Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1856-01-04


stantly received and kindly entertained
his wounds we're dressed by his hosts
daughter, and not until be was thoroughly
recovered was he allowed TO proceed on his
| journey. But the beauty of bis nurse at
trac;ed the young Kurd, and as she rejected
all his protestatiols Of affection, be vowed
as he left the roof tliat had sheltered him,
that willing On unwilling, she should be his
bride within three days,
lie was fayorite and near relative Of
Bedar Kahn Bey, aud towards his camp he
Immediately turned bis horses head The
| Kurdish forces were absent on some errand
of devastation, but band of dosen bold
spirits was soon collected, and as Safti and
the other damsels of Achmedi were battling
in the cool and shady waters Of the noun
tain stream which skirts the village, they
suddenly swept down, aud before the alarm
could be raised, the loyeliost of the maidens
we're secured, and being hurried across the
mountains.
But little had the maraudess dreamed of
tue energy despair could give their victims.
Towards noon, having put many mile be
tween them and the scene of their exploit,
and thinking themselves secure from pur-
suit, they halted TO rest their jaded stceds.
The arms of thir prisoners were unbound,
but, scarcely had they found themselves free,
when; as if by one consent, each maiden en-
deavored to bury dagger in the breast Of
tie nearest Kurd. Many fell. and, among
Others, the young chioftain; but the survi-
voFs took bloody revenge, and, after mas
Sa sreing their caytiyes, hurried away to the
Kurdish camp
4. this moment, Abdurschnan had, in
pursuit, reached the spot, aud found his in
tented bride in the last egonies Of death.
4 took but moment TO sever a lock of hair,
wet with her blood. and alone as he was,
he rushed upon the retFeating party. Many
went down before his sword, but, at last,
oyerpcwered by numbers, he fell, covered
with wounds, and was left for dead. Days,
he said. must have passed ere he recovered
j llis. ssasss, butn aa seon as be could travel,
/ lie icsr the friends that had discovered aud
l nun sed him. and returned to Achnedi, to
find it a smouldcring heap Of ruizs. The
Kurds had swept down 10 aveRge the death
! of their comrads, and of the once happy IN
habitants Of the valley not one remained
With every tie to home thus severd, he
left bis native mountains, aaii eulisting iu d
body of Irregular cavalry, then forming at
Diarbekir, tried to drown the recollection
of his sorrows IN the excitementof war and
pIunder. This was the FIRST time be had re-
turned to the Jeb-el- Tour, ''but,'' he said,
what is it to mc7 Achmed, yonder has ris-
en- again, bnt there are noue Of my Kindred
to dwell there; aud Of the happy days OF
my youth, the only record that rcmaias is
this" snd he drew from the folds of his
zuboon long tire $ of raven hair, heavy and
c.otted with blood.
Sueh was our zapti's story, and it Is but
too common one il the mountains of Mes
sopotamia and Armenia. The reader will
plobahly remember the grapic account Of
the persecution Of the Tyari, contained in
Mr. Layard's first work en- on Nineyeh.-
Since, then, this unfortunate people have
enjoyed comparative peace from oppression.
Secluded in their native valley, which can
only be approached by the most rugged
iaouutaiu-paths, scarcely plSeticable even
to the suref0otec mules Of the country, and
governed BY their own aieleks or chiefs, they
nix but little with the rest os the World; |
and now that The iucursions OF the Kurdish |
maruders are repressed, they are again re-
turning to their homes, carrying with them
lively remembrance of the name and |
power of England, which supported them in |
exile, delivered them from their oppressors, |
ard restored them to their native hearths
The anecdote we have given above is
characteristic Of the difference between the
kard aud Arab. Az Arab who once recei- |
we'd hospitality, even from the bitterest foc'
would forever consider his hosts house aud
person as sacred, aud would protect him
from injury, even at ihs peril of his own
life. So strong is that feeling that in bat
tie, if N enemy can claim the dakhel or
friendshipof Que Of the members of u
tribe, his life is instantly spared.
With kurd it is different. Guided BY
nc principles Of honor, and anenaDle to 10
laws of society, he is alike the dread aud
scorn of his neighbofs, aud his name is used
by the Arab auleteer to goad on the very
mules and asses, as eof the most disgrac-
full epithets he can shower upon them; while /
the provert, 'sas bearish as a Kurd, is