The Iowa patriot. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1839-1839, 1839-06-06
HORRIBLE MASSACRE.
Athens, Jan.


Athens, Jan. 7.
On the 10th OF November last, the
Turkish schooner Cherkaj-Schergf, the
Prophets Mantle anchored in the Bay of
Patras, its crew consisting Of Captain
Said, of Vourla, and nine others. The
vessel carried besides, eight passengers, a
German antiquary, M. Hundschift; Mr.
and Mrs Davidson. of Carolina, with their
three little daughters; and two young
Turks, Abdallah and Hussein, twin sons
Of the Aga of Kars. The Cargo consist
ed of Cashmere shawls, oriental trinkets,
Circassian embroidery, and other valua-
BILE articles. On the evening of the 18th,
the crew and passengers returned On board
and on the 18th, at dawn, the vessel was
to sail. The Patras fishermen perceived
by the schooner's lights that she was sail
ing, though they did not hear the custom
airy signal-gun fire. Some hours after,
when the sun was above the horizon, a
few fishermen spreading their nets on the
shore, deserted a man struggling amidst
the waves. Two of them rowed to his
assistance, and arrived in time to save him.
He was youth dressed in Turkish cos
tune. His condition was horrible: he
was faint;ng, and the blood was gushing
from large recent wound in his head.
He was conveyed, speeches. to cabin,
where every attention was paid him.
The fishermen, conjecturing that other
persons might have been wrecked, pro-
ceeded with their boats in various drec-
tons. They shortly espied the carcase
of a vessel, which was soon thrown on
the coast. 1t was the Cherkaj-Schergf
The scene she presented was horrible !;
on the deck, which was streaming with
blood, lay the atrociously mangled corp
ses of the captain and eleven other per-
sons. Below, in one of the cabins, were
extended the lifeless bodies of Mrs David
son and her three daughters. The ships
mast and oars had been demolished with
axes, and her whole cargo had been plum
dered. The occurrence was forthwith re-
ported to the Governor of Patras, and the
poor youth saved by the fishermen was
carried to an hospital. Every attempt at
discovering the perpetrators of this atroci-
Gus carnage was at first fruitess. All
that was ascertained was, that on the
evening before the schooner was to have
sailed, brig, which appeared to be from
the Island Of Samos, had beat about the
Bay of Patras. Two days after, the dead
bodies of two more Of the crew were
found on the shore. At length the young
Abdallah whom the fishermen had saved
recovered enough to declare the follow
ing: The schooner had scarcely left
the Bay of Iatras-the sea was calm
the passengers and a part of crew had
retired to the cabins--when fearful tu-
mutt was suddenly heard. Fifteen ruff
ans, armed with daggers and yataghans,
had boarded the vessel, and, before any
resistance could be attempted, massacred
or threw overheard every soul on deck.
Abdallah had beheld the death of his
brother, and he was making himself a
desperate defence when the cut of vat
Afghan cast him into the sea. Abdallah
had added, that on the day he arrived at
Patras he had been with his brother and
the captain into coffee house, and that
he thought he had seen there two men
whom he had since seen again on the aw-
ful night of the 18th of November. The
youth farther stated, that the captain had
long talked before the two men of the
richness of his cargo, and that next dav,
on the owner of the coffee house being ask
ed who these two strangers were, he had
replied that they were old soldiers of Hy-
dra, living quietly at their homes. The
coffee house keeper was then questioned.
At first he denied all, but subsequently
ayowed that the two men had conversed
with Abdallah and the captain, adding
that he knew nothing of what they might
have done. Notwithstanding this dcclar-
alton he was imprisoned, when his wife,
alarmed at the consequences which her
husbands concealment might entail, dis
closed the fact that the suspicious individ,
uals were George Diomadi and Alexander
t,loukos, two of the most formidable pi.
: rates of Samos, and that their strong hole
was near the Cavern of Philoctetes. The
woman protested that her husband wa:
gnillless, and that his only relations with
them were those of friendship formed
while serving together in the Greek insur
rection. Upon these circumstances being
communicated to the Governor of Same:
he FASTENED with 800 infantry and 81
horse to the Cavern of Philoctetes which
he caused to be surrounded. He in per
son, with so picked men, entered the den
I Scarcely had he entered in its dark vaults
when he had to sustain discharge o
musketry. After sanguinary struggle
which obserrity rendered still more horri
bic the fire of the pirate band was silenced
Fifteen of them had been slain, one onl,
was captured, and the remainder had es
capped by an aperture which the Govern
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