Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-11-22
WHOLE NO. 325.
The zpati Of the Jeb-el-Tour.

The scene of the following anecdote Is laid in a
mountainous region but little known to the Euro.
pean traveller. The few who, have extended their
wanderings through the north of Mesopotafna to-
wards Assyria and Persia, have generally followed
the caravsn route, which runs along the plain from
Diarbekir towards Jezireh and Mosul, passing
through Nisibin and Mardin, towns Of Roman c,
lebrity. However, on our arrival at Diarbekir.
learned that shorter, though much more difficult
route, lay through a range OF mountains which
run parallel to tho right bank Of the Tigris, and
from the last outlying bulwark Of the great chain.
| of Asia Minor and Arimcni. Through these we
accordingly took our way; ard IL we suffered from
the toll and difficulty Of our Journey, we weie
amply repaid by the change from the monotoncus
scenery and sitting atmosphere Of the plains, to
the bracing and constant variety Of the mountain
We had been clanibering all day over the rugged
| passes Of the Jeb-elITour when, towards evening"
we gained the summit Of a ridge which ovcrhung
q beautiful valley, green and cultivated, and III
marked contrast with the savage rocks around
Abdurrachman reined up his horse, and pointed
out the fiat roofs and mud walls Of Achmedi which
we oyfnlly hailed as olT restingpac for the night
| But our guide looked on the sceae with far dife;-
ent feelings, and while our caravan was picking
precarious way down the mountain-sidc, he told
me the story Of his life.
Ere the days Of the renowned Curdish chief,
Beder Khan Bey, Achmedi was a nourishing
Christian village. Secluded in narrow valley Of
the Tour, and accessible only by one or two
difficult mountain-passes, the inhabitants had er-
joyed in peace the fruits Of their industry whilst
the surrounding country was devastated by the in
/ cessant fauds of Mussumans and Christian ,or the
/ incursions OF Kurdish and Arab plnnderers But
in an evil hour, Beder Khan Bey rose to power, ard
determination to the mountain Christians was pre-.
4 claimed. Towns and villages were sacked whole
4 districts depopulated, and such of the unfortunate
inhabitants escaped death by the sword wele
1 doomed to drag on their existence in a state OF
i hopeless slavery
But as yet this little valley remained untouched,
| almost unnOticed. Abdurrachman's father was ore
of the chief men Of the place, hat In consequence
of his age and infrmities, much Of his authority
1 devolved upon his son, who naively informed mo
4 OF the respect in which he was held by all the
young men Of the place, on account of his proves
In feats Of arms and his skill in the chase Of the
panthers and wild goats which haunt the surround
4 ing mountains. N
1t is to be supposed that these Accomplishments
had won him the heart Of beautiful daughter of
the kiayah, for Safti had promised to be bis wife
4 In few days the marriage was to have taken
place, when one evening lonely fugitive, gallor-
ing for life, entered the village, and threw himself
upon the hospitality of the kayah. lie was in
stantly received and kindly entertained hs
wounds were dressed by his hosts daughter, and
4 not until he was thoroughly recovered was he at
lowed to proceed on bis journey. But the beauty
Of his nurse attracted the young Kurd, and as she
rejected all his protcstations of affection he vowed
\ as he left the roof that had sheltered him, that
willing or unwilling she should be his bride with.
4 in three days. ~
A lie was favorite and near relative of Beder
4 Kahn Bey, and towards his camp be Immediately
turned his horses head. The Kurdish forces were
absent on some errand of devastation, but band
/ of dozen bold spirits was soon collected and as
Saf and the other damsels of Achmedi were
bathing in the cool and shady waters Of the noun.
tain stream which skirts the village they suddenly
swept down, and before the alarm could be raised,
4 the loveliest of the, maideps were secured, and
being hurried across the mountains
1 But little had the rnaraudcrs dreamed Of the
energy despair could give their vctims Towards
noon, having put many mile between them and
the scene Of their exploit, and thinking themselves
secure from pursuit. they halted to rest their jaded
steeds. The arms Of their prisoners were unbound;
but, scarcely had they found themseves free, when,
as If by one consent, each maiden endeavcred to
| bury dagger in the breast Of the nearest Kurd
Many fell, and, among others, the young chietain;
but the survivors took bloody revenge and after
massacreing their captves, hurried away TO the
4 Kurdish camp. 4ftk
| At this moment, Abdurachrnan had, in pursuit,
4 reached the spot. and found his intended bride.n
4 the last agonies of death. 1t took but momeDt
| to sever n lock Of hair wet with her blood. and
4
| party. Many went down before his sword but,
at last, ovcrpowered by numbers he fell, covered
! with wounds and WAS left for dead. Days, he
said, must have passed he recovered his senses
but, soon he could travel he left the friends
that had discovered and nursed him, and returned
to Achmedi, to find it q smouderng heap of ruins.
| The Kurds bad swept down 10 avenge the death
Of their comrades, and Of the once happy inhab.
tants Of the valley not one remained.
With every tie 10 home thus severed, he left his
native mountains, aud enlisting in body Of irreg
ular cavalry, then forming at Darbekir, tried to
drown the recollection Of bis sorrows in the ex-
element Of war aud pnnder. This was the first
time he had returned to the Jeb-el-Tour butt
| he said, "what Is II TO me? Achmedi yonder
las risen again. but there are none OF my kin
dred to dwell there and of the happy DAYS OF
my youth, the only record that remains is this -
and he drew from the folds of his znboon a long
tress OF raven hair, heavy aud clotted with blood
Such was our zaptis story, and il Is but too
common one in the mountains of Messopota
mia TO and Armenia. The reader will probably
remember the graphic account Of the persecution
Of the Tiyari, contained In Mr.. Layards first
work ON Nineyeh. Since then, this unfortunate
people have enjoyed comparative peace from OPP
precision. Secluded in their native valley, which
| can only be approached by the most rugged
mountain-paths, scarcely practicable even to the
sure.footed mules Of the country, and covered
by their own mcleks or cbiefs, they mix but lit,
tle with Tie rest Of the world; and now. thas
the incursons of the Kurdish marauders are re.
pressed, they are again returning 10 their homes,
carrying with them lively remembrance of the
name and power Of England, which supported
them in exile, delivered them from their oppres
sors, and restored them to their native hearths
The anecdote we have given above is character
istic Of the difference between the Kurd and Arab
An Arab who once received hospitality, even from
ha itkerest fDp would f,rpver consider b;a bos4,