CHAPTER XXII.Tokat—The Caimacan of the town—The battalion is to march to Samsoun—A naturalized Englishman—The road from Tokat to Sivas—The population of Tokat—The rich inhabitants bribe the gendarmes—The want of funds—The officials' salaries in arrears—Armenian schools in Tokat—The Greeks; not much reliance to be placed upon them—Khiva—Tashkent—Samarcand—Mussulmans in India—The Black Sea and the Russian fleet—Old soldiers in Tokat—The Armenians and Greeks to be supplied with fire-arms—Good governors—Osman Bey—A Circassian on Russian atrocities—A statement by the Russian authorities—Seven hundred families near Labinsky—Men, women, and children at the breast butchered—English sympathizers with Russia—The Russians sow the seeds of dissension amongst the Circassians—Yonn Bek—Many gold imperials offered to him.It is only a few hours' march from Bazar to Tokat, the track running parallel to the river of the same name. There are many villages by the side of the stream. The valley widens, and then narrows again as we proceed towards the town. Tokat at last lies before us. It is a long,straggling city, and on the left bank of the river.We were met by a Zaptieh. He conducted me to a house set apart for travellers. Shortly afterwards I received a visit from the Caimacan (governor). This official was an active, bustling little man, and much more energetic than any of the governors I had previously met.An order had arrived for him to send 1000 men immediately to Samsoun. The battalion would march the following morning at daybreak. He proposed that I should go and see the start.An engineer now called, a Pole by birth, but a naturalized Englishman. He was engaged in making a road from Tokat to Sivas; he had been in Tokat five years, and the work was not half completed. Indeed, judging by the system adopted for the construction of public works in Anatolia, it will be a wonder if the road is ever finished.According to the engineer, Tokat has a population of 25,000 inhabitants. Of these there are 8000 men who should each work four days a year at the construction of the road."It is a pitiable sight," continued the Pole. "The Zaptiehs are ordered to bring the people. A rich inhabitant bribes the gendarmes; they leavehim and seize some impecunious individual. The latter is brought to me, and I tell the fellow to commence digging. The man digs so long as I am in sight, but the moment my back is turned, down goes the shovel, and he lights a cigarette. The result is that I have been here five years, and only five miles of road are finished."The engineer complained of the want of funds in the public chest. His pay was only 10l.per month, and it was never paid punctually. Meantime, the authorities had discharged several engineers in their employ, on the ground that every piastre in the treasury was required for the maintenance of the troops.There were several Armenian schools in Tokat, and the Turks and Christians got on very well together. However, the Caimacan was of opinion that not much reliance could be placed upon the Greeks, i. e. in the event of a war between Turkey and Russia."They are very cunning," remarked the governor. "They will not declare themselves at once, but will wait a little, and hang back to see which side is the strongest. They still dream of the old Greek Empire, and think that some day Constantinople will be a Greek capital. This is not very likely to happen," he continued. "IfRussia were to conquer us, and to take Constantinople, she would not be willing to hand it over to the Greeks. What Russia takes she keeps. Look at the Caucasus. Look at the Crimea. Look at Khiva, Tashkent, and Samarcand. Some day she will try and conquer India, and what shall you do then?""Probably take our Indian troops, and, joining with the Afghans, and inhabitants of Kashgar, drive Russia out of Central Asia," I remarked."That is easier said than done," said the governor. "But, talking of the natives of India, is it true, as I have read in our newspapers, that many Mussulmans in India have petitioned your Queen to help the Sultan?""Yes," I replied, "I believe so.""Then why does she not oblige them? Your interests are bound up with our interests. We do not wish to lose Constantinople. It would be our death-blow. It would be your death-blow if the Black Sea belonged solely to Russia, for her ships could remain there in perfect safety, and, running out at any moment, might attack your commerce in the Mediterranean.""There are a great many old soldiers in Tokat," observed the engineer, "men who fought in the Crimea. They have asked me if there is anychance of England joining Turkey, and are longing to serve, with English pay and English rations.""The men who leave to-morrow go without any pay," said the Caimacan, "but they march cheerfully. We shall have to fight it out to the end," he continued; "if Russia does not destroy Turkey, Turkey must destroy Russia! I will sell my watch and everything I have in the world to raise funds for the war. We must all do the same."Whilst we were conversing an order arrived for the Caimacan to supply all the Armenians and Greeks in Tokat with firearms, and have them instructed in drill."I must go," he observed, and, rising from the divan, he left me alone with the engineer."He is a most energetic man," said the Pole, pointing to the retreating figure of the Caimacan. "If Turkey had more governors like him, she would not be reduced to her present straits. The great mistake in this country is the continual change of Caimacans. When we have a good governor, we never keep him for more than six months; the present man has been here about that time, he does not rob the people, and is thoroughly honest: we shall probably soon lose him."Several of the principal persons in the townnow came to call upon me; amongst others, a certain Osman Bey, a Circassian, and the chief of a large band which had emigrated from the Caucasus a few years previous. He was dressed in the Circassian style, with a sheep-skin coat, tightly buckled round his waist, embroidered leather trousers and high boots; a black Astrakhan cap surmounted his bronzed features. He was a fine tall fellow, and immensely popular with the inhabitants of Tokat.After conversing for a little while about my journey, and the state of the roads between Tokat and Erzeroum, he proposed that I should accompany him to his house, drink tea there, and be introduced to his relatives. The engineer came with us. After walking through some lanes, where the mud reached considerably above my ankles, we arrived before a square-built, whitewashed house. A solid wooden door, absolutely possessing a knocker—an article of luxury not known in Tokat, save to the richer inhabitants, gave admission to a small courtyard. This, in its turn, led to the apartments reserved for Osman Bey and the members of his family.He had sent a servant on before, to say that he was on his way. About fifteen Circassian gentlemen were seated around the room."We Circassians have heard a great deal of your nation," said Osman Bey, as he motioned to me to take a seat. "We once thought that England was going to help us to drive the Russians out of our country. However, you did not come; they outnumbered us, and they had artillery opposed to our flint guns. What could we do? We resisted as long as possible, and then, sooner than be slaves, came here.""If there is a war, shall you all go to the front?" I inquired."Yes, every able-bodied man amongst us. We do not pay any taxes to the Sultan; he gave us our land, and we owe him a debt of gratitude. Not only that," continued the speaker, and at the same time drawing a long, keen knife from his sash, and flipping his nail against the blade, "but we shall have an opportunity of cutting a few Muscovite throats!""I hope you will not kill the women and children!" I observed. "Nobody cares about the men; but in Europe we have a horror of people who massacre women and children.""We shall do as the Russians do, and as they have always done," observed my host grimly. "They have killed our old men, have cut to pieces pregnant women, and have tossed the childrenon the bayonets, whilst the soldiers have satisfied their lust upon our wives, and burnt them to death afterwards![16]Well, if they do the same thing now, we shall follow the example set us, and shall continue doing so, until England or some other power interferes to save our countrymen from the devilish tyranny of these Muscovite butchers. Let me give you one instance of their cruelty. A few years ago the Russian authorities informed the Circassians that whoever wished might leave the Imperial dominions and go elsewhere. This was probably done to discover what natives were well disposed or otherwise to the Russian rule. There was no real intention on the part of the Government to allow any of its subjects to pass the frontier. Seven hundred families belonging to some villages near the town of Labinsky, thought that it was abonâ fidepermission. Leaving their district, they started for the Turkish frontier. A short time afterwards theywere surrounded by Russian troops, cavalry and artillery, and ordered to return. The fugitives said that they had permission to leave Russia. The officer in command insisted that they should at once retrace their steps. The command was not immediately obeyed, the troops fired at the villagers, and then charged them with the bayonet; only thirteen Mohammedans survived to tell the tale. All the rest, men, women, and children at the breast, were cut to pieces.""Are these assertions really true?" I said to another Circassian."We know it, to our cost," he replied. "This is only one instance which Osman Bey has just given you, and which you have written down in your note-book; but there are many more equally horrible. The Russians have made a hell of our beautiful country. They are worse than the fiend himself.""Do your country-people like the Russians?" said Osman Bey."Some do," I replied; "but they do not believe in these horrible cruelties which you have been just relating to me.""Well, then, tell them to travel through our country—that is, if the Russians will let them—togo to our villages and talk to the country people; but not in the presence of Russians, as the poor sufferers would be afraid to speak, knowing well the fate which would await them when their questioners had departed. Let any of the people of England, who now sympathize with Russia, do this, and then let them form an opinion about the merits of the case.""When you return to your own country will you publish what I have said to you?" said Osman Bey."Yes," I said, "every line. Listen to what I have written, so that there may be no error."And I translated to him my notes, the engineer aiding me in the task."Are all your countrymen of one mind in their hatred of the Russians?" I inquired."Unfortunately, no," said Osman Bey. "The authorities have been clever enough to sow the seeds of dissension amongst our ranks. For example, they will often give the post of 'stanishna' (a local authority) in the different villages to a Circassian of a low degree. This gives him authority over our nobles. Ill-feeling is thus created between the two classes; it is utilized by the Russians.""One of our number is doing his best to avengehimself on the Muscovites," said another of the party, a good-looking young fellow, apparently about twenty years old, and Osman Bey's nephew. "His name is Yonn Bek; he has taken up his abode in the Farsa Shaguash mountain near Ekaterinograd, and kills the Russians whenever he can meet them. He has been pursued; but he has depôts in the mountain where he keeps provisions, and the Russians have never been able to trace him to his lair. The authorities have offered Yonn Bek a great many gold imperials if he would leave the country, as the man has done so much mischief there; but Yonn declines, and says that if the Russians have not been able to capture him in eight years, and he has been able to do them so much damage, what will not happen to the foe when the war breaks out and he is joined by other men like himself?"
Tokat—The Caimacan of the town—The battalion is to march to Samsoun—A naturalized Englishman—The road from Tokat to Sivas—The population of Tokat—The rich inhabitants bribe the gendarmes—The want of funds—The officials' salaries in arrears—Armenian schools in Tokat—The Greeks; not much reliance to be placed upon them—Khiva—Tashkent—Samarcand—Mussulmans in India—The Black Sea and the Russian fleet—Old soldiers in Tokat—The Armenians and Greeks to be supplied with fire-arms—Good governors—Osman Bey—A Circassian on Russian atrocities—A statement by the Russian authorities—Seven hundred families near Labinsky—Men, women, and children at the breast butchered—English sympathizers with Russia—The Russians sow the seeds of dissension amongst the Circassians—Yonn Bek—Many gold imperials offered to him.
It is only a few hours' march from Bazar to Tokat, the track running parallel to the river of the same name. There are many villages by the side of the stream. The valley widens, and then narrows again as we proceed towards the town. Tokat at last lies before us. It is a long,straggling city, and on the left bank of the river.
We were met by a Zaptieh. He conducted me to a house set apart for travellers. Shortly afterwards I received a visit from the Caimacan (governor). This official was an active, bustling little man, and much more energetic than any of the governors I had previously met.
An order had arrived for him to send 1000 men immediately to Samsoun. The battalion would march the following morning at daybreak. He proposed that I should go and see the start.
An engineer now called, a Pole by birth, but a naturalized Englishman. He was engaged in making a road from Tokat to Sivas; he had been in Tokat five years, and the work was not half completed. Indeed, judging by the system adopted for the construction of public works in Anatolia, it will be a wonder if the road is ever finished.
According to the engineer, Tokat has a population of 25,000 inhabitants. Of these there are 8000 men who should each work four days a year at the construction of the road.
"It is a pitiable sight," continued the Pole. "The Zaptiehs are ordered to bring the people. A rich inhabitant bribes the gendarmes; they leavehim and seize some impecunious individual. The latter is brought to me, and I tell the fellow to commence digging. The man digs so long as I am in sight, but the moment my back is turned, down goes the shovel, and he lights a cigarette. The result is that I have been here five years, and only five miles of road are finished."
The engineer complained of the want of funds in the public chest. His pay was only 10l.per month, and it was never paid punctually. Meantime, the authorities had discharged several engineers in their employ, on the ground that every piastre in the treasury was required for the maintenance of the troops.
There were several Armenian schools in Tokat, and the Turks and Christians got on very well together. However, the Caimacan was of opinion that not much reliance could be placed upon the Greeks, i. e. in the event of a war between Turkey and Russia.
"They are very cunning," remarked the governor. "They will not declare themselves at once, but will wait a little, and hang back to see which side is the strongest. They still dream of the old Greek Empire, and think that some day Constantinople will be a Greek capital. This is not very likely to happen," he continued. "IfRussia were to conquer us, and to take Constantinople, she would not be willing to hand it over to the Greeks. What Russia takes she keeps. Look at the Caucasus. Look at the Crimea. Look at Khiva, Tashkent, and Samarcand. Some day she will try and conquer India, and what shall you do then?"
"Probably take our Indian troops, and, joining with the Afghans, and inhabitants of Kashgar, drive Russia out of Central Asia," I remarked.
"That is easier said than done," said the governor. "But, talking of the natives of India, is it true, as I have read in our newspapers, that many Mussulmans in India have petitioned your Queen to help the Sultan?"
"Yes," I replied, "I believe so."
"Then why does she not oblige them? Your interests are bound up with our interests. We do not wish to lose Constantinople. It would be our death-blow. It would be your death-blow if the Black Sea belonged solely to Russia, for her ships could remain there in perfect safety, and, running out at any moment, might attack your commerce in the Mediterranean."
"There are a great many old soldiers in Tokat," observed the engineer, "men who fought in the Crimea. They have asked me if there is anychance of England joining Turkey, and are longing to serve, with English pay and English rations."
"The men who leave to-morrow go without any pay," said the Caimacan, "but they march cheerfully. We shall have to fight it out to the end," he continued; "if Russia does not destroy Turkey, Turkey must destroy Russia! I will sell my watch and everything I have in the world to raise funds for the war. We must all do the same."
Whilst we were conversing an order arrived for the Caimacan to supply all the Armenians and Greeks in Tokat with firearms, and have them instructed in drill.
"I must go," he observed, and, rising from the divan, he left me alone with the engineer.
"He is a most energetic man," said the Pole, pointing to the retreating figure of the Caimacan. "If Turkey had more governors like him, she would not be reduced to her present straits. The great mistake in this country is the continual change of Caimacans. When we have a good governor, we never keep him for more than six months; the present man has been here about that time, he does not rob the people, and is thoroughly honest: we shall probably soon lose him."
Several of the principal persons in the townnow came to call upon me; amongst others, a certain Osman Bey, a Circassian, and the chief of a large band which had emigrated from the Caucasus a few years previous. He was dressed in the Circassian style, with a sheep-skin coat, tightly buckled round his waist, embroidered leather trousers and high boots; a black Astrakhan cap surmounted his bronzed features. He was a fine tall fellow, and immensely popular with the inhabitants of Tokat.
After conversing for a little while about my journey, and the state of the roads between Tokat and Erzeroum, he proposed that I should accompany him to his house, drink tea there, and be introduced to his relatives. The engineer came with us. After walking through some lanes, where the mud reached considerably above my ankles, we arrived before a square-built, whitewashed house. A solid wooden door, absolutely possessing a knocker—an article of luxury not known in Tokat, save to the richer inhabitants, gave admission to a small courtyard. This, in its turn, led to the apartments reserved for Osman Bey and the members of his family.
He had sent a servant on before, to say that he was on his way. About fifteen Circassian gentlemen were seated around the room.
"We Circassians have heard a great deal of your nation," said Osman Bey, as he motioned to me to take a seat. "We once thought that England was going to help us to drive the Russians out of our country. However, you did not come; they outnumbered us, and they had artillery opposed to our flint guns. What could we do? We resisted as long as possible, and then, sooner than be slaves, came here."
"If there is a war, shall you all go to the front?" I inquired.
"Yes, every able-bodied man amongst us. We do not pay any taxes to the Sultan; he gave us our land, and we owe him a debt of gratitude. Not only that," continued the speaker, and at the same time drawing a long, keen knife from his sash, and flipping his nail against the blade, "but we shall have an opportunity of cutting a few Muscovite throats!"
"I hope you will not kill the women and children!" I observed. "Nobody cares about the men; but in Europe we have a horror of people who massacre women and children."
"We shall do as the Russians do, and as they have always done," observed my host grimly. "They have killed our old men, have cut to pieces pregnant women, and have tossed the childrenon the bayonets, whilst the soldiers have satisfied their lust upon our wives, and burnt them to death afterwards![16]Well, if they do the same thing now, we shall follow the example set us, and shall continue doing so, until England or some other power interferes to save our countrymen from the devilish tyranny of these Muscovite butchers. Let me give you one instance of their cruelty. A few years ago the Russian authorities informed the Circassians that whoever wished might leave the Imperial dominions and go elsewhere. This was probably done to discover what natives were well disposed or otherwise to the Russian rule. There was no real intention on the part of the Government to allow any of its subjects to pass the frontier. Seven hundred families belonging to some villages near the town of Labinsky, thought that it was abonâ fidepermission. Leaving their district, they started for the Turkish frontier. A short time afterwards theywere surrounded by Russian troops, cavalry and artillery, and ordered to return. The fugitives said that they had permission to leave Russia. The officer in command insisted that they should at once retrace their steps. The command was not immediately obeyed, the troops fired at the villagers, and then charged them with the bayonet; only thirteen Mohammedans survived to tell the tale. All the rest, men, women, and children at the breast, were cut to pieces."
"Are these assertions really true?" I said to another Circassian.
"We know it, to our cost," he replied. "This is only one instance which Osman Bey has just given you, and which you have written down in your note-book; but there are many more equally horrible. The Russians have made a hell of our beautiful country. They are worse than the fiend himself."
"Do your country-people like the Russians?" said Osman Bey.
"Some do," I replied; "but they do not believe in these horrible cruelties which you have been just relating to me."
"Well, then, tell them to travel through our country—that is, if the Russians will let them—togo to our villages and talk to the country people; but not in the presence of Russians, as the poor sufferers would be afraid to speak, knowing well the fate which would await them when their questioners had departed. Let any of the people of England, who now sympathize with Russia, do this, and then let them form an opinion about the merits of the case."
"When you return to your own country will you publish what I have said to you?" said Osman Bey.
"Yes," I said, "every line. Listen to what I have written, so that there may be no error."
And I translated to him my notes, the engineer aiding me in the task.
"Are all your countrymen of one mind in their hatred of the Russians?" I inquired.
"Unfortunately, no," said Osman Bey. "The authorities have been clever enough to sow the seeds of dissension amongst our ranks. For example, they will often give the post of 'stanishna' (a local authority) in the different villages to a Circassian of a low degree. This gives him authority over our nobles. Ill-feeling is thus created between the two classes; it is utilized by the Russians."
"One of our number is doing his best to avengehimself on the Muscovites," said another of the party, a good-looking young fellow, apparently about twenty years old, and Osman Bey's nephew. "His name is Yonn Bek; he has taken up his abode in the Farsa Shaguash mountain near Ekaterinograd, and kills the Russians whenever he can meet them. He has been pursued; but he has depôts in the mountain where he keeps provisions, and the Russians have never been able to trace him to his lair. The authorities have offered Yonn Bek a great many gold imperials if he would leave the country, as the man has done so much mischief there; but Yonn declines, and says that if the Russians have not been able to capture him in eight years, and he has been able to do them so much damage, what will not happen to the foe when the war breaks out and he is joined by other men like himself?"