Now come with me, and I'll take you around our beautiful valley on a sightseeing trip. The best way to see it would be In a helicopter flight, so imagine that we are doing Just that! We begin by landing on "PODETS," the lowest hill at the bottom end of our valley, from where we get magnificent views all around, not only of the most part of our valley, but also of the city of Kastoria, built on a hill protruding into the lake of the same name, like a small peninsula, plus the village of TIHOLISHTA, practically under our noses, and the villages of FOTINISHTA, LICHISHTA, and MAVROVO in the distance on the other side of the lake.

As we look southwest, the villages of APOSKEP SETOMA and SHESTEOVO are on our right. On a clear day, the majestic PINDUS range (which is the border between Macedonia and Epirus) with the snow-covered peaks of GRAMMOS are also visible some 40 miles away. The highest peak here is called "SMOLIKAS" (2,637 metres). Here the "freedom fighters" of the Greek Civil War made the last stand before they were dislodged with napalm bombs in the summer of 1949.

Now we will turn around and look towards the northeast. To our left, PODETS culminates into the gorge called "SINOTO" where our river discharges its waters towards the Plain of Kastoria.

To our front-right, it forms PRESEKATA (the pass) through which the road from Kastoria goes to our village. Beyond this point begins the mountain range that forms the south rim of our valley until it culminates at the base of the summit, Mount Vich (2,128 metres) with only two interruptions in its continuity. The same applies to the north rim, and they both are approximately the same height. Viewed from this point (PODETS), our valley resembles a "Y" shaped baking dish formed by the erosion of our two rivers which gave it its shape. The floor of the valley is not of one level, but of several plateaus increasing in height as we approach the summit.

To our left, the north rim begins with the mountain we call SHESTEFSKIO RID, which is of red appearance because of its soil. It Is badly eroded as It is practically naked with only a few thorns and shrubs growing on it. Of red soil are also MUCHENI, ILIOV IZVOR, and PAT, as they are found in the slopes of this mountain, plus KRIPCHOV VIR, where begins a canyon that finishes at MUCHENI In a wide floodbed. We call it "DLABOKIY" (the Deeps). It is very deep with many eroding channels connecting with it from all sides resembling a "mini" Grand Canyon! It Is claimed by our villagers that many years ago the ISHKIROV family had collected a load of pine stumps after a great flood of this canyon. This led to the belief that at one time the whole of the above mentioned areas were full of pine trees before they were cut down for firewood by the unthinking VISHENTSI! (Actually,

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pine sticks were used for lighting during the Turkish regime for many years before the advent of kerosene.)

In all of the above-mentioned areas, rye and hay are grown except in KRIPCHOP VIR, which is a rocky plateau. There is a spring at ILIOV IZVOR and two at PAT, both good, tasty, cold water. The right rim begins with the heights opposite PODETS, which we call KAMATOVA GLAVA, which is a razor-edge, grassy slope at the bottom of which is situated the famous spring (ISHKOVA CHEZHMA) with a very small stream of water, but cold and tasty. Here the people from BABCHOR stop and rest with their horses or mules coming from Kastoria on their way home after getting up at 2 o'clock in the morning to sell wood as mentioned elsewhere. Moving towards the village (we are flying over the river, remember?) to our right there is a spring we call MISHOV IZVOR; further on our way we reach SINIOVA LIVADA, then DRENETS, which covers a large area, with the peak bald like a man's head. The rest of the gullies and ridges are full of oak trees and grassy slopes. Here are found two huge walnut trees called KACHANDONOVI OREHI where the eagles build their nests. The terrain here is very steep, almost inaccessible, up to the top of the ridge. Oak trees grow in the whole area of the south rim, called "OSOY," ie. "sunless side" in distinction of the north rim, called "PRISOY," ie. "sunny side" where oak trees grow also.

While still at DRENETS, let us have a drink of water from a spring situated along the main track. It is called OGNENOVA SHIPURKA--nice water! As we continue along our journey along the river, to our right is situated the place we call STUHEYTE (because of the sort of oak trees found here) and RUZHEN KAMEN. This is a level, rye-growing area. In this vicinity near the foothills, there is a huge rock called LUTSKATA PLOCHA, a well known landmark. To our left are located SINITE KAMICHKI and a small hill, like a pimple in the valley, called KLOCHETS adjoin1ng MUCHENI and PAT.

Immediately after that we enter the locality of DUBO, so named because of a giant oak tree which stood there alongside the road for perhaps 300 years! That is what the villagers claimed. It was split in two by a thunderbolt in the late 30's and was later chopped up for firewood. The soil in this locality is very rich, and the fields are planted with corn, rotating with wheat the following year.

YORCHOV TRAP separates the next locality called POTKLADENETS and is similar to the previous one in all respects. These two localities adjoin the river. Further inland we meet SHUMYAKO; and after that, the vineyards begin, which we call DOLNITE LOZIA (the "down-under" vineyards). They are situated in red-earth with clay soil, but the fruit is of better quality than the ones beyond the village. They cover about 50 acres.

On the road to the village near here Is KERAMIDNITSATA, so called because they used to burn roof tiles here--a sort of brickworks. It was in this locality that the women of our

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village used to take clay soil for their clay pans (TSEREPNI) as described elsewhere. PESKITE is a sandy expanse between the vineyards and the village. Actually, it is a floodbed of a creek before being diverted by a stone wall built by the villagers to protect from any further flooding. The hill above PESKITE is called MITILAVETS or MANITORETS and it is the lowest part of the north rim. It was here, on the zig-zag road to BABCHOR, that the people of that village passed on their way to Kastoria at 4 o'clock in the morning with their improvised straw torches called UEMKA (pl. UEMKI), as described in PRSTENAROV's history.

Now we return back to where we left. Opposite DUBO and PODKLAVENET lies KAYCHOVA LIVADA with the gully KALIN TRAP extending all the way to the top of the south rim, which is called MIAYLOV LAZ. Here in KALIN TRAP there is a green plant called VURTENTSE, which does not grow anywhere else within our borders. About a mile away, another gully traverses the rye fields in this locality, but It does not extend to the top of the rim. It is called POPOV TRAP. Here are two springs of water to be found; the well-known one and the one further up the creek which not many know it even exists, but it has better water. Here between the two TRAPS and near the foothill is the church of SVETA NEDELA or LEKOVITATA VODA, so-called because it is believed the water found here has healing properties as described elsewhere.

The next gully in this series is LEBAMOV TRAP, which is larger than the two mentioned earlier. It goes right up to the top of the south rim and actually separates the highest point from the rest of it. It is called UNSARO. The flat ground down below between the gullies is called JELOVA ORNITSA or WELEVA ORNITSA, all rye fields.

Closer to the river is DULGATA LIVADA (the long meadow), and nearby PUROVA VODENITSA (a water mill). Near the left bank of this gully, half-way up the hill, is LEBAMOVI PLOCHI, the "abode" of KRALI MARKO, as described elsewhere. Although he was a real person, the popular fantasy of the Balkan people made him into a super-hero. Actually, he was a Serbian prince who ruled a region in Macedonia with PRILEP, its capital from 1371 to 1394, but became a vassal of the Turks and was killed fighting MIRCHO of Romania. The Serbs had taken the Macedonian lands from the Second Bulgarian Kingdom earlier In 1330, but did not try to assimilate them. They had no influence on them THEN. Actually, there is a Serbian song in existence which says: "OY TI TEBE KRALYEVICHE MARKO, OT LYEPE ZEMLYE BUGARIYE!" There is no mistake here that they regarded the Macedonian Slavs as Bulgarians. So did the Turks for 500 years! (Sorry, I got carried away. You see, I can't resist telling a bit of Macedonian history at all times!) So the legend of MARKO lives everywhere in the Balkans. At LEBAMOVI SLOCHI we can trace his "kitchen," his "pepper and salt," his "frying pan," his "cellar," his horse's hoof markings, the hole he made in the rock with his fist, etc.

Next to LEBAMOV TRAP extend the meadows we call GORNITE LIVADYA. They cover approximately 100 acres and are situated on

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one of the slopes of UNSARO opposite to the village. Here is found one of the best-known springs in the village called STAMATKOV IZVOR. It Is about three fourths of the way up the slope on its left side, near a tree we call DREN. It has cold, tasty water! From here, we have a commanding view of the village and most of the north rim. Further up the slope on the top edge of the meadows is another spring we call FYANTIN IZVOR. It is not as famous, although Its water is better.

While In this vicinity, we must mention another spring called BICHOLOV IZVOR Just inside the right bank of LEBAMOV TRAP. Our next stop Is KIRANITSA. This is both a hill and a plateau in the north slope of UNSARO. There are beautiful views from here, not only of the village but also of the greater part of our valley. I stood on this spot on May 25, 1978, when visiting the village after a 40-year absence and heard the cuckoos from both sides of the river---an unforgettable experience! This barren hill is the dividing line between the oak and the beech-growing areas of the south rim.

Next is our beautiful forest BUKATA, so-named because of the beech trees covering about 500 acres on a north slope of UNSARO. The two empty spots in this forest called GORNO and DOLNO LIVADISHCHE are the result of fire, which the Turks started, but did not succeed in burning the forest during the Ilinden Rebellion in 1903. The other spot is PALYAKO as described elsewhere. There is a spring near one of the LIVADISHCHA called MELYOV IZVOR. At the other edge of BUKATA where it terminates at the stream that comes from BLATSA (OXIA), there is a spring with beautiful water called TZVILIKITE, recently harnessed and brought to the village. It is being used at present. Before that, the water In our village was of poor quality.

Now, back to the village. Near KERAMIDNITSATA is STUMBOVO LIVADISHCHE, LYANGOVA CHEZHMA, just outside the village, and GERGINOV TRAP. The fields under the village are called POD SELO and further east KRESTO, opposite GORNITE LIVADYA, where also the two water mills are located, the one belonging to ARGIRETO LAZOVICHIN and the other to GLIGORI SPASOV. Above the village is KORIATA which is the beginning of PRISOYO, the mountain that forms the highest point of the north rim. There is evidence of a landslide here, but very few people have noticed it. It is located above GROBISHTATA (the village cemetery) near the rim of KORIYATA. GYUPCHOP TRAP splits the village in two and has created BURATA in the past, but its floodwaters have been diverted into ILCHOV TRAP, which runs Just outside the village where a well-known mark is TSURNATA PLOCHA (the black rock). From here on start the vineyards GORNITE LOZYA covering about the same area as DOLNITE LOZYA. Here runs DOYKOV TRAP, mentioned elsewhere. Then we reach LUNGO and GELKOV TRAP, the last gully of the north rim. Here the mountainside is very steep, almost perpendicular, as this particular mountain is pyramid-shaped with a cone at the top called KULITE. Magnificent views are seen from this point all around including the village of BABCHOR (our village is not visible from this point) with the greater part of

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its territory which is a valley like ours but much larger, as it also contains the villages of ZHERVENI (AGIOS ANTONIOS), TSURNOVISHTA, DRENOVENI, POZDIVISHTA, and GABRESH. Visible also are a mountain-top near the village of GERMAN (called LISETS) and the PELISTER range within the Yugoslav border near BITOLYA (MONASTIR, 2,601 metres high).

Down below again, beyond GELKOV TRAP comes REDASHO, SVETI NIKOLA, KAMENO, SPAHITSKITE NIVYA; then lower, more towards the river, SVETI ATANAS (called by the VISHENTSI "SVEKI TANAS"), SELISHCHA (where the first settlement took place) KELYAFCHOVA LIVADA, ALIBEGOVA LIVADA, TSURKVENOTO LIVADISHCHE. This concludes all the place names within the "floor" of our valley as we have reached our river and also the other stream BLATSKATA REKA at BUKATA and TUILIKITE. The above-named localities are the main growing areas for corn and wheat; also rye and hay. Water is less abundant in this area and IS of poor quality. There is water at LUNGO of which a part was taken to the village In 1930 as described elsewhere, but it is no match to the one from TUILIKITE! There is a spring at REDASHO called YANCHOV IZVOR of poor quality. The only good spring in this mountain is OGNENOVA SHIPURKA, situated high up, almost in the middle of it. Not far from here there are two big walnut trees called INDRIOVI OREHI where the eagles nest. The water at the church of SVETI ATANAS (built in 1884) down below is of poor quality also.

In the triangle formed by our two streams after they merge at SMESITE, between BUKATA and SOLISHCHA, begin the foothills of a mountain which constitutes the east rim of our valley. Within its slopes are situated DIVYACHKITE, KOVACHOVI LIVADIA and LAPCHENI, the last two elevated plateaus. This is a beautiful mountain and looks like a continental loaf from a distance, thickly covered with beech trees except at KOVACHOVI LIVADIA and BELITE PUTISHCHA where the last batch of oak trees are found in this east rim. The top is called BUTKOV LAZ, after a field owned by a family in BLATSA. Below this, the slopes are called MISHOVI PADINYA with two prominent rocks, MISHOVI PLOCHI, is definitely bear country!

At BELITE PUTISHCHA there is an unusual formation of "mushroom rocks"; ie., rocks standing on a "stem" of earth. Farther up at LAPCHENI is found GOLEGASHOV IZVOR (cold water), but it is claimed that It gives you a stomach ache! In this vicinity in the meadows is another good spring called MELOV IZVOR. But the most famous spring here In LAPCHENI is YANCHOV IZVOR. Actually, It is a pool with a smaller one alongside it, like mother and daughter, with crystal clear water!

Another unusual feature a bit farther up is a big rock absolutely level on top. It is claimed that a shepherd lay flat on It to rest and found it very difficult to get up again! Also near here there is a small hill, level on top, where a hundred sheep can hide without being seen from the bottom. It happened to me once! (There were only 20 sheep!) At KOVACHOVI LIVADYA there are several springs; one is called LEBAMOV IZVOR. The

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most famous spring here is the one that "bubbles" (TOY SHO BLIKA), situated In a most awkward position deep in a creek.

Between KOVACHOVI LIVADYA and BUKATA is TZVOLO, a gorge carved out by BLATSKYTA REKA on its way to meet our stream at SMESITE. The villagers chose it because it is a secluded place where they could hide grain at "AMBARO" during Ilinden in 1903. Farther down the stream, the boys of VISHENI built a temporary swimming pool every summer with rocks and dry beech leaves. Near "AMBARO" there Is a very deep gully coming through BUKATA called DLUBOKYO TRAP full of dry leaves. Near here also is a spring coming out from a crack in the rocks appropriately named "PICHKINA VODAV' After several small waterfalls, this stream enters the border into BLATSA near a hill approximately the size of our KLOCHETS on top of which is a church called SVETI YEREMIA (St. Jeremiah). This hill stands in a blocking way between the valley of BLATSA and our valley; however, the former is less spectacular, as it is very shallow, the same as the next valley over the hills where the village of CHERESNITSA sits. (PODETS blocks our valley from the Plain of Kastoria in a similar way.)

Our valley tops them all! While in this vicinity, we will mention another mountain behind BLATSA, which is called PREKOPANKYO RID behind which is the village of PREKOPANA; but from our village it appears as part of the east rim behind KOVACHOVI LIVADYA and BUKATA. BLATSA is not visible from our village. Above KOVACHOVI LIVADYA there is a steep peak called STURMA, which is actually a corruption of STRUMNO (steep).

Now back to the north rim. Before we move away from PRISOYO, there are a few localities not mentioned earlier. Above KORIATA is PETROVA PADINA and above GORNITE LOZYA, TURSKATA. In the middle of this mountain are some rock formations called SEPEROVA PLOCHA (or TSIFEROVA), and above this STAKAPEOV KAMEN (the one that KRALI MARKO allegedly "threw over" from LEBAMOVI PLOCHIO. Further east it ends in a pass called PRESEKATA where the locality KOUAK is situated and another ridge begins called TSERO and MARGINA PADINA. Below PRESEKATA is DUKOVA PADINA, and to the east MRAMARO. KOZYAK is shared with the village of BABCHOR, and there are two springs of water here: SHOLEV IZVOR and YANCHOV IZVOR. Beautiful water! TSERO Is a stony ridge with sparse vegetation, and it is very steep, has almost inaccessible sides and is practically without water except for one spring situated near BREGOVITE, which is even more inaccessible as it consists of creeks and ridges, badly eroded. There are two springs here. Near the river is the locality GRASHISHCHATA, and from here onwards the river bed is called GLAVA VODA (headwaters).

Next to TSERO starts GOLINATA, which is an elevated plateau under RUDINATA, which is a grassy ridge and connects with the second highest peak of MT VICH, massive and called PLOCHITE or, by the boys, MLADYO VICH (the young one) to distinguish it from the main peak STARYO VICH (the old one). Water is scarce here; there is a spring between GOLINATA and TSER0 called SAROVSKY

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IZVOR (very tasty water!) and one at the other end of GOLINATA in a gully, called NOLEV IZVOR, which is not as good. PLOCHITE is a majestic peak no matter from which direction you view It with huge rocks in its crown arranged in a semi-circle. It presents an awesome sight! The slopes here are called ILCHOVI PADINYA and come down to what is the most famous spot within our village borders (even if I say so myself!).

Here lies a small valley called LAZOVITE or LEYKOVI LIVADYA where my ancestors had a sort of "PONDEROSA." There are about 20 acres of meadows and fields surrounded by stone walls with giant beech trees all around and a famous spring, LEYKOV IZVOR, with an indestructible aqueduct consisting of a curved stone which my father found in one of the fields nearby which are full of rocks; yet the rye grows well because of the black soil underneath. My great-grandfather had seven daughters and two sons, and he must have put them to hard work to clear up the place by gathering the rocks in heaps called GRAMARADI in a dozen or so places besides the walls.

This valley Is part of a longer one that continues almost to the foot of the summit of MT. VICH to a clearing we call LIVADISHCHETO and to a branch of this clearing we call DULGOTO LIVADISHCHE where, it is claimed, the coldest water is found within our borders at a famous spring where every newcomer is being challenged to take 10 pebbles out of the water without his hand freezing! Near here also there are several springs which the V1achs call "PENDE PIGADIA" (five springs in Greek) which actually are the starting point of headwaters of our river which flows along this valley and meets the waters of LAZOVITE. This is below a small hill which acts in a blocking way similar to the other hills described and then cascades down a steep gorge towards GLAVA VODA. The heights opposite LAZOVITE are called MELIOVI LAZINI and there are two springs here. They are actually part of the "beautiful mountain" with BUTKOV LAZ its peak which stands opposite PLOCHITE.

Farther up the valley on the same side the heights are called NOLEV LAZ; and at the end of this valley the heights are called GYUPCHOV LAZ. Through a small gorge we enter into a flat plateau called RAMNO which is actually the slopes of MT VICH gradually increasing in inclination. Here a small lake is formed called EZERTSETO from the melting snow and rain, and a spring is found in this vicinity which is called ARAMIYSKI IZVOR (the bandits' spring). The pass between the two peaks of MT VICH is called PORTA. The slopes of PLOCHITE above LAZOVITE and the valley up to LIVADISHCHETO are covered with huge, fallen rocks called GROVARO. The area above PLOCHITE is called BOZO and belongs to the village of BABCHOR. Here they beat the rye out of the straw with sticks instead of carrying it to the village to be threshed. Deep below, the valley between the two peaks is called MANKOVETS and could be named "the valley of the giants," as enormous beech trees are found here. There is a famous spring here used by the people and stock of both villages.

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The north slope of MT VICH is a grassy level plateau called KLETA. The summit is in the shape of a rounded pyramid with grassy slopes all around until the treeline, then dwarfed beech trees begin to grow, gradually increasing in size as you move down the slopes. On this summit (2,128 metres), the Americans have built one of their bases in Greece which is still there (1990) and is visible from the village. (I wonder from whom they are protecting us?!) I have not climbed it personally, but I have heard from people who have that you can see as far as SALONICA, and BITOLA is also visible. One of the passes of VICHO is called DERVENO where the road from BABCHOR to LERIN (FLORINA) goes. Although not as high as the summit, from this point you can see quite a bit, almost all the District of Kastoria and that of Florina.

Now that we have explored practically all of our valley, there are a few places we have not been yet. These are the territories over the north rim. On the other side of MIFILAVETS towards the border with MERVENI, there is a meadow called STEFANSKA LIVADA and a spring of water. The ridge here is called BILOV RID and the whole area is thickly covered with oak saplings-definitely wolf country! Further to the right behind PRISOYO Is situated KOSHNA; and further east the locality ELSE, where we share the border with BABCHOR in these two localities. There are two springs of water here, one high up on the slope near the summit of KULITE called BEGALKIN IZVOR, and the other down below LEIKOVA NIVA within the border of BABCHOR, which is reputed to be the best spring of them all as far as taste is concerned. From ELSE to KOUAK the north slope of KULITE (which is actually the back side of PRISOYO) is thickly covered with beech forest and definitely is bear country (called OSOYNITSATA).

Now that we have explored every place within our village borders, let us go back to where we started at SHESTEVSKYO RID, which forms the west rim of our valley and is shared by our two villages, SHESTEOVO (SHESTEVO) and VISHENI. Actually, this mountain is a "double header" with Its "twin" lying behind it above SHESTEOVO, slightly higher with its north slopes covered with beech forest and called SHESTEVSKATA BUKA or BUKOVIK. This mountain in turn connects with other ridges belonging to the villages of SETOMA and APOSKEP respectively; and these in turn have their beginnings in the plain Just outside the city of KASTORIA, so that they may be called the foothills of VICHO PLANINA.

On a barren hill of SHESTEVSKIO RID facing our village, there is a church called SVETI YLIA (ST. ELIAS) belonging to SHESTEOVO similar to the one on the hill above TZVOLO belonging to BLATSA dedicated to the prophets Jeremiah and Elias respectively. While in this area, I just thought of another locality called KACHMSKY LUNGOVI behind PAT and ILIOV IZVOR, and this brings us to the end of our little trip.

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I have tried to cover every locality and spring, but still I could not remember everything after 52 years' absence! There are three localities not mentioned above, as I don't know where they are! These are MUCHOVI DIVYACHKI, MUMUTKA, and SELKOVITSA. The water wells in the village are of poor quality, except the one brought all the way from TZVILIKITE. These are KAIMKA, PAPADINKA, TSULKA TSURKVENKA, SHATRAVANO, GOVEDARNIKO, and PETRUNKA. (Instead of saying: "TSURKVENATA CHEZHMA," we say "TSURKVENKA" for short; the same applies to all the others.) No matter which hill or mountain you climb, the views are superb all around, with the GRAMMOS range playing a trick on you! When viewed from the village, it looks low In the horizon, but as you climb higher, it climbs with you until you realize it is much higher!

23 DECEMBER 1990

P.S. 3 FEBRUARY 1991.

A few days ago, a guest from Canada (YOTETO ILKOV) reminded me that I had forgotten to include "KORDAN I KORDANKA" in my memoirs. This "game" was "played" during the long winter nights when the whole family gathered together around the fireplace after the evening meal. Anyone could start the "game" by asking which family he had in mind when he told them: "KORDAN I KORDANKA (husband and wife), EDNO PETLE (one boy), EDNO YARICHE(one girl) I EDEN URUP (one widower)". "URUPKA" was a widow. We had a lot of fun with this game, as it was not easy to guess which family he had in mind.

It was claimed that one man in our village possessed ESP and many times had saved his life by changing his route coming back from Kastoria, with his enemies waiting in vain to ambush and eliminate him. When he would reach TOMOVA VODENITSA, he would ask himself which road to the village to follow, the one through PODETS or the one through SINOTO, and the answer would come( instantly! Apparently he was right every time, as he survived to: a very old age!

In his letter, Uncle Spiro tells how he was called by a Greek officer in the HAN in our village with hundreds of VISHENTSI waiting outside In apprehension. He was asked to "hand over" one rifle (MALINGHER), 150 rounds of ammunition, one kilo dynamite, and two hand grenades. Speaking through a interpreter, the president of the village, STEFO ISHKIRO (although he could speak Greek), said to the officer: "We have been fighting for 25 years for this freedom; you should give arms to the people, not disarm them"

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Officer. "You left Turks; you have found Christians. There is no need for arms. Besides, here live Greeks and Bulgarians. We don't want any incidents to happen."

Spiro: "I am leaving for Bulgaria tomorrow, so I am no threat. Why do you ask me to hand over something I don't have? I don't have time to wait here. Let me go."

Officer: "You will go not to Bulgaria but to the other world if you don't hand over your rifle."

Spiro: "I have a permit from the Commandant of Kastoria, and no one can stop me. This is not a lawless society. Goodbye!"

He picked up his hat and left without anyone trying to stop him. (There were 12 soldiers present.) He told the crowd waiting outside to disperse, as there was no danger to him. Afterwards, he learned that the RIMPAPOV BROTHERS in cooperation with the Greek detachment, planned to intercept him the following morning and bring him back to the village. However, their sister KATERINA (YOVANITSA LEIKOVA) went and persuaded them not to proceed with this plan for fear he might "eliminate" them, as he was a brave man. Besides, if it was not for him, our village would have been destroyed. "What have you done for this village?" she snapped at them. "Let him go and afterwards do what you like."

That same day, 12 March 1913, at midnight, the whole village went with him up to BAKRACHEV'S fields to say goodbye, and a few went as far as KOVACHEVI LIVADYA. The next morning In the village the Greeks were informed that this was the man who killed the two bandits in 1908. They sent a telegram to Salonica for this man to be stopped from leaving the country. However, lucky for Uncle Spiro, this was the time when the Greek king was assassinated in Salonica, and the telegraph offices were closed as the whole country was in mourning. Therefore, he arrived safely in Bulgaria in the village of TROITSA near SHOUMEN. He had come to VISHENI to pick up his family. IVAN GILEV told him the details described above.

Notwithstanding the fact that both MITETO and I wrote our a village history, there are still a few things not mentioned. There are a number of fruit trees inside and around the village: cherries, apricots, apples, pears, mulberries (both white and red) and walnuts, the latter scattered everywhere around the village between the boundaries in the vineyards and fields even in the steep slopes of the North Rim (PRISOYO). Around 1933, a French company was buying walnut trunks for furniture through a local agent named SAVAS-AYDONIDIS, and about 10 trunks were found suitable in our village. They brought a good price to the owners.

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At the foothill of MITILYAVETS near the edge of DOLNITE LOZYA, there is a rock with a big hole in the middle called "DUPENYO KAMEN." The hole is big enough for a child to squeeze through. The villagers believed that it had healing powers and were using It for that purpose, after which they would leave a coin or two.

There were several apiarists in our village, with our family being the largest (we had 60 bee hives). When the time of swarming came in May, it often caused arguments between neighbours, as it was difficult to separate the swarm of bees after they merged into one. During this time, "BABA VISHENKA" sang to the bees so that they wouldn't go far or mix with a strange swarm: "IGRAY, IGRAY, ZAIGRAYSE, BLAGO PILE, KUP, KUP! NOVA KUKYA, BLAGA USTA KUP, KKUP!" If a neighbour happened to watch the proceedings, to guard It from an "evil eye," she would switch to a different chant: "KOY TEBE PULI, GUZO PULI, KUP, KUP! KOSH BOZHO, KOSH PILE, KUP, KUP!"

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