Boat sprawled upon the deck

I noticed three Italian masons, who were going to Bourgas to look out for work on the breakwater; a German clerk, who was being sent to Bourgas to learn Bulgarian in a German firm which does business there; and a Russian Jew, who was apparently in the old-clothes line, and who carried that part of his stock-in-trade, for which he could not find a purchaser at any price, upon his own person. But I should think that of the some hundred passengers stowed away in our little cockle-shell of a steamer, fully ninety were Bulgarians. We had half a dozen or so native soldiers in uniform. Even when under drill and at attention, the Bulgarian soldier, brave as he undoubtedly is, has not much of a military air.

When he is off duty and out of sight of his officers, he looks just like what he is in reality, a sturdy, clumsily built ploughboy, stuck into an ill-fitting uniform, which he has never yet acquired the art of wearing. The soldiers on our boat sprawled upon the deck—their huge, high-booted legs seemed to stretch in every direction ; they were eating apples and onions all day long, but they were quite sober, very quiet, and extremely good-natured. There were any number of Bulgarian peasants clad in sheepskins, and a good many clerks and shopmen and their wives and children, all of them untidy, all shabby, and all looking as if they had not of late been addicted to washing.

The passengers lay in layers on the wet deck; the women bare-headed, except for a soiled handkerchief tied round their foreheads, and most of them with bonnet-boxes under their arms. Men, women, and children alike were all victims to sea-sickness. Basins were unknown—when the sufferers could manage it, they staggered to the ship’s side ; when their strength was not equal to the task of moving, they were simply sick on the ground where they lay. But what struck me most was the perfect quiet and good nature of the crowd, even amidst their personal discomfort.

Ethnically belonged to the Turkic tribes

The policy of assimilation adopted by the Byzantine Emperors with regard to the immigrants in-fluenced the regions where the Slavs were not the predominant power (Central and Southern Greece, Asia Minor), but in Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia the Slavs were the masters of the situation. Too weak to oppose on their own the powerful pressure of Byzantium, the Slav tribes began to unite into tribal unions (the beginning of a state) and courageously to defend their independence. In their struggle against the Byzantine Empire during the last decades of the 7th century, they suddenly acquired a peerless ally in the Proto-Bulgarians.

The Proto-Bulgarians ethnically belonged to the Turkic tribes which inhabited the steppes of Central Asia. Their origin and name have to this day not been positively established. It is known that early in our era they had settled in the northern part of the foot of the Caucasus. Those lands had been populated from time immemorial by the Sabiri and Alani. It is probable that the Alani gave the Proto-Bulgarians their name, for in the language of that tribe ‘bulgaron’ meant ‘people living at the fpot of the mountain’.

At the end of the 4th and the first half of the 5th century A. D. the Proto-Bulgarians became members of the motley conglomerate of peoples called ‘Hunnish tribal union’ and took part in the horror-sowing Hunnish raids in Central and Western Europe. After the Union disintegrated, part of the Proto-Bulgarians settled in Italy, others went back to their former places – along the northern Black Sea coast. For several decades they formed part of the powerful Avar Khaganate and numerous Proto-Bulgarian contingents again went as far as Pan- nonia and, after the internecine wars within the Khaganate during the middle of the 7th century, part of them went to settle in Italy, and another part, a more numerous one, led by Kouber, penetrated deep into the Balkan Peninsula and settled in the Bitola Plain in Macedonia.

Serbo-Bosnian alliance

When the Asian conquerors reached the centre of the Balkans, the rulers of Serbia and Bosnia were frightened and concluded an alliance for joint action against Murad. The united Serbian and Bosnian troops dealt a crushing blow to the Turks in the big battle near the town of Plochnik in 1387. The Bulgarian Tsar joined the Serbo-Bosnian alliance which provoked an immediate wrathful reaction on the part of the Sultan. In 1388 a numerous Turkish army crossed the Balkan Range and conquered almost the whole of Northeastern Bulgaria without the city of Varna. Tsar Shishman was forced to reaffirm his vassal dependence from the Sultan and the terrible Ottoman hordes again set out for Serbia. In a battle which broke out at Kossovo Pole Murad I found his death but the Serbian troops, which had been joined by several Bulgarian feudal lords, were routed. Serbia also fell under vassal dependence from Turkey. .

The existence of the Bulgarian state became an obstacle on the way to the Ottomans’ further penetration into Central Europe. In spite of its weakness and dependence, it presented a constant threat to the right flank of the Turkish troops which had penetrated deep into the west. That is why Murad’s heir Bayazid I, The Light-ning, decided to put an end to the Turnovo Kingdom. In 1393 he invaded Moesia at the head of a numerous army and after a siege which Lasted three months, succeeded in capturing Turnovo.

One hundred and twenty boyars were massacred in the main church, thousands of Turnovo citizens were taken slaves and Patriarch Evtimi, who had headed the defence of Turnovo until the last moment, was sent into exile to the Rhodopes. Ivan Shishman hid himself in the Danubian stronghold of Nikopol, expecting help from the Hungarian King. The latter, however, never came to his assistance and Nikopol was captured and Ivan Shishman was killed. Only the Vidin Kingdom remained, but a Turkish garrison was also stationed in Vidin.

The Ottomans reached the frontiers of the then powerful Hungarian Kingdom, which forced the Hungarian King Sigismund to prepare in 1396 a big crusade against the Turks. The Ruler of Vidin Ivan Stratsimir opened the gates of his town to the crusaders and joined them with his troops, but the army of the crusaders suffered utter defeat. That was the end also of the Vidin Kingdom.

Serbo-Bosnian alliance

When the Asian conquerors reached the centre of the Balkans, the rulers of Serbia and Bosnia were frightened and concluded an alliance for joint action against Murad. The united Serbian and Bosnian troops dealt a crushing blow to the Turks in the big battle near the town of Plochnik in 1387. The Bulgarian Tsar joined the Serbo-Bosnian alliance which provoked an immediate wrathful reaction on the part of the Sultan. In 1388 a numerous Turkish army crossed the Balkan Range and conquered almost the whole of Northeastern Bulgaria without the city of Varna. Tsar Shishman was forced to reaffirm his vassal dependence from the Sultan and the terrible Ottoman hordes again set out for Serbia. In a battle which broke out at Kossovo Pole Murad I found his death but the Serbian troops, which had been joined by several Bulgarian feudal lords, were routed. Serbia also fell under vassal dependence from Turkey. .

The existence of the Bulgarian state became an obstacle on the way to the Ottomans’ further penetration into Central Europe. In spite of its weakness and dependence, it presented a constant threat to the right flank of the Turkish troops which had penetrated deep into the west. That is why Murad’s heir Bayazid I, The Light-ning, decided to put an end to the Turnovo Kingdom. In 1393 he invaded Moesia at the head of a numerous army and after a siege which Lasted three months, succeeded in capturing Turnovo.

One hundred and twenty boyars were massacred in the main church, thousands of Turnovo citizens were taken slaves and Patriarch Evtimi, who had headed the defence of Turnovo until the last moment, was sent into exile to the Rhodopes. Ivan Shishman hid himself in the Danubian stronghold of Nikopol, expecting help from the Hungarian King. The latter, however, never came to his assistance and Nikopol was captured and Ivan Shishman was killed. Only the Vidin Kingdom remained, but a Turkish garrison was also stationed in Vidin.

The Ottomans reached the frontiers of the then powerful Hungarian Kingdom, which forced the Hungarian King Sigismund to prepare in 1396 a big crusade against the Turks. The Ruler of Vidin Ivan Stratsimir opened the gates of his town to the crusaders and joined them with his troops, but the army of the crusaders suffered utter defeat. That was the end also of the Vidin Kingdom.

THE NATIONAL CATASTROPHES

The Turkish government threw a 350,000-strong regular army against the insurgents and tens of thousands of bashibozouks. The insurgents fought courageously for a long time in spite of the numerical superiority and modern armament of the enemy. It took the Turks a month to suppress the uprising in the Strandja district, the closest to the Ottoman capital, while the insurgents in Macedonia, who had been joined by thousands of volunteers from the Principality, withstood the Turkish troops in incessant bloody battles for more than three months. The revenge of the Ottoman Turks was dreadful: over 250 inhabited places were razed to the ground, thousands of insurgents and civilians were killed, over 10,000 people were left homeless and 50,000 sought refuge in the Principality.

THE NATIONAL CATASTROPHES

After the defeat of the Ilinden and Preobrazhenie Uprisings the ruling Bulgarian circLes finally oriented themselves towards the preparation for a war, in order to settle the Bulgarian national question. Taking advantage of the developments in Turkey, where the Young Turks’ revolution had broken out on September 22, 1908 the Bulgarian government proclaimed the country’s in-dependence, which until then had been vassal to the Em-pire. In 1912, under Russian auspices, the Balkan Alliance was set up, consisting of Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Montenegro, which waged a successful war against Turkey.

Immediately after the victory, however, sharp contradictions broke out among the allies. It turned out that the Bulgarian ruling circles had paid little attention to the diplomatic preparations for the war — the treaty with Greece had not treated territorial questions at all, while the one with Serbia had given grounds to the Serbian govern-ment to have claims for additional Bulgarian lands. The treaty had specified the northwestern part of Macedonia as a ‘debatable zone’ whose destiny was to be decided according to the concrete contribution of the two sides to the war against Turkey and depending upon whether Serbia would receive an outlet on the Adriatic. The Russian King had been named arbitrator.

Joined a society of Durweshes

Perhaps my horse was without barley and my saddle-cloth in pawn; and the Prince, who through avarice withholds the pay of his soldiers, does not deserve that they should expose their lives in his service. Give money to the gallant soldier that he may expose his head, for if you do not pay him, he will seek his fortune elsewhere. The strong man, if his belly is full, will fight valiantly, but when hungry, he will run away stoutly.”

Society of Durweshes

A certain Vizier, being dismissed from his office, joined a society of Durweshes, the blessing of whose company made such an impression as bestowed comfort on his mind. The King was again favourably disposed towards him, and ordered that he ‘should be reinstated; to which the Vizier would not consent, saying, that degradation was preferable to employment. “They who are seated in the corner of retirement close the dog’s teeth and men’s mouths; they tear their papers and break their pens, and are delivered from the hands and tongues of slanderers.” The King said, “Of a truth, we stand in need of a man of such sufficiency for the administration of our government.” The Vizier observed, that the proof of a man’s being sufficiently wise, was his not engaging in such matters. The Homai is honoured above all other birds, because it feeds on bones, and injures not any living creature.

Parable.—They asked a Syagoosh, “Why do you choose the servile society of the lion?” He replied, “Because I eat the i*emains of his hunting, and live guarded from the machinations of my enemies, under the protection of his valour.” They asked, “Now that you are under the shadow of his protection, and gratefully acknowledge his beneficence, why do you not approach, nearer, so as to be brought into the circle of his principal servants, and to be numbered amongst his favourite ministers? ” He replied, “I am not so confident of my safety from his severity. If the Gueber lights the fire an hundred years, yet should he fall into it for an instant, he ‘would be burnt.

It may happen that a King’s minister obtains money; or he may chance to lose his head. The sages have said, “Beware of the inconstant disposition ot princes, who sometimes are dissatisfied at a salutation; and sometimes, in return for rudeness, will bestow a dress of honor.” And they have also observed, ‘ Wit is an accomplishment in a courtier, but a blemish in the character of a wise man. Preserve the dignity of your own character, and leave sport and buffoonery to courtiers.”

Sacrificed forty camels

TALE XV

They asked Hatim Tai, If he had ever seen or heard of any person in the world more noble-minded than himself? He replied, “One day after having sacrificed forty camels, I went along with an Arab chief to the skirt of a desert, where I saw a labourer, who had made up a bundle of thorns;

whom I asked, Why he did not go to the feast of Hatim Tai, to whose table people were repairing in crowds? He answered, £ Whosoever eateth bread from his own labour will not submit to be under obligation to Hatim Tai.’ I considered this man as my superior in generosity and liberality.”

TALE XVI

Moses the prophet (upon whom be peace!) saw a Durwesh, who, for want of clothes, had hidden himself in the sand. He said, “() Moses, implore God to bestow on me subsistence, for I am perishing in distress.” Moses prayed, and God granted him assistance. Some days after, when Moses was returning from performing his devotions he saw the Durwesh apprehended, and a crowd of people gathered round him. On inquiring, What had happened to him? They replied, “Having drank wine, he made a disturbance and killed a man; now they are going to exact retaliation.”

If the poor cat had wings she would not leave a sparrow’s egg in the world; and if a mean Wretch should happen to get into power, he would become insolent, and twist the hands of the weak. Moses acknowledged the wisdom of the Creator of the Universe, and asked pardon for his boldness, repeating the following verse of the Koran: 1 If God were to open his stores of subsistence for His servants, of a truth they would rebel on the earth.’ O vain man, what hast thou done to precipitate thyself into destruction? Would that the ant had not been able to fly!

When a mean wretch obtains promotion and wealth, of a truth he requires a thump on the head. Is not this the adage of a sage?

It were better for the ant not to have wings.’ Our Heavenly Father hath honey in abundance, but his son is affected with a feverish complaint. He who doth not make you rich, knoweth what is good for you better than you do yourself.

TALE XVII

I saw an Arab sitting in a circle of jewellers of Basrah and relating as follows: “Once on a time, having missed my way in the desert Gregorian calendar, and having no provisions left, I gave myself up for lost, when I happened to find a bag full of pearls. I shall never forget the relish and delight.that I felt on supposing it to be fried wheat; nor the bitterness and despair which I suffered, on discovering that the

bag contained pearls. In tKe parched desert of quicksands, pearls of shells, in the mouth of the thirsty traveller, are alike unavailing. When a man destitute of provisions is fatigued, it is the same thing to have in his girdle gold or potsherds.”

TALE XVIII

An Arab labouring under excessive thirst exclaimed, “I wish that for one day before my death this my desire may be gratified: that a river dashing its waves against my knees, I may fill my leather sack with water.”

In like manner a traveller, who had lost his way in the great desert, had neither strength nor provisions remaining, but a few direms in his girdle. He had wandered about a long time without finding the road, and perished for want. A company of men arrived, saw the direms lying before his face, and the following words written on the ground: “If the man destitute of food were possessed of pure gold, it would avail him nothing. To a poor wretch in the desert parched with the heat of the sun, a boiled turnip is of more value than virgin silver.”

Durwesh accompanied

I asking why he did not frequent the city to relieve his mind? He replied, ‘ There dwell many of exquisite beauty: and where there is much clay, the elephants lose their footing.’ ” After making this speech, we mutually kissed and bid each other adieu. What benefit is there in kissing the cheek of a friend at the instant that you are bidding him adieu? It is like an apple with one cheek red and the other yellow. If I die not of grief on the day that I bid adieu, you will not consider me faithful in friendship.

A Durwesh accompanied me in the caravan to Mecca, on whom one of the nobles of Arabia had bestowed a hundred dinars for the support of his family. Suddenly a band of robbers of the tribe of Ivhufacheh attacked the caravan, and plundered it of every thing. The merchants began to cry and lament, and uttered useless complaints. Whether you supplicate, or whether you complain, the thief will not restore the money.

The Durwesh was the only exception; he remaining unshaken, and not at all affected by the adventure. I said to him, “Perhaps, they had not taken your money? ” He answered, “Yes, they carried it off, but I was not so fond of it as to be distressed at losing it. A man ought not to fix his heart on any thing or person, because it is a difficult matter to remove the heart therefrom.” I replied, “Your words suit my circumstance exactly; for in my youth I contracted a friendship for a young man, with so warm an attachment, that his beauty was the Keblah of my eyes, and his society the chief comfort of my life. No mortal on earth ever possessed so beautiful a form; perhaps he was an angel from heaven.

Religion obtains perfection from the virtuous

RULE V.

A learned man without temperance, is a blind man carrying a link: he showed the road to others, but doth not guide himself, lie who through inadvertency trifled with life, threw away his money without purchasing any thing.

RULE VI.

A kingdom gains credit from wise men, and religion obtains perfection from the virtuous. Kings stand in more need of wise men, than wise men do of appointments at court. Listen, 0 king, to my advice; for you have not more valuable maxim in all your archives than this: “Entrust not your affairs to any but wise men, although public business is not the occupation of the wise.”

Three things are not permanent without three things:—Wealth, without commerce; science, without argument; a kingdom, without government.

RULE VIII.

Showing mercy to the wicked is doing injury to the good; and pardoning oppressors is injuring the oppressed. When you connect yourself with base men and show them favour, they commit crimes with your power, whereby you participate in their guilt.

RULE IX.

You cannot rely on the friendship of kings, nor confide in the sweet voices of boys: for those change on the slightest suspicion, and these alter in the course of a night. Give not your heart to her who has a thousand lovers; but if you should bestow it on her, be prepared for a separation.

RULE X.

Reveal not to a friend every secret that you possess, for how can you tell but what he may some time or other become your enemy. Likewise inflict not on an enemy every injury in your power, for lie may afterwards become your friend. The matter wlucli you wish to preserve as a secret, impart it not to any one, although he may be worthy of confidence, for no one will be so true to your secret as yourself.

It is safer to be silent than to reveal one’s secret to any one, and telling him not to mention it. 0 good man! stop the water at the spring-head, for when it is in full stream you cannot arrest it. You should never speak a word in secret, which may not be related in every company.

Opportunity of a brilliant exploit

Set out this banquet for them in our camp, leave the refuse of the army there, and retreat with the body of your troops upon the river. If I am not mistaken, the Scythians will address themselves to all this good cheer, as soon as they fall in with it, and then we shall have the opportunity of a brilliant exploit”. I need not pursue the history further than to state the issue. In spite of the immediate success of his ruse de guerre, Cyrus was eventually defeated, and lost both his army and his life.

The Scythian Queen, Tomyris, in revenge for the lives which he had sacrificed to his ambition, is related to have cut off his head, and plunged it into a vessel filled with blood, saying, “ Cyrus, drink your fill”. Such is the account given us by Herodotus; and, even if it is to be rejected, it serves to illustrate the difficulties of an invasion of Scythia; for legends must be framed according to the circumstances of the case, and grow out of probabilities, if they are to gain credit, and if they have actually succeeded in gaining it.

Our knowledge of the expedition of Darius in the next generation, is more certain. This fortunate monarch, after many successes, even on the European side of the Bosphorus, impelled by that ambition, which holy Daniel had already seen in prophecy, to threaten West and North as well as South, towards the end of his life, directed his arms against the Scythians who inhabited the country now called the Ukraine. His pretext for this expedition was an incursion which the same barbarians had made into Asia, shortly before the time of Cyrus.

They had crossed the Don, just above the sea of Azoff, had entered the country now called Circassia, had threaded the defiles of the Caucasus, and had defeated the Median King Cyaxares, the grand-father of Cyrus. Then they overran Armenia, Cappadocia, Pontus, and part of Lydia, that is, a great portion of Anatolia or Asia Minor; and managed to establish themselves in the country for twenty-eight years, living by plunder and exaction. In the course of this period, they descended into Syria, as far as to the very borders of Egypt.