acrossasiaminoro00chiluoft

152 ACROSS ASIA MINOR ON FOOT
could be followed at first only by those in the position
to note such things. It was a subtle feud of wits
against wits, move against move, for the Bey and his
sister carried heavy gaus, and the Vali had to go discreetly.
Stories of the feud, echoes of its secrets,
obvious results, appeared at last.
In the course of making good his position the Bey
professed great loyalty to Faith and Crown. He
posed as the most patriotic man in the vilayet. As
a fine unmistakable exhibition of zeal, he raised a
regiment of Circassian Horse among his clansmen,
and ostentatiously made ofter of their service to
the Sultan. It was a safe move, there being no
work for their arms at the time : it showed a willing
spirit, however, and the Bey scored. But the
Vali bided his time, and when rebellion next broke
out in the Yemen, as it did every second year or
so, and Moslem troops were needed, he caused some
friend of his in the Turkish War Office to remember
the patriotic offer of the Circassian Bey at Sivas,
The offer was gratefully accepted at this stage, and
the regiment ordered to the Yemen.
The Bey moved heaven and earth to have the order
cancelled, but without success ; and one fine morning
the regiment, over five hundred strong, the Bey at
its head, paraded in Sivas to march for the Yemen.
The Vali then, it is told, publicly congratulated the
Bey upon the noble appearance of his regiment, and
as the Sultan's viceroy expressed his gratitude for
the high sense of patriotism displayed by all, and his
confidence that officers and men would, if necessary,
die gloriously.
Sivas gladly saw this regiment of Circassian ruffians
march away, and yet even more gladly witnessed its
return. For after a year or so of Yemen service
it came back just thirty strong ; and though the Bey
survived, much of his influence and opportunity had
gone. And next came the fall of Abdul Hamid,
and dispersion of the Imperial harem. At the time
of mv visit the Bey was said to be a well-known