The New York herald., 1877-10-01
FROM sHuMLA TO EsK1 pJuMA.

Weary OF the listless existence which all
demned to lead at shumla-rightly named the
.sGiaour's Grave''I determined 10 make little tour
into the cnvirons, toward the Balkans; and finding
friend Of the same mind, we determined to
start forthwith for Esk Duma and Osman Bazaar. In
Decd exuberance at the thought Of escaping from
our enlrenched prison was great that We In
cluded dash across the Balkans in our pan And SO,
bidding FAREWELL long farewell as hoped (and
perhaps they hoped aso to the Political Commits
sion-we sounded in Imagination the ''boot and
saddle" and, at midday under burning
sky, set our journey. Our cavalcads
was workmanlike and we aattered ourselves, i'm.
posing II is necessary, may remark to be imposing
In Turkey. especially when the bash-bazouks aud Cir
cassians out and about. ''Swagger" ID no doubt
an exceedingly Objectionable quality in people Of
Anglo-Saxon and temperament, but a certais
amount OF It is necessary IN country where
should threaten without performing, never raise
the hand without giving the blow.
EXODUS.
Issuing from the town the north side passed
through the ever famous lines, now nero rounded
banks aud trivial dtches useless for purposes Of do.
ience and ascended the slopes which enclose the
until gained the Clrcasian village OF Strandscha
which cs just beneath the crest OF the ridge. Here,
according TO Motke, is or rather was, tho one weak
spot in the desncss OF Snumla for the joint in the
perfect From the summit OF the hill We mad
splendid view OF the plain and the town beneath.
We this part Of the road some Turkish ladies,
closely yashmakked, accompanied by ono gentleman
IL was pleasure party, no doubt--a pacha out for
day with his harcm, perhaps, or something Of that
kind My companion's Albanian made somc singular
remarks upon the circumstance, and he and our Turk
sh arabaJee held conversation on the subject which
seemed to afford both OF them no little amusement
In.
this carriage and occupants entered largely into the
vicssudes of our journey They were, in fact, to
what the appearance OF tho Flying Dutchman Is toa
vessel seeking TO round the Cape
THROUGH VALLEY.
After briof halt AT the hamlet OF Dormus, whore
branch OF the Buanik which .rickics down from tho
through iron spouts into a stone trough for the
freshment Of and beast VIC resumed our jour-
neylne Shumla heights Sill rising bold and steep
our eit--unt arrived ut the pass whicn leads the
road between the main plateau and high ridge which
projects from us nort"ess corner ans vt t.,o pass
spur from tho mountain proper, and tho
road is made along me south side Of The
spur, about half way up The steep sides
OF tile plateau which descend into the ravine are
clothed from top 10 bottom with thick woods, which
already begun TO snow the changing hues o the
late summer On the other side Tho road rs overhung
by bold masses Of gray rock, amid which hgn over.
head, wo noticed u cave, with strange wlndowke
Sits either side, which ought TO have been hcr
mt's dwelling II II is not Among the iuxuriant vcge-
tation OF the grew the Wild vine, loaded with
grapes which in another fortnight will be ready ta
the hand OF the wayarcr, and tho Wild passion flower.
Hazel nut trees abounded, aud We came upon a bashl
bazouk who had p,cketcd his horse while he himself
was In among the bushes making raid upon the nuts.
A MAGNIFICENT PROSPECT.
From the summit of the pass We suddenly opened
a most glorious WOW over the ferte valley which
bounds the plateau OF shumla on tho west. To
our right the OF the spur
ing bent round TO the westward rising Steep peaked
SUBMITS ana then gradually sinking in rounded hills
Into tho valley, bounded the view that sidc but
westward looked straight ACROSS the valley TO the
opposite hills OF the Dcrbcnd Balkan, which stretch
along the horizon successive ridges of soft rounded
bills the cham comes TO abrupt termination 10 tho
nortuward, but lying out from II, as though form
from the PLAN Wo yazed upon those hills with
no little curiosity and interest, tor beneath them at
EskI numa ana bcyond them. flfteen miles iurther
on the River Lom and the Russians To tho south.
the Bnar Dagh and the Dervish Balkan both spurs OF
the chan. closed the valley beyond them lie the
passes which lead into the plain OF Rumca, one oil
them, the Dcmir Kapou or "Iron Gate" Is In Musco-
vite hands. The valley beneath US is watered by Two
branches Of the kamtschik, VIII ch unite and lorm q
stream which washes the base OF the Shumla plateau
on the and south, aud thon flows TO the Black
Sea- The tributary stream nearest is the Kirk.
gschid su rivcr OF the orty fords so named from
It's winding course; upon u hes the town OF Eski
DJuma
We ieasted our eyes the enchanting landscape,
watching for long time me changing shadows thrown
the hills and dalcs as the clouds crossed the SUM-
and then commenced the descent INTO tho valley We
had very lar before q loud yell from the
top oil the pass caused US to draw rein again. II was
Tartar whom bad just passed on the road who was
had gone wrong with carriage. We gaopsd back
mp the hill, and on gaining the summit woful sight
ward the horses standing fty yards away aud all
baggage scattered among the bushes over
si'' S.o@d issuing @ @~r from beneath The carriage
told the tale, not oil crushed arabalcs
or there sat the msn himself, safe and sound, con.
tempiating the ruin but oI our precious Carowitz,
which was escaping from broken bottles and shattered
boxes. My hrst impulse was to pitch the arabaJee
aud the remains Of his carriage over the hillside but
my companion, who Is oil u more philosophical turn
ofmind, restrained me. AS for tho arabajec he COM
mencod talking TO himself IN most astonishing man
Der, while he picked up the pieces and fecby dived
about among the scattered baggage :''Ah," he said,
IL knew II. Iexpected 1t from the beginning I,was
something OF This kind would happen. II was
that carriage tnat we met full Oh lthen came some
uncomplimcntary allrsons TO the ladies' which need
not repeat and thought at the time we should not
finish our journey without some mischance. The
women did t!' 70 him the Albanian -"Well, never
mind, was III luck 70 have come across them, but II
can't be helped now."
At the foot OF the 5huma plateau passed through
the village OF Ortakioi, aud then By byway which
The valley strack the branch road which joins
tho main road from Rasgrad north OF Shumla. We
several encampments oi iugitlvcs from Sistova and
TIrnova anu questioned some OF the men. They had
been living thus, out IN the open air. sleeping their
carts by night for twelve days, and there they pro-
pose TO stay un! they are ged to move on further
away irom .ne Mosoovs. shortly after leaving them
bash.bazouks and souier, who urew up mo In tho
road as We went by Finally, after rather tedious jog
along the now unnterestIng road, turned
q corner and before the minarets
and clock tower OF Eski DJuma. Wo had not long ar
rived IN the town before we learned that consdera-
Bile force was gathered here prepared
pecled advance OF the Russians, that the Turkish
commaIdant nad received orders TO nod the place to
the last so Eski DJuna may DO the sceao OF stirrns
events before long
WHAT TIM TOWN LOOKS LIKE.
EsK Djuma, or Djuma Atik, "Oid Frlday,u Is a
small town OF about 5000 Inhabitants Tho popula.
ton Is mixed twothrds being Mussulmen and one
third Bugarians and usual the Two races and
religions have their separate and distinct quarters
as II seems likely tnat Eski Djuma may be
attacked by the Russians some future day, owing
is connection with The military system Of the outy
ing defences oi Shumla, lew words to its position
may DO interesting Tho town lies sixteen miles, as
tue crow dies, behind, or TO the west Of the fortress
OF Snumlz, but not thau Dine aud half the
western base OF tue great Shuma plateau which domi-
mates the surrounding country IL may be considered
as the advanced post toward the west Of
the celebrated stronghold. Connected with Ras.
grad ON the north and Osman Bazaar on
the south by good roads, Il forms tho middle
point of the western line Of defence covering tho
great iortres although as Shumla IA INN ts