Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-08-04
The Circassian EXiles,

The Rev. r. Philpot, writing from Constan-
tinople on the 9Th ult., describes the condi
ton of the hapless exiles fleeing from Circa8-
STA to escape Russian rule. He says: Our
first meeting with them was at Czernavoda.
The rays of the setting sun fell upon crowd
| of twenty thousand men, women and chill
dren living upon the short grass of the noun
tain slope close by the Danube, reminding us
affectingIy, though on a rougher and smaller
scale, of the encampment of the Israelites in
the Wilderness. After landing, our captain
stood out into the middle Of the river, being
warned that his vessel would soon be COW
cred by swarms Of starving creatures crying
out for help On arriving at sunrise to take
the rail at Kustendji we found that the
Pasha had turned to account every available
means of provision for the benefit OF these
poor emigrants, and had ordered all the car
riages that could be found, including some
hundreds of cattle trucks, to be applied to
the conveyance of the crowds gathered at
KustendJi to different places on the shores OF
| the Danube.
We passed one long train of them On our
way, but the scene which lay before US on
arriving at the Black Sea it would be in vain
to attempt any description. Dense masses
| OF ragged men, women and children literally
covered the sea shore. All looked wan and
hungry. Many were all but naked. Several
lay dying, and fair delicate girls, with their
heads reposing on their mothers bosoms,
seemed only to be waiting for their mothers
hands to close their eyes in death. Several
hundred women were washing their children
in the sea, for Nured Pasha had CONSIDERABLY
ordered some tons Of soap to be at once dis
tributed among them. Mostly the clothes
were washed upon them, and so left to dry
hon ir1f ha
their way from the Caucasus and it was only
last evening that a vessel full of them entered
the Bosphorus but the quarantine officer,
learning that fever and small pox prevailed
On board, Immediately ordered the vessel
back, and the captain was told to bury the
$50 dead on board in the Black Sea,
A SENSIBLE PARRoT.-Miss Gest the eff
ent lady who has in charge the contraband
schools IN Louisiana, has just arrived IN this
city from New Orleans. She relates curl
Gus incident which took place on the steamer
OttUe Branch, coming up the river. Among
those on board were some rebel women, one
of whom had parrot. The bird was profuse
in the inquiry to those on board, Are you
rebel ?" An affirmative answer would elicit
the reply from Poll, "All right" When in
the vicinity of Natchez a scout hailed tbs
hattorv was rapidly approaching the river
little distance above and would reach Ger
tain point before the boat could. There wa
an immediate rush of the ladies to the hold,
the rebel woman leading the way frantic to
escape from her friends. As they reached
the hold shrill voice, evidently from one in
great alarm, was heard crying stake me !
take me !" Investigation was made and the
owner of the voice was found to be PoIl.who
evidently made up his mind, from the confu.
sion, that something was wrong. The rebel
woman went back for the bird and again
joined the passengers in the hold. As soarz
as order was restored and quiet prevaile
the crowd, and not the least, the rebel vs.
man, were dumbfounded at the parrots sud,
den conversion of loyalty evidenced by his
vigorous vociferations of Oh the rebels
On the rebels" The rebel woman protest
ed that she never taught the bird the latter
phrase.