The Albanians in Macedonia.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 2, 12 January 1907, Page 25

The Albanians in Macedonia.

(By

A TRAVELLER.)

Much of the difficulty of th • Macedonian queMion lies in the num I ter of side

issues that it involves, and in its unchanging character. Five years ago the division was between Moslem anil Chris-

tian; to-day it is apparutly between Christian and Christian Greek and Bul-

gar. The rivalry lad ween these two, taken in conjunction with the weakness of the administrative machinery provided by th? Porte, may be regarded as the

primary cause of the present state of affairs. But it niu-t not be forgotten that there are other fruitful sources of trouble in the country—and notably the Albanians.

There is, of course, no real dividing line bet wet u Albania and Macedonia. In the three vilayets that comprise Macedonia the population of the western district is largely Albanian, and individual Albanians are scattered over the length and breadth of the country. This western side of the Balkan States is a wild, inaccessible region—a series of mountain ranges and de.p river valleys—much of it densely wooded, and some of it almost unexplored. There is little cultivation to |r» seen, and the only sign of human habitation is an occasional mountain village. The railway ends at Monastir, and roads are unworthy of the name, so that means of communication are few and far between. It is. in fact, an ideal country for the lawless mountaineers who inhabit it — hard to subdue*, and harder still to hold in subjection. The Albanians have always shown themselves the worthy descendants of the Illyrians—the “aspera gens” that delied the Roman legions. They have played no part in European history, and have only become prominent through the exploits of such free-lances as Skanderb g and Ali of Janina. Though they are nominally subjects of the Ottoman Empire, they have never been, thanks to the security of their mountain fastnesses—in the true sense, • a conquered people. At the present time Albania is virtually independent, and the Albanians have steadily encroached on the Macedonian vilayets. There are a few Turkish officials and some troops quartered in their country, but they are exempt from conscription; they pay some trifling taxes, which are collected with the utmost difficulty; and they are tried on capital charges by their own tribal customs, instead of by Turkish Jaw. Though there are both Moslem and Christian Albanians —the former outnumbering the latter by about two to one—they are indifferent rather than fanatic in religions matters. They have stood apart from the struggle that has depopulated Macedonia, and only take advantage of it to make an occasional foray among the Slav villages, or to attack any isolated body of the Sultan’s troops. The Turks have a wholesome respect for them. For example, many of the troops quartered in their district wear the Albanian cap instead of the fez, to conciliate the inhabitants. A month ago a complaint was made to tlie Turkish authorities from several villages in the Go-tivar district that life and property were not safe, owing to the. presence of, some well-known Albanian brigands, who levy a regular tribute and have kidnapped many of the villagers,, but no steps have yet been taken to deal with them. Sbmetimes. such a state of things develops into open rebellion. The other day some hundreds of the mountaineers assembled - near Vutcheta, refusing to pay their taxes; troops were marched to the spot, ami an action was fought, in which artillerv .was freely used, lasting for twenty-four hours, before the insurgents came to terms. But, though on these occasions the Turk strikes’hard,, tlie effect is very brief, and all prospect of law and order disappears with the'departure of the troops, ‘The 'Albanians arc pre-eminently ‘‘open-air men’.’; tall and fair, with weatherbeaten fac<?s and a frank, op?n expression, which reveals the indefxnidenco of character that such a life produces. The Tosks, or southern branch, wear the kilt; the GhegS, or northerners, have loose trousers, titling tight below the knops, and ornamented with braid. Above this comes the thick Toil sash, wound several times round the body, the inevitable cartridge-belt, a short jacket adorned with rough embroidery, and a white felt skull cap. The picturesque effect is heightened by the rille, which is carried by every male, and perhaps a murderous-looking pistol. »

The pride of the \lhanian is proved bial, and even the casual ptqu»anl has a certain dignity wiiieh at once distinguishes him from the fawning Greek, or the dull, suspit'iuus Bulgar. They are a hospitable also truthful and honest that is. they despi-e petty theft, though robbery with violence is anuthw matter; in fact, they are conspivuous for many of those virtues, often to l»« foiindxin a ravage people, which civilisation seems to destroy. Their life is a simple one. and their Mandat'd ol comfort seems to be singularly low. Art and literature, education, trade, or coinmerce. |M>litical aspirations—all that we are accustomed to associate with progress — are almost non existent among them.

They retain all the o!d lawlessness for which they were famous in the past. Practically the whole population is armed, the tradition of the vendetta is still strong in the country, and the result is a perpetual state of private war—north against south, clan against clan, ami family against family. It is only these internecine quarrels that prevent so warlike a people from playing a greater part in the polities of the Balkans. A good picture of Albanian life may be seen when the villagers leave the shepherds* huts on the hill, where they have taken their flocks and herds for the summer, to return home. There is a long procession of rough ox-sledges, pacK-ponies, and donkeys tottering beneath the most surprising loads, halfveiled women and noisy children, protected by a pack of wolf like dogs—always ready to attack the stranger. The men are in trenienoous spirits, singing some wild mountain song, heating the oxen, and from time to time tiring their rifles in the air. They all seem to be ]>ossessed of a sort of schoolboy spirit ; indeed, this is charact riMie of them as a people. For example, the regular form of retaliation by tlie Christians for any insult, from the Moslems is to kill a pig in their mo-que. As regards their relations with their neighbours, it may bo said that their hand is against every man, and every man's hand too fully occupied to be turned against them. They resent the Turkish rule, they despise the Serbs and Bulgars, and mistrn-t any interference on the part of Austria or Russia. At present they have no proper outlet for their energies. Many of them are volunteers in the Ottoman army, and their regiments acquit ted themselves well at Plevna and in the Graeco Turkish war. But they ai;e seldom under prop *r control, and a regular otliiial explanation of. outrages by the troops is “that the Albanians got out of hand.” Others have taken advantage of the troubles in Macedonia, and in many districts there the name Albanian is synonymous with sheep stealer or brigand. Au Englishman who has farmed for many years in the country declares that they are the greatest curse that it contains. Assuming that, a necessary preliminary to any reform in Macedonia is that some security for life and property should be established, the Albanians at once bcconc*. an important factor in the question. In the event of a general conflagration, much must depend on the attitude that they adopt. Needless to say, political theorists have been busied with tplans for the future of their Country, but whatever it js to be —part of a reformed Turkey, a protectorate, or an autonomous Albania—it may be safely said that its first need is admiration. And the same thing ap plies to the people. All who know them testify to their many excellent qualities, which only need discipline to be more fully revealed. This has happened in other cases. There have been similar peoples on the Indian frontiers, who now provide the best possible material for the Indian army. At present we torn! to lose sFght of the Albanians in the face of the more pressing problems with which we are confronted in Macedonia, but a time must come soon when their claim to our coir iderat ion can no longer 1> • ignored.