THE SACKING OF SISTOVA.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Issue 4, 27 October 1877, Page 3

THE SACKING OF SISTOVA.

The special correspondent of the "Daily News" writes on July i, from Sistova: " If all the houses sacked in this town belonged to the Turks, I can only say that the Mahometans vastly outnumbered the Christians. More than that, they occupied all the best houses. In fact, the whole town lias been plundered and wrecked, except the foreign colony of the Danube. The Russians say that the Bulgarians did it. The Bulgarians accuse the Turkish garrison. I cannot venture to decide between them at present, but it is significant that the native population as well as the Turkish has disappeared. During several hours' wandering amongst the deserted houses, 1 only saw half-a-dozen people at the most. The foreign colony remains. It is more than strange that, whilst in Roumania only the barest necessaries of life are to be procured at any price, in oppressed ami plundered Bulgaria luxuries may be bought at a reasonable rate. There is better wine here than in Roumania. Meat is to be obtained. Several bakeries are in constant work, and in the dwellings, sacked and ruined as they are, one sees evidence of greater comfort than in Roumanian houses of a like class. No stick of furniture is left. Whoever began the loot, the Bulgarians certainly finished it, and broke what they could not carry away. The gardens still look neat and pretty, though they are strewn with rags, fragments of furniture, potsherds, letters, and books. Inside the buildings, if they are of any size, one steps knee deep in rags, wool, paper, ami nameless rubbish, that has once served to stuff mattresses and pillows.

Now, for tho first time do I see a looted town, but the sight is always painful. In street after street all is empty and silent; with broken doors hanging njar, clothes and papers and emptied boxes lying about. In house after house, no pain of glass remains. Even the baby's cradle has been smashed out of pure devilry. The little treasures of each family have been dragged to light only to be destroyed and trampled upon. In tho gardens, the fruit trees have been stripped, and tho wells have been defiled. Splinters of timber are lying across the roads—such as remain. In Sistova, many houses had fine woodwork, especially in tho ceilings and balconies, which looked upon tho gardens, The wealthier inhabitants evidently took alarm before the catastrophe arrived, but I found several money boxes—to lx> recognised liy stamps —which had been smashed. The floor of every houso was a chaos of lanterns, sacred books, carved wood, broken desks, and miscellaneous furniture. I have not hoard any tale of outrage.; but if tho Bulgarians worked this destruction that 1 see, I should pity

any Mftdem who fill into their hands I -|'-. iul.y if it was a wi man ore. helpless |» is..n. Shuniln. July 3. During the Russian attack u|n>n the own of Sistova the Bulgarians fin*! »u the flyiujj ["urks, '■i ..1 l:,. - • ,m biok bouses from the windows of winch they threw the young children into the -to ■ t-. This information has been received frr.ui an eve-witness, and is causing an intense feeling among the Turks. Shumla, Jul} 5.—1 have received confirmation of the stories of atrocities by the Bulgarians both on the Turks and the Jews at Sistova. Several of the latter were murdered. In a Bulgarian house at Rustchuk a telegraph instrument maker was discovered, connected with wire in such a manner that intelligence was transmitted to the Russians. In consequence of this the Bulgarians in all the towns on the Danube have been ordered to move into the interior. The second in authority under the Kaiuiakani of Sistova was murdered by the Bulgarians.