The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1858-08-13
MASSACRE OF CHRISTIANS AT JIDpAH.

mASSAChE Or ChRiollANS Al JlDDAH
The cause of the cold. blooded massacre O
the English and French consols and their ia
miles at Jiddah on the evening Of the 5th o
June, by q mob of Mahommedan assassins
has not come to light. Many theories of tn,
animating purposes of the murderers are sug
gested, but nothing definite is known. Moth
ing had occurred to show that the people o
the place were snimsted by any extraordina
ry sentiment of hostility towards the Chris
tian inhabitants. Her Majesty steamer Cy
ciops had beer lying for about week in the
harbor OF Jiddah. and the officers Of the stes
mer had made excursions in the vicinity o
the town, but never met with the slightes
molestation or insult, and even on the yer,
evening of the outbreak several had beef
walking about in the bazaars until nearly
sunset, without the least apparent symptom
of the approaching storm. A correspondent
of the London Times writes from Alexandria
July 9th:
On the evening of the 10th ultimo, a few
persons-Greek residents Of the town of Jid
dah-came swimming off to the British shiJ
Cyclops, and stated that disturbances haC
arisen, and that they feared conspiracy bad
been entered into against the Christian in
habitants. Every thing, however, continued
in appearance perfectly quiei; not shot moi
a cry was heard. though the savage work was
even then already commenced; but the assas
sins had taken the precauticn to use cold steel
alone. The English consulate was the first
point Of attack, and Mr.. P.ge, the acting con-
sui, fell under the blows Of a crowd of ruff.
fans who followed up the murder by sacking
the house and tearing down the flag. The un'
fortunate mans body is iaid to have been
found hacked to pieces, The mob appears
next to have poured down upon the houses OF
the French consul, NJ. Bvhlard. Here how
ever, the governor of the town made some
feeble attempt to interpose; the force at his
disposal amounted to only eighty men, and,
whatever efforts they may have used, they
did not succeed in saving the life of either the
counsel or of his wife. Both were murdered
and the daughter alone, though under TWEEN
ty years of age, appears 10 have possessed the
spirit Of heroine-ws rescued from the
hands of the assassins, End. covered with an
Arab cloak, she was carried to the house Of
the kaimakan. Her face was laid open with
cash from a sabre cut across the cheek, but
before being dragged fath she had avenged
the murder of her father by the death of the
assassin.
Early the following morning Capt. Bullin,
still ignorant of what had occurred, sent two
boats ashore When thy neared the inner
reefs Turkish soldiers we're observed warn
ing them off, they continued, however, to ad.
vance until they found themselves surround
ed by a crowd of abouI six hundred men,
who from the out juttinareefs poured a show.
er of stones upon the bolts. The crews were
fortunately armed, and pon forced their way
back to the ship, not, however, without hav-
ing been compelled to Ipur volley of mus
kerry into their assaians.
An interval of FIVE days now elapsed until
the arrival from Mecca q Naamik Pacha, the
Governor of the Hediaz, with body of about
eight hundred Turkish troops.
The crew Of the steamer entreated their Of
fcers to be allowed to take vengeance upon
the city, if not by laying the place in ashes,
at least by being permitted to land. even
though at the risk of fiding themselves, at
most 200 men, opposed to a population Of
30, 900; but the Governor sent repeated mes,
sages beseeching Captain Bullin to desist from
all interference, warning him that his own
house was surrounded by infuriated fanatics,
clamoring for the surrehder of the Christians,
who they knew had obtained refuge in the
house, and declaring that were q single gun
fired, or one armed man landed from the ship,
not only the lives of tie refugees, but also
MS own Wouiu w u oc
This officer can doubtless not have yielded
without struggle, and no other argument
would probably have s,ved the city from its
well.merited doom.
On the goth Naamik Pacha arrived with
his troops, and some senblance of order was
restored. Miss Evell@d and other rescued
Europeans were transferred on board the Cy-
clops. In spite of the opposition at first
made by the Pacha, tie crew and marines
were afterwards landed with the British and
French colors, and, escorted by o body Of
Turkish infantry, they we're led to the new
" made grave. over which the funeral ser
vice was read, and the English and French
flags were re.hoisted snder a salute of 81
guns. On the oath TIC Cyclops sailed for
Suez where she arrived on the Sd, bringing
home twenty -four refugees. The number
murdered at Jiddah was twenty one, and at
the present moment not Christian remains
in the place.
Jiddah is a port town Of some promi'
nence in Arabia, and lies on the eastern coast
of the Red Sea, nearly opposite the city Of
Mecca, Of which il is the port, some sixty or
seventy miles distant Jiddah is within the
jurisdiction Of the Pasha of Egypt, has con.
siderable transit trade with the surrounding
nations, and Thousands Of pilgrims arrive
there annually on their way to the city OF
the Prophet. The place is cleaner and bet.
ter built than most of the eastern cities, and
has population estimated at twenty thou.
sand.