towns, and they were reinforced by Krdschalics and Bosnians; but encouraged by a first success against the latter, near Schabaz, the Servians no longer hesitated to assail their enemies in the fortresses. Although the Servians-as was, and still is the case in all the Christian provinces-were much divided amongst themselves, in this case discussions arising chiefly between the levies and the irregular and insubordinate Heyducs-still this war was distinguished by acts of heroism which would have reflected credit on any race of men. Two hundred heyducs, for example, having refused to defend a monastery, still awaited the enemy who were five times as numerous as themselves upon a neighbouring height, and they fought from morning till night, until the enemy, receiving fresh reinforcements, every one of the brave men were killed.

Schabaz was the first fortress that fell to the Servians, thanks to a solitary piece of ordnance which Jacob Nenadowitsch had purchased, and the terms made to the conquered showed great clemency on the part of conquerors. All the violent partisans of the Dahis, in their despotism, were to leave the country; the others were allowed to remain. Proscharewaz fell next before the united

The Servians then concentrated Here those complications, which border warfare in Turkey, and

forces of Jacob and Kara George. all their forces before Semendria. have ever been inseparable from which never can be reckoned upon by any amount of foresight, took place. The chief of the Heyducs withdrew his aid, being displeased with the distribution of the booty of Poscharewaz; but on the other hand, the Turk Pasha of Bosnia, who was an opponent of the Dahis, came to their assistance, and the Turks were received into the old fortress on the Danube without any resistance. The Dahis had retreated to the Castle of New Orsova (Orschowa of the Servians); but Milenko followed them, and soon brought the heads of four of these formidable leaders into the camp. Hereupon the Pasha of Bosnia declared that everything now was done that could be desired, and he directed the Servians to return home to their herds, and flocks, and tillage.

But the Servians had arms in their hands, and they were not prepared to lay them down; whilst the Kaba-Dahis and SuBashis still held the fortresses, as well as the towns and villages. They regarded their countrymen as their real chiefs, and not the Pashas and the Spahis, merely because they were opposed to the Dahis. Unfortunately there was discord among the Servians, and Kjurtschia, a renowned chief of the Heyducs, was the first victim of this bad feeling. The Turkish administrators of the Sultan held out promises of utterly superseding the whole administrative system of the Dahis; but, after all, the Janissaries were Moslems and

they only tampered with them, and did little or nothing to relieve the Servians from exaction, oppression, and persecution.

Under these circumstances, the people and their leaders took a step in a direction from which they have never since been able to recede. They resolved upon soliciting theintervention ofa Christian power in their favour. At first they looked to Austria, in whose country so many of their kindred tribes dwelt. But Austria had never retained the possessions she acquired, but had always given back both land and people to the Turks. Austria was at this moment also engaged in conflict with the French empire. On the other hand Russia had long stood in the same relation to Moldavia and Wallachia as that which Servia sought for itself. Russia had frequently stipulated for freedom of religion and moderate taxation for those two principalities. Russia also enjoyed a high reputation amongst all the followers of the Greek Church, and the Servians decided upon addressing themselves to this power. The Russian Government, thus appealed to, called upon the Servians first to prefer their requests at Constantinople, and promised to promote their fulfilment there.

A meeting was held at Ostruschniza, in April 1805, at which it was decided that all the fortresses should be garrisoned by Servian troops, in order to control the supporters of the Dahis, as also a compensation for previous exactions and expenses incurred. Pending the negotiations, Kara George attacked the Su-Bashis at Karanowaz; but this place having received reinforcements from Novibazar, he was repulsed. Jacob advanced against Uschiza with greater success. In this campaign we first meet with the name of Milan Obrenowitsch, as that of a chief of Rudnik who joined Jacob. The latter had now a force of 3000 men and two They did not attempt to storm the mountain castle, called Sokol or the Falcon," which stands so high and proudly on a rock, and gives its name to the whole district; nor was their march stayed by an appeal made by some old Turks, who had taken no share in the horrors which had been perpetrated, but who when asked, as a guarantee of good faith, to give up the evil-doers, replied with the usual stereotyped Moslem prevarication, their law did not permit them to deliver their brethren in faith over to a people of another creed."

guns.

Upon this Jacob immediately attacked all indiscriminately, and the town surrendered, after being set fire to, on the 20th of July, 1805. The south was by this victory brought into the same condition as prevailed in the other part of the country. fortresses had everywhere surrendered, though they were not yet taken possession of, and the power of the Dahis was virtually annihilated.

The

But the great problem, which cannot even yet be said to be finally solved, remained. The Dahis were excluded the country, but the Turks who had been opposed to their system of tyranny had not been so; and whilst the Servians claimed the garrisoning of the fortresses, the Turks claimed the government of the country. How would the two parties conduct themselves towards each other?

The Sultan had organised his Nizamids chedid, and had issued a decree that the select of the Janissaries should serve in the new corps. This was the time, then, when the spirit of reform was abroad, for the Sultan to have strengthened his hands by concessions to the Servians. But unfortunately, unlike any other Prince, all of whose subjects belong to him equally, he was the head of the Mussulmans before all others. The Turkish Empire has as yet been based, not on an union and amalgamation of different elements, but on the opposing forces of two distinct populations; one destined to command, the other to obey. Not only were the demands of the Servians rejected, but their deputies were placed under arrest, and Hafiz, pasha of Nissa, received orders to disarm the Rayahs.

The Servians, on their side, prepared themselves to repel the pasha's attack by force. They took up a position between Kupria -the bridge on the Morava-and Parakyn. Hafiz Pasha advanced to the attack, but he was defeated; and he was ultimately forced, by Kara George, to withdraw with his troops to Nissa, where he soon afterwards died, it is said, from the mortification he experienced at the frustration of his mission.

This success did not, however, relieve the Servians from the oppression they were subjected to by the Turks who held the fortresses. A Woiwode visiting the town of Semendria handsomely attired and armed, was sufficient to excite the fanaticism of the Moslems, who set upon him and slew him. The Servians rushed forth to the revenge. They bombarded the town, took it, and now formally garrisoned it. This incensed the Turks in the other fortresses; and at Shabaz, Uschiza, and other places, they killed. many Servians who lived outside the walls. The Sultan abetted these proceedings, and raised two divisions, one of Bosnians and Herzegovinians, under Bekir Pasha; another of Albanians and Rumeliotes under Ibrahim Pasha, to subject the Servians.

The weak points of Servia, as shown in the recent conflicts, are to the south-east, where are the districts of Negotin, and those but feebly defended of Kruschewatz and Zaitschar; but this open country towards Bulgaria is defended in the rear by a lofty wooded chain of mountains. This is not the case with the pass or opening by which is carried the highway from Nissa to Jagodin. Hence it is that in all invasions of the country the Turks have advanced by the lowest

of all the passes which presents itself in the limitrophal mountains of Servia and the Turkish provinces. The Servians accordingly garrisoned Parakyn, Deligrad, and Kruschewaz, just as in our times, only upon the present occasion they occupied strongholds in advance of these positions, at Alexinatz, Gorgushewatz, Zaitchar, and elsewhere.

The Bosnians attacked the Servians at the same time by the line of the Drina, where they met with a gallant resistance; but the war was everywhere accompanied by the most atrocious scenes of murder, rapine, and plunder. These so exasperated the people, that the Servian chief was in danger of being murdered, and they had to conceal themselves in the forests. Ibrahim was also approaching from Nissa at the head of 40,000 men. It was in this hour of danger that Kara George earned his fame and rank as commander in chief. He held the great Bosnian army in check with about 1500 men, whilst he repulsed Hadji Beg at Paska, and, rushing over the mountains, went to the aid of Schabaz. The Servians and Bosnians met in a definite encounter in August 1806: after two days' desultory but bloody encounters, the Turks were defeated and driven over the Drina, with the loss of their bravest leaders, whilst the flower of the Bosnian youth had fallen around their standards. After this signal victory Kara George proceeded to the mountain pass, before described, and where Peter Dobrinjaz had held Ibrahim Pasha and his large army in check for six weeks before the stronghold of Deligrad. Turkey itself, being at that moment disturbed by internal dissenssions, Ibrahim Pasha was glad to hold out the hand for peace. Turkey was also all the more ready to make concessions, as a war was impending with Russia, and it was most desirable to make a friend rather than an enemy of Servia. The Servians were accordingly granted undisputed possession of the country, a government of their own, and they were even to be allowed to garrison the fortresses. A Muhasil, or Pasha, was, however, to reside at Belgrade, with 150 Turks, as a mark of sovereignty; and the Servians were to pay an annual tribute of 1800 purses, or £160,000 sterling. The victorious progress of the ally of the Porte-Napoleon-against Prussia, however, lessened the fear of the Russians, so that the Turks ultimately rejected the treaty when its ratification was to have taken place.

The Servians, notwithstanding, determined not to be balked of their prey; they attacked the fortresses taking the most important— Belgrade, the first, and massacering the Turkish defenders. Schabaz next yielded, after experiencing similar horrors. Kara George then attacked Uschiza, after Belgrade, the most populous town of Servia. It was here that Milosch Obrenowitsch first

distinguished himself, receiving, however, a dangerous wound in the breast. The Servians fought for whole days during the remainder of the summer-sometimes in the open field, sometimes at the intrenchments which the Turks had thrown up, without any decisive result.

But towards autumn the Turks went back over the Drina. The remainder were driven out of the district of Belgrade, and the Rayhas, free and armed, were in possession of the country and of the fortresses. Thus it was that what is justly designated, in Servian song and chronicles, as the "War of Liberation of 1806 and 1807," came to conclusion, and the state of subjection, in which the Servians had been held for centuries, was for a time effectually destroyed.

(To be Continued).