ladies are held at the mercy of unknown bandits is one of the most magnificent mountain regions of the whole continent of Europe. Anyone who has seen anything of Balkan scenery knows that it combines savage and sublime grandeur with tender softness of the lower landscape in a degree unknown elsewhere. The central knot of the Balkan ranges is sometimes styled "Bulgarian Switzerland." [t deserves the name, bnow-eapped peaks, terrific precipices marvellous gorges, torrential streams and enchanting ravines are crowded into an area of about the dimensions of North Wales. Of course the Balkans in their far-reaching length cover an immensely more extensive space of Turkey, and they are everywhere characterised by scenic charm But the central glory of these hr.ni ™°«ntalns distinguishes that boundary between Bulgaria and Macedonia ■which has for ages been a happy hunting■ground of brigands of the most extraordinary mixture of races. The great Northern Balkans constitute that vast range which forms the backbone and watershed of Bulgaria They run parallel with the Danube, at a distance varying from 30 to luo miles. South of this range Is the long plain of South Bulgaria, part ot this consisting of the enchanting Hose Valley of Kezanlik, a i V arde" oC God" This marvellous vale is the eastern gateway between the mountains into the country of the brigands The Southern Balkans are not "a regular range like the northern, but are made up of scattered clusters running irregularly across the southern section of Turkey. The sublime Perim-Dagh, tossInff its crystal peaks to an altitude of over !,ooon, runs into the heart of Macedonia Westward from it is the sierra of En nnn M °°ra" Isolated f ™m these is .11 I I ra- amon SBt the crags of winch is pe rch ea the famous convent, RUo Monastir. From the convent Is gained a glorious view of the Rhodope Mountains, the splendid range of the Roumelmn Balkans. A dozen mi'es to the north ol tlio Rilo Monastir. is the curious town of Primakov. This is the scene of the American Mission. It is only 30 miles distant from Sofia. Samakov is the centre of a famous iron mining and smelting industry. The oro is magnetic, and is obtained in the decomposed syenite of the hills. No iron in the world* is equal to this Turkish commodity, which even excols the best Swedish or Siberian ores. But all (hat is extracted is consumed in Turkey, none ever having been exported Similar iron is obtained at Kury Burun on the Black Sea. All the horseshoe nails used throughout the Turkish Empire are manufactured from the home-made Iron.

_ The most beautifully situated monastery in Europe, in the opinion of most of the tourists who have seen it, is in the very midst of this glorious tangle of rock and forest. Rilo Monastir is even more romantic in its position and surroundings than its sister convents at the "Holy Land of the Greek Church," Mount Athos which lios on the shores of South Macedonia. That "Mountain of the Monks," with its 24 rich and splendid convents is free from banditti, but Rilo Monastir is a well-known sanctuary of brigands. Many a robber has been sheltered by the hospitable monfts, whose spacious premises, uplifted on a little plateau among the crags 3000 ft above the sea-lovel, will accommodate at least 1000 guests. Any pilgrims or strangers may find shelter, so that we must not pass censure on the ecclesiastics, whoso business is simply to open their gates to all who choose to enter for a temporary sojourn.

At Banja, a tiny hamlet up one of the exquisite valleys, used to congregate years ago a famous hand of brigands. But in those beautiful fastnesses are many haunts of the robbers, where the authorities may seek for months without hittinsr on the actual retreat of the depredators hunted for. Tt is in this region that Miss Stone and Madame Zillta are somewhere hidden, probably dragged from spot to spot. Meantime her colloagufs at Samakov are pursuing their devoted work, teaching the Bulg-arlan and Serb boys and girls in the schools. Their task Is not an enviable one, for they are regarded with pqual animosity as heretics both by their Turkish and Bulgarian orthodox neighbours. The priests of the Greek Church in Bulgaria have done little enough to promote the enlightenment of the people, and few of them relish seeing strangprs attempt what they have persistently neglected; while the Sultan's officials are always ready to look at foreign missionaries as political firebrands.