Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-09-26
TURK SAVES kAVALA n. ENGLISH INFERN1
Rows All Night and Brings Greek
Fleet to Town.
Fisherman Heard That suIgars Had
Ordered Massacre and ssek'no Of
Town and Went Alone In a
Small Boat to Rescue.

The Salonika correspondent Of the
London Daily Telegraph sent the fol.
lowing graphic description Of how
Kavala. the town on the Aegean sea
which was the crux Of the peace ne
gotiations at Bucharest. was saved
from fire and slaughter at the hands
of the retreating Bulgarians:
II have heard from an eyewitness
most striking and picturesque details
as to the way In which Kavala was
saved just in the nick OF time. The
mass Of the Bulgar army, IN danger OF
having its retreat cut of from the
north, had evacuated the town, leaving
behind only small force of 200 men,
commanded by, g lieutenant, with or
ders to burn and sack the town next
day. The terrified people had hidden
themselves in their darkened houses.
behind locked doors and barred win.
dows. Rumors had gone about that
the garrison CHARTERED In the fortress
overlooking the town was laying in
large stores OF petroleum, and that
OoyOACSH WCAc OCAAS 0A0A PSASO oaA
guns loaded. There was nothing to
hope for or to do; only with unavail.
ing curses and prayers await the COM
ing of death in its most hideous form.
Through the pitch-black streets {
Turkish, boatman crept down to the
port. No boat was allowed to leave
the bay, patrols faced the quay.
searchlights flashed over the still and
silent waters. Very quietly, lying fiat
on the gray stones he loosened hts
little craft. crawled in, and. with muf.
fed oars, pulled away. None heard
him. and the searchlights playing all
around him left him In darkness. 1t
was, says he, as II a great hand were
stretched over him. and its shadow lay
around his boat.
He cleared the bay, and with all his
might and main bent to his oars. Far
across the sea, IS miles away in the
Bay Of Thassos. lay the Greek fleet.
Through the long hours Of the night
he rowed, needless Of aching arms and
limbs, rowed for his life and the lives
Of thousands who lay behind him In
the quaking town. In the early morn.
ing the port Of Thassos opened be-
fore him. The great ships were there.
always under pressure. straining at
their anchors.
with the last effort he pulled up
to the side. and the startled sailors
hanging over the gangway heard a
cry of warning. cry for help. rise
up into the night. For the sake Of
Allah and for the sake Of your God.
come Quick. for at the sunrise the
Bulgars sack the town.
I'm the little town the hours of
agony crept slowly by. Women wept
over their sleeping children and men
ground their teeth in useless rage.
Awaiting themselves of the shelter Of
the houses, two men had managed to
reach the church and climb up into
the bell tower. Through the night
they strained their eyes over the
empty waters of the bay which for
months past no ship had entered.
AT morn a thick column Of smoke
rose behind the promontory. What
could 1t be? With beating, shaking
hearts they watched the nose OF q
ship creep round the corner, long.
low. gray thing with protruding guns
and tunnels vomiting smoke.
1T was a destroyer At the stern
t1oated something they could not see
Yet, God in heaven, 1t was blue with
q white cross! The next instant the
bell was changing out crazy. jerky
peal. and a frantic creature was tear
ing down the streets shrieking. The
Greek fleet! The Greek fleet!'
In one moment shutters were let
down, doors burst open, and shout
ing, sobbing crowd rushed to the sea.
The destroyer had stopped. boat was
lowered, the captain was rowed ashore.
He had hardly time to touch the
ground before so strong arms had
caught him up and, with weeping and
with laughter carried him shoulder
high through the cheering streets.
whilst behind him. contentedly nod
ding his red-fezzed head, uncbtrusive-
ly walked the simple Turkish fisher
man who had saved the town"