Colonel Synge was well and favorably known, and much interest was taken
in his fate. For a long time nothing was heard but disquieting rumors;
at length, about three weeks ago, it was announced that he had been
ransomed and set at liberty.
I inclose an account of the outrage from Colonel Synge’s own hand. It is
not a comfortable narrative—an Englishman of character seized under his
own roof and kept a prisoner in the mountains until his captors are
pleased to release him, and this not only with impunity, but exacting
great reward. The ransom, I need not remind you, exceeds $50,000 of our
money, exacted in gold, counted and inspected piece by piece, enough to
enrich that whole region of the empire. I do not hear of any effort or
purpose of redress. It is a high premium on brigandage, and henceforth
no stranger will be safe wherever in the empire the facts become
known.
The instigation Colonel Synge alludes to proceeded, very likely, from a
wish to involve the British Government in the question of the Greek
frontier. Viewed in any light it is a bad business.
[Inclosure No. 1 with dispatch No.
392.]
Colonel Synge’s account of his
captivity
On Friday, February 13, I returned to Saloniea, after a month’s
absence in the north of the province, where I had been engaged in
assisting the refugees. On the following
[Page 979]
Tuesday I left for my farm at Tricooista. My
servant being somewhat late for the train, left a portion of my
baggage behind, among other things my rifle cartridges. There being
no train until the following Thursday, on that day I sent to the
Topsin Station, but my man did not return the same evening.
On Thursday night, between ten and eleven o’clock, sitting in my arm
chair, I was startled by shots rattling in at the windows, and blows
at the granary door below. My house is a solid brick building, the
ground floor forming a granary which had no interior communication
with the rest of the house. The front is occupied by a large
verandah.
I had nothing ready. My guns had been packed away, when I went
up-country, and I had not got them out. There were no cartridges for
my rifle. I broke open a gun-case, put a gun together, got out some
cartridges, went up to the top of the house, and opened fire with
small shot where I saw the flashes of the rifles. They were all
around, banging away, and the bullets smashing up everything. The
Albanians who occupy a house across the farm-yard about 100 yards
off, also opened fire, but the brigands were all under cover.
Getting through the granary door, they collected some planks and
straw, and setting lire to the heap, the house was soon full of
smoke and untenable, and I had to give up.
As they afterwards told me, they left the forest, situated about half
a mile off, shortly after dark, sent two of the band in advance with
meat, with which they silenced the watch dogs, and then the
remainder advanced to reconnoiter. First they looked after the
Albanians. Going up into the verandah of the house, they saw them
through the windows and took note of their arms. Leaving some of the
band to hold them in check, they next proceeded to reconnoiter the
house. First they contemplated making a ladder and assaulting from
the verandah, but fearing to expose themselves they considered that
setting fire to the building from the outside would entail less
loss. After trying unsuccessfully, they determined to burst in the
granary door and set fire inside. Two guns were told off to each
window on that side of the house, with orders to keep up a continual
fire; four men were sent to the door, two with axes and two with
rifles, and the signal was given.
On my surrendering they took two of my saddle horses from the stable.
I was mounted on one and Niko, the chief of the band, on the other.
The workmen were called to look after the fire, and I was told to
send word that if any troops were sent in pursuit I should be
murdered.
I was then marched off towards Mount Olympus. The night was pitch
dark, with sleet and snow. About an hour and a half’s journey south
there is the river Vistritsa (Heliacmon) to cross. Arrived at the
ferry, Niko, with one companion, went to the ferry-hut, in which
were three Albanians and a Christian boatman; one of the Albanians
was an old friend of Niko’s, and he counted on his passing him over
the river without opposition. Knocking at the door, he said, “Don’t
you know me? I have come from Verrea, and must pass over to-night.”
The Albanian replied, “Wait until I blow up the fire a bit,” and
then opened the door. Whether Niko was not recognized, or whether,
seeing he had only one man with him, the Albanians thought he would
be an easy capture, I cannot say, but one of them, Niko’s friend,
calling on his companions to shut the door, drew a revolver from
under his pillow and fired three shots, wounding Niko’s companion in
the shoulder, but missing himself. Niko drew his yataghan and cut
down the man with the revolver, breaking his yataghan with the
thrust, which disabled the second Albanian. The third was shot by
one of the band through the window, and some of them rushing in the
boatman was wounded, but was made to work the ferry across.
The wounded Albanian was brought down to the boat, and though I
begged hard for his life and offered to ransom him, he was shot, and
I was told that were they not in a hurry he would have been
tortured. Having crossed the river and the plain between it and the
mountains, it was a steady ascent, the snow getting deeper and
deeper. About dawn there was a halt among some rocks and the day
passed there. At night, on again. Until late on the third night the
unfortunate horses got nothing but some dry beech leaves to eat and
no water, as it was all frozen. Alter the fourth night they
disappeared and afterwards turned up at Caterina.
On the third day I was dictated a letter demanding 10,000 liras
ransom, besides gold watches. This letter was not delivered to
Consul General Blunt until some ten days afterwards, and then
accompanied by one from Niko demanding 15,000 liras, about £13,500
sterling. He also demanded the release of some friends and relatives
in prison in Turkey and Greece, and for some of his family to be
sent to Greece.
After five nights’ traveling about, I was taken into a cave, and five
of the band under Niko’s brother were left as a guard over me, the
remainder scouting and looking after supplies. In the cave I was
kept until the negotiations were completed. For food, there was
bread and goat, sometimes bread without the goat; sometimes goat
without the bread; generally wine and coffee. Great caution was
requisite in procuring supplies, as they feared that their tracks in
the snow should be followed. I knew that whilst negotiations were
pending Consul-General Blunt would prevent
[Page 980]
troops being sent in pursuit, but the brigands
were always suspicious. Once they got an idea that other brigands
had been put on to capture Niko, with a view to exchanging him for
me, and they were rather mad; they told me that had such an attempt
been made, and Niko had lost his life, they would have made me a jacket á la franca, i. e., removed the skin
off the upper part of the body and then roasted me á la broche. I very well knew that such a scheme would
only be resorted to as a last resource, and assured them they were
mistaken. However, on the occasion, I was dictated another letter
demanding 15,000 liras, gold watches and chains, gold rings, amber
cigar-holders, amber beads, Martini rifles and cartridges, revolvers
and cartridges, a field-glass, and fifteen trumpets; if all these
were not sent within five days my ears would be sent in, in eight
days my nose, and in ten days my head.
On three occasions Mr. Blunt sent me some newspapers, with a few
cheery words scattered cautiously about among the printing.
After a weary time in the cave (for it was bitterly cold, and they
rarely lit a fire in the day time unless the weather was foggy or
with snow falling), I was told that all had been arranged. Taken out
blindfolded, mounted on a mule, and sometimes picking my own way, I
was brought down to the vicinity of Caterina. I had to write a third
letter, relative to the movements of the troops escorting the
ransom, also saying that if there was any bad money among the ransom
the amount would be doubled.
On the day of my release, the scouts reported early that the trumpets
had sounded in Caterina for the troops to fall in. Shortly after
that, they had marched out, and after a time they approached,
accompanied by Consul-General Blunt, and were halted. Mr. Bizzo, the
dragoman of the consulate, who had personally carried on the
negotiation between Mr. Blunt and Niko, accompanied by some of his
own men (he has two large farms near Caterina), a Turkish officer
and Hassim Agha, the carass of the consulate, brought up the
ransom.
Now I learned for the first time that 12,000 liras was the real
amount, for the brigands had always told me that it had been
arranged for 2,000 liras. I believe they gave out that amount to
mislead other bands of whom they were in dread. Mr. Blunt, too, had
very wisely concealed the amount from everybody. It was generally
understood that he had raised £2,000 for me by mortgage, and so
judiciously had he concealed the other £10,000 that Niko, who knew
everything that went on at Salonica, sent word not to try to deceive
him; he knew well that Mr. Blunt had only 2,000 liras ready, and it
was necessary to get a spy to inspect the full sum to reassure him.
Nor were these precautions unnecessary, for we afterwards learned
that Darelli, another chief, of a band numbering some thirty, had
formed a project for carrying off the ransom, but was misinformed as
to the day of payment. We being seated round in the forest, the bags
of money were laid out and three of the band inspected each coin to
see that there were no marks which might give a clue to their
whereabouts afterwards. One bag was counted, and the others weighed
against it. They had withdrawn their demands for the other things
mentioned in the letter, except the watches, a Martini, and
revolver. A Martini rifle offered them was accepted, but the
revolver was not good enough and they preferred waiting for a new
one. Satisfied with the ransom, they shaved me and gave me a cup of
water, according to their customs; returned five liras they had
borrowed from me in the cave, as also a revolver they had taken from
me.
It is unusual to release a captive before nightfall, but it was
successfully arranged by Mr. Bizzo, and I was set at liberty. When
taken, I had some thirty odd liras in my pocket. Of this sum they
borrowed for their expenses, but did not touch the rest.
In a few minutes I was able personally but very inadequately to thank
Consul-General Blunt for his energetic action and able efforts which
had led to my release, to contribute to which he had left nothing
unthought of or to chance.
Had troops been allowed to pursue the brigands whilst I was in their
hands, owing to the snow on the ground offering facilities for
tracking and the open state of the forest, the risk to me would have
been very great. Mr. Bizzo worked very hard and at considerable
personal risk, and I am greatly indebted to him. On his first
interview with Niko, the opening words of the latter were, “How many
pairs of shoes have I worn out looking after you!” Niko had attacked
a farm of Mr. Bizzo’s last year and had been pursued in consequence,
so bore him a grudge.
The band is under the leadership of Niko, assisted by his brother
Basil and his brother-in-law, Kalesh. Another, Groigi, is chief of a
second band, numbering only eight. A third brother is in prison at
Lamice, in Greece. Of Niko’s band six are deserters from the Greek
army. Those with Niko and his relatives are armed with the “Gra” or
Greek service rifle, which they prefer to all others. The remainder
of the band are armed with the Martini and “Nilonar,” an old Greek
service weapon. One of the deserters had served at the time of the
Marathon murders, and was well up in the events of that time. One
had been a monk at Mount Athos. All made the sign of the cross
before and after eating. All had taken part in the last raid in
Thessaly. I fear I shall never learn who were their instigators and
accomplices, but I cannot believe that the attack originated with
the brigands.
[Page 981]
According to the brigands’ cartridge account they fired 382 rounds in
the attack, and my windows, ceilings, and walls, bear witness to
numerous hits. What a difference between the ragged ruffians who
formed the brigand bands when I first came to this country—five or
ten men armed with old flint guns which would not go off at all in
wet weather, and were a nearly equal source of danger to the shooter
and “the shooter.” In fine, now bands of 50 to 150, armed with the
best of modern weapons, go about requisitioning towns and villages,
and carrying people off to ransom.
May every Englishman and foreigner whose misfortune it may ever be to
fall into those brigands’ hands be as fortunate as I was in having
those to look after their interests who spared neither pains nor
trouble, nor left anything unthought of until the sought-for end was
attained.
