The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-06-19

taken off OF night in boats by sympa.
thizers from other islands. Quite o
number were bought or ransomed by
citizens OF Smyrna. OF those who ex-
patriated themselves, the bulk wan
dered through the Mediterranean cities
in state of destitution, and for many
years Chan beggars invested the
streets of Genoa, Marseilles and Bar
celona. Among them were women
whose countenances showed remains
of marvellous beauty, destroyed by
hunger, cold and privation.
Gordon says that there was a time
at the close of 1922 when of the 80, 600
Christian inhabitants of Scio in 1921,
only 1000 remained. This appears to
be an exaggeration, but there is no
question but go far as in them lay the
work of depopulation which the Turks
understood was thoroughly done.
At the appalling news. the blood OF
Greece boiled. Even the tepid fluid
which jog. trotted through the veins OF
European statesmen was slightly
stirred. Remonstrances couched in
decorous diplomatic phrases were adj.
dressed to Constantinople. Mean.
while secret council Of Greek leaders
resolved to strike back. The Turkish
fleet lay at its anchorage in the roads
of Scio, the officers toastlng their dark.
eyed captives in goblets OF Chian
wine, and trying to divert their griefs
with song and dance. Under cover of
moonless night there crept out of
the northern darkness two small Greek
brigs, outitted as fireships, filled with
gunpowder, pitch, tow, tar and Greek
fire, and manned by Constantine Ca
naris of Psara and thirty-three sailors
who were ready to give away their
lives. They had taken the sacrament,
and had been blessed by the priest.
Canaris had seen to it that barrel OF
powder stood handy to blow up the
craft with all on board, in case he
failed. When the black night fell, lie
sailed in noiselessly. steering by the
lights of the Turkish vessels, and
aimed straight at the bow of the
Turkish flagship. When he struck
the chains, he grappled them and
made fast, driving his brig under the
counter OF the flagship as far as he
could; then he set fire to his craft,
and sheered off rapidly in rowboat
shouting "Victory to the Cross!"
The fire crept swiftly up the tarred
sides of the man-of-war. leaped the
bulwarks, licked up the rigging. ran
along the deck and prohed its way
down the matches. In few minutes
it enveloped the magazine. There
were over 1000 men on board, sailors
and soldiers. They were demoralized
by the looting in which they had en-.
gagged. Discipline had been relaxed;
the officers found it impossible to fight
tue FIRE with vigor and method.
Presently the flames gnawed the base
Of one of the masts, and it fell with
crash. Foreseeing what must come
next, the Capondan Pasha, whose arms
and hands had been burned in o vain
attempt to check the con6agration.
leaped overheard into his gig and or
dered the sailors to row to. the shore.
But just as they were showing off an
other mast toppled and fell athwart
the Admiral's boat, striking him a
blow on the head which, broke his
skull. He lived to be landed on the
beach of the island he had devastated !;
then he' died, just as the chant of the
Ramadan rose IN the night air, and the
explosion of the magazine on board
his vessel sent 1000 of his couutrymen
to eternity.
Six months afterward the Greek
feet lay off the island of Tenedos
awaiting an attack. which much prove
fatal, for the Turkish fleet, over
whelming in numbers. encircled it on
every side. Again it was dark,
moonless night, and the watch on the
Turkish ships slumbered in security.
Through the gloom. over the dark
waves, as eight bells sounded, the
same Constantine Canaris sailed silent
ly, every man in his little craft hold
ing his breath and awaiting the graf
ing sound OF the scraping of the Greek
sloop against the sides OF the Turkish
flag ship. 1t did not take long, when
the jar came, for Csnaris and his brave
men to fasten their grapnels to the
Turk and set fire to the combustibles,
with which their deck was loaded. As
the flames darted up the side, Canaris
flushed of in the dark and shouted:
'sTurks you are burned as at Scio
God save the cross I'-San Francisco
Chronicle.