Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/430

370 the Nestcrians beyond the release of a great part of the captives, and he saw no prospect that any good could be effected by his continuing any longer separated from his people. Writing to me of his affairs, he said: "It is our intention to leave and seek an asylum wherever peace is to be found; for it is far better for us to be there and take charge of our Church in a cave of the earth, or even in a cell, until the time of our death." His forcible detention at Mosul appears to have affected his mind as well as his body, and he gave himself up to the deepest melancholy. In the month of October, however, he secretly effected his escape, with the intention of proceeding immediately to Tehoma; but on hearing that the Coordish forces had already invaded that district, he retired to Amedia, where he was recaptured and brought back to Mosul under a military escort. The Pasha, who is still spoken of by the natives as a benevolent man, and who seemed to sympathize with the venerable Christian Bishop in his troubles, received him kindly, and readily overlooked this act of disobedience.

The intelligence that the Coords had actually invaded Tehoma was too true. In the month of October the united forces of Bedr Khan Beg and Noorallah Beg entered that district, and committed ravages too horrible to be related. On my visit to Mar Shimoon in 1850, he gave me the following details of this fresh massacre. It appears that when they were apprised of the meditated attack, the people of Tehoma applied to the Pasha of Mosul for protection; but all that he attempted was to send an expostulatory message to Bedr Khan Beg: that proud chief treated it with the greatest indifference, telling him at the same time that he had no right to meddle in his affairs. The Nestorians then accepted the offer of the Agha of Tcal to protect their women and children pending the expected affray, which being accepted, they were all sent to him under an escort; but the traitor having apprised Ziner Beg of their coming, the latter waylaid the party, and three hundred women and as many children were brutally put to the sword in one indiscriminate slaughter; only two girls who were left for dead on the field escaped to relate the sad tale of this horrible tragedy.

The Coords then attacked the men, who had taken up a most disadvantageous position in a valley, where they were soon sur-