HISTORY OF EUROPE.

bitants for a little time, till their domeiiic troubles were compofed. It alfo appears, that, upon repeated applications of this nature, fre-

quent prornifes were made, that the l

Rullian troops fhould be entirely and immediately withdrawn from that country.

In this fituation were afiiairs, till the‘ late bloody hollilities were commenced between the Ruflians and the confederates; in which the latter being generally over- powered and clofely purfued, were frequently obliged to fly for fhelter and prote€tion~ into the Turkilh territories. The Ruflian officers could not always, upon thefe occa- fions, preferve a Itrift attention to the boundaries of the two nations ; but fotnetimes~ purfued the fugi- tives beyond the limits, and wreak- ed their vengeance on whem, though under the Turkilh protec- tion. Complaints being however made of thefe violations/ of ter- ritory and good neighbourhood, proper fatisfacition was given; Co- lonel Weifman, 'as we have al- ready obferved, was put under ar- relt; and fome Coflacks and other irregulars, who were charged with exceffes, were hanged on the fron- tiers.

At length, a conliderable body of Ruflian troops purfued a party of the confederates, who fled for re fuge to the town of Balta in the Leffer Tartary, which the Rullians attacked and took {word in hand, and maffacred indifcrirninately Turks, Tartars, and whoever came in their way, to the number, the manifeflo publilhed at Conltantinople fays, of a thou {and men, women, and children. This fa€t is however totally denied by the Ruifians, with refpeél to them-

July at.

[19 felves, who fay that the outrages and pillage at Balta were commit. ted by the Haydamacks. On the other hand, the Turks obfcrve, that the troops who took Balm hrul a train of artillery, and that ir. is no- torious that the Haydamncks never made ulie ofany.

It is probable that the Porte, bc- ing already determined on a war, reprefented the affair at Balta in the molt aggravating colours, on purpolie to excite the indignation of the people, and to difpofe them to that event. 1t may allb be ea- fily fuppofed, that foine of the Rufiian irregulars, confidering the nature and difpofition ofthofe peo- ple, might, without the knowledge of any officers ofhigh rank, much lefs the confent of that court, have readily joined in a fcheme of rapine and pillage with the Haydamacks, or any other of the lawlefs tribes who infell thofe countries.

However it was, the news of f0 much Muliulman blood being fhed no fooner arrived at Coniiantixio- ple, than it caufed a prodigious ferment, and every thing from thence bore the appearance of war. Orders were dilipatchcd to the Ba- fhas of Boiiiia, Romeéia, and other governors of the Etiropeati provin- ces, to collctl their troops, and march them toward; the Nieilcr; feveral other more dittant chiefs ltad ordcrs to fut-mill; their contin- gcnts, and the commanders oFir- regular troops to rail-e lercral thousand volunteers, Large b0, dies ofjanizaries and other forces, and great quantities of provilions and tnilitary fiores, were tiailv lhipt of’? tier the port ot‘\ trltit oh the Black Sea; the Dqelwlli Tirnm riots, who hold thci; iiltti~ with- cut being obliged to ycrfoml lit-r- vix,

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