Mexico weekly ledger., 1876-10-12
A Fighting HerZegOyinian Priest and
his Standard Bearer.

a letter from the MOraVa Valley, IN
Servia, to the New York Times has the
following: After a short survey of the
skirmish we rode over to the Custom
house to see the "fighting priest, 'who
had just received a bullet in his leg and
was having the wound dressed as we
entered. A good looking fellow is this
Archimandrite and far more of a SOL
der than [ have seen in Servia, not
outstanding his clerical dress, which
he persists in wearing. About five or
six-and-thirty years of age, little above
the middle height, and well made, with
small hands and feet. His hair falls in
long curls upon his shoulders, and, like
his beard, is black and carefully tend
ed. On his head is the unsightly stove
pipe with the rim turned down at the
topsof the "orthodox priest, and his
black cassock is girded with a gilt
sword belt, bearing a brace of revolvers
and Turkish yataghan with a richly
enameled hilt. He is Herzegovinian by
birth, and born of wealthy parents, who
sent him first to Belgrade and after
ward to Moscow to study theology. He
was regularly ordained, and became an
Arehimandrite "a high rank in the
Greek priesthood-buta with the first
outbreak of the instruction in his
native country we find him fight
ing under the orders of Luka
Kokaloyitch. Upon the death of that
chief, Iuohien became first secretary
to Prince Naika of Montenegro, and
then secret agent for Bosnia and the
Herzegovina It Belgrade. He has writ
ton 0aunr0I yHrnFIHS nm tho x@lsS1.1 L.
tory and future of the European
provinces of Turkey, speaks several
foreign languages iuently, and is Presi-
dent of the section of history and Ian
guage in the Z" learned society," of the
University of Belgrade. Of much more
enlarged views than the generality of
his countrymen, he is the best educated
man whom | have met on this side of
the Danube, and is withal of heroic
courage and immense endurance. A
few weeks ago, when under the com
mand of Gen. Zach, he SWAN the Linn.
near" Now Bazaar, in the midst of a
shower of bullets, to bring intelligence
OF the enemy's movements to his chief,
whose flank was threatened by a column
under Achmed Pasha. He is simply
idolized by his men, over whom be ex-
ercises the combined influence of a high
order of intelligence and great decision
of character, backed up by the weight
of their fanatical attachment to their
church, with whose terrors he threatens
them whenever he sees signs of hesita-
ton or cOWardice. Weakened
Christians he will not tolerate, and,
as he is no respeeter of per
sons, he has already caused to
be shot several Popes, whose fear for
their personal safety predominated over
their patriotism. With him was his
standard-bearer, Czerni Andreas-oth-
rwise Black Andrew giantrfromthe
Herzegovina, who never leaves his side,
and who bids fair to become a popular
hero. When the Khan was taken, Ia
ter in the afternoon, [ had specimen
ofzhis proves. q The fighting was at
such quarters that firearms were cast
aside, and nothing wasTused but cold
steel. A tall Circassian rushed from
under the doorway and grasped at the
flag Sthe ,Seryian tri-ool0r, surmounted
with a silver cross. Andreas looked at
him fora second, as if i'm amazement
at his enemy's audacity; and then,
coolly, and without the least apparent
excitement, struck him twice with his
kandjar-with the first he severed the
Mussulman's hand, and with his sec
ond his head rolled on the ground,
remarking at'the same time, :. Friend
Mouro (the Sevian name for Moham-
medans)s the cross is not for thee.n |
may add here that cutting off Of heads
and limbs at a rsingle stroke is not an
uncommon feat in the East.