Where Revolution Reigns.

Southland Times, Issue 19185, 24 October 1903, Page 6 (Supplement)

Where Revolution Reigns.

AN EXOLIsmVOMAN'^ EXPERIENCE IN MACEDONIA. 'Daily Maih. Monastir. Aug. 19. We are here m the middle of the Macedonian revolution, and no one knows from morning to night whether he or .she will he alive at the end ot the dnj'- I believe it is by some euphemistically culled v "9tute of unrest." Few annoug the Western folk here know what is really on, so perhaps it mnj be of interest to state what it is like to the non-combatant and spectator, in a community where all the deeds of war are happening oven though they are not yet being graced by tho name. The revolution was only officially proclaimed in nmno on Sunday. Aug. 2nd, but. some time before that bloodshed had been quite common. On the very night of that day. however, the insurgents proceeded to show what their plans were by -*etting on lire a number of villages — or, at any rate, all the principal houses and properties in ihem— belonging to Turks. .lust, outstdo Monastir a large number of ricks belonging to a well-to-do hay and corn merchant was set on lire, and tho blaze lasted for three days, at the end of which not nn atom was left, and the proprietor was absolutely penniless ! The next night, those people whose houses were high enough to get a good view of the plain were alarmed to see at first what appeared to be bonfires in tho distance. They grew larger and larger, till it was evident that whole villages had been set on (ire, and in a systematic way, too : for no sooner was one fired than two or three more blazed up, till the whole plain was alight. In the morning come the news that all the villagers had left their homes and fled to the mountains-, while crowds of soldiers marched hither and thither trying to catch the insurgents, but tho density of the woods prevented them from having any success. THE MURDER. Each succeeding night more villages were [burned, till ut last, out of all that vast plain, only one, Mobhila (where was the most dreadful massacre some time ago) remained intact. Then caino tho murder of M. Rostkowsky, which produced an enormous stir and confusion. Hearing the report of the guns, the inhabitants of Monastir at firm thought that the insurgents had come to besiege the town. Shutters were hastily put up, shops closed, and soldiers rushed through the streets with open knives in their hands. The impression produced was twofold. The Turks naturally did not like M. Rostkowsky, and wore enraged at the sentences announced at the recent trial. One man declared openly that if another Russian consul wero appointed he would share the same fate ! The Bulgarians, and insurgents in particular, seem to be rendered quite desperate by the murder, since whereas they previously only fired the villages b.v night, they now do so in broad daylight, nnd on August llth a town about two hours distant from Monastir was burning all tho afternoon and eveniuig. A letter of condolence sent to Mine. Rostkowsky by tho Bulgarians in Monastir and district ended with the jwords :-— " Greatter love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends !" In consqquenco of thei peasants having left their villages, it became impossible to procure either eggs, wood, coal, or any farm produce in Monastir, and during two days after the murder all the shops and markets were closed. For several days telegrams have had to be sent b.v rail to Salonica, and then despatched from there in the ordinai-y way, for all the wires have been cut. A week ago a railway bridge was blown up, so the train could not go at all. THE INSURGENTS. It is known! that about twenty thousand insurgents from the vilayet of Monastir alone have gone into tho mountains, and Prom tho town of Monastir about 600 young men of good families have likewise loft. Several Bulgarian officers are with them, and aro training the recruits,

and nearly all will remain in hiding until a state of proficiency is attained. In the meantime they want to provoke the Turks (by burning their property, etc.) to massacre tho Christians, when they hope the whole of civilised Europo will interfere, and they themselves will bo able to join vi tho fray. In the little villages one )ften meets a woman whoso husband ias gone with tho insurgents, while he is left, penniless, with several nildron to keep. Asked what has iiecome of her husband, " sho does not know," although you may be perfectly sure all tho timo from tho look on her face, that she does, and in her own mind quite agrees with him. The situation in ther essentially country districts is fairly well known to a few. About three weeks ag-o, M. liostkowsky. accompanied by his wife and daughter, went on a riding tour through the district of Morichovo, a part of the country which is deservedly celebrated) for the wild magnificence of its scenery. Tho party usually travelled during the. day, and at night stayed either at a monastery in one of the mountains, or else put up at one of tho little villages through which they passed. Everywhere they beheld signs of tho deepest distress. Numbers of the insurgents had been and were still, passing through the district, and often as they rode along tho. party saw tra'cos of the peculiarly shaped nailed boots worn by the.se people. Onco they witnessed a fight between the revolutionists and a Mud of Turkish soldiers, in which the former wero defeated. It took place on the plain, so that a good view was obtained from the mountain on which M. Rostkowsky nnd his friends were resting. After the fray they met a peasant, and asked him what had happened, but ho persistently declared that he had no knowledge whatever of the affair, although it was evident he had .lust come from tt. ' TURKISH TYRANNY. ! In all tlie villages they passed through tho peasants ennie to meet M. Rostkowsky. and often after riding all day he had to listen for two or three hours to their grievances before taking any rest or refreshment. The stories told were pitiable in the extreme. Should the people refuse to aid the insurgents, they would beat them and take away all the little property they possessed. If, on tho | other hand, the peasants gave food and shelter lo the revolutionists they j received the same delightful treatment from the Turkish soldiers who j are ravaging the country. In ono j \illage the Consul was shown some old men who had been beaten so j cruelly by the Turks, that, although it had been done more than a month] ago. they were still unable to walk. The only bod of these unfortunates was a bundle of straw, nnd for clothes they were"i compelled to wear the poor rags they possessed both day and night. In most places there was not one man, woman or chil^f who had not been thus tortured. The consequences of this journey wero even more disastrous, for the Turks, hearing that the Consul had passed through tho villages, and fearing that .the peasants had been making complaints, sent a band of soldiers to each of the villages to bout and ill-use the people for daring to state their grievances, and these unlucky individuals, in the midst of their anguish, exclaimed, " Why did tho Russian Consul come this way, if we are to bo beaten for having looked at him ?" A.s the Consul said on his return, " Even for my greatest enemy I could not wish a wo raj fate than that he should become a Bulgarian peasant !" The poor people are in a state of absolute destitution. . Their clothes (if one can so term them) are merely a collection of old rags stitched together, and more often than not they walk about minus shoes and stockings. SOLDIERS IN RAGS. Tho country is overrun by troops. Here in the large -town of Monastir, by far tho greater number of people to be met in the streets are dirty, lagged soldiers. These seem really to be pitied, for they look absolutely unkempt ! What clothes thoy have are threadbare and in rags, but they have to wear them day and night, for the sleeping accommodation consists of a small room to every eight or ton men, with bundles of straw to lie on. nnd no beclothes whatever ! This was told me by a recent visitor ut the bnrracks. I believe I a-m right in saying that tho soldiers are supposed to be paid a small sum per duy. but it is very rarely that they receive any remuneration at all ! A striking contrast to theso poor specimens of humanity are the officers, most of whom are rather smart, at nil events, as regards their clothes, for every little tailor in the town is busy working for them, and they would almost rather go without food than a liberal supply of perfumes ! Apart from the soldiers I may add that hundreds of peasants arc leaving their villages and passing through Monastir, some on route for Salonica, others to tho mountains. They and tho troops, each rifle in hand, will meet again later on. Both parties know it full well. AN ENGLISHWOMAN.