The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-17
A KANSAN
IN ATHENS.
Bert Underwood of Ottawa
Photographs Col. VassOs.
Visits Canea and Slips Through
Turkish Lines.
is A TOWN OF RUINS.
Turks Fierce Appearing But
Very Lazy.
The Greek Commander Had
Only Wine and Bread.
IS A TOWN OF RUINS.

Ottawa, April 1.-THE following let
ter has been received in this city from
Bert Underwood who formerly lived
here. The letter was written March Il
and is as follows:
on my way from Brindisi, I met two
gentlemen on the boat who sat beside
me at the table, and found they We're
going to Crete. one was personally
acquainted with Col NaSsOS, and belleN-
ed he could reach him. Finding l was
a photographer they invited me TO go
with them After reaching Athens,
found that one of these gentlemen was
well known in high circles here. he IS
an Englishman with French name
(Berna~d NainOn), say As years old.
The other is a young fellow about 70
years old, a French American, Count de
Oyley. They asked me as a favor to
make a picture of Mrs VaSSOS and fam
fly which could be taken by them to
Col. NaSsOs- went to their home ana
did so, and became acquainted with
COl.NassOs' sOn-in-laW, Lieut.. Kalinski,
who had just reached Athens from the
Greek lines in Crete. He came in
charge of about 100 Turkish prisoners,
which he took on the Greek steamer to
the Turkish frontier and turned them
loose. He decided to try TO get back
with US. passing himself as our courier.
We would be in no danger, as our pass
ports would protect US, but he would
be taken prisoner if caught. while we
would simply be, at worst. taken back
to the coast, and shipped out of the
country. It was straight enough bust
ness buying our tickets to Canea. Our
boat was to stop first at Gambia, then
90 on to Canea, but we had a terribly
rough sea, the worst I ever expert
enced; it broke away some parts of our
boat ana drove Us way out or our
course The boat was obliged to put in
for repairs at Suda Bay. which is very
close to Canea. As the storm continued
on the sea, we decided to land at the
little village there and walk across if
necessary TO Canea, a distance of six or
eight miles, across the neck Of the pen
Ursula.
But we were fortunate enough to find
two carriages, which had brought some
officers across to their Warships that
were laying in Suda Bay. Our way
to Canea was through a region which
had just been pillaged. The villages
that were scattered along the road were
all deserted, and most of the houses
burned or battered down. All were
pfllaged of every vestige of furnishings;
many were still smoking. In fact. two
of the larger villages had been sacked
only two days before. Ruin-ruin every
where All the people we saw We're
the Turkish soldiers. who. with their
dirty uniforms, unpleasant looks and
great belts filled with cartridges bv
which they could send death swift and
sure, should they so will, altogether
made one feel that the reality of dread
ful warfare was there. War among
civilized nations is terrible. but among
such men it means determination to the
conquered. All these villages belonged
to the Christians. Not one house in
that entire distance but what was
practically ruin. It will take years
of saving and careful industry for
these villagers, if ever they get back to
their lands and homes, to fix them as
they were only two or three days be-
fore. 1t was all very we'll as long as
We faced these Internal cuSSeS. but,
when we had driven past, what if one
of them should decided to play us
joke and pepper US in our backs? Such
thoughts would come, but there was
probably not the slightest danger as
the Turks know that we Europeans are
on their side and would not run any
risk of losing such champions of their
right to Cypress their Christian sub
JectSi Some sections of this region
seemed quite fertile. with many olive
groves, but the greater part was rocky
and barren As We neared Canea. the
large round mound doomed up before
US, upon which wave the standards of
the six European countries and the
standard of Turkey, a symbol to the
Cretans that they have these seven
powers arrayed against them, with only
little Greece on their side. The sun
shOne bright by this time and the ban
ners waved out bravely in the strong
breeze as the seven sentinels on the
mound paced cOurageOusly back and
forth. These seven sentine1s can look
down from their lofty station upon the
ruined homes of nearly all in the Chris
tian part of Cameo. OF course, it was
this town, with three Turks to one
Christian, the Christian homes should
have all been burned and the Turkish
homes left. Mere accident that hands
and arms and legs were found among
the ruins! The Greek church marvel
ously stands uninjured, although right
to its walls on three sides all is ruin.
In this I saw little piles of simple
household utensils, very crude of little
value, but each little heap represented
al that had been saved from one little
Christian home. These little pyramids
completely covered the floors of the
church, in nave and aisles and galleries
and basement Two thousand Chris
tians fled there for protection during
the massacre and fire. each family
bringing in their arms what thew
could catch up in the rush The
Greek monastery. just in front of the
church, was IN the common ruin. But [
did not see all these things that first ar
ernoon we drove through these narTo[-
ruined streets, through over to the TURK
ping place There is no hotel in Cane5
and, after about deciding We would have
to camp in the street. succeeded In rent
ing the house OF a telegraph operator He
being an official. his home has been saZ--
ed, but he has sent off his family and AID
not stay in the bouse himself He asked
US II We were armed. We showed him We
were, and he said the four of US would he
safe q forgot to state that. before ieav-
1ng Athens, correspondent had Joined
French-American. Ther forgot to sa1,
that Lieutenant Kalnski did not leave
tue steamboat VITO US. He felt that for
Greece officer it would not be prudent
so he trusted to chance 10 get off in some
other way. and I am glad to say we learn
be has succeeded in reaching the Greek
lines safely) There really was no dan
stocked up with bottled goods. and got
our solid foot sent in to US cooked from a
cafe near by The house was very com
Portable, for Canea, but it Had been stTin-
PED of all loose furnishings, beds were
pare, etc. Each of took a room and
rolled up at bedtime in our rugs ana ox-er
coats We had intended to take a san
ooa1 at Canea' ana land on some point