Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-07-25
Secret Passes of the Balkans.

From the Bucharest Letter to the London Times.
The passage of the line of the Bal
kans has always been generally regarded
as a task of great difficulty, but it is not
improbable that this great natural bull
wark will be passed with facility that
will be surprising to the greater part of
the military world The Balkan range
abounds in elevated plateaus, inhabited
by the Heyducs, a collection of Bulga-
rian refugees, who have held these fort
resses for generations, and where no
Turk has ever ventured to show his
face. These mountain villages are sur
rounded by fertile fields, which furnish
an abundance Of sustenance for the
mountaineers and their families and
hocks These Heyduc villages are the
refugees of the holder Bulgarians, who
fly from the consequences of troubles
with their Mohammedan neighbors, and
they are never pursued after they enter
the Heyduc limits. The Turkish Zap
tiehs and soldiers refuse to accompany
travellers into those mountain regions,
and they give the Heyducs such a bad
reputation that tourists are content to
give them wide berth. These Hey
dues are the only people on the face OF
the earth who know the Balkans thor
oughly, and who are competent to poin.
out every defle and pass through which
troops are able to march. It was my
fortune to be in Belgrade last year for
several months before the breaking out
of the Servo-Turkish war, and the cir
cumstances of my arrival there brought
me into more or less confidential rela-
tons with several Heyduc chiefs, who
were in Belgrade endeavOring to secure
assistance fiom the Servian Government
for the impending Bulgarian insured
ton, which was then expected to pro
which actually followed the feebly spas
modic attempts along the southern side
of the Balkans.
The Heyduc chiefs assured me most
positively that there were passes utterly
unknown to the Turks, or to any one
else but themselves and their followers
through which they could lead infantry
cavalry, and mountain guns, which would
deploy upon the southern side of the
Balkans before the Turks were even
aware of their proximity. These Hey
due villagers are In accord with the
Russians, who are their brethren by
race and religion, and shall not be at
all surprised to learn that Russian force
has debouched into the valley of Sofia
and Philippopolis before the Turks ever
dream of their approach. Such a sur
prise would render the famous quadri
lateral of little value, and would com
pei the Turks to abandon their fortresses
and endeavor to reach Adrianople ahead
Of the invaders-an attempt which would
be very doubtful of success. The battle
of Lookout Mountain, near Chattanooga
during the civil war in America, showed
that mountain ranges, with precipitous
sides, and defended by as good troops as
ever fired shot in battle, are not insu
perable barriers against an adventurous
army, and it may be expected that the
Balkan lines will be forced with less
trouble and loss than is generally be
lieved will attend the operation. The
Turkish garrison of the Widin fortress
and district being separated from the
forces in the quadrilateral would be ut
terly powerless to interfere with the
Russian armies in Central Bulgaria.
they turned toward the Russian right
flank or rear they would be at once at
tackled in their own rear by the Rouma
mans, reinforced by Russian reserves
while the Russians would turn upor
them in front