THE HISTORY OF SAMARINA
157
The rest of the folk were saved by the trees and nightfall. The next day Zhakas came up with his band about three hundred strong and a slight engagement took place between him and the Turks in which he lost a few men. On this occasion the women of Samarina put white kerchiefs on their heads and shouldered poles, so that the Turks at a distance might take them for armed men and not attack. Mehmed Agha retired to Ghrevena and the families under the escort of Zhakas reached their villages without any further adventures. After this Zhakas was pursued by Turkish troops and besieged by them in the monastery at Spileo where the caves in the cliffs have always been the traditional refuge for outlaws. He succeeded in breaking out of Spileo and made his way to Kalabaka where he united with Ghrivas who had been driven from Metsovo. They and other insurgent bands were finally routed by the Turks on June 17th 1854 ^-t Kalabaka. In subduing the insurrection the Ottoman government employed as usual Albanian irregulars who were attracted by the prospects of plunder. On their way home some of these irregulars under the command of Mudum Bey of Trikkala wished to pass through Samarina territory and camp for one night in the village. Yanni al Taha at the head of the men of Samarina met them at the Doaua K'etri and offered them meat and bread, but refused to allow them to pass through the village. According to another account the people of Samarina waylaid some Albanians at the Lupii Spindzuratu and robbed them of most of their booty, but this seems to us an imaginative version inspired by the memories of past history. To this period the follo^ving song probably refers.
The man who
told us
the song said it was an old song, but he did not know its date others said that its hero flourished under Ali Pasha and others again that the events related took place in 1854. ;
;
What is the evil that takes place this week ? My blood brothers, the dogs, have deceived me, have betrayed me, and they said to me, " Come, Dhuka, come up to Samarina, that we may become blood brothers on the twelve gospels." He was holding the cross in his hands, he was kissing the gospels, and patrols entrapped them round Listen, they about the monastery. Listen, they summon Dhukas " Come out, come out, Dhuka, come out and submit " call to Dhukas !
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