The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-20

subjects OF tho Sultan, to serve In the army with
tho Mussulmsns. Tho reason he gGvc was that
the Armonians would then be dispersed more
evenly aad widely. would DO better disciplined,
and would give less trouble.
OF Erhcrum, we learn that whnt prosperity the
city still possesses IL chiefly due TO Armenian
enterprise. though tho Armerians have suffered
more c~ruoltiss in this place than anywhere else.
Lying at the junction of the TrobiEond, Sivas.
Kars and Tabroez ronds, ErEorum has, Mt all
times, been q great mart on the caravan routes
from Constantinoplo and the Black Sea to Per
STA. and from Asia Minor to the Caucasus. The
Russians have long recognized its Importance
and they captured it in the war of 1877. Tho
present Notifications consist OF n parapct
with high slopes, useless against modern
siege guns, and n pestilontial ditch which has
boon responsible for the death OF two
thousand soldiers In a single season. The
city. however, standing as It docs at an altitude
OF 6,000 feet, is naturally healthful. When
our traveller was there the commission APP
pointed to investigate the massacres OF 1894 In
tho Sassun and Mush districts was Just leaving
tho city. their inquiry having been completed.
We are told that the judges looked careworn
and miserable. Tho GLASS OF Turk to which they
belonged does not appreciate revolving details.
and 1t was reported that, on their first visit to
tho Sassun ditch. they had boon overwhelmed
with disgust. The delegates from tho English,
French and Russian embassies had gone on by
post to Trobizond, worn out with tho arduous
task Of discriminating between conflicting evil
dcnce. From what our author learned upon
the spot no 10 convinced that all that
WINS done to impress Europe with tho atrocious
inhumanity Of the crimes committed in the vii.
ayets OF kurdistan was entirely due to the zeal
of the European delegates. They worked hard
and faithfully to get at tho truth, In tho face of
systematic opposition from the official dispensers
of Justice. Curiously enough, tho Kurds, in
spite of the opinion current In Turkey that tho
English, though great in ships, are nothing by
land. had just sent a n monster petition 10 Queen
Victoria setting forth the ungcnerous treatment
they had received from tho Sultan, and offer
ing an alliance. They laid emphasis on the fact
that they had always lived on friendly terms with
the Armeninns. many OF whom were their slaves,
until ~latterly. when they had been forced by
peremptory orders from the palace to i'll treat
and murder them. Now they were informed
that the Sultan was exculpating himself to tho
cabinets OF Europe by alleging that the massa.
ores had been wantonly committed by the
Kurds. So far as our authors personal expo
rience went, the Kurds arc far moro attractive
to tho casual observer than the Armenians. In
spite of their brigand lives they are more honest
and straightforward. and they bear pain with
remarkable fortitude. They are far more strict
In their observance of the Koran than are the
Turks. The opinion is expressed that they
suffer as much as the Armenians. IL not
more. at tho hands Of the Ottoman Government,
but their complaints do not reach so far. OF
the Armenians. Mr.. Bigham did not get q very
favorable impression. He quotes with approval
the statement Of another European traveller
that, like most Asiatic Christians, the Arme-
mans do the faith they profess no credit, and
their Christianity seems to be but nominal.
They are. we are assured. almost entirely ignoc-
ant Of their religion. Their Bible, indeed, and
sacred books are written in the ancient tongues,
which none but the priests understand. In sec-
ular matters, however, they are a remarkably
clever people, excellent linguists and intelligent
traders. But, according to our author. when
this is said all is said, and their other
characteristics are Just those which an
Englishman dislikes. Astute and subtle. they
possess in Asia a reputation very similar to that
enjoyed by the Jews in Europe. Their uncleanly
habits, their strong pre-disposition to lying and
cowardice. account in part for the hatred felt
for them by the Turks. On the other hand, the
fact is undenied, and the significance of 1t is not
underrated. that for centuries the Armenians
have been the victims Of barbarous oppression.
while in our own time their treatment has
aroused the indignation of Europe. OF the
European and American missionaries encoun-
tered by Mr.. Bigham, he reports that their per-
sonal character is beyond praise, but it seemed
to him that their efforts were made in q wrong
direction. 1t Is pointed out that, in spite of tho
zeal. the labor. and the money given by wise and
energetic men to the work ofconvcrting Moslems
In Turkey to Christianity. hardly any real con-
verts are over made. In Persia the outcome OF
such efforts 10 the same. Mr.. Bigham recalls
meeting a missionary in China, at Kashgar. who
had been working there ten years and had not a
single convert to show for his pains. The Mus
sulman knows that. according to the Koran, he
will be eternally damned IL he changes his faith.
He knows. too, that such a change means death
from the hands of his former coreligionists. so
the missionaries work on almost hopeless
ground. The author is inclined to hold that
some Of the money devoted to missions in Tur-
key and Persia would do more good il 1t were
turned to the more prosaic end of making roads.
or building bridges, schools, and hospitals.
At Bayazid, which. like Metz, had once the
reputation OF being a virgin fortress, but which
fell to Russia in 1873. MIR. Bigham said that,
had the Russians been suffered to retain It, 1t
would now be one of the strongest cities in the
world. 1t occupies a position of great natural
= "Bb q ~ uoOo, " w Oh luo TACO
OF a mountain fanked by %frowning cliffs At
this frontier city. he passed the last night which
he was to spend in Turkey for some time. He
learned that the delimitation of territory be-
tween Turkey and Persia In this quarter
was a fruitful subject for Engagements,
which arc intensified by the hatred exist
ing between the Sunnis and the Shiahs.
Roughly speaking. the Sunnis comprise all
Turks and Arabs. the Afghans and tn MoslemS
of India and Central Asia; they look upon the
Sultan as the present Caliph or successor to the
Prophet. The Shiahs are. for the most part, Per.
slams; they hold that All. Mohammed's cousin,
was his true successor. and their spiritual head
Is an invisible Twelfth Imam. who disappeared
down II well about nine hundred years ago, and
has not been heard OF since. though he is sup
posed to be still alive. Religious authority In
Persia resides not in the Shah. but in a Chief
Mollah, or priest, who lives ut Kerbela, a great
goal OF pilgrimage to Pcrsians. Indeed. tho
Shah rarely goes upon the Hal" or pilgrim
age to Mecca. for there he would find himself In
the heart of the SunnIte Rect which ha dataats