The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-01

every single one of the Klephts was
killed in the dreadful struggle that fol-
lowed.
Mavroyenis himself is not. I believe.
guiltless of blood. 1t is rather hard to
put so delicate question to a generous
and charming host whose tobacco and
lambs flesh one has shared, and with
whom one has taken the risks Of war
time on the enemy's border for many
days. But once when we lay on our
sheepslxins at the rocky foot of Olym-
pus, watching the Klephtoi dancing
hand in hand the solemn grave RomaiS
to the accompaniment of the curious
wailing Eastern chant that from time
immemorial goes with the dance, ven
tured near the subject of his personal
deeds:
You yourself Kapetanemou, have
you not had to be severe?" The Kape-
tanos took the tube of his nargilch
from between his teeth, pointed it at
the brigands dancing between the fires
and the scrub sparsely scattered over
the grim sides of the mountain, and
said very gravely:
''They tell me, effendi, that this
dance is from the time of Homer"
So we smoked in silence, watching
the Romaik, and said no more about
1t. Though very young man, Mavroy-
EMS presence was very impressive; he
had immense natural dignity and the
powerful gaze of a man accustomed
to command. / have seen grizzled old
veterans look as sheepish as children
caught in some petty crime when their
young Kapetanos delivered his mind
to them on some breach of discipline
or some strategic indiscretion.
One day an Armenian of the For
piOn TaOinsa Kvbn had hxy hn oh
of war, lost his company and attach
ed himself temporarily to Mavroyenis'
band, incurred the Kapetanos' wrath
by firing a shot against orders while
we were lurking in the neighborhood
of a pass down which 1t was thought
the Turks might try to enter. Never
had I dreamed that such fury was
possible. The Kapetanos, usually so
grave and dignified, became like a wild
beast, roaring, raging, his eyes like
blazing Goals, his voice terrible with
passion. The Armenian, who could
not understand word of the fiery in
yective, was abject with terror. The
whole company stood round absolute
ly cowed; we were like a lot of whip
ped ours. 1t was an unforgettable ex-
perience. / remember that, hours af-
ter the storm, the boy that had charge
of the Kapetanos' only luxury, his
evening nargileh, had to be showed in
to his presence by five or six OF the
man. so scared he was to approach his
terrible master.
The other Chiefs" though duly APP
pointed by the government, were ci-
piers by the side Of Mavroyenis. Calm
ly and without dispute he settled ev-
erything. The Cretan captains had
only TO say yes" and transmit his Or
ders TO their men. Mavroyenis had a
kind Of contempt for them, as being
what he called Slave Greeks" that
Is, Greeks from a Turkish possession,
while he was "free-Greek "--lefteros
and Kapetanos OF band Of Kleph-
toi. lefteroi, they too.
During the week or ten days ] was
with the Rlephtoi / never saw him
spend five minutes en- talk with either
Kerakitson or Christopulus; they kept
among their men, he among his. His
followers. however were on the best
Of good terms with the Cretans, and
when food or tobacco was scarce,
Thessalians always stood aside, rough
thieves" though they were, 10 allow
the Cretans 20 have the pick OF the
gt0rea. Kar8kltsOn and Christopoious
had both for years led their bands Of
guerilla fighters, the one near suda,
the other in The interior from the
Cnnea and had veritably kept alive the
passion for freedom va n whole eOun-
toy innamed w the constant tale ~
their exploits against the Turks. Their
methods may often have ben queF-
fionable, Cor they frankly called thefn-