Some years ago, I had the misfortune to meet with an accident; my carriage was lost in the Bosphorus, and my horse and hostler were drowned. Near the spot of this occurrence, there was a Greek coaster lying at anchor, and the sailors soon came to my call for assistance; but perceiving that the drowning man was dressed in Turkish costume, and taking him for a Mussulman, they instinctively exclaimed, Τουρκος εινε, Τουρκος εινε, he is a Turk, he is a Turk, left him to his sad fate. It was in vain that I proclaimed that he was a Greek and co-religionist of their own.
The Mussulman is fanatical, because he has thereby been goaded on to victory, and attributes all his successes to the banner of the Prophet—and the Christian is bigoted, because his religion is the only thing left him—his church is the cradle of his superstitions, and the badge of his nationality.
Even a Turk designates his nationality by his religion; for if you ask him, Of what nation are you? his answer will invariably be, El-hamd-ullah Mussulmanem, or Thank God I am a Mussulman.
Indeed, religion in the East is so pre-eminent, that a declaration of faith is equal to an allegiance of fealty, and the Mohammedan formula of La-Illah-Illallah, etc., is the only oath of naturalization, which, if once pronounced, fully entitles the individual to all the privileges and immunities of Turkish citizenship.
Neither is there a community of sentiment among the Christians themselves—who, all abhorring Islamism, hate none the less each other through their religious differences.
An Armenian, native of Angora—whose inhabitants are reputed for their religious bigotry—and a Roman Catholic by persuasion, had occasion to visit Trieste on some commercial business. On his arrival there, he was asked by the officer of the quarantine what nation he belonged to! His unsophistical and prompt answer was “Catholic.” The officer, somewhat puzzled at this novel nationality, reminded him that they were also all Catholics there, but called themselves Austrians or Italians—now, what is your nation? thereupon our worthy friend unflinchingly reiterated that he was a Catholic; nothing else but a Catholic; for they now had, through the interference of the French Ambassador, a Patriarch of their own, and were recognized as a nation! meaning a community.
If a Greek mendicant happen to call at your door, and you ask his co-religionist who it is, his answer will surely be Christianos or a Christian; but if the applicant for charity should chance to be of any other creed, his only title would be ztiyanos, or beggar.
Apart from the religious fanaticism, which is universal, the people, uncontaminated by a depraved and corrupted court—unlike the enervated and luxurious Osmanlis of the metropolis, are simple-minded, brave, robust, temperate, intelligent, active and industrious.
The Mussulmans formerly taught that apostasy should be punished with death; but now a new system of instruction, on this and other points, proceeding from supreme authority, is as readily received by the credulous multitude.
Their bravery has been attested by the late massacre of Sinope, when one and all preferred death to an ignominious surrender. The events of the recent war have established the fact, that there are no better soldiers than the Turks.