The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-10-16


right leg and pinned me to the ground.
The flash Of pistols threw light upon
the scene of carnage. / raised my eyes and
saw our men defending themselves with
the courage of despair but the Turks,
intoxicated with opium, made q hor-
rble massacre of them. Very soon not
single Austrian was left standing. The
vlctors seized the horses that were still
fit for service, pillaged the dead and
wounded, and then began to cut Off their
heads and put them into sacks, which
they had brought expressly for that pur-
pose.
My situation was. not very envlable.--
In the regiment of Seeker we general
understood the Turkish language.
heard them encourage each other to fin
ish the business before any help should
arrive, and not leave single ducat be
hind, adding that there ought to be two
hundred Hence, 1t appeared that their
information must have been very ac-
curate.
While they were passing over me,
while legs, arms, and balls were flying
over my head, my horse received a blow
which caused him to make convulsive
movement. My leg was disengoged and
l instantly conceived the idea of throw
ing myself, If possible, among the reeds
of the morass. had observed that sew
eral of our men, who had attempted 1t,
30 h,,t al InI eli 81
and the darkness inspired me with
hope.
l had only twenty yards to go, but
had reason to apprehend that l should
sink in the morass. nevertheless leap
ed over men and horses, knocked down
more than one of the Turks, who ex-
tended their arms to catch me and made
several blows with their sabres but my
good fortune and agility enabled me to
reach the marsh. l sank at first no
higher than my knees; in this manner
proceeded about twenty PAGES among
the reeds, and there stopped with fa-
tigue. heard n Turk eXclaim, can
infldel has escaped Let us look for
| him !"
"It is impossible he can't be in the
morass," replied the other.
/ know not whether they continued
their conversation, but heard nothing
blood, and in this state / remained sew
eral hours; for when / came to myself
the sun was already high.
/ had sunk into the morass up to my
waist my hair stood erect when L recol-
lected the carnage of the night and the
Goth of August was one of my first ideas.
counted my wounds which were 8 in
number, but none of them dangerous !;
they were given with sabres, on the
arms, the breast, and the back. AS the
nights are very cold in that country, L
wore thick pelisee, which deadened the
blows. 1 was, however, extremely
weak.
listened; the Turks had long been
gone. From time to time L heard the
groans of wounded horses on the field of
battle; as to the men, the Turks had
taken care of them.
attempted to extricate myself from
the place in which / then was, and this
/ accomplished in about an hour. The
footsteps 1 had left behind me on enter
ing, guided me out again. Though q
war with the Turks blunts the edge Of
sensibility, felt an emotion of fear
when 1 cast my eyes beyond the reeds.
L however advanced my eyes were di-
rected toward the, scene of massacre {;
but words are inadequate to express my
terror on feeling myself suddenly seized
by the arm. turned my head, and be-
held an Arnaut, six feet high, who had
come back to see If he could pick up
anything else. Never was hope more
cruelty disappointed. / addressed him
in the Turkish language:
stake my watch, my, money, my
uniform, but spare my life."
"All these belong to me, and your
head in the bargain"
He Immediately united the string of
my hussar cap, and then my cravat. 1
was unarmed, incapable Of defending
myself; at the slightest movement he
would have plunged his cutlass into my
bosom. l threw my arms around his
body, supplicating his compassion, while
he endeavored to uncover my head.
"Have compassion on mel L said.-
"My family is rich make me your
prisoner, and you shall have a large