The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-12-09
DESTRUCTION AND SACKING OF
SCIO.
BY REV. J. 5 C. ABBOTT.

OClO.
BY REV. J. C. ABBOTT.
Scio was one of the largest richest and
most beautiful islands of the Grecian Archi-
pelago. IL contained at the commencement
oil the Greek revolution 10000 inhabitants
| Extensive commerce had brought to the ISL
and the treasures OF the East and the West,
and her opuleni families, refined in manners
by Eropean travel, and with minds highly
| cultivated, afiorcing The most intelligent and
fascinating society of the East. Schools
| fiourished upon the island and richly en-
| dowed colleges were crowded with Grecian
youth. The traveller lured by the moon
| light of that gorgeous cline 10 an evening
stroll through the streets of Scio, heard
| from the dwelling OF the wealthy Greek the
tones Of the piano and guitar, touched by
| fingers skilled in all the polite accomplish
ments Many oithese families were living
in the enjoyment ofhighIy cultivated minds,
and polished manners, rendered doubIy at
tractve by all the establishments of wealth
| The Grecian revolt extended 10 this island,
and Sultan Mahommed resolved upon sig
nal vengeance. He proclaimed TO all the
desperates OF the Bosphorus that the inhabi-
tants Of Scio, male and female, with all
their possessions, were TO be entirely sur
rendered 10 the Adventures, who would en-
bark in the expedition for its destruction
Every rufiain of Constantinople crowded to
the Turkish fleet. The (erocious and semi
savage boatmen OF the Bosphorus; the
Sowing Christian-hating wretches, who in
poverty and crime throhged the lanes and
the alleys oil the Moslem city, rushed eager
ly 10 the squadron. Every scoundrel and
renegade upon the frontiers of Europe and
Asa, who could cIme with knife or club,
was received with a welcome In this way
a reinforcement OF about ten thousand assas-
sins, the very refuse of creation, were col
lected, and other thousands followed on in
schooners and sloops and fishing boats,
swelling the number 10 fifteen thousand men,
10 Join IN the sack and the carnage. The
fleet dropped down the Bosphorus amidst
the acclamations Of Constaniinople, Pera,
Scutari, and the reverberations of the part
ing rolled along the shores of Europe and OF
Asia.
Ii was lovely afternoon in the month Of
April. 1922, when The fleet was seen on the
bosom OF the Kgean, approaching Scio IT
anchored IN the bay. aud Immediately vomi-
ted forth upon those Inflated shores the
murderous hordes collected for their des-
truction. Who can imagine the horrors Of
the night that ensued. The brutal mob.
phrenZied with RIGHTEOUSNESS and rape.
were let lose with unresfrained liberty. 10
glut their vengeance. The city was fred
IN every direction. lndscriminate massa-
ere ensued.
Men, women and children were shot down
without mercy. Every house was entered
every apartment was ransacbed. The scm-
ear and pistol of the Turk were every
where busy. The frantic cries of the perish
ing rose above the roar of exploding ar.il-
lery and musketry, and the clamor OF the on
set.-Mothers and daughters in despair
rushed into the flames Of their burning
dwellings. And thus'for six dreadful DAYS
and nights did the work OF determination
continue, till the city and the island of Scio
were heap Of ruins. Several thousand of
The youth of both sexes were saved TO be sold
as slaves. The young men taken from the
literary seclusioh, and intellectual refine
ment oi'iLc College of Scio, were sold IN the
degrading servitute of hopeless bondage
The young ladies taken from the pailurs of
their opulcni parents from she accomplish
ment of highly cultivated life and who had
visited in the refined circles Of London and
Paris, who'hnd been brought up as delicate
ly, says an English writer, 'as luxuriously
and almost as Intellectually as those OF the
same classes among ourselves, became the
| VI anu lcTDClOuS
outcasts OF the human race. II is said that
forty-one thousand we're thus carried into
slavery. For weeks and months they were
sold through all the marts ofthe Roman en-
| pire, like slaves in Washington, or cattle in
| the shambles.
| As the feet returned TO Constantinople
from its murderous excursion, the whole city
was on the alert TO witness the triumphant
entrance. As the leading ship rounded the
point of land, which brought it into the view
ofthe whole city, many captured Greeks
were seen standing on deck, with ropes
| around their necks, and suddenly they were
strung up 10 the bowsprit and every yard
| arm, struggling in the agonies of death.
And thus as ship after ship turned the point
| the struggling forms ofdying men swung in
| the breeze. These were the hOrrid orna-
ments and trophies Of barbarian triumphs.
In view ofthem, The very shores of th- Bos-
phorus seemed 10 he shaken by the explosion
ofariillery, ana by the exulting shouts of the
millions of inhabitants who thronged the
streets of Constantinople, Pera and Sou
tart.
These outrages, however, terminated the
sway of the Turk over the Greek. They
aroused through all Europe an universal
cry ofhorror and detestaiion. The sympa-
thy Of the people was so intense, that the
governments OF England and France could
no longer refuse 10 interfere. Their fleets
were allied with that of Russia; The
Turkish fleet was annihilated at Navarino !
and Greece was free.
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