The San Francisco call., 1896-10-11


evening 1 wandered about till night and
returned home very late and tired out.
Passing through the camp toward my
tent I at once perceived that something
unusual had happened. Armed horsemen
rapidly brushed by me. The division ad-
iutant was galloping furiously in my
direction.
Curious to knew what had happened I
went straight to the crowd. l had hardly
approached it when l saw it was Nede-
witchefs tent, and horrio presentim ent,
which soon became a fearful reality, got
hold of me at once. The first object | saw
was mass of hacked and bleeding flesh
lying on the iron bedstead. 1t was
Nedewitchef. He had been literally
chopped to pieces with yatagans and dag
gers. At the foot OF the bed Caro-, also
bleeding, was stretched, locking at his
masters remains with such a human ex-
preston of pity, despair and affection
mingled that it brought q gush of hot
tears to my eyes.
Then it was that I learned the follow
ing: Soon after sunset Caro-. furiously
barking, ran into the camp. 1t was i'm
mediately noticed that his muzzle was
bleeding. The intelligent dog, getting
hold of the soldiers coats, seemed to in
yite them to follow him, which was imme-
diately understood, and party was sen t
with him up the mountain. Caro- ran be-
fure the men, showing them the way, till
at last he brought them to group of trees
where they found Nedewitchefs mangled
body. A pool of blood was found at quite
a distance from the murdered man, for
which no one could account. till pieces of
coarse clothing disclosed the fact that
Caro- had had his battle also with one OF
the murderers and had come out best in
the fight; the latter accounting also for
his bleeding muzzle. The black beauty
had disappeared-she was revenged.
Several OF the officers tried to keep Caro-,
but he would live with none. He had got
very much attached to the soldiers, who
ell dotted on him. Several months later
the poor animal was killed in his turn by
mounted Circassian, who blew his brains
out and disappeared The, soldiers buried
the dog, and many there were among them
who shed tears, but no one laughed at their
emotion.
Eighteen years rolled away; war was
declared with Turkey, and /. as an old
Caucasian officer, well acquainted with the
seat of war, was ordered off to Armenia
The Turks were i'll minority, ana, evil
IDENTIFY feeling afraid, they remained idle.
We also had to be inactive, and quietly
awaiting developments encamped at KILL
Tapa, in front of the Aladgin Heights, on
which the Turks had entrenched them
selves. Camp discipline was not very rig
orous at first, but after the unfortunate
battle of Kizll-Tapa, which we lost, the
most trihing breach in regulations was
often punished with death.
After awhile / heard people talking OF
the mysterious apparition of dog named
Caro-, who was adored by the old soldiers.
Once when / went to see our colonel on
business 1 heard an officer mentioning
Caro-, when Major T., addressing an artil-
leryman, remarked:
at must be some trick of the soldiers"
What does all this mean p I asked the
major, extremely interested.
us it possible that you should not have
heard the foolish story told about dog
Caro?'' he asked me, full OF surprise. And
upon receiving my assurance that 1 had
not, he explained as follows:
Before our disastrous loss of KILL
Tapa the soldiers had been allowed MANY
objectionable liberties. Very often the
officers on duty had seen the sentries and
patrols asleep. But notwithstanding all
their endeayors it had been impossible to