The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham.

202 THE BURDEN OF THE BALKANS. leader of a band who had made him kill three oxen and turn ' chetnik.' The note was for ~5, but the man vowed his cattle had been worth ~I2. Fortunately, he added, he had not had to fight, as he had been left as a reservist elsewhere, and the fight had taken place while he was away, but the village and all his goods were burnt. Daily I marvelled more at the crass stupidity of the Turkish Government. Such a very little common-sense and ordinary justice would have saved all this trouble. The Christian peasant here is not a fighting man; if he were allowed to till his fields in peace without having more than the legitimate tax raised off his labour, and were guaranteed the security of himself and his women, revolutions are the last things he would be likely to undertake. Of the outside world he is absolutely ignorantso ignorant that it was impossible to make a deputation from a village understand that English or Italian officers were expected at Monastir soon who would ride about the country and see that justice was done. They had heard of Russians, but of no other foreigners. Then the interpreter suggested 'kaurski' officers-that is, giaours, unbelieversand they grasped that the officers would not be Turks, and cheered up. All that the peasant knows is that his life is wretched under the present state of things. Oppressed by the Government and terrorized by the Committee, he rises, and will continue to rise so long as there is anything left of him, and he is used, poor wretch I as the cat's paw to help

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Title: The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham.
Author: Durham, Mary Edith, 1863-1944.
Canvas: Page 202
Publication: London :: Nelson,; [1905]
Subject terms: Eastern question (Balkan); Balkan Peninsula -- Description and travel.

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Collection: Travels in Southeastern Europe
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ans3900.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bosnia/ans3900.0001.001/209

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Full citation: "The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham." In the digital collection Travels in Southeastern Europe. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ans3900.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 30, 2025.

The burden of the Balkans / by M. Edith Durham.

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