Herzegovina eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 227 pages of information about Herzegovina.

Herzegovina eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 227 pages of information about Herzegovina.
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.

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Herzegovina from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.