The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-08-14 00:00:00

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

"On Monday, the 9th inst., a rising of the Moslem
mob of Damascus took place, and the Christian quarter
was attacked on all sides, pillaged, and burnt entirely,
with whole churches and convents; and, between priests
(Franks as well as natives), the people of Damascus,
and fugitives, more than 5.000 fell victims, while
women were violated and children massacred. This
state of things continued for seven days, the Turkish
authorities either didng nothing, or conniving at the
slaughter. :is, children and women, married and
unmarried, were driven into the streets, crying for
help and assistance, with heads uncovered and feet
naked, appeasing to the mercy of the murderers, but
some of them were taken into the respectable Moslem
houses, also to the English and Prussian Consulates (as
they were the only ones saved). This done, these
brigands turned their attention to the city, and pillaged
all the Christian warehouses and shops, so that the
Chrisdian population of Damascus are either killed or
ruined. No doubt, such calamities will fall heavily
upon some of the respectable Moslem commercial houses
of Damascmi, and also on some here. This is the state
of things at present. May God, when these things are
known in Europe, inspire its Christian Princes to conic
to our help, and save us, at least, from further
atrocities I"

The following are extracts of letters from a Ear an
resident nu Damascus to a friend in heyrout .
Damascus, July 14, 9 a.m.
" You must have received most inadtsjuate accounts
of the stake of matters in this city. 'lite .Ull never
shone on a more awful scene than the Christian quarter
presented on the 10th. The b were plundering not
only the houses of the Christians, hut went on that day
through the city and broke open and plundered their
shops; and all day hundreds of houses were 00 fire, and,
as far as I can learn, from 1,090 to 2,010 Christians
were butchered on that day alone, with as little limita-
tion or remorse and as. much exultation as • sportsman
shoots partridges. It is true that great numbscs of the
2sloslenis did save the fleeing Cl 'am and conceal
them, hut the mob of Moslems, Kurds, Drones, and
Arabs killed them wherever they found them, hiding or
flying. Then multitudes hid in cellars, closets, presses.
wells, lie., and the 110t1,406 were burnt over their heads.
How many of them perished God alone knows. On
Sunday and Monday night the richest plunder was
made. On Tuesilay there was the greatest destruction
of life. The conflagration continued into last night,
but seems extinct this moniing. On Wednesday a
report that two Christians had fired on some Moslems
renewed the anarchy, panic, and slaughter. It was then
my Moslem neighbours advised iny flight to the l'onsu-
late. All the Christian quarter. except scattered
houses adjoining the Modems, is burned, and is a lieup
'of ruins. Yesterday, it is said, there was no slaughter,
and today there appears to be no fire
'(ln NI lay there were alsiut Ist 000 or 20 009

•hristian inhabitants in the city, and 7,060 or 8,000 Poor
refugees from other places. Between 11.000 and 12.000
are collected in the Castle awl fed by the Government.
WOlllell and children have been, and are, I suppose,
still being carried dr by Kurds, Druses. and 31tosleius
at their Mill. A very large number of men, woolen,
and children are kept, with more or less kindness in
Moslem lo.uses ; but how many thousands have perished
God alone knows. -

" Then the panic was a terrible evil; men kgpt for
days in mouientary terror of death, children separated
from their parents, and husbands from their wives.
Generally, no two of a family escaped together, and it is
only slowly now that the separated members of the
same family are beginning—not to assemble together,
for no one yet dares to leave his hiding-place, except
under a guard, but--to leans of each other.
" In some respects I could certainly exaggerate, for
could say that all the Christians were killed, or make
some similar statement ; but, on the other liana, no
words which I can use wuld give you an adequate
idea of the horrors, of the plunder, the fire, the
destruction, and the slaughter. The smell in the
Christian quarter from the dead is horrible, and they !
are now throwing them into wells and into the river,
And burying them in every possible way. Thus even
the wells are being destroyed, and on them the Chris-
tians chiefly depended for water for drinking and
cooking. Could destruction be more complete?
"There is no business here. It is difficult to procure
bread, meat, and vegetables. The shops are all shut,
the great gates of the khans and bazaars are all shut,
and opened for no one. The people of each quarter
have begun to guard it, and will not let any stranger
pass through it unless bringing provisions for the city.
This, indeed, gives us some hope of safety, but it is from
the citizens who begin to fear for themselves and their
property. The Government have done nothing. The
one wish and prayer of us all is for a way of escape to
I3eyrout."