WITH THE TURKS. 
489 
liad apparently had a free hand for half an hour or so. 
I think it likely that others have as vague an idea of the mean¬ 
ing of the term “ Bashi Bazouk ” as I previously had myself. The 
literal meaning is, I believe, “ free head,” and they are in fact exactly 
equivalent to our “ volunteers.” The greater number of those 
with the Turkish army in Thessaly were Albanian mountaineers, 
attracted by the prospect of a rifle and equipment and the possibility 
of loot. They had lately been incorporated into the regular battalions, 
but I was told they had no idea of discipline and paid little attention 
to the orders of officers other than their own chiefs. They were to be 
distinguished by the white fez which they wore instead of the usual 
red one and also by their usually fairer complexions and independent 
manner; some of them were boys of 15 or 16 years of age. I was told 
that it was part of Edhem Pasha/’s system to send them first to the 
attack, following them up by the Redif and, finally, the Nizam 
battalions, but I cannot answer for the accuracy of this and at the 
time I reached Head-Quarters they had, as already stated, been in¬ 
corporated with the regular battalions. 
On arriving at Pharsala we at once proceeded to call on the G.O.C. 
there and were cautioned by his Adjutant-General that we were on no 
account to wander beyond the outposts. 
Here I had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with General 
Bonkowfski Pasha, a Polish officer in the Turkish service, who had 
been sent from Constantinople to superintend the hospital and sanitary 
arrangements of the camp and was then busily employed in organising 
a hospital preparatory to the next advance. 
The officers of the Ottoman Bank Ambulance had also arrived there 
for the same purpose and a Russian ambulance was expected daily 
from Yolo. 
Here we remained till the 17tli inst. waiting further events. Having 
travelled thus far by carriage, it now became necessary for me to 
find a horse to ride, a very difficult matter in the then position 
of affairs, and I was much indebted to Hasan Pasha, General of 
Brigade, an Albanian and a very distinguished officer, who was kind 
enough to find me a good mount from the cavalry. 
I might perhaps mention incidentally that my position in the camp 
as a British officer wearing plain clothes, and not accredited in any 
way, was a difficult one for the Turkish officer to understand and one 
which rendered it less easy for me than it might otherwise have been 
to obtain information regarding the organisation, &c., of the army. 
All the other foreign officers in camp were there wearing the uniform 
and, as representatives of their respective armies, were treated with 
great consideration and attention by all ranks of the Turks. It was, 
however, a great advantage for me to be, so to speak, attached to the 
Swiss Military Mission and through their courtesy I generally had 
news of what was going forward. 
Whilst at Pharsala I one afternoon walked round the outposts, 
which were placed on the heights immediately south of the town, but 
did not extend more than a mile from it. The Greek outposts were 
Bashi 
Bazouk, 
Ambulance 
Outposts. 
