The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-04-16
WARS HORRORS.
The HaIf-Famishetl People Of GaIlipOli
Scrambling for Bread.

SCrAmDl1nk IOF hFC0Os
CORES. OF the London Times.
There are not sufficient bakers in Gal
lipoli to supply the requirements of the
inhabitants. Indeed, for fear of bread
riot, the bakers shops are all closed, and
it is only for short time during the day
that they open a part of their shutters,
through which they supply their eager
claimants for food. / was present yes
terday afternoon at one Of these distri-
buttons, and the sight was pltiable one
in the extreme. The baker was standing
on a ladder inside of his shop, in the
uppermost part of the barricades of
which was an opening about the size of
the door through which the public is
supplied with railway tickets in Eng
land. This opening was just within the
reach of middle-sized man, but it was
out of the reach of children and most
women.
A strong guard of soldiers was in front
the shop, which was besieged by an
eager crowd of refugees, each with hands
uplifted holding a caime of a piastre or
two towards the proprietor of the shop,
who as rapidly as possible was handing
out the bread and taking in the money.
Pushing, hustling, and squeezing against
each other, they all strove to reach the
opening in the shutters. / did not no
tice any woman amongst the crowd; in
deed, if there had been any they would
have stood q fair chance Of being crushed
to death; but round about its outskirts
women and children were sitting, anx-
iously waiting for chance of getting
near the opening in the bakers shutters.
One glance at their pinched and haggard
faces was enough to tell the sad tale of
what they had suffered. Amongst the
crowd noticed particularly one stalwart
Turk, who, though man of almost gi-
gantic proportions, showed by his sunken
eyes and hollow cheeks that he had gone
through great privation. The ex-
preston of that mans face as he forced
himself through the crowd has fixed
| itself on my memory. 1t was an express
sion which said as distinctly as if he
shouted the words, "Shall be too late?"
He knew well enough that before long
the supply of bread would be exhausted,
and the portfolio in the shop would be
closed At last he succeeded in reaching
it. He received two loaves, and at once
commenced gnawing at one like raven
ons dog at bone, holding on to the loaf
with one hand while he forced for him
self passage through the crowd with the
other. His expression now was one of
contentment. It was to ME a matter of
some surprise that the eager candidates
for bread did not come to blows; but
during the quarter of an hour that / was
spectator Of this scene only once did
the soldiery forcibly interfere. 1t APP
pears that the soldiers are not allowed to
purchase bread from the bakers, as it is
supposed that the rations with which
they are supplied are sufficient for their
requirements. But notwithstanding this,
whilst | was looking on, soldier tried
to force his way through the crowd
towards the baker He was seen by some of
the soldiers on guard in the act of en-
deavoring to purchase loaf. They i'm
mediately arrested him, threw him on
the ground, and in spite of his stubborn
resistance, three men had his hands pin
Toned henind him, and led him off to-
wards the police station. Then it was
that Turkish officer-a disgrace to the
uniform he wore-who had been looking
on during the ARRAY, struck the prisoner
several severe blows on the face and head
with his fists. I have had nearly two
years experience with the Turks, and
have never before seen their officers treat
the men with anything but kindness.
They are all fighting with heavy arrears
of pay due to them, and often upon very
short rations