The New York Herald Newspaper, October 1, 1877, Page 4

BULGARIAN BATTLEFIELDS. The Turkish Victory ’ Near Eski Djuma. BATTLE OF KARAIASSAN, Mehemet Ali’s Attack on the Russians on the Lom, a TOPOGRAPHY OF THE BATTLE FIELD, How the Russians Lost a Com- manding Position ARTILLERY OPENING THE ACTIO. The Capture of Kiretchin and Kara- hassan by the Turks. TLAIDERKEU Baker Pacha Turns the Scale at a Doubtful Moment. —nieaniemitih STORMING Kawin JeNiKi01, NEAR TH CAMP OP THE Toxmisa Force, Covenine Esxi Doma, August, 26, 1877. I started out yesterday morning to walk to the camp of the Turkisu force, which lies at the head of the valley, about threo miles {rom this village; but, as the long expected and otteu promised countersign of the commander-in-chief to the ‘buyuruldu,’”” which I carry in my pocket, had not yet been aflixed, 1 searcaly hoped to be allowed to enter the camp or sit the spot where the ‘battle of Kski Djuma” was fought The SEC sy of this part of the valley 1a curious and offérs extraordinary facilities tor detence, « On either sido aro bold hills, the higher ridgos cov- ered with dense woods, and the lower slopes broken Up ito bare knolls, easily practicable for artillery. A series of ridges, for the most part low aud gentle, ex- tends across the valley from sie to side, broken only ‘by the bed of ihe nameless brook, which rises at the head of the watershed over the Lom, and falls into the Kirk Gischid Su, or river of the Forty Fords, on which the town of Eski Djuma is situated. At the end of the valley is the cross ridge which closes it aud forms the watershed between it andthe River Lom. Taw ridge, jow and round at the head of the valley, but much steeper and more abrupt to the south, is the battle field, the key of the post- tion, which was in the possession of the Russians on Wednesday last, but 1¢ now bela, and held drmly, by the division of Salich Pacha, Accompanied by two friends I walked up the valicy for a distance of about three miles, uctil we found our- selves close to the base of the ridge, and within a few | Dundred yards of the beadquarter tents, which lay clustered together beneath sore pine trees. On tho Yight the ridge rose abruptly, aud was clothed with Mbick woods; but the portion iu front of us was only | sparsely dotted with trees and bushes. On the lett were more wooded heights coumanding the ridge, but | forming a portion of the same tne of defence. We | subsequently ascertained that on the right of tne | Turkisb position the ridge throws outa spur at right | angles, which projects toward the Kiver Lom, and is still beld by ithe Rassiaus, Immediately be- | neath the position flows the Low, through a | fiat valley, The heights on che Turkish side of the rivor are steep and precipitous, but op the Russian side the ground rises gently back from tue valley in iow Founded hills, seamed by depressions, through which | Small rivulets flow down tothe river, At the entrance | of one of these, opposite to the ridge on the other | bank which is held by the Turks, les Popkioi, at a | distance of nearly three miles trom the bauk of the | | buman reliet. | Arab soldier, quite dead, ‘ » at NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1877—1RIPLE ‘up tn fair Gebt, but the dead and rd over 200 dead bodies lving ether, Among them was a suyerior oflicer, whose Yailorm they stripped off for Sale; upon him Was founa a gold wateh and chain, monoy and papers; these last Were thrown away OF destroyed by the robbers, Altogether the basbi- bazouks report tioding the bodies of 400 men, but no doubt many of them were really ouly wounded when first discovered and despatched afterward, Tue Rus- Sians are very clever at carrying away their wounded, and appear to bi me regular system tor doing so do action, ir losses In wounded must have been Very heavy, owing to their atiacking in masses and the Splendid practice of the Turkish artillery. THE TURKISH LOSS! were comparatively slight, amounting té about 150 killed and wounded, Tie Poush Legion out of 46 men Jost 5 killed and 11 wounded; one of the latter has since died in hospital at Eski Djuma. I forgot to mention that during the first day’s fight- ing between the outposts the Russians Gred uearly six ‘ndred shells into a wood in which they thought the rks were concealed. ‘There was not a man tn it! Ou the same day a Torkish infantry soldier walked through some corn fields into the heart of the Russian | position before it was known that they bad retired, ana Was the first to report thut they had evacuated st He was immediately awarded a grade. THR HOSPITALS OF BSKI DICMAs When itbecume known that fighting had been going on at the froat two of the iargest ouiidings in the Bui- garian quarier were set aside by the Turkish autbori- lies for the use of the wounded. They are both school houses and have been tri jato hospitals, bot, although it known that cari lade! with wounded were on their way to tho town, uot the sigbiest preparation has been made for their reception. Fortunately, Drs. Crooksbank aud Schofield, of the National Aid Society, and Wr. Roy, who is ip the Turkish service, had burried down {rom Shumla on ‘Thursday and arrived im the alternoon, soon after the wounded nad segun tocome in They } ab once went to the lower hospital and found thirty | wounded men,-just brought in trom the battle field, lying on the bare floor and in the courtyard. There was no one paying any attention to them, aud the medical man in charge, who had only left the school at Constantinopc afew months ago, utterly unable to discharge bis duty even 1 what bis duty wag, Attendants and dri vainly asked lor by the doctors, but after a while they procured some lint and bundoge, and set to work to dress the wounds themselves. ‘They sent off to Shumla the same afternoon many of the slightly wounded so a§ to make room for the others who wero on the way. A SCENE OF SUFFERING, Later iu the evening the second batch of wounded men began io arrive in tue town, and many of them were tacen to the upper hospital, of the existence of which the doctors had not yet been informed. I ac- companied them in the evening to the hospital they bad already visited, The court yard and interior of | tho building presented adreadtui sight, ‘The ox carts were still slowly Bling in at the gate, and almost the whole space outside the house was crowded with those which had already arrived. A few of the wretched men bad been taken out and luid on the ground, but any remained streteed out motionless in tho cart each of which held only one man, There was still nobody present to receive the gufferers, to dresqgheir wounds or even to give them adrink of wal al though some Turkish bospital dressers bad been sent dowa trom Shumla that very day. The night was tine aud warm, but of courso it was necessary that ihe wocnded men should be taken under cover, aud as there was no one else to do it we did it ourselves, wity the assistance of the urivers of ihe curts, My col- leagues of the London Standard and Morning Adver- | tiser were also present, aud we set to work with a will to help the docters in their humane eiforta, We car- ried the straw [rom tbe carts into the building and iaade beds of it on either side of the passage. Tue more slightly wounded were heiped up the sieps and the bad s carried in ou stretchers or in the strong arms of my burly Ublan servant, Wuo handled them as tenderly as a woman. A large'proportion of the wounds were in the bauds, but there were plenty of fraciured arms und legs, which needed the surgeon’s best care, ana mupy wretched mea Who were hurt beyoud all possibiilty of Twent with my laatern to ap araba, whicu stil retained ite occupant, and raised the Dianket with which he was covered. He was a young He had deen shot through tue Lver and had died on the wuy, just Leforo arriving iu the town, After an bour’s hurd work we got atl toe men out of ihe carts und into tue bouse, and then | the ductors, ior the second time that day, uid duty as | hospital dressers, There was only one light in the whole building, and when that was removed the patients were left in darkuess for the remaiader of tue night, Next morning four of them were found dead lying by the side of the living. Mr, J. 8, Young, of the Nuuonal Aid Society, arrived early from Shuwia to in- Spect the arrangements made by his coliougues, and had a very stormy iaterview with the Kaimakem, who huppeued to be at the uospital, and a still more stormy oue with a German doctor, who was twiddiog his tuumbs ip a café close to the place. {| believe nvither tue Kammkem nor the doctor nave yet recovered from the energetic attack of Mr. Young, und they are sult asking Who 1b was that suddenly in the town, pliched into them \- ished. Drs. Crookslunk and Schoueld’ ieit tor the ‘front in the afternoon aud Mr, Young with his Turkish colleagues in the town, tbat up to the present time iood has been most irregu- larly supplied to the paticnts, and that the want ot proper nourishment, iediciue and dressings will prob- avly lead to more deaths, Simple remedies, which ought to have been supplied eurly in the campaign, are wanting, and he is almost powericss, having no stores ob band. Ali he can do is to bring the water before the Commander-in-Chief aud the Society of the Crescent tn Cunstanunople, in the hope thut som: if May be doue toward remedying this lamentable @ of uflairs, A SAD Case, One of the saddest cases in tue hospital was that of a young Vole uamed Roguz1, who was the editor of a Pousu paper in London, but came out bere to fight aguinst the mortal enemy of his country in tac ranks of te Polish Legion. He was an exceedingly intellt- Lom. The Russian camp, um told, is situated be- tween Popkioi aud the stream that can be clearly seen | from the ridge and the bills behind it, access to which | is forbidden to siraugers. | “THE BATTLE OF ESKI DsUMA.” | Ihave already sent telegraptic account of the sharp little fight wnich bas been magnifed into a battle, and entitied fhe Battle of Kski Djuma’? it | ought raiher to be called “The Combat of Kebir Jenikioi,”’ for Eski Djuma 1s uot less than sixteen | miles distant. But altho! the magnitude of the | uflair bas been exaggerated, there cau ve no doubt of its interest and importance as a preliminary to the | fur greater struggle now close at hand. At both | extremities of the line of defence, from Ras- | grad to Eski Djuma, covering the approaches to | Shumia, the opposing forces have now come inio col- lision and measured each other's strength; but the fight at Esirdscue, in whieh Aziz Pacha lost nis hile, Was not so iinportant from a military and strategic Polat of view as that which took place on Wednesday and Thursday last in this valley, The Russian out posts having crossed the river trom Popkioi had ag. cended the heigats on the opposite side, and meeting with po euenty bad established themselves ‘on the crest of the ridge, but had not occupied the woods on theirleft. The Turkish forces, which bad beea in camp at Eski Djuma, having received reimtorcements from Shumla, had been gradually pushing up the valley 01 Kebir Jenikioi, as it became apparent toat the Russians were iu strength at Popkio, On Wednes aay lust, the very day on which Salich Pacha, who commands the division, aud General Vaientine Baker, with their respective siaffs, quitted the camp at Eskt Djuma for the advanced positions, @ vattalion of Turkish infantry bad atiacked tue Russian ourposts ou the Page aud lad driven tuem down the will toward the river. ‘ihe colovel in command, knowing thar the Russians were in fo ce, thought ne could not bold | the ridge and was retiring whea the Pacha and stall arrived on the ground party. Salich and Baker at once saw the importance Of Lhe position, aud tue Turks were imsmediutely or- dered to bold it, ‘The Russians also recognized the advantage they had lost, and advanced tu retake the ridge under cover of a fire of surapuel. Their first round killed turee and wounded five of the famous Polish Legion, which was drawa uy, fort ix in num- ber, on the leit of the Turkish line. The attuck scems to have been determined, the Kussiaus advanciug ie Gloge column five times apou oue portion of whe Turk. 1sb position, but each time they were repulsed by a well-sustained infautry fire and by tue excetleut prac- tice of two fold pieces, which had tho exact range And opened tire the moment they left cover, WAKER PACHA'S PLANK ATTACK, The quick eye aud trained mind of Baker Pacha at once wok in tho state of aifairs and the topography of the Geld, He rode of to the right toward tue wood | with filty or sixty horse Circassians avd bull a bat- falion of regulars, Leaving two companies in wis reur he advanced with the rewanier of the try and through the wood, and, huving arrived at ot it, opened a tunking fire ata distance of B00 yards upon the Kussiap attacking colum Kussiave evidently thouzut their jelt was av turned by @ large force, of which these lew hundreds $m the road might be the advanced guard, and as two elu pieces coming wp uviiobered aud opened upou from the sare direction twe columns feil vuck. Fetrout wus covered by six battalions of infantry, and the remainder of the attacking force was scattered id across the river like a flock of sheep. a cavalry sufficieut to pursue it gone th the Whole division, so say m fav eye-witnesses 0! the afair, who estir y at 20,000 at r Lue retreat of suet | 4 commander 18 tl pro- ded with artillery, for he brought vory little into action, or be cous! Dimsell outcumvered by the | Turks and decided no% to sacrifice Lis men in an aL | ty # strong defousive position, Lam told, rent, that the Russaos fous very v. | without the slightest dasi or perseverun Tho vod out of thelr cover to atiuck with ap. but meliou away the moment re. | todie yer with # sinail reconnoitring | | @ distance of four m; gent young mau, only twenty-six years of age, aod spoke Germao aud Frenen periectly. te was dread- fully Wounded iu bota feet by one of the first fired by (he Russian artillery im the engagem Wednewday. 1 saw him on the following evening on the fluor of the hogoital i a terrible state of g He told methat be bad walked on bis knees to the rear, alter beiwg Wounged, tor a distance ot one kilometre, and then lay all night and part of hext Woruing on the fleld before he was picked up, His left toot bad been hacked off by the chomict at- tached Lo the Turkish hospital service, but mortitca- Yon bad set im in (ue oter, aud lad extended alreauy to avove the kuee. it was a hopeless case, but he earuesuly begved Dr. Roy to amputate nie leg. “1 have not led a good life,” be said, “aud am not ready naps it will save’ me.’? The Doctor consenied to perturw the uperation, and afew hours Jater went to the Hospital for the purpose, As they ere ruising bim to carry him inte another room he wed. A STRANGE FUNERAL. | The Turke would uot bury tim because he was a | Christian, and the Bulgarians would not bury him be- | cause, “althoagh a Chrisilun, ne vad fought against a Curistian cause,’ and $0, a8 there is no “Little Church | Around the Coroer” in Esk! Ojyuma, we buried bim | oUFseives, ab sunset, 1m OW grave, dug iu ua open space south of the town, ath the shavow of the | lovely bilisot the Dervend Baikan. Hie coflia was au empty Winchester rifle box und tie hearse une of the little carts of tue country. The Doctor, a icllow cor- | respouuent of mine, one of his own comrades of the legion, and myself toilowed the cart, Arrived at the grave, Which Was surrounded by a crowd of Turks and | Bulgarians, it was found to be only just large enough to udm t the box, 0 the men could not stand im it while they jowered it down. After a dealot unseemly jobbering’ and chatter grave sud an attempt made Yo lower it, but one end dropped ip, aud so tt rematued watil a piece of curd Was procured to raise ibe other end. The box then fell Gown with @ jolt in the proper position aud (ue poor ictlow was at rest, Ibe luneral rites were sitnpi@ enough. Bareheaded, we cuca threw 5 earth on tue coffia, aud: the grave was then quick!y filled tu. His comrade then made a bollow in the mounG at the foot of the gruve and stuck some little candies upright in the soil. blowing wud ne one could get the caudies to remain alight; there was more onatiering and arguing, im the midst of whieh one man took off another man’s fez to shield tue fue trom the Wind, At last some one vrought four coo! tiles and built a Httle house round the candles; they biazed up brightly Lor alew moments ana then quickly burned out, like the poor fellow’s | own lit, chen we went aw Altogetuer 1 think iv was the saddest (uueral Lever saw A NIGHT ALAtM, ners and Bulgarians in Kskt Djuma bad a | re lust Thursday wight, 1 was lying asleep | on my mattress on the floor of the Buiganan house | which I occupy, and beside tue was « doctor of the Natioual Society, Who, Wearied With bia invors at the Horpital, Was in @ profound siutnuer, Suddenty, at about midnight, we Were startled by the sound of a | rile shot close to the House; then followed two more | in rapid succession and thea a perfect fusiliasc, ‘lt | has com | , at Just, by God! A mussacre of the Bulga- rans!” cried my companion, jumping up aud begin ing to dross; “or the Kusetuns have forced the detiles and come ito the town!’? I exclaimed, when in | rushed my servant in his shirt and sboute: | Come out, si, and see tue fire bulloop | they're firmg at it’? There was now a ine | mendoug rave of imuskerry, und she bullets wero | whizzing about the chimueys of the house as we ran | out into the garden. Tue whote of the three families | of Bulgarians who occupy the premises were gathered, werlng and terrified, i the court, aad my lwndiord begged ine to go inside again, We looked up at tue sky aud there saw—aa echipse of the moou! All but @ (DID, bright crescent Was Vorlod by a reddish shadow, through waich (he remainder of the full circle could | bo traced, ic was a glorious fire balloon indeeu! iis | fusiilade continued, and there was now Auded to tue | Bolse the bang of What must have been asmali cannon, or, if it Was a portable firearm, it must pave laid Lue man at ou bis back When ho pulled tue trigger. We looked at each other tor a moment and then burst toto tits of Inughtor ag the truth dawned upon us. According to (he lurkisn saperstition (they are back- ward in astronomy) an eclipse of the moon {fs nothiug more bor less than # base atiempt of His Satanic Maj- esty to stoal aWay our night light, and when they see his evil band (or) am not sure 1 isn’t bis mouth) spreading over the brignt disk they fire guns to frighten lim aw tu tis they have aiways | triampoantiy sw “What are you atratd o ?’? suid | to the Buigars you let the devil bave « little green cheese for dessert?” laughing to bed again. And so wo went AFTER THE +IGnT, KsKi Divma, August 27, 1877, Aspecinl messenger fom tue trout bus just brought the vows to the effect that tho Russians have retired to s from the jet bank of the io THN ROSHAN LOSS 55. ‘The bashi-bascuk svoundrels, who relu to stand | Lom. ‘bree butialions have been seen retiring in tho direction of Popkioi aud three more marcuing down returned to Shumla, Dr, Roy veing lett to do bis best | He tells me | the box was held over the ; There was a fresh vreezo | the river tu tbe direction of Rasgrad. A shell was fired to try the 1b the battalions to standstill, but they went on, 1 also hear tbat at the close of ‘the action op Tuursaay the Turks dragged a beavy Krupp gun up to position op the ridge ana fired at long ropge @ retreating columus, Tho first shot went over them, but the next burst in their midst end caused # general stampede, co: Ming their dis- comtiture. I ulso bear it confirmed that the Circas- sians and bashi-bazouks bebaved very badly and showed themselves to be thoroughly useless for fight- ing. They ran ‘away when the Russians opened fire and only returned in the ovening when all was quiet, MEHEMET ALI'S ATTACK ON RUSSIANS ON THE LOM—CAPTUBE OF KARAHASSAN. Camp oy THs TcRKISH AuMyY, ' SARNASUFLAR, August 30, 1877, The two days’ fighting which gave the allied armies ‘of Mebemet Ali and Prince Hassan command of the Heights of Kiritchen, om the right bauk of the Lom, | epposito to the villages of Popken! id Alas! beer followed by a brilliant engagement, which bas brought the Turks up the river for at least another ten miles of its course, From Osman Bazar northward, as far as Karabassanken!, a distance of twenty-five miles, the headwaters and upper course of the western brancy of the Lom (the Kara, or “Black” Lom, as it is called) are in the grasp o! the Turco- Egyptian army, and the whole position between those two points is absolutely impregnable to any forces the | Rassians could bring against it. You baye, no doubt, heard a good deal lately abuut tho “line of the Lom;” and, as it isa military expression which seems likely to become famous in the history of war, afew words as to the topography of the country traversed by tho now celobrated littic stream may not be out of piace, ‘THE RIVER LOM, Itis not easy to get a distinct idea of the nature of the river and the district watered by it, even witn the assistance of the beet maps. In tho Austrian Ord- nance Survey. which, although abounding with inac- curacies, ig the best iarge scale map ol the seat of war, there are three Loms, which unite and form a single stream; while iu Kiepert’s general maps of Tur- key in Europe two branches only are shown. I bavo been over much of the ground along the river and be+ tween the branches, and have thus been able to form an idea of the general topography, Which no amount of poring over maps could give. The simple name Lom is applied only to the main stream, between the confluence of the branches and the town of Rust- chuk, where it discharges its waters into the Danub At a distance of only twelve miles above its em- pouchure and noar! the village of Jovan Ciftlik, the river divides itselt into two branches; the eastern branch Iw called the Beli, or “White” Lom, and the western the Kara, or “Black” Lom. Four miles abovo the confluence of these two branches the Beli Lom ri ceives a tributary, which flows between them in a course nearly parallel to that of the Kara Lom, and at an average distance of about eight miles. This Ititle tributary of the Beli Lom does not appear to bave any recognized name. in one por- tion of its course it Is called the Solenik, anda little bigher up it assumes the name of tho united stream and Is spoken of as “the Lom.” This coniusion of nomenclature very misleading, vut arises from the fact that this whole system of rivors bears the generic name Lom, and in the eyes of the Turks, who are vory careless of proper names, all of them are simply the Lom. Now that tho war on this side of the Jantra is extending along the banks of the Kara Lom, and peoplo are beginning to talk of the “line of the Lom,’ iti well to bear in mind the | characteristics of the riverand the topograpby of the country through which it fows, Inthe first place, then, it and its branches are “rivera,” which in many places a man, and in most places, a horse, could jump, The “line of the Lom’? need not, therefore, convey an idea of a formidable physical obstacle between the two armies. THE BELI LOM. The eastern, or Beli Lom, is the smaller and sh orter of the two main branches; but the important town of Rasgrad 1s situated upon it, and the main road trom that place to Rustchuk follows its course for some distance. Between the Beli andthe Kara Lom flows the doubly named tributary which I have mentioned, and which I think it will be more conve- nient to call the Middle Lom, This little brook is about the same length as the Beli Lom; upon it and near it are the villages of Spahilar, Kesil, Mura Sadina, Kostantcha and Solenik. THE KARA Lom. The Kara Lom js the most important stream of the system, which, aftor what I have said as to its #120, Is | not saying much for the others, and at present repre- sents in itself the “line of the Lom.” It rises west of | Eski Djuma, in the group of lofty bills known as the | Derbena Balkan, and flows for the first part of its course in a porthorly direction, past tho largo villages of Jazier or Aiaslar, Sultankeni, Popkeni apd Haidar- ken), all of which are situated on the left, or as wo may now call it the Russian bank, Thence it runs ina northwesterly direction past the small hamlets of Gagova, Polmarca, Opaka, Kulewtscna (name of ill omen to the Turk), Abiava and Ostrica on the left, and Karahussankenl, Ogartchin and Kuceljevo on the right bank; whence it resumes its northerly course and empties into the Danube at Rustenuk, At the place where the stream again turns to the northward | it 4s just twenty-three miles distant from Bela, the | headquarters of the Russian army. Taking into cal | culation all the windings and bends cf the Kara Lom I should say it is the longest river in the world; but the actual distance from its source to its mouth is just fifty miles, The Mwand itself with all its meanderings, is nothing to the Kara Lom. Its course iics through a broad, undulating alluvial valley, in which thero is apparently nothing to prevent a straignt bed, but it flows nortn, south, east and west in a comp: of helt a mile. When tt ought to be on 118 way toward its home in the Danube it hankers after its cradle in the Derbend Baikan, and instead of remaining in the middlo of its valley it goes off ata tangent from side to side, as though paying al- ternate visits (o the bills which shutitin. Moreover, half the time you cannot seo {t at all, for it is buried deep down poneath steep banks, and 1 1s ooly when | you come suddenly apon the edgo of the miniature ciiffs that you are made aware of its existeuce, THE VALLEY OF TUR LOM. Throughout almost the whole o! its course the vi ley of the Kara Lom is bounded on the rigut bank o! the river by lofty hiils, often wooded to the summit, which dominate the opposite side. This is especially | remarkubie in the drat half of its course, where the | | hills—the Kiriteuen as they are called—-on the ono side | | may alinost be termed mountains. Soon after leaving | | the village of Kuceljevo the r enters the downs, which {ringe the Danube, and the characteristics of | the two sides of the valley becomes identical. The Kara Lom receives the waters of inany tributary | brooks which flow down from the hills on either sido | through well marked, lateral valleys, The chief of these is a winding little stream calied the Banicka Lom, which rises not far east of Biela ang joins tho Kara Low avout eighteen miles from Rustcbuk. It is possible that if al! goos weil with the Turks the Banicka Lom may form a defensive line for the Rus- siaus at somo not very distant day. THE HEIGUTS OF THE Low. The three Loms are divided from each other by two ranges of heights, which descend sharply down to the | valleys iu which the rivers flow. The heights between the Bel: and the Middle Lom are not so boid as those which intervene between the Middle and the Kara Lom, these latter being really a spur of the Derbend Balkan group, which runs up in a northwesterly direction between the two streams, These two ridges and the two valleys of the Kara and Middle Lom form an extraordinary douvle defensive line against an army advancing on the Rusgrad-Wski Djuma Ine, which covers Shumla from an attack on the weet, Owing to the gross negligence or incapacity of Abdul Kerim the Nussians ioug ugo seized the first Tange of heights beyond the valley ol the Ka and even pushed their advanced guard over the Midale Lom; but Mehemet Ali, by nis brillant f August 90, which I ‘will pre y a changed ali that, and just now ti Russiau soldier remaining on the eastern bank of the upper course of the Kara Lom. REPORS THM GATTIR Having now, as! hope, made cicar the topography of the country in which the war on this side of the Jantra i carried on, I will endeavor to give you some account ofthe attack of the 30th of August, which drove the Russians trom the upper course of the Kara Lom and the heights beyond, and which was | | uessed by a large number ‘of spectators—m among them-—under extraordinarily favorable circum- stances, Iwas camped atthe timoin the village of Kebir Jenskeni, close to the headquarters of Mebemet Ali, which were situated iu another Village, called sarvasuflar, behind the ridge whieh dominates tne vulley of the Kara Lom. Tho ridge bud been seized by the Russians long ago, but the Turks bad driven thom trom it iu @ brilliant littto action a few dave before the battic of Karns hassan, and thus secured the only entrance into the of Esk) Djuma, The ease with which a tew battalions of Turks had repos this exceedingly important posit astonishment to all who Were present; the Kuss! made absolutely no defence worth epeaking of, when once they had lost t i attack «pon it next day was a epiritios heartiess affair, No sooner hat hold of the position 4 toe Turks got orm | ourselves ou & spacious piateag at ‘THE RIDGE OF KIRICHEN. Love the eastern or right bank of the tof 116 course are very steep and high. ‘They rise at Dest trom ley in a terrace of low plateaus and they again ascend to # beight of at least ix hundred fect, the culminating pornt being a high, Projecting bill called Sakar Te Upon the summit Of tbis bill, which dominates the who!e plain and val- Joy below for miles, the Turks bad planted a battery of three Krupp guns, and too much praise cannot be be- stowed on the enerzy and skill with which this com- Manding position was armed and fortified, Within a very few after the capture of the first and lower Ali’s engineers had made roads, practi- Up to the very summit of the rest o! the Kirichen ridge trom jo Russians had barely recovered their ejection from the valley of ¥ were conironted by a seri planted ‘almost ‘maccessivle positions, which rendered all prospect of further attack, or even of near approach, quite hopeless, ‘They were compelied to retire to theircamp at Popkeni and to maintain there a “masterly 1unciivity,”” THE POMITION OF KARAMASSANKEMI, The ridge of Kirichen, after skirting the valley of the Kara fom for a distance of seven miles, gradually bubsides, and {row its termination a series of lower ridges sweep around in a semicircle away irom the vatley, but again approach it, rising bigher and higher until they descend into it close to and yorth of ‘tho Villiage of Karabassankent But across this ampbi- theatre of hilis runs a straight, low ridge, which er aod connects the two a ‘at any other place, de: e valley in a rugged slope, broken up iuto little ravines by the action of water. These Hopes the Helene of rabassan, are bare, and the soll ing of a whitish clay they look atadistance like low white clilfs or bluffs, They form an exceeding rong military position, of which Karabassan isthe key. Probably the Russians always occupied the viliage in considers. bie torce, as it 1ormed the base from which they pushed their reconnoiseunces into the valley of the Middle Lom toward Raagrad, From Karabassan a road runs over the ridge at the back of the village through anotber village called Ketchiler and descends into tue Middie Lom Valley at Sadina. It is ouly eight miles acro-s the next range of heights into the valley of the Bett Lom to Rasgrad; but siace the concentration of the Turkish army at that town the Russians have never Leen al to gain a» fooiimg oo those heights, and have contented themselves wit¥ occupying Sadina, Spahilar and the other villages in the v: ie But When the force holding that part of the Kirichen ridge which commanas the entrance of the valley of Kebir Jenikem had been driven back these -villuges became untenable and they were fired and abandoned. Above Karahassan is the little village of Kotchiler, BOt more than one mile anda bali distant Both vil- lages stand on 8 spur which juts out {rom tbe bigh bill stern extremity of the amphitheatre, and is covered by thick forest and brushwood. fhe immediate neighborhood of the villages is occupicd by fields of Indian corn, divided off by hedges, but be- ig @ bare slope, which Jorms an ad- position against au enemy advunc- ing from the north. ‘Vho battle of Karabassan was a nocessary sequel of the combat of Sarnasufar. In the latver engagement the right wing of the Russian positions ou ihe Lom had been driven back, while their right contro re- mained at Karahassap. Av attack upon (hem at that place was therefore inevitable, and being so itis aa- tounding that the general in command bad not made better provision against it. THK TURKIBH FORCES AND POSITION engaged in tue batile cousisted of two divisions—that of Nedjib Pacha and another division, which was di- arts, one brigads pporting Nedjib on either band. All these troops formed part of the army which Mebomot Alt has so long been concentrat- ing at Rusgrad. All tbe disp Command Chief since bis assumption of the com. mand bave been those of @ skiiful aud cautious gei eral Whilo the army lay at Rusgrad, before the plans for a geveral attack were matured, he made Ruasgrad an intronched camp, impregnable to assault even by the combined forces of tne Russians ou bis side of the Lom; but when ali was ready he moved out, slowly but steadily, and took up positions on the heights of the Middle Lom, overlooking the vil- lage of Spabilar, baving bis iotreached posi- tion in bis reur, Tue Turkish troops were in the best possi! and eager to be led against the evemy. Months ot inactivity, but incessant drill, in the camps at Shuinla and Ras- grad had brought them into the right frame of mind for @ swilt aud well combined attack, and when tbe moment for action arrived (bey struck bard, THK RUSSIAN POSITION AND FORCES. The Russian forces across the Lom consisted of eleven battalions of infuntry who were quartered in the village of Karabassan, and two battalions wno oc- cupied Ketchiler and the heights above. Besides, Ubey bad ‘our regiments of cavalry ava sixteen guns, Had the Russian commander made the rove dis- Position of bis forces and occupied the heights above tho village of Karahassan im groater strength, the Turks would probably b. had harder work veforo But, a8 it was, the position occupied by tI Russians iu the woods and on the slope between the villages was one of great oatural strength, and they evidently kuew its advantages, althougu by some un- accountable oversight they bud omutied to throw up, any Works except a shelter trench on tho slope, THE PLAN OV ATTACK, ‘The attack was fixed tor the morning of the 30th of August, The signal was to be two rounds tired (rom the guns of tho brigade overlooking the village of Sa- diva, aad the brigade was then to descend tho hill and take possession of that place. The brigados of Saivet and Ali Pacbas were then to move from the right ot the Turkish line upon the villag etchiler and Kuranassan, and when this movement was well devel- oped the extreme lettof the Turkish order of Was to cross the river and advance upon Ajas! vazlar, supported by the Egyptians of Prince Hassan. This operation was iptrusted to the brigade of azn Pacha, Three villagos formed the ubjective point of the Turkish advance. Karabassan ou the right bank and Haidarkeni and Jaziar on tho lett bank of the Lom; they he in a straight ime, which intersects tho river between Karabassan aud Haidarkeoi, AN OBSTINATE TURK. I spent the night of the 29:h of August at Kebir i, a village lying behind the lelt wing of the army at a short distance from the camp of gypt, but so dark u kept that no one outside the head- quarters camp had any idea thatthe attack was ordered tor the morrow, although all knew that there was “something in the wind,” and that the “offensive movement” which bad been talked about so long could not be much longer delayed. ‘here were many who thought nothing cowld be done unul Sulotman should arrive from the other side of the Baikaus, With ainety fine battaions under bis command, and the Slivno Pass open to him, be remained motionless, week alter week, although urgently entreated by M hemet Ali to push forward, tura the Spipka Pass an eflect a junction with the army on thie side of the mountains. But weok alter week passed and nothing was done—the whole campaign was thwartod by the Jealous opstinacy of Suleiman, What makes this conduct ‘the more shametul is the fuct that itis entirely due to personal jealousy of Sehemet Ali on the part of Suleimau Pacha, While the Russians were in the Balkans be wished to pose ag tue defeuder of Con- stantinopie, and to present himself and bis fine army a wull between the invaders and the capital. ‘Thu ‘as all very well while i lasted; but inaintained his beroie attitude long alter it w deut to tae merest tyro in matters military that danger of au advance was past, aud, uaiortunately, he bas had puillvieut influence at Constantinople Lo prevent his compliance with his rival's orders, 1 ain condition | told that at lust Menemet Ali grow desperate aud, | tired ot waiting any longer, sent peremptory orders to bis jpsubordinute colleague thar if be did not ad~ vance at once be might go back to Constantinople | who would, It story of personal ainbition jealousy. Finaily, —bowever, 10 move und Mehewet Ai Was enabied to undertake with more confid ui second of the series of operations, by which he hope: to drive away the Russians from the right bank of the Lom. ‘The complete success of that operation is now matter oi histury, and 1 will go on at once to describe what I saw of it, and make room for some one is A miserable and = malignant Suleiman commenced THE SIGNAL GUNS. The sound of guys which cime booming over the hills beiween eight and nine o'clock ou the moruing of the 3U:b of August caused me and two codeagues who | were sharing With we the squallid misery of a deserted house in Kevir Jenikeni to jump into our saddles and hurry of tothe camp, We went to tho tent of the doctors of the National Society and beard there that the chief and all the staff uad goue ap to the top of the Sakar Tepe, aifd Wat there was certainly something Important going on. Wo burried off und a: ridge by the new road which the furki bave made for the uso of gun: ing climb, reached the top of the ridge. the edge of whieh was a battery of Krupp guns in position, flankea on either side by shelter trenches. The view trom the parapet was glorious and commanded an immense extent of country, On our right, ats distance ot six mil the villages of Karahassan and Ketchiier, ween agi the background jeep wooded hiil which overbangs them, Immediately opposite this bu mn the other side of the Lom, w: nother long ridge, Which rose from th ey, the river thus flow. ing between the two bills and passing out of sight. Far ip the distance between these hiils rose the bigh dowos which bound the lower course of the river, On our left the view was equally extensive and comprised the succes: ridges of lolty hills which torm the spurs of the Balkaus, while in the distance against the sky was the blue outiue of the Balkans themselves, tbe very mountains through which Sulviman was at last coming to join bands with us, Im- mediately beneath our feet the bigh cresis the Kirichen ridge descended in grand wooded down to the valley of tue Lom, below we could the Winding course of the by bridge, over which lay the road into the Village of Haidarkeot, It almost seemed ag if we could toss a biscuit into the village, which lay completely at the mercy of the battery in which we bad taken up our position. Close to the river, but further to our left, Were tue villages of Sultankent and Jaziar, and almost immediately opposite to us as Popkiol, and, on the height above it the tents of a Kussian cap, ‘The whivie scone of operations lay It was a wouderful out veneath as lik sight, alone worth comin the way to Turkey to see, AN ARTILLERY DURL. Wheo ived atthe crest ot our ridge and looked down over the edge wo immediately ascertained the cause of tie fring wo bad heard on our up. Down below us on the lower slopes of the ridge was @& battery of Egyptian feild picces, aud further to the Jeit two Turkish batteries, These eighteen guns could sweep the whole valiey the @ of the position and completely dominated Haidarkens, Between this village and Pop- d constructed a battery with six ked by suelter trenches and rifle pits, were three heavy guns, which wer ging nade With the Egyptian and Turkish batte: beneath us Further along the Fridge to our right, upon the highest point of it, which | and spreads over the tields in skirmishing order. steauiast Rassian battery continues to lire away and or | SHEET. projects out into the valley, was another Turkish bat- tery, of three gus, which threw « plunging Gre into the Russian batiery—a most deadly fire—to which, owing to the great elevation, Lbe Russians were wholly unable to reply, For more than ax hour after our ar- rival this splendid artillery due! continued without cessation, Russian gupoers against the overwhelming weight burled down upon them an ry village of Haidarkeni at the batteries on & pe. We could see their shot snd shell tear up the ground all around aud in the rear of our guus, but nol glo round did any mischief, Oxe weil aime passed 1 one of the igs guos and urst betw: it and limber, which was drawn up op the reverse side of the slope, throwing up an immense columu of dust, Neither the limber nor the horses were touched, but ‘we saw them immediately move off to + safer position further down the uill, While this cannonade was going on we couid catch the sound of heavy guns far up the vailey on our right, and could see the puffs of smoke advancing steadily from the direction of Sadina aud It was Nedjib Pacha’ no sign of movem the Rugsians lay awaiting it The The whole the battle fleld with ferce and eager eyes, We were surrounded by u large crowd of the “irregulars,” with whom we exchanged exclamutions and jokes as the fight wore op and banded round our glasses. It was awusing to watch their puzzled expression as we ex- plained how by turning the scrow they could see bet- tor, and then observe their faces change as the objects came into focus, The three-gun battery on the high peak coulinued directed slells into tho Russian Mehomet Ali bimself and stuit, Bak nd hig Enxlish foliowers, British and Freuch military attachés were present in the battery and watched the Aight from it Tbe presence of tho Commander-in-Clief stimu- Jated the captain in command of the guus, and he so distinguished himself by the accuracy of his Gre that belore the day way over the cniei decorated Lim on the spot with the order of the Medjidic. It was truiy Magniticcut to watch the smoke dart out from among the brushwood on the summit of the peak, and then to ree the shell strike and explode, sowetimes on the very parapet of the Russian battery. I board after- ward that one of the shells burst right beneath the wheel of one of the Ruzaian guns and disabled tt, But from first to last, until the issue of the conflict made their position untenable, the Russian artillerymen con- Unued to fire from two gu: i. BATTERY, our eyes to watch the effect of ‘Kish Ore on the pattery, when suddenly wo saw a herseman start out from behind it and ride at a furious race toward Haidarkeul, He was followed by another and another, uutil at last we could count ten. They rode straight and swift toward us, and we lost sight of them as they entercd the village, Whether they were sent on their perilous crrand to carry orders to some wecee who might be concealed in the Milage or to dre the place we could not tell, but we tu saw neither troops nor fumes issuing from it during the day, soon ulterward the whole piain behind the Village was dotted with soattered borsemon, and the 1 among them, rections, but they acti on the peak dropped a which sent them scampering io al hung about tne outskirts of the village until at last they Lad to scamper off to their cainp in good earnest, TUE STORMING OF KARAHASSAN. Meanwhile it became evident tuat serious bu: Ss was going on near Ketchiler and Karabassan, and our attention was diverted from the arti'‘lery fight near us lo the distant spur on wuich the villages are, or, I should rather say, were situated, for thore is very little left of them now, The single minarot of Karabussan, stunding likes white thread againat the dark green backer und of the wooded slope, which rise above the village, formed our jandmork, and we turned our glasses on it by the bour together, only looking away when some sharp-sighte bazouk called our attention to the ‘“Moscov’ now cwme pouring across the plan, could see the columns moving rapidly along toward the threatened Villages, ruising dense clouds of dust as they marched. A regiment of cavairy caine out of Popkiot and went off at full speed, und {rom other vil lages farther down the river infantry came pouring out and streamed over the plain, Matters were evi- dently getting serious at Karahassau aud the roar of the feld guns became more and more distinct. We could now see tho shells ploughing up the ground be- hind the village, and aloug the edges of the woous thin lines of light smoke told uf musketry dre, Suddenly a dense coluinn of black smoke rises up from Ketchiler, Tho village hi no takeo, the Turks are victorious, and the Russians bave fired it before retreating. So we construe the meaning of that smoke, and the basni- bazouks around us confirm usin the supposition with approving exclamations, THE WHITE FLAG. Suddonly a keen-eyed follow noar me shouts out thet he sees a white flag coming up the bill a'oug the road from Popkiot straight toward the Turkish camp. ln- stantly ail glasses aro turned in the direction of tho man’s outstretched Anger, and there, sure cuouga, ts a white flag futieripg in the middle of the road, Can it be irom the Russians? Surely they have not beea caught ina trap aod compelled to surrender? Proseutiy the mystery is aulved; the bearer of the flag 1s lzzet Bey, our owo parlementaire, who went out the other day, under a flag of truce, to obtain an interview with the Grand Duke Nicholas respecting the red crescent of the ambulance aod otber matters which are appar- ently unknown ag yet to any ove. His business tu- ished he Jeft the Russian camp and returned to bis own people in the midst of the buitle, which was at 18 hottest as he rode back up the hill into the Turkish lines. The apparition of tue flag of peace was a Strange tucident in the beat of the fight, but we soon turned our glances again upon the centre of tnterest— the minaret of aranassan, THE WOOD OF KARAHASSAN, 1 have already mentioned that tue viliago stauds on a ridge of white soil, which descends to the valley in bluffs, Close to the village, on our side of it, isa thick forest of foe trees, which extenus ulmost to the edge of tho ridge. The long, white line of hetzhis, crowued by the dark forest, iorms a conspicuous fea- ture in the immense landscape, aud ail eyos ure turned upon it, Keichiler is now blazing, and even at this distance we can see that torriple wor« 14 going on. ‘The tringes of smoke baug thicker about the hedze- rows between the villages, and the fleld guns are firing quick, sharp rounds that tell of a desperate tight. THE CAPTURE OF KAKAHASSAN, The excitement of tbe spectators now becomes in- tense; we cannot remain seated, but walk nervously about or take a few steps down the steep slope to get nearer to tae scen “By God, they’ve dove |i!" cries aun excited journalist, and the words were scarcely out 1 his mouth when we eee a body of Kussian cavalry galloping down the slopes, out of the village and along the road that leads from it across the river to the viliages of Gugova and Polomartcha, It appears to us as though these flying borsemen must have ridden down sume of their own infantry, who were coming to reinforce the dotenders of the village, but presently a dense cloud of dust is scen streaming cut of the place and it is evident that the Russian infantry are also in full ret ‘The reinforcing columns still continue to march over the plain, and now we can see a douse body advancing on the road from tne direction oi Bjela ‘Too late! All is lost, for, look! what bapponed at Ketchiler palf an hour ago is now taking pluce at Karabassan, An immense pillar of bl.ck smoke shoots into the air, and, a moment later, the base of it is livid with the red flame of a vast fre, Almost simultaneously a snow whits puff of sinoke bursts out of the forest on the very edge o| the wuite cliffs, The Turkish artuilery has pushed Uhrough the Village and wood and 1s opening tire upon tue retreat. tng columus, Karahassan 1s won STORMING HAIDAKAENI. We had scarcely suilicieutiy gazed upon the magniti- cent and terribic spectacie belure us when our atien tion was again called off to whut was passing umm ately beneatn us, “Bizim Askier! Bizim Asker (our soluiers!) cried the Bashi Bazuuks, aud sure enough down below the vulley swarmed with Yurkisa troops, advancing ta solid order straight upon the briage of Haidarken, Iu another moment they are over the Lom ana instautly the whole bouy opeus out The we see the skirmishers lie down, For teu minut so there 18 po wivauce; then, suddenly, the whole brigade, still skiriisuing, advauces, Uring stramht upou the village. We can ses lour imounied ollicers cheering ou the troops aud racing to get Wrst ino the Village. Gallant feilows! COVERING THE RETREAT. The attacking brigaue aow diviied inte two bodies, | whicu flanked tue villuge on esther side, but there seemed iv be MO resistance. Jt was vigh time for the three-guu battery to be oll, as the Turks were making straight for it, and belore long, ere ine rst of the skirmishers hag reached the outskirts of Haidarkeu, we saw the guuners limber up aud go off at a gallop, Out upon the plain seavy Russian guns were stil firing sullen and desultory rounds to cover the retreat of the retiring columns, but they were overpowered by the combiued fire of ail the Turkisi and Egypuaa batteries, whica opened along the whole line irom the tops of the bills wid from the newly won ridge of Karabassan ina triumphant salvo, At the same mo- ment 4 dealening cheer burst from the troops aud the aruillerymen around Mebemet All; it was lukeo up by the battalions below, aud then’ spread aloug the whole frout trom Kurabassan to Jazlar—a joyous, ue- fiaut sbout of ‘Allan! Allab!’? ‘The baitle was over— the Crescent had triumphed over che Cross, PF TUE BATTLE OF KAKAMASSAN ON BOTH SIDES. SARNASUFLAR, August 31, 1577, Just time betore my special uivsscuger—a |, ON A scraggy litte pouy—ieaves to add a few lines giving some aetails of tue Urijlant action of yesterday, ‘The Villages of Karavassay and Ketciiler Were carried im the most gallant manner at the point of the bayonet by the Turks, out it would appear that at one time the fate of the former Village hung in the balance. it will be remem. bored that the plun of attack demanded that on the given signal the divisiva of Nedjib Pacha was to advance, but 1 ms that Nedjib seut forward ouly one of his brigi and bung back with the other gone miles away, bat can wave been the cause of this!” Lasked of an oilicer who was present athe batue, “Why did Nedjib stay beuind?”? ‘Lo smoke his pipe, | suppose,” was the reply, Sadetio Pacua, whose brigade was thus advauced, attacked strongly, going along the bilis from Keteniler to Karrabassankein, Ho took tue former viliuge, and then, at about midday, attacked the other, The fight.ng between the two villages was very heavy, and Sadetin was checked in his advance by the earthwork which the Russians tad thrown up on the slope, THS CAVALRY CHARGE, Tho Russian cavairy charged the advancing brigade, but the skirmishers nover even forined up or ceased to bold sueir own, I'he cavairy fell back to the Fight and leit, broken and in great disorder; the Turkish ta- jantry lired steadily aod coolly, and the cavairy could Dot come within 600 yards of them. Auotuer proof, were any Wauted, uf the absolute folly of cavalry charges nowadays. Lt is said that the Turkish cavalry had a melée with tho Russian, and Zot wuch the best of it, Completing thetr rout, It was, Bo doubt, Imm: diately walter these two ordeals that the Ru 1B LOSSES. at a gallop down the bill, as we HdpOiNbou tue heights, RARER PACHA'S ADVASC Tne Russians had sent away to ——_———S Ketchiter was taker, but when they saw that Sadetin’s wdvanee was chi they took cou: and reinforced. ‘The day was. denndealy ing againat the Turks, as Nea- Jib gave uo sy with his other brigade, At this critical time met Ali sent Valentine Pacha into the fight. The of hussars plunged into the thick of saw that the attack was languial @ battery of gaas and encourage upa brisk fire irom the Geids of Ini 5 morale of the Turks was restored and the Russians commenced falling buck, Under the direction of Baker Pacha the renfilading and flank movements. eral Baker had his boree badly wounded by a sheil which burst between him aod Captain Brij one of bis staff, but he persevered until tho Russians, seeing the Turkisn reinforcements ar- riving on their right flank, fled in haste from their positions, 1t is provable that had they not done so in good time they would bave beon out off and rounded, The Turkish cavalry pursued the retroating infantry into the vailey, but were forced to retire by the Russian artillery whict covered the retreat. THE LossEs, In this battle the Russians Jost 2,605 mep killed, vut as they carried off many of their Wounded their a: be hot known, One thing is certaim, no Rugs: wounded came into the Turkish hospital, Among t kiiled were a colonel, two heutenant colonels snd f} majors. ihe Turks’ acknowledge a loss of 750 killed and wounded. Five huudred tents and 3,600 rifles tril 1nto the hauds of the victors, lew lapge quantities of munitions of warand clothing, The Russian columns retreated to Gagove aud Pelomarteba, ucross tbe river, aod it remains to be seen whether the Turks wiil pursue to-morrow, FYROM SHUMLA TO ESKI DJUMA, Esu Dsuma, August 20, 1877, Weary of the listless existence which we are all con. demned to lead at Shumla—rightly named the “Giaour’s Grave’’—I determined to make a little tour {nto the environs, toward the Balkans; and, finding a friend who was of the same mind, we determined to start forthwith for Esk! Djuma and Osman Bazar, In- deed, our exuberance at the thought of escaping from our entrouched prison was so great that w ren ine cluded a dash across the Balkans in our plan, And so, biading fareweli—a long furewell as wo hoped (and perhaps as they hoped also) to the Political Commis- sion—we sounded in imagination the ‘boot and saddle,” and, at midday, under a burning sky, set out on our journey. Our cavalcade was workmanlike and, we flattered ourselves, im- posing. It is necessary, 1 may remark, to be imposing in Turkey, especially when the bashi-bazouke and Cire cassians are out and about. ‘Swagger’? is, no doubt, an exceedingly objectionable quality in people of Anglo-Saxon race and temperament, but a certais amount of it ts necessary m a couutry where one should never threaten without performing, never rai the hand without giving the blow, THK EXODUS, Issuing from tho town on the north side we passed through the ever famous lines, now mere rounded banks and trivial ditches, useless for purposes of do- fence, and ascended the slopes which enclose the tows uutil we gained the Circassian village of Strandscha, which he just beneath the orest of the ridge. He according to Moltke, is or rather was, the one weak spotin the defences of Shumla, for the joint in the barnesa has now been covered and the circle made perfect, From the summit of the hill we nad @ splendid view of the plain and the town beneath, We met on this part of the roud some Turkish ladies, closely yashmukked, accompanied by ono gentiewan, 1t was a pleasure party, no doubt—a pacha out fore day with his harem, perhaps, or sumething of that kind My companion’s Albanian made sone stogular remarks upon the circumstance, and ho and our Turk- ish arabayee held a conversation on the subject which seemed to afford both of them no little amusement [ mention tho matter vecause, as will presently be seen, this carriage and tts occupants entered largely into tha vicissitudes of our journey, They were, in fact, to ug what the appearance of the Flying Dutchman js toa vessel seeking to round the Cape. THROUGH THE VALLEY. After a briof halt at the bamiet of Dormus, where a branch of the Bulanik which trickles down from the plateau is received into a slono fountain aud led through iron spouts into a stove trough for the ro- freshment of man and beast, wo resumed our jour. ney—!he Shumla heights still rising bold and steep on our jeft—until we arrived at the pass which leads the road between the mata plateau and a high ridge which projects trom its northwest corner, This littic pass is truly cbarmtng. A deep ravine divides spur irom the mountaia proper, an road is mado aloug the south side of the spur, about balf way up, ‘The steep id of the plateau which descend into the ravine clothed irom tep to bottom with thick woods, which have already begun to show the changing hues ol the lite summer, On the other side the road is overhung by bold masses of gray rock, amid which, hign over+ head, we noticed a cave, with strange, window-like slitg on either side, which ought to have been a ber- mit’s dwelling if itis no. Among the luxuriant voge- tation of the raviue grew the wild vine, loaded with grapes which in another fortnight will be ready ta the hand of the Wayfarer, and tho wild passion flower, Hazel put trees abounded, aud we came upon a bashi- bazouk who had picketed bis horse while be himeeli ‘was 1a among the bushes making id upon the nuts, A MAGNIFICENT PROSP From the summit of the pass we suddenly opened © most glorious view over the fertile valley which bounds the plateau of Shumla on the west. Te our right the continuation of the spur we were cro. ing bent round to the westward, rising in steep, peaked summits and then gradually stoking in rounded hills iuto the valley, bounded the view on that side; but westward we looked straight across the valley to the opposite hills of the Derbend Balkan, which atretch along the borizon im successive ridges of soft rounded hills; the chain comes to sn abrupt termination to the nortuward, but lying out from it, as though form- ing an outpost, an isolated conical hill rises trom the plain, Wo gazed upon those hills ith no little curiosity and interest, for beneath them, at a distance of ten wiles in a straight line, lay our goul— Eski Djuma, and beyond them, fifteen miles turther on, was the River Lom and the Russians, To the south, Wwe Bioar Dagh and the Dervish Baikaa, both spurs of the main chaiu, closed the valley; beyond them lie the passes which lead into the pluin of Rumclia, one of them, the Demir Kapou or ‘Iron Gate,” is in Musco- vite hands, Lhe valiey beneath us is watered by two branches of the Kamtsebik, which unite and form « stream which washes the base of the Shumla piateau ob the west and south, aud then flows ou to the Black Sea, The tributary stream nearest to us is the Kirk- giscbid Su, or river of the iorty fords, 60 named trom its winding course; upon it hes the town of Eski Djuma, WE LOS® OUR WINE. We feasted our eyes ou the enchanting landscape, watching for a loug me the chaugiug sbadows thrown over the hills and dales as the clouds crossed the sun, and then communced the descent into the valley, Wo bad not ridden very far beiore a loud yell from the Lop Of the pass caused usto draw reip again. It was ‘Tartar whom we bad just passed on w ‘oad who wi hailing us, and we could understand that something bud gone wrong with our carriage. We galloped back up the bill, andon guinimg ihe summit a woful sight vroke upon us. There lay our carriage, wheels up- ward, the borses standing tifty yards away, and allour buggage scattered among the bushes over henging the precipie. A red stream, as of 4 A, issuing irom beneath the carriage, told the tale, uot of a crushed arabaj (tor there sat the meu himself, safe and sound, con- Vemplating the ruin), but of our precious Curiowitz, Which was escaping trom broken bottles and shattered boxes. My lirst impuise was to pitch the bajoe aud (be remains of bis carriage over the hillside, but my companion, who 1s of a more philogopuical turn of mind, restrained me. As for the arabajeo he com- menced talking to bimselt in a most astonishing man- ber, While he picked up the pieces and feobiy dived about among the scattered baggage ‘Ah,”’ be said, “Lknew it, Lexpected it from the beginning. I.was sure something of this kind would bappen, It wag that carriage that we met full of— (then came some uncomplimentary ullqsions to the ladies which I need HOt repeat) and I thought at the time we should oot finish our journey without some mischauce, Toe women did it!’? To him the Albanian:—** Well, nevi mind, 1 was ill luck to have cume ucross them, but it can’t be helped now.” AT ESKI DJUMA. At the foot of the Shumia plateau we passed through the village of Ortakio1, and thea by a byway which crosses the valley strack tbe branch road which joins the main road (rom Rasgrad, vorth of Shumia, We saw several en pments of fugitives from Sistova and ‘Tirnova and questioned some of the men. been living thus, out in the open air, s carts by aight, for twelve days, and thei pose to stay unuil they are obliged to movi away (rom the Moscovs. Shortly after leavin, them we were amused by being fo/mally saluted by two bashi-bazouks and a soluier, Who urew up inline in tha road as we went by. Finally, afier a rather tedious jog along the wow uninteresting road, we turved a@ corner and saw obeiore us the mina and clock tower of Eski Djuwa, We had not long ar- rived in the towa before we learned that a considera- ble lorce was gatuered here prepared to r od advance of the Russians, anu that the Turkish commandant uad received orders to bold the place to the just, So Eski Djuma may be the scone of surring events before long. WHAT TU TOWN LOOKS LiKE, Eski Djuma, or Djuma Auk, “Old Friday,” is a small town of about 6,000 inbabitanis. The popula. lion tg inixed, two-thirds being Mussulmen and one. third Bulgarians, aod usual the two races and religions Lave their separate and distinct quarters, As it seems likely Eskt Djuma may be attacked by the Russians at some future day, owing to connection with the military syst of the outiy. ing deteuces of Shumla, a lew words as to ita position may be interesting. Tho town lies sixieen miles, ag tue crow flies, beuind, or to the jt ol, the fortress of Soutila, but not more thaa vine and a Lal trom the westero base of the great Shumla plateau which domi- nates the surrounding country, [t may be consiaercd as the advanced post toward the west of the celobrated stronguold. Connected with Ras+ grad on the svorth and) =Osman Bazar on the south by good roads, it point of the western line of defence c great fortres, although, as Shumia is imp importauce is chiedy derived from tl must be taken by an enemy desiring met forms the middle the iy or blockade Snumla and cut off communications iq the rear of the piateay