New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-17


The first mistake was that Of trans
porting the sedan chair of Field Mar
shall Putnik at the head OF the pro-
cession. Every time it halted to change
bearers. which WAS every fifteen MN
utes. the whole two mile-long process
sion, following in single tie' had 10
stop also. As a result, instead OF
reaching Spas before shutdown, we oniy
reached the base of the mountain AFTER
darkness had fallen.
Here q long council was held as 10
whether we should bivouac IN the VII
lage below or undertake the mountain
climb in the dark. The latter course
was decided upon. II was one OF the
most extraordinary adventures ever
undertaken. A narrow path, about -FOUR
feet across. covered wiki ice ana snow,
winds corkscrew fashion up the face or
the cliff. On one hand Is rocky wall
Al d on the other q sheer drop into the
Drin. ~
This road winds and twists IN all
sorts Of angles. and il was up this that
we started in the black darkness, with
the sedan chair Of General Putnik suli
heading the procession. Every time IT
ched ii corner II was matter OF
endless difficulty ~ maneuVre IL
around.
on one occasion we stood for thirty
five minutes in an icy wind listening TO
tie roar of the Drin, invisible IN the
black gulf 50O feet below. Horses
slppc and fell at every instant, ana
every now and then one would SO
crashing into the gulf below
II was 10 O'Clock when, tired, hungry
and half frozen. we reached biyouac at
Spas. Here we found that though
dinner had been ready since 3 O'Clock
il could not be served because all the
plates and spoons were on the PACK
animals. which remained in the village
below Neither had the tents arrived,
and IS Spas contains only five or SIX
peasant houses accommodation was az
3 premium Colonel Mitrovitz, head Of
the mess, told me would find room in
q farmhouse quarter of mile away.
The house really was two hours dis
tant. over fields deep in snow. When /
got there at midnight ! discovered that
there were already nearly score Of
occupants; but at least ! was able to
sleep in some straw near the fireside,
instead OF in the snow outside.
Men Frozen by Roadside.
Next morning / set out at 6 % as to
get ahead Of the main body Of the
Headquarters staff. The day was mag
nifcent and we slowly climbed foot by
foot 10 the cloud-capped SUBMITS OF
the mountains. Up and up We went,
thousands and thousands Of feet.
Every few hundred yards we came
on bodies Of men frozen or starved -
death At one point there were four
in a heap. They were convicts from
Prisrend penitentiary, who mad been
sent IN chains across the mountains.
They had been shot either Tor nsdo-
ordination or because they were unable
10 proceed. Two other nearly naked
bodies were evidently those Of Serbian
soldiers murdered by Albanians.
Soon after midday ! overlook King
Peter and his staff. Despite his sew
enty-six years, he marched on foot
with vigor younger men might nave
envied.
During all the four hours ! marched
with the royal staff he never once
mounted his horse, which a soldier
was leading behind him. When we
stoned for the night at Bredeti King
Peter had d ten hours march 10 his
credit.
1t was at this point ! came across
the FIRST of Essad Pacha's gendarmes.
They had been sent out BY That heavy
handed ruler 20 protect the King ana
his staff. They were picturesque
lot, many of them barefooted, but
there was no doubt about the first
class quail ~ Of their rifles and revolv-
ers. They wore the Serbian gendatme S
uniform is, they wore any uni
form Of which the Nish government
had some months before made them a
present Of several thousand
The attitude of the population could
not be described as friendly TO the
Serbians, but at the same time there
were no outward signs Of hostility.
They rarely saluted and showed no de
sire whatever TO offer hospitality. lu
the case Of the royal hOusehOl and
Headquarters staff Essad Pacha had
requisitionod accommodations but am
one not belonging TO one of these units
had every chance of farlng badly All
they had TO depend on were wayslde
caravanserai.
These huge. barnhfe structures con-
sist Of nothing but four walls and a
roof. the latter generally doubtfully
water-tight. Here men snd horses were
all quarterCd pell-mell. Everybody an
ncves as much space a. he can get and
lights fire for warmth and cooking
As they have no chimneys, the smoke
&, left 10 find its way out through the
omen doors or the matched roof The
state Of the atmosphere may be i'm
agined.
Albanians Give Little Aid.
As my colleague. Paul Dubochet. OF
the Petit Parisien." and had pushed
on ahead Of the headquarters staff
we had naturally lost the advantage
Of being bHleted by Essad's gendarmes.
When we finished the days march we
took our share Of floor space, but the
atmosphere in an hour generally
proved too much for u.
We were therefore compelled 70 sur
render, and, despite the freezing cold
and the driving snow, we determined
20 put up small tent | received at
the time Of the destruction Of the
military stores az KraEuyevatz Arsenal.
IL was only three feet high and open
at the end; hence 1t was only an in
different shelter against the blizzard.
However. ] ordered M man to build
an immense fire near the open end and
We went 10 sleep.
Three hours later we awoke, 10 find
the wretched tent ahlaze. We strug-
qled out with difficulty and managed
10 save nest Of our belongings, but
a. +e,4 and the Steering rugs were