686 THE GRECO-TURKISH WAR.

had been so near the trench that he had been able to use his revolver. Catching a riderless horse, he followed the retreat of the cavalry and rejoined Suleiman.

priests, marched out to assist in the defence in the centre.

On receiving Nairn's message, Mahmud proposed and Suleiman accepted a plan for a bold stroke against the Greek left. The artillery was to concentrate its fire on the Greek trench on the nearest spur of the hill. A Turkish battalion(the reservebattalionof Brussa) which had not yet been in action was to form forattack in a hollow of the hill-side about 800 yards from the trench. It was then to advance through the skirmishers already engaged with the Greeks, while at the same time the battalion that had been trying to work round their flank would charge them on the left. Meanwhile Mahmud in person would lead seven squadrons of the Turkish cavalry against the right flank of the trench, which was on the endof the spur nearest the hollowin which ran the upper course of the Rizomylon brook. From the point where he massed the cavalry for the charge he could not see the Greek trenches,but he sent an officer forward to givea signal when the Brussa battalionbegan its final rush.

It was then he discovered that he had charged the Greek left absolutely without support from theinfantry. His dash at the flank of the trench was meant simply as a diversion infavour of the infantry attack, but the officer who gave the signal had mistaken the advance of the skirmishersin the Greek front for the beginning of the charge of the Brussa battalion. The infantry were now pushing gallantly forward, but they were as gallantly met by the Greeks. Away to the left,Nairn, separated by a widegap from his right, was fighting another unsuccessful battle. It was lucky for the Turks that Smolenski confined- himself strictly to the defensive. Had he advanced boldly in the centre against Rizomylon at the moment when the repulse of Mahmud's attack on the left had given his men the exultant confidence that comes of success, there is no doubt he would haveinflicteda serious disaster upon the Turks.

When it was clear that no impression could be made on theGreekleft,Mahmud had another consultation with Nairn, and it was decided to give up the attack and retire to Gherli. The battle ended about four o'clock, but for nearly two hours it had slackened to a desultory fusillade. The Turks then began their retreat. The Greeks did not pursue, contenting themselves withbringing two batteriesinto action on Pilaf Tepe, which sent shells at longrange after the retiringcolumns. Asdarkness cameon, the long rays of the searchlights from the Greek warships in Volo harbour shot weirdly across the sky and flickered on the slopes of Pelion. The Turks halted for the night at Gherli.

The Turkish losses wereofficially reported al about 150 killed and 200 wounded,of whom 36 killedand 70 wounded fell inMahmud's cavalry charge. There wasno ambulance with the force — there was not even a doctor— so the unfortunate wounded men were roughly bandaged and carriedon muleback to Larissa, where they were at last treated by skilled hands in the ambulance organised by Sir Edgar Vincent and tlae BritishRed Cross Association. Some of the poor wretches had been 48 hours waiting for this help.

Tlae losson the side of the defence wasmuch slighter. The second battle of Velestino raised the hopes of the friends of Greece throughout Europe to a high pitch. Smolenski was There was a heavy outburst of rifle fire, the signal was given, and Mahmud gave the order to charge. He had about 350 or 400 horsemen with him. As they crossed the brook they came under fare from riflemen on the edges of the clumps of wood to their left front near Velestino. Immediately the Turkish cavaliers, shouting their war-cry, wheeled for these— the first enemiesthey couldsee. Mahmudsucceeded in checking this false direction, but passed the point where he ought to have wheeled to the right and dashedup the slope against tlae flank of the trench. But nothing is easier than to mistake one rounded spur of a hill-side for another. When he tried to wheel hissquadrons, he was opposite the second Greek line of trenches,and was under a converging fire from the woods, from the semicircle of slopes formed by the spurs of the KaraDagh,and from one of the Greek batteries which was firing shrapnel. Had the Greeks aimed better, not a man would have escaped. As it was, many were down, killedor wounded; others were dismounted by their horses being shot. Mahmud Bey's own charger had been killed, and he had received a kick in the leg as he got clear of the fallen steed. Revolver in hand, he pressed on at tlae head of a group of dismounted troopers. The cavalry under the storm of fire wheeled and retireddown the hill. Some of them had fallen close to the Greek bayonets. Mahmud on foot