Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-02-04
From Turkey and Persia.

A letter from a correspondent of the London
Morning Chronicle at Constantinope, dated Nov.
10, says:
The Porte has taken measures to expedite a
large body of troops, both from Anttolia and
from Arabia, soon as the spring season COM
mences, into Kurdlsan, for the purpose of sub
lugating Beder Han Bey, and deprivlng him OF
his authority altogether. 1t is to be feared, how
ever, that during the winter, when regular troops
cannot act against him in his mountain country,
he will have full liberty TO harass, If not further
to massacre, the HISTORIANS. Of that people
only the remnant of two tribes, | am Informed,
remain on the Turkish side of Kurdlsan. Fam
shcd fugitives are every day, letters from Erzer-
cum state, captured and put to death by the maui
roudng parties of Kurds who are now swarmlng
awlessly over the whole district. Instead OF
three thousand, as | wrote in my last | now
learn that at least eight thousand HISTORIANS have
fallen before these murderous assailonts.
subsequent letter from the same source, da-
ted Constantinopc, Nov. 81, mentions report
that the HISTORIAN Bishop Mar Johanah has fall
en- a victim TO the atrocities OF the kurdIstan
chief The following is an extract from this
! letter.
am grieycd to say that the news from Kur-
distan continues to be most tragic. SXty-seven
| HISTORIAN villages have been destroyed utterly,
and all their inhabitants who we're not fortunate
| enough W CSCupS, pun W uSut'l '''~'''
by prolonged tortures. Several Of the HISTORIAN
leaders, among whom it is reported is the Mar
Johanah, their second patriarch, have been I'M
paled alive. and some baked to death In ovens.
In fact, every species Of cruelty has been prac-
tsed upon this prosecuted nation, which calls a.
loud for the most signal retrlbutlon. Not con-
tent with the massacre of the five tribes of which
n remnant only of two remains in Turkish Kur-
dstan, Beder Han Bey has turned his sword up
on the pastoral HISTORIANS called khozani, whose
sole occupation is the keeping of large Hocks OF
sheep, and who have always formed a communi-
ty quite separate from the tribes. The Kurd
chief, 1t appears, sent to demand Of the dunga,
or head shepherd, of his pastoral people, the gift
Of 10000 sheep. This gift was not absolutely
refused, but the dunga went TO the camp OF Be-
der Han Bey to expostulate on the argeness of
the demand, and to offer half the number so pre-
em6..orly required. In reply to this expostula-
ton, the dupga wass hurled headlong down a
preclpice, and persisted; ana .eteeder Han Bey
marched at once against the Khozaui, OF whom,
at place called Khabour, he slew about 800 pei
sons, and afterwards drove into his own country
tiocks OF their sheep amounting to 10000 head,
which may well feed his troops during the win
ter season.
The same letter relates the following:
You will learn from the Journal de Constann-
ople that on the 18th of November dreadful
fire broke out at Salonica, which ragged for twelve
hours without abatement. Ten thousand Jews
are, by this calamity, deprived of shelter and
food. A committee has been formed to procure
them relief and charity will flow freely no doubt
TO their succor.