BAKER'S TURKEY.

Colonist, Volume XIX, Issue 2280, 6 September 1877, Page 4

BAKER'S TURKEY.

(From New York Trihune.) Colonel Bakee, an officer in the English army,,and brother of the celebrated African explorer, Sir Samuel Baker, has gathered the material -for this volume in frequent and extended journeys throughi Turkey in Europe, add a residence'in the country at different times for a period of about three years. He was also brought into intimate contact with the native and foreign officials, gaining much important information on the national finances, political condition, commercial and industrial relations, agricultural resources,' and, the social and dome&tie, habits of the' peopled J Of the opportunities thus afforded, he hae evidently made diligent me, and- though a person of slight literary culture or practice, he has produced a narrative of considerable interest, which will be found not' inopportune in the newly awakened curiosity with regard to Turkish 1 affairs. His workt is written with very, decided prepossessions in favor of the Turks who, in his opinion, hare'been greatly misrepresented, and treated with not' a little prejudice and injustice. He undertakes to exhibit the opposite side of the picture, and to make known i the better qnalities of the Turkish character which have been retained iby the mass of the 'people, 1 in" spite of so man'yjears oi corruption and, double-dealing on the part of their rulers. , Colonel Baker makes no attempt to conceal the errors and faults of the Turkish' Government. But he finds ample occasion to excuse or palliate its' worst shortcomings. A WRESTLING MATCH. While, passing through a village in the interior, inhabited principally by Christian Bulgarians, the author found a great wrestling match going on just outside the town, and he was too decided a lover of athletic sports not to stop and witness the performance. His description of the scene i» one of the most readable passages in hia book : — " A circle about thirty yards in diameter was formed' by the men, "women, and children—Turks, Bulgarians, and a plentiful supply of gipsies—all sitting closely packed together round the circumference. There was the usual accompaniment of a gipsy band, composed of a drum and a clarionet, which was kept going continuously. " A competitor, stripped to the waist, steps into the ring and walks round with a grand air as he displays his muscular frame to the admiring gaze of the bystanders. Presently his antagonist enters the ring, and both i competitors shake hands in a goodnatured way, and a little laughing and chaffing goes on. They then commence walking round, every now and then turning to shake hands again, until suddenly one pounces upon the other to get the "catch/ and the struggle 'commences;' No kicking, is allowedj and the throw must lay the vanquished upon his back, so, that both shoulderblades touch the ground at the same time. The champion was a burly Bulgarian of herculean strength, when, at' the invitation of some black-eyed gipsy'girls'i a fine1 but slim young fellow; of their, tribe entered the lists r aigainstfaiua [;, but, although;considering: his ' youth: he made ,ai; gallant .struggle, * asvquick .throw laid him sprawling on his ( back, to the evident chagrin; and disappointment of the gipsy women.,' Their;eyes flashed with anger as they.;now held as hurried consultation, when off started- a very pretty girl, evidently boundupon some errand. She soon returned with one of the most splendid specimens of humanity I ever saw;., .If, as, is asserted,, there were princes and dukes among the ancient tribe of gipsies:who emigrated to Europe, this must certainly' have' been a deticendant of one of them. ':'.'.' .

"Hi.a fair escort p^shecL him Jintp the/ring with an air of pride and confidence, as much as to say, ' Now you ahallsee what a gipsy ! can do.' The young man was about twehfcy:five years of, •age, and, nearly ',s|x feet b,igh, with,,.a handsome, aristocratic,, and .cheery: countenance,; anil, as he ; toot *,off .his^jacket and handed it to his fair one, and thus stood ' stripped tb the ; waist^, l there was/a buzz of |admirajtibn fromt the 'whole.crowd. He was |Blightly_madei;;but. all, .was sinew.;,; La.ughiingJy, and; half; modestly^ .be shoot his 'powerful antagonist by the hand, and then 'the1 walk round1 cdminen'ce'd 7, the young gipsy 'tkjkin'g and laughing[.Wftpf^tMe.^^it'seeir?^', as" though neithei*. liked J;c)/j;be the, first to ■begin; when suddenljithe Bulgarian turned übarp' uponi his antagonist, :and tried a ■faypr'aible1 catch, but ■ uick:: as JligHtriing the lithe figure of th^ gip'By.eluy:ejci'thp gr^pj^and a sigh :'af relief weiat''upi'{from : jiiß';clanV;.'T'be.; excitement was now intense, and the young girl perfectly quivered*with heiMrou's anxiety as she. watched'eyefym^ JShe;wbiild; have ] ntedes pplen&tj, picture! ;Thej ..ijpje etill^aikjngrpund, and,it seemed as-though thei struggle wouldr. never begin, 'when, lo! a simultaneous cry went forth irom thelw'Holicrow'd, aa the great r Bulgarian lay ; sip^wliiig1; 1' "aha^'lMf y stunrie^ i; ujfon^ thY 'ground. snwr?<l .« 7,'oaiiufl ' • I ! ";Tbe motementa ofitbeigipsy had.beeh so Iquiok that it wasiimpossible' tG say Ihow the ■thrb'w ! 'was'[ done,. but \th^ : B'lilgar'ian was turned^ almoit a' sp'mbrjfguji; Jii'^he air, and came dowW;w'i^tn a beay,y,. thud.'fi /The young champion ahook him by the hand^lifted the 1 bea??y, b,igh/ jiftto,!^..air, and. ; tbeii »eb him b^bis l^ief;.",;../ . iiio-i^ll-^eillT '■<;)■,'' [ * ; back her hero his jacket, was pleasfinti.tp^p.ok upon.. Lucky, man! ( Aa sne^ tpok^'him.by ;the^and 'aio,^ led bim a^ay,^ F^hereveri he came from, I began, to .think there might be a worse'fate=tban;being<agipßyi''i;' w ! : ;Tte prmbip^l Value>'.oftbe^OTk^.bntbe' whole,; consists ]n vijts, detail of, facts ■and' statistics the different branches of tho'Turkish Government at the present time,1 wbicb tbiougTi not in wbat is usii^lly consideresd' !th^ line''io^^a^r'ac'^iy^reaSing-.'. furnisheslajgooS^eaL.bfiseasonable informs !tion tbatiit would,be difficult to obtain ia so compact a form from any other source.' In ' regard' to the Turkish army, Colonel Baker gives his "■ impressions tnat the pfficers^ °as a' rule,- ariaquite inferior to the rank file. ;The Turk, in his opinion, affords the finest . material for a loldier that can be found in

any part of the world, He is strong and hardy, brave, patient/ intelligent^ and'eotier, obedient to.ora^rs, apd attached to his, officers. The Mussulman population* ..from .which the \ recruits are drawn may be put down at about I 16;000.000.'"Tbfr ii a 1 scanty',Supply; trad1 unless' use'is made' of the' Christian pbpula- I tiori jit' would 'be almost' impossible [ for I Turkey ,to, compete with a first rate j European power in a protracted campaign. The supply of horses is large, as the traffic of the country is tarried !/on by means of pack-horses. The animals are small,, but hardy, ■ and well trained, ■ though < better adapted for light cavalry and outpost work than for artillery.