Kirdjali was from Bulgars. Kirdjali in Turkish means Knight, heart of oak *. His real name I do not know.
Kirdjali their robberies terrified the whole of Moldavia. To give some idea about it, I tell one of his exploits. One night he and Arnaut Mihaylaki attacked together on the Bulgarian village. They lit it from both ends, and began to go from hut to hut. Kirdjali cut, and carrying prey Mihaylaki. Both cried: «Kirdzhali! Kirdzhali!"All of the village fled.
When Alexander Ypsilanti unveiled indignation and began to recruit an army itself, Kirdjali brought him some of his old comrades. The real purpose of Etheria was known for their bad, but the war is the case in the rich Turks by, and perhaps Moldovans, - and it seemed to them obvious.
Alexander Ypsilanti was personally brave, but I did not have the properties, needed for the role, which has been undertaken so hot and so carelessly. He could not cope with people, which it was obliged to chair. They had no respect for him, no power of attorney. After the unfortunate battle, where he died the color of the Greek youth, Iordachi Olimbioti have advised him to retire, and he made atonement for his place. Ypsilanti galloped away to the borders of Austria and from there sent his curse people, which called disobedient, cowards and scoundrels. These cowards and scoundrels for the most part perished within the walls of the monastery Secu or on the banks of the Prut, Opposite fiercely defending enemy ten times the strongest.
Kirdjali was in the squad Georgi Kantakouzenos, on which you can repeat the same, what is said about Ypsilanti. On the eve of the battle of Skoulana Cantacuzenus asked the Russian authorities for permission to enter to our quarantine. A detachment was left without a leader; but Kirdjali, Saphianos, Kantagoni and others found no need for the leader of the.
Battle of Skoulana *, it seems, nobody is described in all its touching truth. imagine 700 people Arnautov, Albanians, Greeks, Bulgarians and rabble, having no idea about the art of war and retreating since fifteen thousand Turkish cavalry. This group clung to the shores of the Prut and put in front of him two small cannon, Point of interest in Iasi, in the court of the King and of which, happened, fired during the name-day meals. The Turks were happy to act buckshot, but did not dare without the permission of the Russian authorities: buckshot would certainly have flown on our coast. Head Quarantine * (the now deceased), forty years of serving in the military service, he has never heard the whistle of bullets, but then God gave to hear. A couple of them buzzed past his ear. The old man got very angry, and scolded for Major Okhotsk Regiment, is under quarantine. Maj., without knowing, what to do, I ran to the river, for which pranced delibashi, and wagged his finger at them. delibasa, seeing this, and returned uskakaly, and behind them, and the whole Turkish squad. Maj., threatened finger, It called Horchevsky *. I do not know, what became of him.
Next day, however, Turks attacked Hetairists. Not daring to use any of grapeshot, or cores, they decided, contrary to his custom, act machetes. The battle was brutal. Reza ataganami. By Turks were seen spears, hitherto they have not experienced; These spears were Russian: Nekrasovtsy * fought in their ranks. Hetairists, with the permission of our sovereign, Rod could go and hide in our quarantine. They began to cross. Kantagoni and Saphianos were last on the Turkish coast. Kirdzhali, wounded the day before, I lay already in quarantine. Saphianos was killed. Kantagoni, very fat man, He was wounded with a spear in the belly. He raised his sword with one hand, by another grabbed his enemy's spear, I thrust it into itself deeper and thus could get his saber killer, with whom he fell and.
It was over. The Turks remained victorious. Moldova has been cleared. About six Arnautov scattered on Bessarabia; not knowing, than to feed themselves, Well, they all were grateful for Russia's patronage. They were celebrating life, but not dissolute. They can always be seen in coffee shops poluturetskoy Bessarabia, Long chibouks mouth, sipping coffee grounds of small cups. They patterned jacket and red sharp-nosed shoes were beginning to wear out, Crested calotte but everything else was wearing askew, and yataghans and pistols still sticking out of the wide belts. No they did not complain. It was impossible to think, so that these poor people were peaceful famous Cleft Moldova, comrades formidable Kirdjali, and that he himself was among them.
pasha, governor in Iasi, that learned and on the basis of the peace treaties demanded that Russian authorities issuing robber.
The police began to get down. Learned, Kirdjali that really is in Chisinau. He was caught in the house of a fugitive monk, in the evening, when he had dinner, sitting in the dark with seven companions.
Kirdžali planted under karaul. He did not hide the truth and confessed, he Kirdjali. "But, - he added,, - since, I switched over Prut, I did not touch any of the hair of another kind, not hurt and the last gypsy. for Turks, for Moldovans, for Vlachs I certainly robber, but I am Russian guest. when Saphianos, having shot all his buckshot, He came to us in quarantine, taking away the wounded for the last charge buttons, nails, chain and knobs with ataganov, I gave him twenty beshlykov and left without money. God sees, what am I, Kirdzhali, residential podayaniem! For what is now Russian give me my enemies?"After Kirdjali paused and began quietly to expect a solution for their fate.
He waited for a short time. authority, is not obliged to look at the robbers with their romantic side and convinced of the fairness requirements, commanded send Kirdjali in Iasi.
Man with a mind and heart *, while an unknown young officer, now occupies an important place, vividly described to me his departure.
At the gates of the prison was a postal karutsa ... (May be, you do not know, what karutsa. it squattish, wicker carriage, which we have recently been harnessed usually six or eight klyachonok. Moldovans a mustache and a sheepskin cap, sitting astride one of them, constantly shouting and cracking his whip, and klyachonki his trot rather large. If one of them starts to stick, it unharness it with a terrible curse and throw on the road, without worrying about its fate. On the way back, he was sure to find it in the same place, quietly grazing on the green steppe. often it happened, traveler, who went from one station to Eighth horses, I came to the other on a pair. So that was fifteen years ago,. Now, in the Russified Bessarabia adopted Russian Russian harness and cart.)
Such karutsa stood at the gates of the prison in 1821 year, in one of the last days of the month of September. Zhydovky, carelessly and slapping slippers, arnauts in his ragged and beautiful dress, Moldavian slender with black-eyed boys in her arms surrounded karutsu. The men were silent, women eagerly expecting something.
The gate opened, and several police officers took to the streets; behind them, two soldiers brought shackled Kirdjali.
He seemed thirty years. Swarthy features of his face were correct and harsh. He was a tall, broad-shouldered, and in general it was portrayed extraordinary physical strength. Variegated turban covered his head sideways, wide belt encircled the waist thin; doliman of thick blue cloth, ample folds of his shirt, falling above the knees, and nice shoes accounted for the rest of his outfit. His appearance was proud and calm.
One of the officials, a red-faced old man in a faded uniform, which dangled three buttons, pinched tin glasses purple cone, replaces his nose, I unfolded the paper and, mosquitoes, I began to read in the Moldovan language. From time to time he glanced proudly at the shackled Kirdjali, to which, apparently, treated paper. Kirdjali listened attentively. The officer had finished his reading, folded paper, prikriknul of ugly people, ordering him to go off, - and told to drive karutsu. Then Kirdjali turned to him and said a few words in Moldavian; His voice trembled, face changed; he cried and fell at the feet of a police officer, zagremit their chains. police officer, scared, bounced; soldiers would be lifted Kirdjali, but he got up himself, He picked up his shackles, He stepped in and shouted karutsu: "Gaida!"The gendarme sat down beside him, Moldovans slapped scourge, and cart pokatilasy.
- What does that tell you Kirdjali? - I asked the young officer at the police.
- Is he (check-in) He asked me to, - posted, laughing, policeman, - so I took care of his wife and child, who live not far from Kilia in a Bulgarian village, - he is afraid of, and so they are because it is not affected. O foolish people, with.
young official story touched me greatly. I felt sorry for the poor Kirdjali. For a long time I did not know anything about his fate. A few years later, so I met the young officer. We talked about the past.
- What your friend Kirdjali? - I asked, - do not you know, what became of him?
- How to know, - he answered and told me the following:
Kirdzhali, brought in Iasi, Pasha was presented, which awarded him to be impalement. Execution delayed until some holiday. Meanwhile we put him in jail.
Slave guarding seven Turks (simple people and the soul are the same robbers, as Kirdjali); They respected him and greedily, obscheyu throughout the East, listened to his wonderful stories.
Between guards and slave started up a close relationship. One day he said to them Kirdjali: "Brothers! my hour is near. No one can escape his destiny. Soon I'm with you rasstanus. I would like to leave you something to remember ".
Turks hung ears.
- Brothers, - continued Kirdjali, - three years ago, I robbed the deceased Mihaylaki, we have buried in the desert not far from Jassy with galbinami boiler. It is seen, neither me, no he does not possess this treasure. So be it: take it yourself and divide amicably.
Turks have gone a little crazy. Come talk, as they will find a sacred place? thought, We thought and put, to Kirdjali he led them.
night came. The Turks withdrew from the shackles of the slave legs, They tied his hands with a rope, and with him went from the steppe.
Kirdjali led them, holding one direction, from one mound to another. They walked for a long time. Kirdjali finally stopped near a broad stone, I measured twelve paces at noon, stamped and said,: "Here".
Turks ordered. Four took out their yataghans and began to dig. Three remained on guard. Kirdjali sat on a rock and began to look at their work.
- Well? soon? - he asked, - Do dorylis?
- Not yet, - meet the Turks and worked so, sweat poured off them hail.
Kirdjali have become impatient.
- Eka people, - he said,. - And the land is not able to dig decently. Yes, I thing would be over in two minutes. Children! Untie my hands, calls while staying.
The Turks became pensive and took counsel.
- What? (they decided) untie his hands, Nokia call. What kind of trouble? he alone, seven of us. - And the Turks untied his hands and gave him yataghan.
Finally Kirdjali was free and armed. Something he must have felt!.. He became quickly dig, guard helped him ... Suddenly he was one of them and thrust his yataghan, Leaving damask in his chest, He snatched from his belt two pistols.
The remaining six, seeing Kirdjali armed with two pistols, fled.
Kirdjali now robs * around Yass. He recently wrote Ruler, requiring him five thousand leva, and threatening, in case of failure in payment, Iasi to light and get to the ruler. Five thousand leva were delivered to him.
What Kirdjali?
