Turkish soldiers attempted to drive the Comitajis
out of the swamp. First they surrounded it, watching all possible
landing places, but the outlaws had supplies smuggled in to them
by the peasants. Then the Turks began bombarding with heavy cannon,
which, of course, was futile, since they could not distinguish
the points at which they were firing. And finally they gave up
molesting the Comitajis, who continued making the swamps their
headquarters until the Young Turks came into power. Then, believing
that a constitutional Macedonia was finally to be granted them,
all the Comitajis laid down their arms.

It is a peculiar fact that Saloniki, one of the largest cities
on the peninsula, with a population considerably over a hundred
thousand, should represent none of the national elements of the
country. For though Bulgars, Turks, Greeks, and Serbs may be found
there, an overwhelming majority, nearly 90,000 of the people, are
Spanish Jews.

Walking along the streets, it would be easy to imagine oneself in
Spain or in Mexico; on all sides the shouts of peddlers, the cries
of cabmen, the conversation of pedestrians, are in Spanish. With
a knowledge of that language the stranger may make his way about
as easily as in his own native country. These are the descendants
of the Jews who were driven out of Spain by Torquemada and his
Spanish Inquisition and were so hospitably received by the Sultan
of Turkey.

Saloniki, where we shall witness severe battles, is situated at the
head of the gulf by the same name, an inlet of the AEgean Sea. It
is a well-fortified city, built on the water's edge, but surrounding
it is high land commanding the surrounding country. Added to that,
the swamp region is another protection from an enemy coming from
inland. Its seaward forts, however, are, or were, obsolete and
would probably crumble before the fire of modern naval guns.

Stretching down the eastern shore of the Gulf is a peninsula on
which is the famous Mt. Athos, that very peculiar community of
celibate monks. Here, in the Holy Mountain, as the Slavs call it,
there are monasteries representing all the various denominations of
the Greek Orthodox Church: Greek, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Russian,
each swarming with hundreds of monks, who pass their time in idleness.
Not only are women forbidden to enter this domain, but even female
dogs or cats are kept out.

Across this upper end of the AEgean, from Mt. Athos, is the Bulgarian
port, Dedea