and their vital powers so enfeebled, that gangrene set in before death. Before spring twenty thousand men died, and the dogs and wolves devoured their corpses. Ahmed was recalled. On his road home, in defiling through a narrow pass, one of his baggage mules slipped and fell, smashing the packages it bore, and out among the rocks rolled gold and silver pieces by the hundred.

Every Armenian prayed for the success of Mouravieff. Many who were in the Turkish army took the first opportunity of deserting to the Russians, and giving them information against their own countrymen. Not that they lacked patriotism. One is quite affected by the account of the interview between General Williams and the Christians of Kars. Williams appealed to them to aid in the defense of the place, and promised them perfect equality of When Kars was taken, the cry of the Turks rights with the Mussulmans. The aged archbish-was, "May God punish the Pashas!" A rightop started up and cried, with tears, "Oh! En-eous cry. There is no reason to suppose that glish Pasha, we are your sacrifice. We will work, dig, fight, and die for you; since we are no longer dogs, no longer Ghiaours, but, though Christians, fellow-citizens and free men." And most faithfully did they fulfill their promise. But still, as between the Turk and the Muscovite, every Christian in Turkey is on the side of the latter; nor indeed, being sane, could he prove otherwise.

Ahmed was an exception. The entire military department was banded together in a brotherhood of fraud. General Williams found the bread furnished to the troops wholly uneatable. First the flour had been mixed with artificial substances to increase its weight and bulk. Then the bread itself was ́ only half-baked, in order to weigh more and to save fuel. He found regiments counting, on paper, nine hundred men-for all of whom rations were drawn

five hundred. Other foreign officers, less experienced, were taken to reviews of troops, sev eral thousand men at a time, whose fine stalwart forms and healthy look made an exceed

cover till long afterward that three-fourths of the men reviewed had been hired by the day to be reviewed by the Pashas. The real soldiers had not received a cent of pay for twenty-four months.

According to all accounts the prime cause of the decay of Erzeroum, and all the other-when the whole actual force did not exceed Turkish provinces both in Asia and Europe, is the systematic dishonesty which pervades every branch of the Turkish service. From his first start in life to his greatest elevation the official Turk lives, moves, and has his being by corrup-ingly favorable impression: they did not distion. Lying and cheating are the only accomplishments he ever learns; they are all he needs. He begins by being the favorite-often the slave -of some Pasha high in authority; from him he gets an office or a rank in the army or navy. From thence he buys every step. There are Dr. Sandwith tells a story which throws light Jew usurers at Constantinople who control on the Turkish system. Riding to Erzeroum, more pashaliks than any member of the Divan. he discovered, quite accidentally, that a French It is usual to use the word intrigue to designate officer had been robbed and murdered only a the system by which patronage is distributed few hours before at a village where he stopped. at Constantinople; but it is far too mild for the His first act on arriving at Erzeroum was to reality. The extent to which the buying and acquaint the French consul, who called forthselling of rank and power-and, as a necessary with on the Pasha, and, after the indispensable consequence, peculation and extortion are coffee-pipes and compliments, narrated the case. carried on at Constantinople, is without parallel “Vai, vai!” exclaims the Pasha; “these even in the history of the Roman or Greek em- sons of dogs are heaping dirt on my beard; pires, and may fairly surpass the belief of Amer-but, Inshallah! I will burn their fathers and icans.

mothers; I will bring them to confusion. Leave

Recent experience has furnished a few strik-it to me, Consolos Bey; I am responsible." ing examples.

In January, 1854, Ahmed Pacha, only known to fame as having been severely beaten by the Russians in a skirmish at Akiska, was appointed Mushir, or commander-in-chief, of the army of Kars. He had, of course, bought his appointment. When he arrived at Kars he found some 35,000 men under arms. His first, his only thought was how to plunder them. Huts were wanted; he got the money for them, and stuffed the men into the burrows and underground hovels of Kars, which were soon so crowded that a pestilence broke out. Warm clothing was furnished, or money to procure it; Ahmed sold what clothing came, pocketed the money, and let the army go about in rags. Ample funds were supplied for the commissariat; the soldiers absolutely starved, and the invalids who went to hospital were so reduced,

The Consul, not liking the security, insists on prosecuting the matter in person; and after long entreaties, and plain threats, extorts from the Pasha an armed force with which he sets out to the scene of the murder. There he finds that the murderer was one Kara Mahmoud, a notorious Lazi chief, who had exercised the calling of a bandit for years without interference from the pashas. Kara Mahmoud has allies in high station, Ali Pasha and Ali Bey, in whose houses he has slept since the murder: the Consul sends for them, and, finding them clearly implicated, arrests them. A Turkish officer, the Mudir of Isspir, comes to his assistance with a band of Bashi-bazouks; they scour the country, storm a village or two-every one seems to take the part of the bandit, just as we have seen in Ireland-recover the dead man's horses and a part of his baggage, but do not

has earned fame during the war, now belongs to history-every body knows him. It was in June last he arrived at Kars; found there some 15,000 half-famished, discontented troops, a swarm of pilfering imbecile Pashas, and three days' stock of ammunition. He had no cavalry,

find the murderer. After a long chase the Consul returns to Erzeroum, and lays the whole case before the Pasha. He tells him that Ali Pasha and Ali Bey were at least accomplices after the fact, and proves it; he mentions that the Mudir of Isspir had given him timely aid; and he suggests, as the least the Turkish Gov-and but a small quantity of provisions. In front ernment can do, that the former be removed from their offices and the latter promoted.

"Hai, hai!" says the old Pasha; "Inshallah! I will make the rascals eat dirt; by the holy Prophet I will! Fear not, Consolos Bey, I will leave nothing undone."

A few weeks afterward the Consul learns that his friend the Mudir has been dismissed, and Ali Bey appointed to his office.

of him were the Russians, in great force and
perfect condition, under one of the ablest gen-
erals Russia has ever produced: their inten-
tion was no secret. Twenty-eight years be-
fore Paskiewitch had contrived the plan of
operations which Mouravieff was carrying out.
Kars had been fortified by Colonel Lake, with
some skill but in great haste; huts had been
erected for the men, to save them from the dan-
ger of inhabiting the burrows in the side of the
hill in which the natives mostly live. The
townsmen were in good spirit, however.
of them, an old man, frankly accosts the En-
glish general with an "Inshallah, we will bring
scores of Ghiaours' heads and lay them at your
feet, Veeliams Pasha." The old man is dis-

One

promises to spare the wounded and killed, since Veeliams Pasha has scruples on the point, but will take no pay for his services, as he and his friends "are Karslis, and fight for their religion and their harems."

Cowardice seems as natural to the Pashas as dishonesty. It is well known that there are no braver troops in the world than the Turks; but such poltroons as their officers it would be difficult to find out of Turkey. Many readers will doubtless remember the description given by the Times correspondent of the Battle of Kurekdere, where some 18,000 Russians defeat-comfited by the commander's stern rebuke, and ed 40,000 Turks. The Turkish commanderZarif Pasha, who had been a barber's apprentice, and had learned his strategy in the commissariat service-once got within range. A shell burst over his head. With a face white as chalk he leaped up in his saddle, screamed "Allah!" dug his spurs into his horse, and never stopped till he was far out of range. Nor was he an exception. A Hungarian, who was sent, early in the action, to the rear to bring up ammunition, was strangely surprised to find nearly every field-officer busy about the baggage. In fact, one hour after the battle had begun, there was not a general, colonel, or major of the infantry or cavalry on the field.

Of course Zarif lied. The Bashi-bazouks at Kars had a handsome Russian tent, which they called the "Two Thousand Tent." Once, it seems, while a small band of them were doing outpost duty, they watched a Russian convoy wind over the hills, two wagons lagging far behind the others; and choosing their time, they fell suddenly on these two, and, the Russians running away, captured them. In one of these wagons was a tent, which the general gave to the Bashi-bazouks as their share of the plunder. Zarif Pasha immediately sat down and wrote a dispatch to the government, announcing a complete victory over the Russian army, and the capture of two thousand tents. The dispatch was duly published in the Jerede Havadiss, the Turkish official paper; and, in course of time, reached the Bashi-bazouks, who, in compliment to the inventive genius of their leader, gave to their tent the name of the Two Thousand Tent.

It was very fortunate-both for the reputation of the Turks and for the renown of Mouravieff-that the commander at Kars when the Russians crossed the frontier was Williams, and not men of the stamp of Zarif. The name of the former, who is not the only native American who

A few days after the arrival of the English Commissioner, Colonel Lake and a party who have taken a ride over the hills with the Bashi-bazouks, have a hard run for it. A dark group of Cossacks winds round just in sight of them; they hardly notice it, till all at once the Bashi-bazouks set up a wild chattering, and put their horses to the gallop. The Cossacks are upon them, dealing desperate blows with sabre and lance, and not a few of the party remain on the ground. As the survivors regain the cover of the works, the Bashi-bazouks turn round fiercely and fire their pistols at the Cossacks, who are about a thousand yards off.

Just as the Russians are about to commence the siege, trouble arises. The Governor of Kars has discovered that Williams is a Ghiaour, and that no good Mussulman should obey him. Happily Williams hears the story; sends for the Pasha, and tells him his mind. The Pasha splutters out a few lies and runs away.

No one at Kars ever expected it to hold out in presence of Mouravieff's army. The only aim of the gallant defenders was to make a stand till relief should come. Dispatches were sent off weekly, almost daily, to Constantinople and to every other point where there was an officer in authority, praying for assistance. It is understood-though not officially-that General Williams wrote sixty letters to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, not one of which was ever answered. So June, July, August, and a part of September passed, the Russians drawing closer and closer round the place, the garrison slowly consuming their provisions; and men's hearts breaking from deferred hope. One day news comes that a large reinforcement is

marching from Erzeroum. The next it is said | for Kars at once, of course.

Meanwhile the

that Omer Pasha has landed at Batoom. Time hospital fills up, and as the hospital stores were disproves all these stories, and after each disap-supplied on the regular Turkish plan, it happointment the spirits of the troops sink. pens that the whole stock of a Constantinople At last, on the twenty-ninth September, at perfumer was put into the medicine-chest-Crofour o'clock in the morning, General Kmety, ton oil and perfumes, by the gallon, but nothing with his ear on the ground, recognizes the rum-else-there is nothing that will answer as a stimbling of artillery wheels and the tramp of infan-ulus, which is what the men need.

November arrives, and no Selim Pasha or Omer Pasha either; and the Russians are still there. The physicians report that "an unusual number of soldiers are dying of starvation in hospital. The emaciation is wonderful, yet

try. Soon the outposts come in with the omin- More good news. The Russians are retreatous whisper-The infidel is coming! A dark ing, it is said. On the strength of the relief mass is visible in the valley moving slowly up-produced by this announcement, the ration of ward; a gun is fired- But we will not attempt bread is reduced to eighty-six drachms per day. to describe that memorable contest-already told by so many eloquent pens-the frantic and repeated charges of the Russians to the very muzzles of the guns; the intrepid coolness of Williams; the shining valor of Kmety with his light infantry; the unerring practice of Tees-in most cases no diarrhea or other symptom dale and the gunners: all this-the whole scene -is already famous, and it were a folly to attempt to mar the impression which the British newspaper correspondent's letters, copied as they have been by our own journals, have left on every memory. Suffice it to say, that after a fierce contest, which lasted from before day-crease in proportion. The sentries, benumbed light till past noon, the Russians retreated, having lost several thousand men. Turks, drunk with exultation, dance among the heaps of dead and dying; and the night, chill and cold, closes | in before half the wounded are removed from the place where they fell.

Then the close siege begins again. The Russians remain quiet in their camp: Mouravieff politely sends in to the city, under a flag of truce, a bag of letters which he has intercepted, and of course opened, as in duty bound. Nor are the besieged less civil. The best houses in Kars are given to the wounded Russian officers; and when one poor fellow, half of whose face has been shot away by a grape-shot, bemoans himself, and regrets beyond measure the loss of a ring bearing the name of Eloise, instant search is made for it; it is found in the possession of a soldier and restored to its owner, who dies pressing it to his lips.

One week after the battle cholera begins to be severe in the city. Forty deaths in the hospital in twenty-four hours. Simultaneously with this visitation the stock of animal food is exhausted, and each man is put upon a daily allowance of 100 drachms of bread, and a weak soup made of flour and wheat. Rumors of aid continue to come in, and loud prayers for Omer Pasha are offered up at every bivouac fire.

Another week passes and the diet begins to tell on the troops. Some avaricious soldiers are induced, by the enormous prices of bread, to sell their rations; they soon find their way into hospital. Roots of grass are eaten eagerly by the townspeople. Round the lines the wild dogs have grown fat and sleek on the corpses, and a swarm of vultures never wanders far off.

Another week, and the glorious news arrives that Selim Pasha has landed at Trebizond with a fine, well-appointed army. He will march

of disease is observable. Their voices are excessively feeble, a clammy, cold perspiration pervades the body, and they die without a struggle." The surviving horses are killed to make soup.

As the cold increases, the men's sufferings in

The

and motionless, have just strength to cry "Long live the Sultan !" They are men who die, but never lose their loyalty. Another dispatch arrives, announcing the arrival of Selim Pasha within three days; but the three days pass, and no troops are in sight but the Russians. suffering of the townspeople from hunger is intense. People lie down crying at corners of streets, and some die there. The soldiers stand sentry over the provisions, and though they can hardly stand from exhaustion, there is no instance of a soldier touching a biscuit.

As November advances the famine grows intolerable. Mothers, with gaunt faces, throw their famished children at the feet of Williams, saying, "There, take them, we can feed them no longer!" There is only seven days' provision left.

At last, on the 22d November, a dispatch arrives from an English officer with Selim Pasha to say that he, being a Turkish Pasha, will not advance. There is no hope for the Kars army but in themselves. Williams at once rides over to Mouravieff to arrange a capitulation.

All

The terms are known to every one. Christendom is praising the generosity of the gallant Russian, who, when his secretary wrote, "the officers and soldiers of the regular army shall surrender themselves prisoners of war-" exclaimed, "Write here, that in admiration of the noble and devoted courage displayed by the army of Kars, the officers shall be allowed to retain their swords as a mark of respect."

When Williams returned to the town and announced to the garrison that the place had capitulated, the Turkish soldiers, staggering from famine, dashed their muskets against the rocks, exclaiming, "Thus perish our Pashas, and the curse of God be with them! May their mothers be outraged!" Gray-bearded men sobbed aloud, and wished they had never been born, rather

From without, it receives the ever-changing, ever-restless life of Light and Color; it meas

than see the infidel come, and the arms of the faithful fall from their hands. When Williams left Kars, the people crowd-ures the boundless limits of space, it guages the ed around him, praying blessings on his head, aud begging leave to go with him. He replied that he was a prisoner, and must obey orders.

The crowd watched him go, and an old man, gazing after him, exclaimed sententiously as Williams disappeared, "Veeliams Pasha chock adam dur!"-Pasha Williams is no end of a man!

THE

THE SENSES.

V.-SIGHT.

form and the shape of all that was made by the Lord, and reads there the signs of Man and of God. And how simple, how wondrous this almost magic power! With a tiny lens, set deep in the head, we overlook the vast house of our Father in heaven, and the great globe to which he has sent us. The whole unmeasured extent, with all its countless details, are in an instant reflected within the narrow opening of our eye! With one glance we comprehend the sublime realm of the starry host, and drink in the light of suns uncounted. But what we are so apt to forget is the now well-established fact, that the power of the eye is itself not unbound

Dis

conveys to the mind an idea of distance or ele-
vation. Other handmaidens of the mind must
lend the sense of sight their assistance, and
Touch, above all, is ever in requisition.
tances especially we learn but slowly and pain-
fully to estimate-in fact, only to guess-by
long-continued practice. The child stretches its
tiny hand as confidently to the moon as if she
were within reach, and the blind man whom

fairest landscape and the noblest seaview change their beauty alike with the brighter or dimmer light that illumines them in the day, and weaves strange spells over themed. We can but see a plane; the eye never during the twilight. When the pale rays of the moon break fitfully through dark clouds, even the most familiar scene assumes a new character; mountains loom up to unwonted heights, and buildings tower in gigantic grandeur. The early dawn reveals the fairy mists that hang in fantastic festoons over valley and hillside, following here in broad silvery bands the fanciful course of a stream, and creeping there with stealthy steps, from crag to crag, up to the mount-our Saviour healed, saw "men as trees walkain's summit. The landscape has changed once more; the very landmarks seem to have been removed; the streams are broader, the fields are wider, and all distances greater.

ing." The pleasure we derive from a wellpainted diorama rests simply upon this inability of our eye to measure distances, where we are without means to compare novel objects with those that are more familiar. It is almost impossible to determine the distance of a bright light in a dark landscape, or on the wide ocean. Even the experienced eye is liable to be sadly deceived in regions where the usual objects are wanting that serve us as standards for a com

What light is in the landscape, that is the eye in the face of man. His look-the glance of his eye-is the first feature we mark in a new acquaintance, and as we become engaged and interested in our friend, we turn to it again and again, hoping, not without reason, there to read more clearly than any where else his soul's out-parison. We know, in a general way, the size ward writing. For we feel, often unconsciously, that long ere the sound of his voice had reached our ear, long ere the words that fell from his lips can have bribed our judgment, his eye had been the beacon that led us to the still, dark waters within, where his mind dwells in silent seclusion. As the bright rays of the sun may throw floods of golden light over a dreary landscape and lend it a beauty-nay, a splendor we had never hoped for-so the eye of man also can ennoble the least attractive of features. Its glance of wrath is a flashing light, that rends from time to time the dark, silent clouds over which the thunder rolls in subdued fury, only to leave them again in deep and unfathomable darkness. The last look of the dying man is like the last ray of the setting sun, that glides gently in its farewell kiss over the world it is soon to leave-not to sink into the dark night of an eternal grave, as poor pagan Antiquity feared, but to rise brighter anew in another and a better world.

Two-fold, therefore, are the high and noble duties of our eye; it receives the finest impressions from the outer world, of which we can ever become conscious, and it gives back to the world the finest impressions from our innermost soul.

of a tree or a house, and thus we determine the distances in a landscape. But when we ascend lofty mountains, where the familiar pine-tree reaches but the height of perhaps twenty feet, the most massive rocks and mighty glaciers appear at first sight but small and diminutive, because we compare them, unconsciously, with the well-known trees. Who has not at times thought a midge, dancing up and down before his eye, to be a large bird high up in the air; or a church steeple afar off, a pole in a neighboring garden? Even the more acute eye of men whose life may depend on their accurate sight measures distances but by experience. The Alpine huntsman knows that the chamois is not within reach of his rifle until he can clearly distinguish both of her eyes. The riflemen of our army also learn very soon that at certain distances the buttons of their enemies' uniform are no more seen; then the pompon, and at last the epaulets on the officers' shoulders. The image reflected on our eye is not a bodily, substantial picture, but only a level surface, which our intellectual eye-the mindmust painfully learn to enliven. As distances can not be measured except by comparison—a strictly mental process-so elevation or de

pression also are only revealed to our sight by | is familiar to all, the latter is hardly ever ob

But there is light in the eye also, that has its wondrous effects and a power as yet undefined. Long ago Empedocles, the Eleate, sang with al-ence, obey with the speed of lightning our conmost prophetic knowledge: