The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-05

Late advices from Gambia bring additional
details of the catastrophe at the Convent of
Arcadion where some five hundred and twenty
persons-men, women and children rather
than surrender to the Turks, blew up the build
ing which was likely to fall into the hands of
their enemies, and sacrificed their lives, and
those of some 1000 of their besiegers. This
convent was situated in the eastern part of
Rethymnos, about two hours journey from the
southern coast of the island; it was built in
the reign OF the Emperor Heraclius and was
famous for its wealth and hospitality. 1t had
been spared by all the successive conquerors of
the island--ths Spanish, Arabs, and even the
Janissaries. Since the beginning of the insur-
rection, the Arcadion had given refuge to fam
lilies of the neighborhood, and when besieged
by Mustapha Pasha its inmates numbered $40
men, women and children. About 200 were
men capable Of bearing arms, including %
monks The siege began Nov. 10Th, but no as
sault was made for some days. letter nom
Athens in the New York Herald gives the par
ticulars of the tragedy which ultimately oc-
cured:
Upon the morning OF the Goth the Pasha
summoned the Cretans to surrender, and upon
their refusal Immediately began their bonn
bardment In the afternoon Turkish lnessen-
gers reached Rethymnos requiring fresh artil-
lery, mon and munitions; and all that still re-
manned in the town were at once sent on so
that on the list twenty-six heavy guns and
two mortars were playing on the convent. The
siege continued uninterruptedly two DAYS and
nignts' Wnen, breach being effected the
TURKS entered the convent court, and the
Greeks continued firing upon them from the
cells But this incessant fire terminated by
putting most of the firearms of the Christians
out OF order; many Of their number had also
been killed and wounded.
The remainder-men, women and children
then assembled in hall, under the leader
ship Of Father Gabriel, the Superior of the
convent, and determined to blow up the build
ing. The powder was deposited in the cellar.
A young monk twenty years of age, Enamel
Il. Couias, applied the match, and the bulk of
the convent was Immediately blown into the
air. Thirty-nine men and sixty women and
children, most OF them wounded, who were in
the wing that remained intact, survived the
catastrophe. The greater part of these are re-
ported to have been massacred.z The Turks
applied lighted torches to the faces OF the
wounded stretched upon the ground, to see
which of them still lived, and then dispatched
them. The large and beautiful church of the
convent was not shattered by the explosion
The Turks rushed into it to pillage the wealth
accumulated for ages, and afterward set fire to
The Turkish wounded began to arrive at
Rethymnos and the adjacent towns on the
I'D. The hospitals being insufficient to ac-
commodate the number, private houses were
transformed into infirmaries The number of
two thousand Turks killed by the explosion,
stated previously, is below the truth. The
bodies OF insurgents in the other parts of the
department hastened to the aid of the beseiged
as soon as they heard of the attack; but Mus
tapha Pasha detached troops to meet them
and hold them in check" ~