New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-13

10 0)0 Of these Mahometan theological students.
They are campcd like a great army In the city Oh
the Sultan and at the faintest whisper Of reform
or concession to Crete. Armenia or Macedonia. or
at the first rumor OF INSTRUMENTATION on the part
of the Armenians Of the city. one hears the omi-
nous murmur "rhe Sofas are rising Many
checks turn pale at the cry. II calls mp too many
scenes I'm the streets Of Gaata ana StamDou OF
helpless men and women struck down 10y the
heavy curved clubs in the hands Of these bigoted
fanatics In the riots Of last September and in the
awful slaughter Of the last few days in Constanu-
nople the Sofas were the principal figures Fanatic
almost to insanity. cruel hycnas. animated
by a slccpless hatred Of Christians, they are the
centre and soul Of every Moslom outbreak
Their method Of warfare is distinctive. They DO
mot usually attack in large bands. do they at
tempt serious fighting. Armed with heavy clubs
often curved into hook. they patrol the streets In
bands of from dozen to forty. or lie concealed IN
narrow lanes. There trey watch for their prey
and thence at the sight Of a defcnceless man OF
woman they dash forth and club the poor wretch
TO death and tramplc on the mangled form. Hun
dreds have fallen I'm Just this way in the last few
DAYS in Constantinople. occasionally the band
varies the amusement 10y plunderlne me mouse vl
some poor. dcfcnccicss creature, ana by Killing the
The dress Of the sofia is unmstakabe even in
city that abounds with costumes. no SOFIA or To-
day IS clad. Ike his predeccs. ors for several gen,
grow smaller toward the ankle; colored cotton
heavy boots The DISTINGUISHING mark Of the
Sofia however, is III" band 81 spoiless wntc cio'
wound around and around the ~. something attcr
the fashion of a iGrhhH. IN" lace, WuiHHh II
smooth shaven. is likely in roposc to be dun and
The mosque is the centre Of the Sofas life. It is
I'm a very real sense his alma mater ii supplies
him not only with knowledge. but also with FOOD
and shelter. From the times Of tho earliest ca
liphs down to the present day. The Imperial
mosques have had connected with them mcdres-
lndcr The cariy caIiphs the Arab genius lent an
extraordinary briiliance 70 ticsc COZ, ses or
and Balsdad. the home OF literature, art and
sehs restricted to narrower domains Law ana
theology are their only courses II We except a
single college Of medicine. and lead either to =
judicial or ecclesiastical oinc" MI giaIuht'S OF
the mcdressehs enter alike thc class called ul' ma
that Is. the class OF The learned. The studies or
the Sofia. directed by the hOdIa. or teacher ar"
entirely from the Koran ana from certain r"'oS-
nzed commentators. They include grammar syn
tax logic morality rhetoric. theology. philosophy
S;amhoul in more peaccftI times there is nothing
through the open mosque door OF group Of Sofas
seated In Il circle on the floor around the white
some chapter Of the Koran, with the infections
cOnsecrated by centuries OF usage.
The mosque Is thus Inc 'lia@To"W- h"l u -
much more Close by the mosque Is "a row of one
story stone buildings, Frequently facing court
with fountain. ln each building there are IRON
dozen 10 thirty rooms or better cells. having
one window. ono door and dirt noon. Ia the cell
are couch n very few hooks Persian, Arabic or
Turkish. and perhaps box. Here tn" sofia lives
az his case. without money and without price. get
ting good meal daily from Wakuf. the public
revenue OF the mosque. sitting curl"d up on his
couch by day ana sleeping on II by night
many plot. sometimes against Christian pre-
sumption. not nfrcquently against the Sultan him
Ottoman greatness. brood over the decline Of Mos
lem power and nourish their wrath against the