Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-08-11
A Story Of Colts Revolver.


An Irishman, formerly we'll known as one of
the choicest spirits in Trinity College, Dublin
but who, owing to the dilapidated fortunes of
his ancient family, expatriated himself some
few years since, and entered the Turkish army
wrote letter or rather Journal addressed to a
friend about year since, of which the follow
ing is an extract. 1t may suffice to state that
he was engaged in the Turkish campaign in
Asia, and during a severe engagement was
wounded on the heights of Basch-K akik- Lar
After having described the horrors of the field
and his narrow escapes in two or three
skirmishes, he gave the details of his Sufferings
| for day and two nights during which he lay
| exposed among the slain and wounded on the
field of battle. The story of the manner of
his escape from two plunderers or camp follow
ers, by means of arevolving pistol is so curious
that we make no apology for extracting a
| somewhat lengthy passage. Wecommence the
narrative about the middle of the journal
All has been long silent save occasionally
groan from some poor creature wounded like
me, perhaps dying, and the bowling of the
wolves from the forest skirting the field of bat
tle-a pretty sort of wake for decent Christian
Turk, and worse by distances, | can tell YOU,
| my dear --, than Pat Houagan's grand
| mothers screeches the night we entered her
| cabin on the moor after that famous DAYS snpe
| shooting when they laid him out as they said,
" so daccnt wild the plate on his chest, the
spalpeen." Well, tOreturn from this DEPRESSION
| | felt how fortunate it was that lay so near
| the middle Of the plain-a sort of centre dish
| you see-since otherwise | would have been
torn by some savage or other, before any one
would have been likely to inquire into the precise
| geological nature of my decease. knew very
we'll the next morning [ would be rescued as
| | could see that the Russians were retiring
their fires being all out this night and | had
just said to myself, Jack, it is all right, YOU
will be easy and comfortable with your limb
elegantly bandaged tomorrow" and actually
tried to whistle 80 The Bells of Shandon," and
Rory O'More," and one or two other tunes
to keep up my spirits. 1t was rather failure
both in execution and intention, will own
And now for description which our old friend
Charley Lever might do justice to-
On a leahess tree near me sat six or seven
huge birds of prey, gorged with their horrible
repast | knew they were not likely to touch
me whilst | remained liviDg-I cannot add
lively but | suddenly saw figure fitting to
and fro, like the ghost of my aunt - and
occasionally STOPPING as if engaged in some
Office of mercy, and thereby now and then lost
among the broken groups of men, and horses,
&c, heaped upon the plain, and now and then
emerging into the bright light of the moon as
| it came forth from behind the dark masses Of
clouds that occasionally obscured the terrible
landscape "What is lit ?" says |. Presently
| became aware of the existence of four or
five other figures similarly employed At one
time | thought they were women, and then
priest administering consolation and aid.
thought of the Spanish stories poor Major
Atkins used to tell us. | knew there were
monks in Asia, though could not tell where
they came from Then all kinds of strange
thoughts of ghosts and vampires, the very
creations of the country was in, suggested
themselves to my Imagination. | gazed until
| could gaze no longer at their FORMS which
seemed hardly to approach nearer, and at
length fell back, contemplating a slvery halo
round the moon, which puts me in mind of the
Cove of Cork and Lucy Nj, the darling.
| might have continued thus about half an
hour, when a sound caused me to turn around
and beheld sight that filled me with horror
A figure like one of the witches in Macbeth
was STOPPING over and graphing with the
wounded Russian General, who lay some ten
| PAGES ulSlanU from HE. COulQ near every
breath and movement of the pair as the veteran
struggled with his fendsh assailant There
was fearful stiffness about the deed for the
victim uttered not word probably in disdain
of his fate After desperate effort he succeed
cd in holding off her skinny and ensanguined
arms, and while doing so uttered few words
| in Russian which | could not understand
Finding her task difficult, she gave hiss like
a serpent, and presently a male confederate,
looking like Burke or Hare clothed for an
Adelphia me!odrama such as | have seen in
London, stole to her assistance and deliberately
passed long knife into the bosom of the hap
less Russian. / heard the sound of it, and the
low deep groan that followed. Vainly had |
endeavored to shout, in order to scare these
fiends from their prey but my tongue Glove
to the roof of my mouth. Twas like one under
a nightmare. Suddenly the moon dived
beneath cloud. When it came out again, the
spoilers of the field of death had finished
pluuderiug the Russian general, whose white
hair, lirid features, and starting eye-balls