Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-03-08

held forth on the white minarets look
ing ghostlike in the moonlight and on
| the dark cypress trees throwing their
heavy shaking shadows athwart the
phosphorescent water. He bade me
observe how the caiquejee (boatman)
fastens his oars by leather loop to q
peg on the side of the boat, which had
no rowlocks-a simple plan, that pre-
vents their ever being lost, unless they
break in somo of the whirling and i'm
petuous currents of the Bosphorus.
Every time l looked the boatmen
laughed with all their teeth, and said,
afirmatively, Bono, Johnny" upon
which 1 called out authoritatively,
"Chapuk!" !" (quick, quick!l and of
which they invariably replied by say
ing, "Yawash, yawash !" meaning,
"No hurry, all in good time"
Antonio, as we progressed, grNdu-
ally transferred his conversation from
myself to the boatmen. At that time
| knew very little of their sweet-sound.
jargon, and naturally feeling uninter-
ested, [ closed my eyes and sank into
a reverie, to be aroused therefrom by
one of the boatmen using Turkish
phrase, the meaning of which was
known to me, IN tones of the deepest
disgust. Their fierce and furtiye
glanees, together with the frequent
use Of that one phrase, which might
be translated thus: 'Dog OF an inf
DEL" confirmed sudden suspicion
that | was in serious scrape. | was
go seated that, although my fuco was
not seen by them, could discern their
features aud gestures plainly
"Chapukw [ cried imperiously,
knowing that it is generally best to
show no whito feather. "Yawash,
yawash !" returned the boatmen de.
family.
"No hurry, sarc," said Antonio,
lighting his chibouk and putting away
complacently.
How regrette having left tho Pera
Hotel Mt that unscemly hour TO see Il
parcel of Circasslan ra2amuliins, who
were perhaps not worth seeing! How
rouudIy | sworo that, ii it were per.
mitted me to issue scatheless from that
scrape, 1 would never be out again
after dark in Turkey. Past the Maiden s
Tower, sort of Legendary lighthouse
| that stands on rock at tho entrance
OF the Golden Horn, opposite Scutari;
past long lines of vessels and rows OF
dark red wooden houses with broad
brimmea fiat roofs, and cellar like
boat houses; past plane trees and cy-
presses, silent caiques and coffee
houses, and here and there dread
lump of cGrrion, bobbing like float
in the moonlight, swollen and horrible
-we reached at last the Sweet Water
meadows, where tho caiques were
gathered thick as carriages round the
door Of the Theatre Francais.
l had mind to make those two
villainous boatmen row me back again,
because rs we were near one of the
Sultan's tinselly Italian palaces,
neither they nor the audacious
Albanian dare attempt violence just
then; but, unfortunately, / was
troubled with weakness called pride,
which troublesome inhrmity should
advise my readers, if ever they are
placed in similar circumstances, to
conquer right away. Although l folt
thereby placed my life in jeopardy,
| could not for the life OF me take the
certain way OF escape that offered it
self, and determined to pursue at all
hazards the object for which had set
out.
Tue two boatmen jumped on land,
and drawing the caique almost high
| ,lpv hat ma zl, / 4
feet, stood with ready palms held out
to receive their pay. | gave few
piasters to each and then an animated
conversation ensued between my
dragoman and them, conducted in
Turkish, aud in which the constant
repetition Of the phrase before trans.
lated again occurred.
"Doy will wait, sare," said the
Albanian, at its conclusion.
"All right" | returned, affecting
more coolness than felt, for had NJ
arms with me bigger thnn penknife,
aud | had seen than produce, durina
the palaycr, bright, ugly. looking
knives from their voluminous sleeves.
'Chapuki | want to got back soon.
Antonio uttered valedctioE tc
his-as supposed them -accomplicas,
and we entered detile whose quickly
frightening sides were topped with
) regular rows OF cypress trees. In q
little while, on either side, before and
behind, there was nothing but i'm
peuetrable darkness visible, and
above, the sky, now overcast with
clouds, was starless and gloomy. The
drasoman led the way, stealing or
with 1.-the, sure step, and waiting
clouds Of perfume from his chibouk.
Trying to divost myself Of the con.
yiction that | was about to become
, the victim OF an already concocted
} plot, bringing forth whole array o
arguments to Justify that attempt, an6
} yet peering nervously into the dark
ness right aud LETT, anon in the dlrec
ton OF the Albanian, and then shrink
ingIy behind me, | followed, without
a protest, in his footsteps, Just as {
lamb goes to the slaughter house.
BE carried lamp, such as all drago