A DRAMATIC STORY.

Northern Advocate, 6 October 1913, Page 3

A DRAMATIC STORY.

HOW KAVALA WAS SAVED

MASSACRE AVERTED. Here is a dramatic story of the war which shows how a brave Turkish fisherman saved the town of Kavala from massacre by the retreating Bulgarian army. It is a graphic sidelight on the horrors due to the re-opening of the war. A GREAT HAND STRETCHED OVER HIM. "I have heard from an eye-wit-ness most striking and picturesque details as to the way in which Kavala was saved just in the nick of time from fire and slaughter," says the Salonica correspondent of the "Telegraph." "The mass of the Bulgar army in danger of having its retreat cut off from the north, had evacuated the town, leaving behind only a small force of 200 men, commanded by a lieutenant, with orders to burn and sack the town next day. The terrified people had hidden themselves in their darkened houses, behind locked doors and barred windows. Rumours had gone about that the garrison quartered in the fortress overlooking the town was laying in large stores of petroleum, and that bayonets were being sharpened and guns loaded. There was nothing to hope for or to do; only with unavailing curses and prayers await the coming of death in its most hideous form.

"Through the pitch-black streets a Turkish boatman crept down to the ljort. Xo boat was allowed, to leave the 'bay, patrols faced the quay, searchlights flashed over the still and silent waters. Very quietly, lying Hat on the grey stones, he loosened his little craft, crawled in, and, with muffled oars, pulled away. None heard" him and the searchlights playing all around left him in darkness. It was says he, as if a great hand were stretched over him, and its shadow lay around his boat.

"He cleared the bay, and with all his might and main bent to his oars. Far across the sea, eighteen miles away in the Bay of Thassos, lay the Greek fleet. Through the long hours of the: night he rowed, heedless of aching arms and limbs, rowed for his life and the lives of thousands who lay behind him in the quaking town. In the early morning the port of Thassors opened before him. The great ships were there, always under pressure, straining at their anchors.

"With a last effort he pulled up to the side, and the startled sailors hanging over the gangway heard a cry of warning, a cry for help, rise up into the night. 'For the sake of Allah and for the sake of your God, come quick, for at tlie sunrise the Bulgars sack the town. "At morn a thin column of smoke rose behind the promontory. What could it be? With beating, shaking hearts they watched the nose of a ship creep round the corner, a long, low, grey thing with protruding guns and funnels vomiting smoke. ! "THE GREEK FLEET!" "It was a destroyer. At the stern floated something they could not see. tfes, God in Heaven, it was blue with a white cross! The next instant the bell was clanging out a crazy, jerky peal, and a frantic creature was tearing down the streets shrieking, 'The Greek fleet! The Greek fleet! , "In one moment shutters were let down, doors burst open, and a shouting, sobbing crowd rushed down to the sea. The destroyer had stopped, a boat was lowered, the captain was rowed ashore. He had hardly time to touch the ground before fifty strong arms had caught him up and, 'with weeping and with laughter,' carIried him shoulder high through the cheering streets, whilst behind him, contentedly nodding his red-fezzed head, unobstrusively walked the simple Turkish fisherman who had saved the town."