The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-27

Greece valiant to the core, but ham
pered for want of leaders, fettered by
the infamous powers, overcome by an
antagonist vastly stronger than her
self, has failed in her gallant enter
prise. Had she had one or more of
her klephts of former days 10 lead her
ranks, instead of palace reared adobe
scent whose horizon is bounded by his
stomach, her late campaign would have
been quite other than what it was.
Crushed between the upper milestone
of Asiatic and the lower milestone of
European despOtism, she retains never
theless her tradition of freedom. She
has not parted with her vitality, and
may yet be heard in the further So
luton of the abominable eastern ques-
ton.
Her klephts of the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries were the guard
dams. during the subjugation, of the
traditions cherished from the ancient
era. These sons of the mountains,
notably the men of the Pindus and
Agrapha ranges, of Pelion and Olym-
pus, refused to acknowledge that sub
jugatiOn and harrassed the pashas by
maintaining an incessant guerilla war
fare. Proving themselves unconQuer-
able, they were at last treated with.
By the payment of an inconsiderable
tribute they were granted a virtual in
dependence; each village TO maintain
its own government under the direc-
ton of its own demOgerontes. or elders.
The villages were grouped in districts,
superintendent by armed natives. arma-
toll, who had charge of the highways
and We're answerable each for the good
order of his armatolik. Many of the
mountaineers consented to this form of
submission bur some there were iso-
lated dwellers on heights hardly access
sible, who refused all terms, disdaining
any show of allegiance TO the sultan.
There were the wild klephts. as dis
tinguiShed from the tame ones the
armatoli. And it is to these untamed
heroes of the heights that the country
owes its restoration. In the Mainote
rising. near 1875. Captain Hamilton
said TO the redoubtable 1lepht, Theo-
dore koiokotrones: YOU Greeks must
have treaty and England viii act as
mediator
That VIII never he, replied Koloko-
trones With Us il IS freedom or death.
Ca5ain. we have never made a treaty
with the Turks. Some of Us have been
reduced by his sword: some Of US he
has killed: but others. many others. of
Us. have lived free from generation to
generation. Our king was killed He
had made no bond (compacD. and his
citadel has defended his right IN
never-ended battle against his slayers.
surrendered.
Where is this royal garrison? Which
are your three fOr.s2''
cur garrison is ire band Of klephts.
Our forts are Mani. Soul and the hills"
Mani IS the southwest province OF
The Morea, a portion of ancient Lace
demonia. SOUL is in Epirus. north OF
Janina.
KLEPHTS STILL IN ARMS.
The Klephts- were first and fore
most in the rising" They began it
and carried it through 10 the victorious
end. BOtzaris. a Klepht of SOUL. de-
tended Alissolongdi and fell in the
glorious assault at kerpenisi immor-
talized by our Haneck, whose ode,
trans ated, still surs the blood Of the
hero's compatriots, Theodore Koloko-
trones, Klepht and descendant of
klephts. enfranchised the Morea after
sc years of uninterrupted fighting.
The heroes. wild Klephts." We're
characteristicaliy costumed and ac-
coutred A small. saucer-snaped fez
crowned locks which fell on their sturdy
shoulders, a short Greek jacket decor
ated with rows of silver buttons. and
broadly girdled, was Overhung, save in
front, with shaggy sheepskin capote
Over the girdle was wound a rope
wherewith to bind the Turkish captive
The hits of a brace of pistols appeared
at one side above the girdle; on the
other side was a yatagan. At the back
was hung a long musket a miloni No
klepht could gather a company of pal
likari or braves if he could not shatter
at first shot, and at 200 PAGES. an egg
ffal
be able 10 send a bullet, at the same
distance, through a ring of the bullets
diameter. He must have the vision of
an eagle by day and Of an owl by night
He must give fire for fire." that is
ne must return deadly fire by the
light of the enemy's musket flash He
must be tall and slim and strong, adept
IN athletic and martial performances.
when no other way of escape was pos
sible he must make the ghioroussi. that
is, he must cleave path through the
hostile force with his saber
Nlko Tsaras, hero Of the bridge of
Frav1, dressed and armed. could leap
oyer seven horses ranged abreast. He
could outrun the fleetest horse and
when at the end OF the race the horse
was painting and hecked with foam.
Niko, fresh and breathing evenly, would
call: Now for another hCrsei'' OF an
other klepht, it is written that dressed
and accoutred, he could leap over three
wagons set side by side and heaped
with thorn branches. Katanoter, a shep-
herd klepht of Syrafa. being on
height with his company. and hemmed
in at each side by Albanian troops. cut
off a stout, we'll foliaged fir branch
With his saber. bestrode the branch.
and launched himself from the cliff. His
men followed suit, 10 The rage and de
spalr of the baffied enemy.
As were their skill and agility. such
also was their endura ice. Tsaras al The
bridge fought on his feet, without eat
ing or sleeping, for above three DAYS
ana three nights hours and more.
Skyros Skyllodimos being taken can
tive by Ali Bey. a Turk Of the Turks.
GS06). was thrust into . dungeon at
Tanini, where he CROPPED about in tna
darkness. water and mud ISv means
of file, his ample girdle and his agn-
ity, he made an escape ard reached
the reed bordered margin Of The lake
where he remained three DAYS ald three
nights. without food or sleep IN 10 the
chin in water, while az the CITY vas
in search of him. on the fourth dav ne
discovered a skiff. ana made mis- way
TO -ACarnania.
EIGHT DAYS WITHOUT FOOD. I
Androurzors of Levadia. informed of
the rising in the Morea. ono. made his
way thither with his paliSsri. 10 have F.
a hand in the fray arrived at Tripod (.
litza- he was told that the Russian
who had melted sbe rlsine-had disap-
pearc1 and il-sE the More0tes had DIS I
banded He and his 200. 600, or At mos;
500 men, were set upon 10y thousands of F
-AiherianS. who had hp4n eaot 70 nrrail 4