The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-12-30
DELIGHT IN BLooD5HED.
Turkish Mercenaries without Pay
Take Great Pleasure In MUIR
dering Christians.

When with periodical regularity the
Ottoman government is SHAKEN up, and
the same old eastern question" con-
fronts the nations with its possibilities
Tor the most widespreading disaster, the
question invariably asked by the read
ers of the reports is: What is the UNI
DERIVING cause?" In broad terms it may
be said to be the weakness of the central
government, but the elements of this
weakness are to be found in the various
turbulent factors which go 10 make up
the body polite, states the Brooklyn
Eagle.
The personnel of these mischievous
elements includes the Circassians and
kurds of Asia Minor, the Bedoins of
Syria, the Albanians of European Tur-
key, all wild-eyed, lawless and terroriz-
ing, yet not to be compared in corruption
and vlrulent malignity with the most dis
turblng element of all, the sleek, smooth,
rotund Turkish officials who have fin
ger in every political pie and a grasping
hand in every pocket that is to be ritled.
The bashi-bazouks, or irregular SOL
except rations and transportation, but
are expected to make their own living
by guerrilla warfare. They are almost
always in connivance with the higher Of
ficials, who remain discreetly blind to
their misdeeds as long as their own
hands are filled with backsheesh. Their
presence is invariably the sign of blood
shed. They scent the scene of carnage
from afar, and no place is too distant, no
atrocity too great for them to attempt.
In all the great massacres their serv-
ices have been utilized like that of the
Greeks at Scio in 1922, in Syria in 1861,
Bulgaria in 1876 and in the more recent
Armenian massacres. When the doom
OF the fair city of Harput was pronounced
by scored trade from the palace, from,
every direction swarmed the bashi-ba-
zouks, eager to be in at the death. They
brought with them all the necessaries
for the work of destruction, even to the
kerosene which they poured upon the
woodwork to accelerate the work Of the
torch. Then schools and churches, the
work of patient toll on the part of the
American missionaries and native
Christians, were consumed in day, and
darkness fell upon city desolate and in
ashes.
To-day these same thugs and murder
ers have been transported to Macedonia.
rs the probable scene of the next great
massacre. When from time to time
their atrocities become so fragrant that
the European ambassadors feel called
upon to protest the sultan virtuously
disclaims all responsibility for the law
lessness of a mob" over which, alas, he
has no control" Like each of the vari-
Gus clans of the Kurds, the bashi-bazouk
can easily be distinguished by his cos
tune. His shoes, or ''yemsnys" (mean-
| ing leather) are red or black His golf
like stockings, which leave the knee ex-
posed, are deliberately embroidered in
black, his short Turkish trousers are of
homespun, while about his waist is a
short sash of wool or silk, surmounted
| by leather belt in rich colors and en-
bossed in red. This is divided into three
or four sections in which he keeps his
revolver, his chibouk, or pipe, and his
| yataghan, always kept sharp. The
bashi-bazouks never carry daggers as
| the Circassians do. A cartridge box
| hangs from the side, as also small sill
yer snuff box. They wear two jackets,
| the under one with short sleeves and the
outside one with long At the elbow in
an opening in which they carry in a
leather bag written quotations from the
koran as talisman to protect them from
the bullets of the adversary. About the
neck is chain of silver coins from
which is suspended powder box. The
head is close shaven except for tuft of
hair left on top, so that if anything hap
pens to them on the battlefield the angel
will have no trouble in catching hold Of
their hair to snatch them up to Para
disc Only the aged are allowed to wear
boards. The fez is a stiff, high Turkish
affair, burdened with an abnormally
heavy tassel.
Historical Note.
! = o1o