their line of march. A Kapidji Bashi, who had
just arrived from Constantinople, accompanied the
mission, and gave it still more importance; but it
was unquestionably a concerted scheme amongst the
leading men of Visoko and Serayevo. Thousands
of inhabitants had already gone, many no doubt from
mere curiosity—for it was Friday, a day
on which the Turks do not work—but others
with a distinct purpose. When the mission angrily
demanded that the force should march off forthwith
to the appointed place, some poor inhabitants of Visoko
stepped out of the ranks and declared that, without
money, they were not in a position to proceed a step
farther; that even only to equip themselves, and march
as far as they had already arrived, some of them had
been obliged to sell their children. The Kapidji
Bashi and the Kiaia thought that such language was
not to be borne. Without hesitation, therefore,
in accordance with the principles of Turkish justice,
they ordered their followers to seize the speakers,
to take them away, and behead them. The order,
however, was not so easy of execution. ’Help,
true believers in the Prophet!’ exclaimed the
men; ‘help, and rescue us.’ All seized
their weapons, the comrades of the prisoners as well
as the inhabitants of Serayevo, who were privy to
the scheme, and those who were hurried along by their
example. The Kapidji Bashi and the Kiaia had not
time to mount their horses, but were obliged to run
to the city on foot, with bullets whistling after
them. The furious armed multitude arrived there
with them. The Vizier’s force, about two
thousand strong, attempted for a while to stem the
torrent. They tried to stand their ground wherever
they found a position, such as a bridge, a mosque,
or a house, but were far too weak to maintain it.
Only a small number had time to retire into the fortress,
where the Vizier was, and thence they fired with the
few cannon they had on the lower town. But the
Bosnians, with their small arms, did far more execution,
singling out their enemies, and bringing them down
with sure aim. The fighting continued for three
days. At last Abdurahim found himself compelled
to think of his own safety. The Bosnians, who
found themselves victorious, would gladly have refused
him leave to retire; but the older and more experienced
among them, satisfied with the success they had obtained,
persuaded the young people to let him go. On
the fourth day, a Thursday in July 1828, Abdurahim
marched away. He took the road to Orlovopolie,
being allowed to take with him the cannons he had
brought. There, however, he found that the spirit
of disaffection had gained such head, that nearly all
the soldiers, whom he had expected to find, had dispersed
and gone to their homes. He thereupon repaired
to Travnik, and was shortly afterwards replaced by
another Vizier of milder temper.