initial commit of ebook 34069HEADmain

1 files changed, 5688 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/34069.txt b/34069.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cfa771b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/34069.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5688 @@
+The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Kut Prisoner, by H. C. W. Bishop
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: A Kut Prisoner
+
+
+Author: H. C. W. Bishop
+
+
+
+Release Date: October 14, 2010  [eBook #34069]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A KUT PRISONER***
+
+
+E-text prepared by David Clarke, Linda Hamilton, and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images
+generously made available by Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries
+(http://www.archive.org/details/toronto)
+
+
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 34069-h.htm or 34069-h.zip:
+      (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/34069/34069-h/34069-h.htm)
+      or
+      (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/34069/34069-h.zip)
+
+
+      Images of the original pages are available through
+      Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See
+      http://www.archive.org/details/akutprisoner00bishuoft
+
+
+
+
+
+A KUT PRISONER
+
+On Active Service Series
+
+
+[Illustration: KASTAMUNI]
+
+[Illustration: THE CASTLE ROCK (KASTAMUNI)]
+
+
+A KUT PRISONER
+
+by
+
+H. C. W. BISHOP
+
+London: John Lane, The Bodley Head
+New York: John Lane Company. MCMXX
+
+Printed by the Anchor Press Ltd., Tiptree, Essex, England.
+
+
+
+
+  TO THE MEMORY OF ALL THOSE BRITISH
+  AND INDIAN OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE
+  KUT GARRISON WHO HAVE SUFFERED AND
+  DIED IN CAPTIVITY THIS BOOK IS
+  REVERENTLY DEDICATED
+
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION
+
+
+The experiences related in the following pages are simply the individual
+fortunes of a subaltern of the Indian Army Reserve of Officers who had
+his first taste of fighting at the battle of Ctesiphon, and was
+afterwards taken prisoner by the Turks with the rest of the Kut
+Garrison, ultimately succeeding in escaping from Asia Minor. It is not
+intended to generalize in any way, since an individual, unless of
+exalted rank, sees as a rule only his own small environment and cannot
+pretend to speak for the majority of his comrades.
+
+The book is published in the hope that it may prove of interest to the
+many relatives and friends of the Kut prisoners.
+
+Acknowledgments are due to Messrs. Blackwood, the _Times of India_, and
+the _Pioneer_ for their kind permission to republish those chapters
+which originally appeared in these papers.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+  CHAPTER                                    PAGE
+
+     I.  CTESIPHON                             1
+
+    II.  KUT                                  14
+
+   III.  FROM KUT TO KASTAMUNI                34
+
+    IV.  LIFE IN KASTAMUNI                    80
+
+     V.  ESCAPE FROM KASTAMUNI               104
+
+    VI.  THE FIRST NIGHT                     115
+
+   VII.  ON THE HILLS                        126
+
+  VIII.  SLOW PROGRESS                       135
+
+    IX.  BLUFFING THE PEASANTS               147
+
+     X.  REACHING THE COAST                  158
+
+    XI.  RECAPTURED                          166
+
+   XII.  RESCUED                             174
+
+  XIII.  IN HIDING WITH THE TURKS            184
+
+   XIV.  CONTINUED DELAYS                    194
+
+    XV.  THREE DAYS ON THE BLACK SEA         208
+
+   XVI.  THE CRIMEA AND HOME                 219
+
+  XVII.  FRIENDS IN CAPTIVITY                230
+
+          APPENDIX A                         235
+
+          APPENDIX B                         238
+
+          APPENDIX C                         242
+
+          APPENDIX D                         244
+
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+  KASTAMUNI                               _Frontispiece_
+
+  THE CASTLE ROCK, KASTAMUNI                    "
+
+                                          TO FACE PAGE
+
+  ELMEY BEY                                         48
+
+  MAP USED ON JOURNEY TO THE BLACK SEA             126
+
+  MAP SHOWING ROUTE OF ESCAPE                      180
+
+  BIHGAR BEY                                       196
+
+  BOAT IN WHICH THE PARTY CROSSED THE BLACK SEA    210
+
+  MAP OF BLACK SEA                                 214
+
+  ALUPKA                                           220
+
+  ALUPKA BATHS                                     220
+
+  YALTA                                            224
+
+  THE THREE OFFICERS AND THREE OF THEIR RESCUERS   226
+
+  THE THREE OFFICERS AND THE AKHARDASH             228
+
+
+
+
+A KUT PRISONER
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+CTESIPHON
+
+
+In India, in the early days of the war, a newly gazetted subaltern of
+the Indian Army Reserve of Officers was sent for a month's preliminary
+training to one of the few remaining British regular battalions.
+Afterwards he was attached to an Indian Regiment, and, if fortunate,
+went on service with the same battalion. A great number, however, were
+sent off to join other units in the field. In this way I found myself
+arriving in Basra on October 2nd, 1915, with a draft for a regiment[1]
+of whom I had known nothing a few days before leaving India. However,
+the "Nobody's Child" feeling was very soon a thing of the past, and I
+was welcomed by a mess full of the best comrades any fellow could
+desire.
+
+[1] The 66th Punjabis.
+
+The battle of Es-Sinn had just taken place, and the 6th Division under
+General Townshend were then following the Turks up the Tigris above Kut.
+Our own fortune appeared to be to remain in Basra as part of the
+garrison; but, much to every one's delight, different news came a week
+or two later and on the 25th October we set off up stream, hoping to get
+right through to the front but with some fear that we might be kept at
+Amara.
+
+In those days travelling up the Tigris took a long time, and we spent a
+fortnight in reaching Azizie, a journey which can now be accomplished
+mostly by rail in two days.
+
+The regiment was accommodated on two of the river steamers, each having
+two big barges lashed alongside. The current is considerable and the
+heavily weighted steamer could only advance very slowly. In many places
+the river becomes very narrow, especially between Kurna and Amara, and
+much time was spent in bumping into sand-banks and struggling to get
+clear.
+
+We made short halts at Kurna, Amara, and Kut, the latter striking one as
+a horribly dusty and dirty little Arab town. Every night we used to tie
+up to the bank, as navigation by night was too risky with so little
+water in the river. On the last stretch to Azizie, we were warned to be
+on the alert for Arab snipers, and great preparations were made
+accordingly. A few shots were fired next morning, but nothing more than
+one Arab in the distance was seen. Other boats and convoys coming up had
+a much more lively time from raiding parties of the local tribes.
+
+Azizie was reached in the afternoon, and presented a scene of the
+greatest activity. The village itself consisted of only a few mud huts,
+but for some distance along the dusty bank of the river General
+Townshend's force was concentrated. Nothing could be a greater contrast
+to the deserted stretches of country through which we had passed than
+the bustle and life of a force about to advance.
+
+A few days later--on Monday, November 15th--the whole of the 6th
+Division and attached troops were on the march for Bagdad, the first
+stage being El Kutunie, some seven miles only. Here three days were
+spent and the final preparations completed. There was a little sniping
+at night from the further bank of the river, but this was quickly dealt
+with by the _Firefly_, the first of the new monitors to come into
+commission on the river.
+
+Great excitement prevailed on the night of the 18th when it was
+suddenly reported that the whole Turkish Force, which considerably
+outnumbered our own, was on the march to attack us and was expected to
+arrive and commence hostilities before morning. We spent a very
+industrious night, digging feverishly and wondering when the enemy would
+turn up.
+
+Morning arrived, to find many trenches but no sign of the Turks, and we
+later found that the previous reports had been entirely misleading.
+However, fresh orders were soon received, and not long after daybreak
+the whole force was off again, split into various columns whose mission
+was to encompass and annihilate the Turkish advance troops at Zeur,
+about ten miles further on. However, the enemy eluded us, as he had done
+previously, and got away just in time. After doing several miles across
+country in attack formation, always expecting to hear firing beginning
+in front, we found we had arrived in the position the Turks had just
+vacated.
+
+Next day a short march brought us to Lajj, a small hamlet on the river
+which was to be our jumping-off place for the forthcoming battle, and,
+as we believed, triumphal march on to Bagdad. All except the minimum of
+kit had been left at Azizie, whence it was to follow by steamer to
+Bagdad as soon as might be.
+
+Before leaving Azizie, the general had given all senior officers some
+idea of the problem we had to tackle, and they realized it would be no
+walk-over. The rest of us, fortunately, thought only of a repetition of
+the former successes, and that we should enjoy a cheerful Christmas in
+Bagdad.
+
+Detailed maps had been issued, not only of the Turks' position at
+Ctesiphon, but also of Bagdad and the methods to be adopted to push the
+enemy through and out of the city.
+
+At Lajj we were about nine miles from the Arch of Ctesiphon, built by
+Chosroes I. in the 6th cent. B.C. and round which battles had been
+fought from time immemorial. From the top of a sand-dune near general
+headquarters, the magnificent ruin was clearly visible standing up gaunt
+and alone above the flat plain. The Turks' position surrounded the Arch
+and stretched back on both banks of the river.
+
+We bivouacked one night at Lajj and at nine o'clock the following
+evening--Sunday, November 21st--the final advance began.
+
+Our plan was to surround and defeat the Turks on the left bank, where
+the greater part of their forces lay, and to drive them back on the
+Tigris or Diala River.
+
+The force was split into four columns, which were to attack from
+different angles, the "Flying" column being deputed to complete the
+victory by dashing on to Bagdad and seizing the Bagdad end of the
+Samarra Railway.
+
+At midnight we reached our station on some sand-hills about four to five
+miles due east of the Arch, which we could see very clearly as soon as
+it became light. It was a bitterly cold night and after digging in we
+lay down to get what sleep we could before dawn broke.
+
+The attack was to be begun by the columns further north, who had had a
+longer march and were further round the Turkish flank.
+
+There appeared to be considerable delay on their part, and it was an
+hour after the advertised time when our advance began. In the meantime a
+troop of Turkish cavalry had come out on a reconnaissance, but had
+thought better of coming up as far as our sand-hills and, after
+hesitating, retired unmolested by us.
+
+As we debouched from the high ground, we could see masses of Turks,
+apparently retiring in orderly formation towards their second line or
+still further, and the thought occurred that they were not going to wait
+even for us to attack. Actually, however, these were troops from the
+other side of the river being hastily brought across to strengthen the
+Turkish reserves opposite to us.
+
+Our particular destination was a point marked V. P. on our map, and
+understood to be the "Vital Point" of the Turkish line. It fell quickly
+to our attack, but was not carried at a light cost, and, still worse,
+was not so all-essential to the Turkish resistance as it should have
+been. Our advance was held up on the Turkish second line and,
+unfortunately, we were not powerful or numerous enough to break this
+also. The Turks had a fine position and their trenches were sighted with
+the greatest skill. Aided by the mirage effect, it was almost impossible
+to discern these trenches until right upon them; we, on the other hand,
+were out in the open plain, which was as flat as a billiard table and
+offered no cover of any sort. The Turkish front line was protected with
+barbed wire, and had they been provided with more machine-guns and been
+prepared to see things out a little longer, we should have fared very
+badly. As it was, we lost heavily in taking V. P. and the adjacent
+trench lines, and were too crippled to do much more.
+
+In the afternoon the Turks counterattacked; but our guns were too much
+for them, and they gained nothing.
+
+Evening found a confused force bivouacked round V. P. There were
+dreadful gaps in all ranks. About midnight I found my way back to my own
+battalion, to discover the colonel and M. O., the only two officers
+still carrying on. One other subaltern besides myself had been posted
+away from the regiment during the day, but, of the rest, only two were
+left out of ten who had gone into action with the battalion that
+morning. Other regiments were in much the same state, and it was evident
+that we had suffered terribly and had not completely smashed the enemy.
+Later on we heard that our casualties had reached a total of nearly
+5,000, while the Turks were said to have lost twice this figure.
+
+The next morning we took up our position along the Turks' old front
+line, and no more fighting took place until the afternoon, when the
+Turks came back once more. Attacks followed during the night and
+prospects were considered anything but rosy for us by those in
+authority. However, the Turks had had enough, and by next morning were
+again out of range.
+
+It was imperative for us now to get closer to the river for water, and
+accordingly the remnant of the force concentrated in the angle of the
+"High Wall," an ancient relic of the old wall of Ctesiphon, now a high
+bank, forming a right angle, each arm being about a quarter of a mile
+long. During the day the wounded were evacuated, being taken back to
+Lajj on A. T. carts. It was a pitiable sight seeing these poor fellows
+go. These were the days before the Mesopotamian Commission--springless
+carts were all that were available and a number of wounded must have
+been literally bumped to death over those eight rough miles back to
+Lajj. The memory of those jolting carts with their grimy battered loads
+of tortured humanity is one not soon to be forgotten.
+
+The night passed in peace, but the following afternoon the Turks were
+seen advancing in several columns, and we were given orders to pack up
+at once. Soon after dark we were ready, but it seemed an age until the
+head of the column got clear away and our own brigade, who were in rear,
+could move. Meanwhile the Turks were expected to arrive on the scene at
+any minute, and everything appeared gloomy in the extreme. Ammunition
+which could not be removed had been hastily buried. Large fires were lit
+to help our departure and endeavour to deceive the enemy. Cheerful
+prospects of rearguard actions all night over unknown country seemed all
+that was in store for us. However, fortune was with us again; the Turks
+hesitated once more and we were not attacked at all during the night.
+After a weary march through thick dust and sand, we reached Lajj in the
+early hours of the morning, and were greeted by a heavy downpour, which,
+fortunately, stopped just before we were quite soaked through.
+
+Digging was again the order as soon as it was light, and arrangements
+were made to give the Turks a very hot reception if they intended to
+come on at once.
+
+The following day digging continued, but in the afternoon we were again
+told to get under way, as the Turks apparently were close upon us.
+
+A long all-night march, only varied by Arab sniping, brought us back to
+Azizie the following forenoon. Here digging began once more, and it was
+not at first known if we should remain here and see it out or go back
+further right down to Kut, some 58 miles. The latter course was decided
+on next day and, having collected what little of our old kit we could
+still find, we set off once again southwards, and bivouacked by the
+river near Umm El Tubul, eleven miles further on.
+
+At eight in the evening, we were just congratulating ourselves on having
+at last a snug spot for a night's rest, when firing began and our
+pickets were soon driven in. However, the enemy did not make the
+expected attack during the night--which we spent in a nullah awaiting
+him.
+
+As soon as it was light, we could see a large Turkish camp, not much
+more than a mile distant. The first orders were that we should go out
+and attack; so we lined up for this purpose. Just as we were ready,
+fresh orders arrived, and we retired to the nullah while our guns opened
+with rapid fire on the Turkish camp. Meanwhile, there was great bustle
+in our rear, where the transport was being hurriedly got away for a
+further march towards Kut.
+
+We were told later on that the Turks thought they had only come up
+against a weak rearguard and were correspondingly dismayed by our
+gun-fire. They were said to have had 2,000 casualties on this day.
+However, they pushed on and we had to retire. Previous to this, Turkish
+shells had been coming over, but not doing very much damage.
+
+The old gun-boat, the _Comet_, and also the _Firefly_, were both put out
+of action while waiting to cover our retreat, and had to be abandoned to
+the enemy.
+
+By midday we had shaken off the advancing Turks, having done many miles
+across country which seemed to grow camel thorn in every direction. This
+shrub is most unpleasant to march through in shorts, and many were the
+torn knees in consequence.
+
+A few hours on the ground late that night gave us a little rest; but it
+was too cold to sleep, and we were soon sitting up round fires of
+brushwood which the men had lighted. Many of us had had no food since
+daybreak, and had to fall back on our emergency rations where these were
+still in existence.
+
+Next morning we were off once more, and after another long, wearisome
+day reached a camp only a very few miles from Kut itself, having done
+over 40 miles in the last 36 hours.
+
+Kut was entered the following morning, December 3rd, but it was not
+decided till some hours later what position we should take up.
+
+During the next two days we could walk about above ground without
+molestation, but snipers arrived all too soon, and by Monday, December
+6th, Kut was entirely surrounded and the siege had begun.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+KUT
+
+
+If the Turks had hurried up, they would have come upon us without
+properly dug trenches and we should have been taken at a great
+disadvantage. As it was, however, by the time they did arrive, we were
+dug in and had a good front line trench, although most of the support
+and communication trenches still had to be dug. After the first two or
+three days, all trench work had to be done at night, as conditions by
+daylight were not healthy.
+
+Life was not particularly pleasant during any part of the siege, and for
+the first few days we who were outside Kut had no dug-outs, all energy
+being spent on getting the front line firing trench ready. This would
+have been no hardship but for the fact that we had arrived back in Kut
+with a biting north wind, causing several degrees of frost at night, and
+an ice-covered bucket for one's ablutions in the morning.
+
+Throughout the siege, the Tigris formed our only water supply, this
+being carried in at night in kerosine tins by the regimental bheesties.
+Drinking water was purified with alum, which got rid of most of the
+sediment. Tigris is a poor drink at any time and seems particularly
+nasty when spoiling good whisky.
+
+On Monday, December 6th, the cavalry brigade left at daybreak and were
+the last people to get away from Kut. Many wounded and sick had been
+sent down stream during the day or two previously, the lighter cases
+being left in the hospital at Kut to recover and rejoin.
+
+In those early days, no one thought of a siege lasting more than a
+month, the general being reputed to be counting on relief by the New
+Year.
+
+Meanwhile, the Turks had been very busy: not only had they been digging
+at a furious pace opposite to us and sapping up closer and closer, but
+they had also sent considerable forces further on down-stream, to near
+Shaik Saad, to oppose the Relieving Force which was there concentrating.
+
+The night after the cavalry brigade had gone out, the boat bridge over
+which they had passed to the right bank was demolished under the noses
+of the enemy.
+
+This gallant feat was performed by Lieut. Matthews, R.E., and Lieut.
+Sweet, who volunteered for the job. Both men, we hoped, would receive
+the V.C. By the greatest good fortune, the Turks were entirely
+surprised, and the bridge was blown up before they realized what was
+happening or could offer any resistance. Both officers received the
+D.S.O.
+
+The story of the siege has been told in detail by others, and it is not
+intended here to attempt it. One saw only one's own small corner, and
+never knew what to believe of all the rumours and scandal in which a
+besieged town seems to be particularly prolific.
+
+After the first fortnight, a regular routine was started. The 16th
+Brigade took alternate turns with the 30th along the main trench line,
+while the 17th garrisoned the Fort, and the 18th looked after the town
+itself and Woolpress village.
+
+Meanwhile the medical people had been busy moving from their hospital
+tents to the covered-in bazaar, which was now converted into wards.
+
+For the first few days, the men were given extra rations to recuperate
+them after the wearying retreat and for the strenuous trench-digging in
+progress. It was not until January 10th that we were cut down to
+two-thirds full rations.
+
+The first Turkish shells arrived on December 5th, but did little harm.
+Throughout the siege, we had much cause to be thankful for the very
+large proportion of "duds" amongst all classes of Turkish shell.
+Fortunately, also, they had no high explosives, or Kut would have been a
+heap of ruins in no time.
+
+The mud of Mesopotamia deserves mention in this connection. It is as
+disagreeable as but rather more glutinous than most other brands of the
+same substance, and when baked dry by the sun is singularly impenetrable
+to rifle bullets. All the rules found in military pocket-books were
+quite upset by it, some eight inches of the best variety being quite
+enough to stop any bullet. For the same reason, trench digging in some
+places was very slow and tedious work, as the ground at that time was
+dry and hard, seeming more like cast iron than anything else.
+
+During the early part of the siege, regiments in the 16th and 30th
+Brigades, on being relieved in the front line, returned to a bivouac in
+Kut and did some hours' digging on the way, the operation being carried
+out at night. The following night was as a rule allowed us in peace,
+but for the next three or six nights, until again relieved, one was
+generally out digging or in "support" to some part of the line, so that
+"being relieved" did not mean much rest for anybody. The bivouac had a
+further disadvantage in that we had as many casualties here as in the
+front line. Dropping bullets would come in at odd moments from all
+directions, and it was impossible to keep clear of them. Some
+unfortunate was laid out nearly every day in this way.
+
+The Turks never once tried to shell our front line, but spent all their
+attentions on the town and the Fort. A tremendous "hate" preceded their
+attack on the latter on Christmas Eve. They succeeded in blowing a
+breach in the mud wall of the Fort in the north-east bastion, and
+afterwards assaulted with great dash. Fighting was extremely fierce and
+the Turks lost very heavily from our machine-guns. There was much hand
+bombing, this being the only occasion during the siege when fighting at
+close quarters took place.
+
+After gaining a footing through the breach into our trenches, the Turks
+were dislodged, but came on again later, and at midnight, December
+24th, were still in possession of the north-east bastion. However, they
+thought better of it, and by the morning of December 25th had all
+disappeared again. As a result of this fighting, we had about 400
+casualties, while the Turks were said to have lost 2,000. Be that as it
+may, they never made another attack on our lines.
+
+Khalil Pasha, the Turkish commander, was said afterwards to have told
+one of the British generals that he was just preparing another
+tremendous attack at the end of January, meaning to smash his way into
+Kut at any cost, when the floods intervened, and drove him back over
+half a mile, while we had also to return to the "middle" line--our
+second line trench some 300 yards behind the first. He stated that he
+was prepared to lose 10,000 in the attempt.
+
+Christmas Day passed peacefully, much to our satisfaction, and from now
+onwards there was great speculation as to the day of relief. We knew
+that General Aylmer's force was to start during the first days of
+January, and it was predicted that by January 9th or 10th the siege
+would be over.
+
+By the first week in January, all fresh meat was finished, but for a
+time we had "bully."
+
+The Relieving Force suffered its first serious check at Shaik Saad and
+never arrived, as we had hoped. There was nothing to be done but to
+carry on and wait till next time. The weather now was cold and wet and
+the trenches often knee deep in mud and water. Kut itself was in a
+filthy state, the streets being a sea of mud after every downpour. The
+Tigris was steadily rising throughout January and by the 20th was near
+the top of the bund running along the bank. Heavy rain on this day and
+the next, together with the rise in the river, was responsible for
+flooding out the Turks' front line. They managed, however, to turn the
+water over towards us, with the result that we, also, were drowned out
+of the corresponding part of our line, the effect of this being that
+there was now a good distance between the new front lines. For two days
+we could walk about in the open, and were much interested in seeing the
+old Turkish trenches, and taking all possible firewood in the shape of
+old ammunition boxes from their loopholes. We found that one of their
+saps was only forty yards from our trench, and many were the bombs they
+had thrown which just fell short.
+
+The most interesting relics were numbers of pamphlets tied to sticks
+and bits of earth and thrown towards our line. These were effusions
+printed in various languages by the Indian National Society, Chicago,[2]
+and contained much startling information. The Sepoys were informed that
+no British were now left in several N.W. Frontier districts, and were
+recommended, as brave soldiers, to murder their British officers and
+join the Turks. The Sultan was represented as being ready to give land
+to every one who would respond to this invitation. As regards Gallipoli,
+it was stated that Sir Ian Hamilton had been wounded and that Lord
+Kitchener had run away in the night, taking the British troops with him
+and leaving the Indians, who thereupon murdered their officers and
+joined the Turks.
+
+[2] See Appendix B.
+
+Very few, if any, of these leaflets reached the Sepoys, and, as far as
+we could see, left them unmoved.
+
+After two days' freedom above ground, a reconnaissance was sent out to
+locate the Turkish outposts. This had the immediate effect of starting
+great activity in the Turkish pickets some 1,200 yards from our line,
+and from that day onwards snipers were always busy. Even so, life was
+very much pleasanter than when the enemy was within 100 yards.
+
+By January 13th we were down to half rations, and by January 23rd were
+still further reduced. On the 26th, the general issued a long
+_communique_, telling us of how the Relieving Force had been
+unsuccessful so far, having had heavy losses and very bad weather to
+contend against. He announced that there were 84 days' more ample
+rations without counting the 3,000 animals.
+
+Actually the siege went on for another 94 days, but the rations were
+scarcely ample, even including the horse meat. However, at the time, it
+seemed that there was nothing to worry about, especially as the general
+said he was confident of being relieved during the first half of
+February.
+
+With the beginning of February, we started eating horse, mule and camel.
+There were very few camels, but they were said to be quite good eating.
+For the rest, mule is very much to be preferred to horse. There were
+also the heavy battery bullocks, but these were not numerous, and were
+very thin already.
+
+All the eggs and milk obtainable from Arabs in the town were supposed to
+go to the hospitals, but it was always said they did not receive nearly
+as much as they should have done.
+
+During January and February, one could buy several things from Arabs in
+the bazaar, i.e., tea, dried beans, atta and "kabobs" or small hot
+chapatties, cooked in grease. The tea must all originally have come from
+the S. & T. All the Arabs in Kut wore Army socks very early in the
+siege. In fact, it would be harder to find a race of more expert thieves
+anywhere on the globe.
+
+Towards the middle of February, the Turks began sending over an
+aeroplane to bomb us. The pilot was a German, and knew his business too
+well. After his first trip, machine guns were rigged up to welcome him
+the next time he came and the sappers mounted a 13-pounder to fire as an
+anti-aircraft gun.
+
+Considering the difficulties involved and the absence of all special
+sighting arrangements this gun made some very fair shooting. But the
+only effect of all these efforts was to make Fritz, the pilot, fly
+higher and approach the town from a different direction. The first time
+he came very little damage was done; then one day a bomb demolished an
+Arab house, killing a number of women and children, and a second fell on
+the British hospital, where no less than 32 sick and wounded men were
+killed outright or horribly injured. The padre--the Rev. H.
+Spooner--told me afterwards that no sight he had witnessed at Ctesiphon
+could be compared to that hospital ward. Presumably Fritz was aiming at
+the ordnance yard next door or some of the guns on the river bank only a
+little further on. Had there been more room and good buildings in Kut,
+it would no doubt have been possible to put the hospital in a safer
+spot, but, as it was, no other building was available. Fritz always
+succeeded in eluding our aeroplanes from the Relieving Force. He had so
+little distance to go home, whereas they had to come up 20 miles or
+more.
+
+Two main observation posts were maintained, one above general
+headquarters in the town, and the other in the Fort. There was great
+rivalry between the two, and on one occasion, a large flock of sheep was
+definitely reported in the town as a considerable force of the enemy
+moving to the rear. The Fort maintained they were sheep and neither
+would give in.
+
+We could see every day long strings of camels on the horizon, carrying
+rations for the Turks from their base at Shamran above Kut down to
+their forces at Sanaiyat and Magassis.
+
+The usual book of words about camels informs the reader that they are
+liable to slip and split themselves up if allowed to travel over wet or
+slippery ground. In Mesopotamia, however, the camel seems not to worry
+at all when going over land submerged by floods, and carrying on
+generally under all conditions. He is a much wilder specimen than the
+usual Indian camel, and our experience before Ctesiphon was that he
+would only lie down if one of his forelegs was folded and bound up, and
+he was then hit on the head with a thick stick.
+
+A feature of Kut which will not be forgotten was the little chapel which
+our padre rigged up in one of the few remaining upper rooms of the
+battered Serai. This building was in an exposed position on the river
+bank and suffered more than any other from the Turkish shells. The padre
+himself was indefatigable, doing everything he possibly could in the
+hospitals in addition to his other duties.
+
+Almost every day one or more of our aeroplanes came over Kut, and some
+things were dropped, but how we wished they would drop us some letters.
+We knew there must be a great accumulation of mails at Amara and it
+seemed so easy to arrange it. As it was, some bags of letters were
+dropped for the staff and even the S. & T. but, as usual, the regimental
+officers came off worst. We wanted news from home more than anything
+else, and, as it turned out, most of us never heard a word from our
+people till we had reached Anatolia the following July after an interval
+of eight months.
+
+Fortunately, we could get messages sent out by the wireless, and once a
+month a telegram was despatched to the depots in India, saying that all
+were well, or something equally brief but satisfactory to our friends at
+home.
+
+Another great blessing afforded by the wireless was the publication of a
+short summary of Reuter's telegrams, which gave us something else to
+talk of other than the everlasting questions of food and the date of
+relief. In particular, the taking of Erzerum by the Russians cheered us
+up, and made us hope that the Russian force approaching Bagdad from
+Persia would be equally successful.
+
+In fact, at one time the betting was said to be in favour of the Russian
+general, Baratoff, relieving us from the north, before our friends
+down-stream.
+
+With the arrival of March, every one was full of excitement over the
+coming great effort of the relieving force, which was prophesied to take
+place on the 4th, but was actually the 8th.
+
+Many schemes were prepared by which we were to co-operate, so that after
+the Turks had been started off rearwards by General Aylmer, we might
+hasten their departure. In most of these plans one brigade would have to
+play the leading role, and probably come in for a pretty hot time unless
+the Turks had become quite demoralised; much speculation arose,
+therefore, as to which brigade would be given this post of honour.
+
+March 8th came and went and we realized that another gallant attempt had
+failed. The bombardment could be clearly heard, and at night it was easy
+to see the shells bursting. During the attack on the Dujailah Redoubt
+our friends were only seven to eight miles from us, and we could hear
+their rifle and machine gun-fire.
+
+This failure was a great disappointment and we realized what it must
+have cost in casualties. There was only one thing for us to do, namely,
+carry on; so the rations were reduced again and life went on in its, by
+this time, mechanical round. All were still confident of being
+relieved, and when it became known that General Gorringe had taken over
+command down stream we felt sure something decisive would happen and
+that he would get through, if anyone could.
+
+After every unsuccessful attempt, a Turkish envoy promptly arrived with
+a white flag and requested us politely to surrender. He was as
+courteously and consistently refused.
+
+Rations were now down to 10 oz. of bread, this being half atta and half
+barley. The dates were finished and the small stocks of mess stores
+which had been carefully eked out were nearly finished. Still we had jam
+and tea and the mule wasn't at all bad. Some saccharine dropped by
+aeroplane gave us something sweet, and was a great blessing.
+
+The efforts to get the Indians to eat meat at the end of February had
+failed. They declared that every village pundit would be against them on
+their return to India and that, in consequence, no one would give them
+their daughters to marry.
+
+Everything possible to help religious scruples was done, and special
+permission obtained from the Imam at Delhi and other religious
+authorities; but it was no use, and not until the second week in April,
+when they were literally starving, did the Indian troops begin eating
+horse. No doubt, if they had done so earlier, we could have held out for
+some few days longer, but it is doubtful whether this would have
+sufficed for our relief.
+
+After March 8th, all horses not wanted for food were shot to save their
+keep, and many a good animal was sacrificed in this way.
+
+By the 19th, the bread ration was only 1/2 lb., while the Indians were
+getting 10 oz. meal. The small quantity of food began now to tell on the
+strength of all ranks, and cases of bad enteritis--so-called--were
+common, these resulting in many deaths during the last days of the
+siege.
+
+It is really wonderful what an amount of satisfaction can be derived,
+under such conditions, from simply imagining a first-class meal, and I
+remember one day, in my dug-out, having a great time going through a
+long menu and choosing everything I should like best.
+
+When the grass began to grow towards the end of March, we gathered what
+the Sepoys called sag or anything we could make a sort of spinach with.
+It was like eating wet hay, but, undoubtedly, kept scurvy down, and if
+well soaked in vinegar was not so bad.
+
+In Woolpress they managed to get a little fish from the river, fishing
+by night.
+
+Our activities after March 8th were directed to keeping out the floods.
+Two big bunds were made, one inside the other, round Kut. The Arabs in
+the town were forced to work on the inner one and thus saved the troops,
+who were weak enough as it was already with making the outer bund.
+
+By the end of March we had a splendid bund across the middle line
+capable of keeping out nearly three feet of water; this being 4 ft. 6
+in. high and about 20 ft. thick at the base, all the soil having to be
+excavated from pits in front. The sappers had told us that our mess
+dug-out was just about the lowest spot round Kut and would be the first
+place to be flooded; however, when the floods really came, we found we
+were two feet higher up than the regiment a little further along the
+line. It was hard work making these bunds, and all the men not otherwise
+on duty were out every night. The bund also had to form the firing
+parapet, and with barbed wire entanglements in the "borrow" pits in
+front and again beyond we were well protected from any attack, not to
+mention the floods which would have made an advance by the enemy almost
+impossible.
+
+All through April the water slowly percolated up and the dug-outs and
+trenches had to be continually raised, until by the end of the month we
+were nearly up to ground level. The river rose to its highest level
+during April, but fortunately news was received, by wireless, from a
+British officer with the Russians at Lake Urmia, of the various floods,
+so that we were more or less prepared. Actually we had never much more
+than 2 ft. 6 in. outside our bund, which held well. Had we been driven
+back inside the inner bund, the whole force would have been cooped up in
+a very small area and any shelling would have been bound to take a large
+toll.
+
+For the last ten days there was no tobacco left. People were smoking
+used-up tea-leaves, orange leaves, liquorice, and even grass. Whatever
+smoking tea-leaves may be like for the smoker, it is exceedingly
+unpleasant for everybody else, especially in a dug-out.
+
+Throughout the April fighting we followed each _communique_ from General
+Gorringe with the greatest anxiety, watching his shells bursting over
+the Turkish lines by night and always hoping on until after the _Julnar_
+had failed to get through.
+
+The men were not told anything about this attempt, but the 30th Brigade
+made ready to cover the unloading, in the event of the gallant ship
+winning through. She was to be beached by the Fort the same night and
+unloaded before the Turks could bring their guns to bear on her next
+morning. I remember listening to the firing as she slowly made her way
+up-stream; star-shells and flares went up and lit up the scene and she
+met with a terrible reception.
+
+Then, after a time, all firing ceased and we realized that this splendid
+attempt had failed. According to one member of the crew, all went well
+until they reached Magassis, where they struck a cable which gave way,
+but a second one immediately afterwards stopped them. Commander Firman,
+the naval officer in charge, thought this was a sand-bank and left his
+protection on the bridge to shout to them to take a sounding. He was
+killed on the spot. Cowley, the well-known skipper of the ship, then
+took charge but they could not get past the obstruction, and he himself
+was soon very severely wounded by a shell, from which he died when taken
+ashore.
+
+Eventually this magnificent attempt had to be given up. It was a most
+heroic effort and, had it been possible to steam faster, would probably
+have been successful. As it was, the ship was very heavily laden with a
+month's supplies for the garrison on board and could only do five or six
+knots against the very strong current. Even so, we still fondly hoped
+that General Gorringe might achieve the impossible at the last minute;
+but it was not to be.
+
+The last few days we lived on the emergency and reserve rations which
+each regiment had in its keeping, and the food dropped by aeroplanes
+from the Relieving Force. These brought us white flour, some sugar and a
+little chocolate. The bread ration, however, was only 4 oz. or just one
+good slice a day each.
+
+We were all very weak and there was a great deal of sickness. Enteritis,
+which seemed not very different from cholera, was prevalent and affected
+nearly everybody to some extent. Not infrequently a Tommy going into Kut
+from the front line would suddenly collapse, often not to recover. I
+remember feeling rather disappointed that I did not look thinner, and
+one felt one ought to be a dreadful scarecrow really to have done the
+siege justice.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+FROM KUT TO KASTAMUNI
+
+
+On April 29th, Kut surrendered, and it was with sad feelings that we
+watched two Turkish battalions marching in at midday. The bitter thought
+that they should have worsted us in the end, together with the knowledge
+of the useless sacrifice of life by our friends down-stream, was present
+to all; but there was also a great feeling of relief that the siege was
+now over, and we had not realized until this moment how severe the
+strain had been.
+
+We believed the Turks would treat all ranks well, as up to that moment
+they had always fought and behaved like gentlemen. Khalil Pasha, the
+Turkish general, had said we should be treated as his "honoured guests,"
+and, since at that time we had not had much experience of Turkish
+promises, we were inclined to think all would be well, although we knew
+the Turks themselves were short of supplies and had great difficulty in
+feeding their troops down-stream.
+
+Orders came round telling us to destroy everything that could be of use
+to the enemy, only a few rifles being kept in case of trouble with Arabs
+in the town before the Turks arrived. Field-glasses, revolvers, maps,
+and diaries all had to be destroyed and saddlery burnt. It seemed a
+crime to be sacrificing so much that was valuable, but this was better
+than helping the enemy in any way. The last works of destruction had
+only just been completed when the Turkish troops arrived, and great was
+their disgust at finding all the guns destroyed, and nothing worth
+taking but a few rifles.
+
+Some of us had kept our swords, thinking that they would be returned to
+us in traditional style, only to find them collected by the first
+Turkish subaltern or N.C.O. who set eyes on them. Those who were wiser
+had thrown theirs in the river or buried them, and we all wished we had
+done the same. Later on, we heard that the officers' swords from Kut had
+been displayed as an interesting exhibit in some museum at
+Constantinople.
+
+The departure from Kut began that evening, one steamer taking a full
+load up to Shamran, the Turkish base camp, some eight miles up-stream.
+We had still to depend on the remnants of our own rations for that day
+and the next, but fortunately they just sufficed.
+
+Next day, as we moved up towards the old Serai, near which the steamers
+were moored, we had to pass a palm grove which had been occupied by some
+Turkish soldiers. These men were systematically looting any kit which
+was being carried past, and to which they had taken a fancy. A good deal
+was lost in this way. The Turkish officers seemed powerless to stop it,
+the culprits merely walking away until the officer had departed.
+
+The steamer made two or three more trips that day, but it was announced
+at noon that all those left must march, their kit alone going on the
+steamer. How they managed that march in a starving condition they only
+know who did it, but when the steamer reached Shamran on its last trip
+at midnight they had all come in and been regaled with Turkish ration
+biscuits. An amusing incident occurred during this march. An Indian
+sweeper--the humblest of all regimental followers--was trudging along
+behind his regiment carrying some of the articles of his trade, when
+they passed some Turkish gun-pits where there were several German
+officers standing. On seeing them the sweeper made obeisance with the
+deepest of salaams; whereupon the Germans promptly stood to attention,
+clicked their heels and saluted.
+
+During the following days, we made ourselves as comfortable as possible
+at Shamran, and, fortunately, got other food in addition to the Turkish
+biscuits. These biscuits need only be once seen or eaten never to be
+forgotten. They are of a dark-brown colour, unless mouldy, about six
+inches in diameter and an inch thick in the centre, and made from a very
+coarse meal, which must contain anything except wheat. They are even
+harder than the hardest of our own army biscuits.
+
+The Turks had allowed us to bring with us what tents we had in Kut, and,
+although we had to leave them behind at Shamran, they were of the
+greatest comfort to us during the week which we spent there.
+
+A launch arrived from the relieving force, bringing with it barges laden
+with food, including a number of mess stores and gifts. These we
+eventually got possession of, although the Turks would not allow them to
+be landed at our camp, but took them up-stream some distance, where we
+expected they would take a systematic toll of everything. Turkish
+soldiers and Arabs brought in dates, a few oranges, and a syrup made
+from dates, which they sold at excessive prices.
+
+Bathing was allowed in the river, and some enthusiasts who still had
+fishing tackle spent a considerable time on the bank, but without much
+success.
+
+One day, General Townshend passed up-stream in a launch accompanied by
+two or three of his staff _en route_ to Bagdad. All ranks rushed to the
+bank to give him a parting cheer, which one felt meant that all knew he
+had done his best for us throughout.
+
+With the end of the siege one had expected all the worst features of the
+last few weeks to disappear, but the heavy mortality from enteritis
+continued at Shamran. It was especially heavy amongst the British ranks,
+in many cases being aggravated by a too suddenly increased diet, of
+which the Turkish biscuits formed a large part.
+
+A few days after our arrival, it was announced that the men would all
+have to march up, while officers would be taken up in batches by the
+steamers. The first party to leave contained the generals and staff, and
+most of the officers from British units. The following day the men were
+to march. Our doctors insisted on a very thorough examination, as a
+large proportion of the men were unable to march. The Turks would not,
+however, accept the British doctors' decisions, and reduced the unfit to
+a much smaller number.
+
+The result was that large numbers fell out after the first day, and had
+to be taken on board the _Julnar_, which was bringing up a number of men
+from the Kut hospitals whom the Turks considered not ill enough to be
+exchanged. We were all convinced that had it not been for German
+counsels at Constantinople some arrangement for our return on _parole_
+to India might have been made.
+
+The men were told to take one blanket or greatcoat each, as well as
+their haversacks and water-bottles. They had no transport whatever, and
+our hearts misgave us as we watched them go. The column wound slowly out
+of the camp with many checks, and it was over an hour before they were
+clear; all seemed to be carrying big loads, and many things must have
+been thrown away or sold before they reached Bagdad. The Turks were only
+too anxious to buy, when they could not steal any clothing, boots, or
+equipment, their own clothing and equipment being at a very low ebb
+after months of service in Mesopotamia, to say nothing of the long march
+down from Asia Minor. Many had no boots, and were just wearing sandals
+of goat-skin, such as they are accustomed to use in the country
+districts of Anatolia.
+
+When the men had departed, the camp seemed very forlorn; about 150
+British and Indian officers were left, while the hospital tents
+contained many sick of all ranks.
+
+Two days later, on May 10th, the second party of officers left on the
+steamer _Khalifa_, which had on board a few German gunners returning to
+Bagdad and a good number of Turkish officers. The journey took three
+days; on the second day we passed the _Julnar_. She was covered with
+bullet-marks, showing through what a severe fire she had forced her way.
+Now she was loaded with sick from Kut. We waved to those on board, but
+were not near enough to speak to them.
+
+Our steamer used to tie up to the bank for a short while twice a day, in
+the morning and evening, enabling us to get a hurried bathe and a little
+change from the cramped space on the deck, where we spent the rest of
+the time.
+
+The third day we passed the battlefield of Ctesiphon, full of memories
+of the victory which had proved so disastrous six months before. We
+halted for the night not far from the Arch, and were greeted by the
+local Arabs, who danced and fired off ancient rifles and pistols in the
+air in derision at our captivity. The women also contributed their share
+by making a peculiar kind of trilling sound. How we hoped they might
+soon be singing in a very different fashion when our troops should
+advance again and take Bagdad.
+
+We reached Bagdad the next morning. As we slowly paddled up the river,
+we could see the Red Crescent flag floating from almost every good house
+on the river sides; hospitals seemed to be everywhere, and we realized
+what awful casualties the Relieving Force had inflicted on the Turks.
+
+For some miles before Bagdad is reached, the river is fringed with palm
+groves, gardens, and cultivated land. When we left Kut the river was
+within a few feet of the highest ground, but here the banks were very
+much higher.
+
+We were landed at the old British Residency, and, after a little delay,
+were formed up in order of seniority and marched off along what appeared
+to be the main road. It was evidently arranged as a triumphal procession
+to impress the inhabitants. At length, after a march of two miles,
+passing through the covered-in bazaar, where the shade was most
+welcome, we emerged on the north side of the town, and reached our
+destination at the Cavalry Barracks. We had been promised furnished
+quarters, but found bare floors and empty rooms; the building formed a
+large quadrangle, and was empty of all troops when we arrived. A little
+later our orderlies and servants appeared, bringing our kit from the
+steamer. On leaving Shamran colonels were allowed to take two orderlies
+or Indian servants, other officers being allowed one each.
+
+Fortunately, just before we left, some money in Turkish gold had been
+sent up by the Relieving Force by aeroplane, and thus all ranks had a
+little cash.
+
+When the second party reached Bagdad, the first party had already
+departed for Mosul, and rumours arose about the journey, people saying
+at first that we should have carriages from the railhead at Samarra,
+then that only donkeys would be available, while others thought we
+should be lucky to get anything.
+
+While at the barracks we were given a month's pay by the Turkish
+authorities, on what proved to be for senior officers a very generous
+scale, the greatest mercy being that half the amount was paid in gold.
+Had this not been done, we should have been in a truly sorry plight on
+the long journeys by road across the desert, since no Arab would look at
+Turkish notes, and insisted on being paid in hard cash.
+
+At this time, the Russian force under General Baratoff had made a sudden
+advance through the Pusht-i-Kuh mountains and reached Khanikin, 90 miles
+north-east of Bagdad; the Turks were therefore very anxious to get us
+away, while some of the under-strappers, evidently thinking the Russians
+would reach Bagdad, began to talk in a very different strain, pretending
+that they had really been pro-British all the time.
+
+Very few people succeeded in getting out of the barracks, but two or
+three officers, duly escorted, managed to get a gharry, and drove
+straight to the American consul, who arranged to give them money, and
+did everything he could for them. He said he expected to see many of us,
+and went on to tell them exactly what he thought of the campaign up to
+date. He was very pessimistic over the future treatment of the British
+troops, and declared that had we known what would happen to them we
+would have cut our way out of Kut at whatever cost. We hoped this was
+exaggeration, and that things would not turn out as badly as he
+expected; but events proved only too truly how entirely his fears were
+justified. Hopelessly inadequate rations, no transport, no medical
+arrangements for the sick who fell out, and utter incapability of all
+Turkish authorities, constitute one of the blackest crimes committed
+during any war.
+
+It is only right to add that whenever we met German officers they did
+all they could to help us, more than one saying they considered that we
+and they were civilized people in a land of barbarians.
+
+Two days after reaching Bagdad we were paraded in the hot sun in the
+afternoon and marched off to the station, passing over the bridge of
+boats and through the Shia quarter of the city, which lies on the right
+bank of the river. We were all only too glad to get away from the
+insanitary conditions which are inseparable from all Turkish buildings.
+
+After a wait of two hours at the station, we were packed into a train
+which started about six o'clock. A few miles north of Bagdad we passed
+the Great Mosque at Kazmain, its golden domes and minarets shining in
+the setting sun. The train proceeded at a good rate; everything in
+connection with the railway was naturally German, and of a substantial
+description. The length of line then completed to the railhead at
+Samaria was 80 miles, passing through slightly undulating country the
+whole way. This had been finished by the Germans before the war broke
+out.
+
+Most of us were weary, and many preferred lying on the floor of the
+corridors or vestibules at the end of the cars, to sitting straight up
+in the cramped compartments. We made several halts, and it was near
+midnight when we arrived. Our guards, a few gendarmes, seemed to have no
+idea where we were going, or what was to be done with us. Eventually we
+were told to leave our kit, which was to be brought along later, and
+were guided down towards the river. After walking a mile, we found
+ourselves in a small Arab village on the river bank, and were conducted
+into a courtyard some 40 yards square, where we were told we were to
+stay. There was a rough shelter round three sides, formed by brushwood
+supported on a rough wooden framework; this promised a certain amount of
+shade, and we were all glad to be in the open air rather than in another
+barrack building. There were no signs of any transport fetching our kit,
+so the most enterprising managed to procure two trollies, and trundled
+them up to the station along a narrow-gauge line. The Turks used this
+line for taking stores, ammunition, etc., to the railway, from the rafts
+on which they were floated down from Mosul. By dawn, nearly all the kit
+had been collected, and we had settled down as best we could.
+
+There was a certain amount of food obtainable from Arab vendors, and as
+we had our Indian servants, and a few things left from stores received
+at Shamran, we were fairly comfortable. As usual, no one seemed to know
+how long we were to be there, before our journey by road across the
+desert began. Fortunately, we were not guarded very strictly, and were
+allowed to go outside the courtyard, and down to the river to bathe; the
+current here was very strong, and only the most powerful swimmers could
+make any headway against it, and that only for a few yards.
+
+The town of Samarra was on the other bank, and some little height above
+the land on our side. It stands back from the river, and contains a fine
+mosque, with a golden dome. The inhabitants cross the river in
+gufahs--the large round coracles which are used all down the Tigris.
+Owing to the current a start always has to be made very much higher
+up-stream than the point where it is desired to land on the other side.
+
+During the three or four days which we spent at Samarra, a large
+quantity of German gun-ammunition arrived by raft from up-stream, and
+was carried by Arabs up the bank to the trollies. These rafts carry big
+loads; they are formed by a skeleton frame of wood on which is placed
+brushwood, the frame being supported by inflated skins which are tied to
+it. On reaching the end of a journey, the skins are deflated and sent
+back up the river to be used again. As there are rapids between Samarra
+and Bagdad, it was not possible to float the rafts right down to Bagdad,
+and consequently everything had to be transhipped to the railway. One
+night some large motors arrived, and went on at once by road towards
+Bagdad. Reports immediately circulated that Enver Pasha had arrived; but
+this cannot have been true.
+
+We had now learnt who our commandant on the journey was to be. He was a
+yuzbashi or captain, by name Elmey Bey, a little man with an enormous
+moustache, which made him look very fierce. He knew a very little
+French, and could therefore be approached without an interpreter. We
+did not really appreciate him until later. One morning he escorted a few
+of us over to the town; there was nothing to be seen except the mosque,
+and we were not allowed to look at this even from the gateway, much less
+to enter the courtyard.
+
+[Illustration: ELMEY BEY
+
+_(From a Water-colour Drawing by Lt. Browne)_]
+
+After making a few purchases, we went into an Arab cafe and partook of
+coffee and tea flavoured with citron. Elmey Bey would not let us pay for
+anything, and we thought it most hospitable of him. He said he would
+accept our hospitality another day. However, he eventually left the cafe
+without paying anything, and apparently the proprietor was really our
+unwilling host.
+
+The town seemed very deserted, many of the inhabitants being over on the
+other side, selling anything they could to the first batch of troops,
+who had reached Samarra that morning by rail, and were now camped in the
+open a little way above us. We were not allowed to go to see them, but
+one or two managed to get messages through, and an Indian clerk
+belonging to my regiment came to see us. He looked thin, and had
+evidently had a hard time. He said that on the way to Bagdad the guards
+had flogged men who fell out, to see if they were really ill, and that
+conditions as regards rations were pretty bad generally. None of our
+men, however, had succumbed so far, and, as many of the regiment had
+been anything but fit to start with, we hoped they would be able to
+stand it. We gave him a few little things in the way of eatables before
+he went back.
+
+The next day, we were told we were going to march; and the question of
+transport became all-important. At first the Turks said there would be
+two animals--donkeys, mules, or ponies--to each officer; this seemed
+much too good to be true, and when the time came there was barely one
+animal to every officer. These had all been forcibly commandeered from
+the villagers round, and a good many were taken back again on the sly by
+their owners before we could get hold of them. Others were taken by the
+gendarmes who formed our guard, while several were too small to be of
+use, or were hopelessly lame. By the time we had got our kit packed, we
+had left for riding one reasonably large donkey and a diminutive beast
+between the six officers and seven Indian servants in our mess.
+
+We started at sunset in a dust-storm. Fortunately it did not last long,
+and we got along without mishap till about eleven o'clock, when a heavy
+rainstorm came on. All through the night, and especially after every
+halt, we had been urged on by our Arab escort shouting "Yallah, yallah!"
+This really means "O God!" but is used by the Arabs for "Get on and
+hurry up." How we came to loathe that cry! About two in the morning, we
+reached some water; luckily, in the dark, we could not see what we were
+drinking. We must have done fifteen to twenty miles; and, as most of us
+had not marched any distance for months, we were only too glad to fall
+asleep for a few hours. At dawn we were again on the move, having had
+some trouble in finding our own animals again; the wise had marked
+theirs with copying pencil, and this method was generally resorted to
+afterwards.
+
+We went on with halts of a few minutes every hour, and got down to the
+river again at midday. It was now pretty hot, and we were told we should
+arrive at Tekrit, a small Arab town, in one hour. Throughout Turkey and
+Mesopotamia distances are measured by hours; a good working plan is to
+add on 50 per cent. to the average of what one is told, as no two men
+will ever say the same; if journeying by night it is safer to double it.
+
+That last hour to Tekrit was one of the worst we had; actually it was
+nearer two hours. There was a blazing sun, and we were very tired. The
+road left the river and went up a hill, then down and up again. On each
+rise we expected to see the town, but it was dreadfully slow in
+appearing. From some distance off we were met by Arab boys and women
+selling eggs, raisins, sour curds, and chapatties. Finally, we were
+taken through the place down to the river edge, a sort of dirty, stony
+beach, where we were told to camp; we had covered 30 to 35 miles in the
+last nineteen hours, and most of us had marched almost the whole
+distance.
+
+There was a small Arab cafe which we were allowed to use, but otherwise
+there was no shade. Arabs sauntered about our bivouac, and were anything
+but friendly; the place was filthy, and we were far from feeling
+cheerful.
+
+Some of the houses of the town stand up on a rocky crag above the river.
+Tekrit is a very old place, and at one time there was a bridge over the
+river here. It was laid waste by the Mongols and the people butchered.
+Before we left, we were all wishing that some such fate might be in
+store for the present inhabitants.
+
+Some of us bathed, but the water was very shallow and dirty. Arabs could
+be seen swimming across the river supported on inflated skins, in
+exactly the same way as Xenophon has described their forefathers doing
+2,000 years ago.
+
+That afternoon we tried to arrange to hire extra animals, as we felt
+that we could never get along if the succeeding marches were so severe.
+A good many animals were forthcoming, mostly mules and large donkeys.
+The usual terms were to be one pound in gold, paid in advance, and a
+second on arrival at Mosul. The following evening, just before starting,
+the owners demanded the whole two pounds in advance; there was nothing
+for it but to comply, the reason undoubtedly being that the commandant
+of the town and Elmey Bey both desired to have their share before
+starting, as otherwise they would not see any of it. A long delay ensued
+before we got off, and it was getting dark before we were clear of the
+town.
+
+The march that night was uneventful, and we halted for a few hours
+before dawn near the river, continuing our way as soon as it got light.
+We passed a few Arab encampments, formed of dark tents, where the nomads
+come at certain seasons to cultivate the surrounding land, together with
+their flocks of sheep and goats. Not a single house, or even mud-hut,
+was to be seen. Our next halt, which we reached in the middle of the
+morning, was a serai standing by itself on a low ridge. It was built on
+the usual square pattern, and contained a well, which however, was not
+of very much use, as the water was unfit for drinking; drinking water
+had all to be carried from the river, over a mile away.
+
+Elmey Bey, or "Phil May," as we christened him, had by this time shown
+how anxious he was to help us, by doing nothing at all to assist us
+either in buying provisions or keeping prices down. Our escort consisted
+of a few Arab gendarmes, and, on arrival at any village or encampment,
+they would make the people put up their prices, and insist on taking the
+difference as commission themselves; whenever they could manage it they
+prevented all country people from approaching us until their own demands
+had been satisfied.
+
+Phil May rode the whole way, and would hurry on and be comfortably
+asleep in his camp bed by the time we reached the end of the march. If
+worried sufficiently by the senior officers, he would occasionally go to
+the extent of abusing one or more of the gendarmes, and administer the
+usual punishment adopted by all officers in the Turkish army--slapping
+the face of the culprit. It says a good deal for the discipline of the
+Turkish soldier that a sergeant will stand up like a lamb and have his
+face smacked by the veriest nincompoop of an officer.
+
+Leaving the serai again the following morning, we did a short march of
+some six or seven miles only, down to the river. This was to be a very
+strenuous day, for that evening we were to start on the long waterless
+march about which we had heard so much. It was said to be 40 miles, that
+we should halt during the next day, and not reach water till the morning
+after, thus doing two all-night marches. Most people had bought
+goatskins, tied up to hold water, from the local Arabs. Most of them
+leaked more or less rapidly, the new skins being much the worst, and all
+gave the water a very strong flavour.
+
+We got away about 5 p.m., and nothing special happened till about 11
+o'clock, when suddenly the escort became wildly excited, and dashed up
+and down; we were halted and told there were hostile Arabs about; the
+gendarmes fired off a few shots into the air, but nothing more occurred.
+All we could find to account for the disturbance was that one officer
+had lost his donkey, which had got loose and gone careering off to the
+side of the road. As it was a dark night, this may very likely have
+alarmed one or two of the gendarmes, who did not strike us as being men
+of valour.
+
+Two hours later we halted, and, after a sketchy supper, soon got to
+sleep. In the morning, instead of remaining where we were for the day,
+as we had expected, we had to move on once more to the tune of "Yallah,
+yallah." After three hours or so we reached some low sand-hills, and
+amongst these found an unexpected stream, where we proceeded to camp.
+This stream, like so many more in this part of the world, was not pure
+water, but contained salts of various descriptions, said by the Turks to
+make the water bad for drinking. We drank steadily from this and other
+similar streams; and, luckily, for the most part, felt no ill effects.
+
+That evening, we were again upon the road, our destination being
+Shilgat, a small Turkish post on the Tigris, which we were meeting once
+more. We arrived eventually about midnight, after a very wearisome
+march, and after a long wait were herded into the courtyard of the
+Turkish fort. When the kit had been sorted out, we were very soon
+asleep, the usual precautions being taken to see that boots were hidden
+under one's valise, or tied up in some way to prevent theft. As the
+Turkish troops were always badly off for footgear, boots were the
+articles most often stolen, and several pairs had disappeared in this
+way before we reached our journey's end. All were thoroughly tired out,
+and it had been decided that we would insist on a rest the following
+day. Great was our wrath, therefore, to find ourselves awakened again at
+dawn, and told we must move at once to another place. Phil May came in
+for more abuse, and lost his temper promptly. We settled down,
+eventually, in another enclosure not far away, where we had more room.
+Later on, we succeeded in our efforts to get a whole day's rest.
+
+In ancient times Shilgat was Assur, the first capital of the Assyrian
+Empire. Archaeologists had evidently been at work here; all the
+foundations of the old city had been laid bare; it had covered a
+considerable area, and had been built largely of marble. Situated on a
+high promontory overlooking the Tigris and the flat plains beyond, the
+old town must have been an imposing sight from all the surrounding
+country. Now, only the foundations remain, and no carving or
+inscriptions are to be seen.
+
+Next day, we were off once more across flat, uninteresting country,
+keeping close to the river. At the start, there was considerable delay
+owing to donkeys getting bogged in a creek which we had to cross. After
+a midday halt for a couple of hours, we continued our weary way, and
+finally bivouacked for the night on the bank of the river.
+
+The following day's march proved one of the most unpleasant of the whole
+journey. After an early start, we soon reached a Turkish post, where a
+long delay occurred while our orderlies drew rations. At this place
+there were small bitumen works, these being the first signs of any
+modern industry which we had seen since leaving Bagdad. A little farther
+on, the track rose to higher ground, and we left the river away on our
+right. It began to get hot towards midday, and a warm wind got up,
+bringing clouds of dust to meet us. At length, in the afternoon, we
+reached a Turkish post, where after much altercation we were refused an
+entrance, and had to retrace our steps to a somewhat sulphurous stream a
+little way back, where we camped for the night.
+
+The country all round at this time of year is covered with long thin
+grass, and in many places there are quantities of wild flowers, scarlet
+poppies being very conspicuous.
+
+In order to defeat the gendarmes, we had by now formed a kind of trade
+union for buying eggs from villagers. On approaching each place, it was
+decided how much should be paid for eggs, these being more in demand
+than any other kind of food. In the Bagdad district the Persian kron is
+the usual unit: a kron is equivalent to fourpence or two Turkish
+piastres; farther north the piastre, or qrush, is used. The cheapest
+rate we obtained for eggs was eight for a piastre, or four a penny,
+whereas when the gendarmes had their own way we had to pay a penny for
+each.
+
+Our next march took us to Hamamali, a place on the river, and containing
+an old bath, as its name implies. There are bitumen springs entering the
+river here, but they are not strong enough to render the water unfit for
+drinking. Supplies were very plentiful--eggs, raisins, bread, and dates
+being the most sought after. After a few hours' rest and a bathe in the
+river, we started off again in the evening, looking forward to a real
+rest on reaching Mosul the next day. We bivouacked beside the road, and
+were moving at an early hour next morning. The road wound up and down
+over low hills, and some attempt had been made to metal the surface and
+build good bridges, showing that we were getting near to an important
+place. As we reached the top of one ridge, a full view of the Tigris
+valley burst upon us, Mosul lying straight ahead of us, while farther to
+the right across the river lay the ruins of old Nineveh. In the
+immediate foreground, the course of the river was marked by green
+cultivated land and low woods, while away, in the distance, rose the
+dark mountains of Kurdistan.
+
+On approaching the town more closely, one noticed a great difference in
+the mosques, as compared with Bagdad. Here the minarets were of plain
+stone-work, and were not capped by gorgeous golden domes or brilliant
+blue tile-work.
+
+We were marched into a large building, formed on the usual Turkish
+pattern of a hollow square. This seemed to be chiefly used as a prison.
+We were given three or four empty rooms on the upper story. Water was
+scarce, and had to be brought in by hand. In other respects, the
+building had all the filthy characteristics inseparable from the Turk.
+
+Soon after arriving, we were given Red Crescent post-cards to send home,
+and these turned out to be the first news our friends in England
+received from us. For food we were allowed to go out to restaurants in
+the town. One of these, run by a Frenchman, was a great joy to us, after
+the scratch meals which we had been forced to be content with for so
+long. We had covered the 175 miles from Samarra to Mosul in just under
+ten days, and had it not been for the extra animals hired at Tekrit we
+should scarcely have managed this. As it was, most people could ride for
+an hour and walk for an hour alternately, though some were not so
+fortunate.
+
+We were promised many things in Mosul, amongst others that we should be
+allowed to go to bathe in the river. This was never allowed in the end,
+although we went in parties to the bazaar, where we laid in stocks of
+flour, rice, and raisins, for the journey on to Ras-el-Ain. We were told
+that very few supplies were obtainable on the road until we reached
+Nisibin, 120 miles away.
+
+At Samarra, we had left behind a few officers who had not sufficiently
+recovered from the effects of the siege to proceed at once on the road
+journey. At Shilgat, we picked up one officer left by the first party,
+and left one or two of our own servants behind. All these we hoped would
+recover enough to come on with the troops or subsequent parties of
+officers. At Mosul, we found one of our doctors left behind by the first
+party, and attending to an officer who was down with enteric.
+
+After a rest of two days at Mosul, we started off on June 1 for the 200
+miles to the railhead at Ras-el-Ain. Our transport was now composed
+chiefly of carts, and a few extra carts were hired by paying in advance
+as before. There was the usual uncertainty as to how many marches it
+would take us, and how many hours we should be on the road the first
+day. We were now going almost due west, and would not see our old friend
+the Tigris again.
+
+In response to our complaints to the commandant at Mosul of the way in
+which our Arab escort had behaved, these men were changed for Turkish
+soldiers, who gave us less trouble. Our party was accompanied by three
+magnificent Arab horses, which were being taken to Constantinople for
+Enver Pasha. The Mosul district has been the finest horse-breeding
+country in Asia from the earliest times; indeed, it would be hard to
+imagine a country better suited for the purpose than the rolling grassy
+plains stretching away on both sides of the river.
+
+After leaving the Tigris, we did not see a single tree for a hundred
+miles, and there was very little water of any description. The first
+night we spent by some dirty pools after a march of more than twenty
+miles. The carts were not as restful as might be imagined, since they
+had no springs, and every few minutes the Jehu would urge his steeds
+into a canter to catch up distance lost on the cart in front, or merely
+to try to get ahead of it. The harness was largely composed of string
+and rope, which often gave way, thus occasioning a long rattle for all
+on board before the former place in the procession was regained. Some of
+the horses had most appalling sores: they are evidently worked till they
+drop, and receive the harshest treatment from the drivers. The boys
+driving our carts were Kurds, wild, quick-tempered, and reckless.
+
+The second day brought us to a camp beside a stream of pure sweet water,
+a welcome change after all the dirty pools and salt-laden springs which
+we had experienced. The following day, after a halt near some dirty
+springs at noon, we started on another long waterless trek in the late
+afternoon. We went on steadily all night, passing a large prairie fire.
+These fires are started to burn up the old long grass and make way for
+the fresh growth. They extend for miles, and at night are a fine sight,
+with heavy clouds of smoke hanging above.
+
+We halted for two hours about two in the morning, and then got under way
+once more. About nine o'clock we came to a good stream and towards
+midday reached our camp at Demir Kapo. Here, there was a small river
+which yielded a number of fish. We saw a few Germans, and a German
+wireless section was camped near. We bathed in the stream, and were very
+glad to rest for the remainder of the day and the following morning.
+
+Two more marches brought us to Nisibin. The country after leaving Mosul
+had been almost uninhabited, but here there were small villages dotted
+about. On getting nearer to them, we found that they were deserted; our
+guards told us they were Armenian villages, and that the people had all
+been killed earlier in the war. We passed a great many of these awful
+testimonies to the barbarity of Turkish politics.
+
+Away on our right, as we approached Nisibin, could be seen Mardin, a
+city built on a rock overlooking the plains, and forming, as it were, a
+look-out from the southern fringe of the Taurus Mountains. As to how
+far Mardin also was a city of the dead, it was impossible to tell.
+Before the war, the main Armenian population had extended from this
+district over a belt of land running north-eastwards up to Erzerum and
+Van.
+
+At Nisibin, we camped near the river, and had a full day's rest. This
+place saw as much fighting as any spot in Mesopotamia in the old days,
+having been the frontier station between Rome and Parthia. There are not
+many relics of the past to be seen at the present day, but close to our
+bivouac stood four old pillars, bearing transverse stones which had
+formed part of the Roman Forum. They stood out forlornly in a field on
+high ground, and, as might be expected, supported a stork's nest. These
+birds often build a new nest on the top of one or more old ones: they
+are very common in Mesopotamia, and several were seen in Bagdad.
+
+The following evening saw us moving on again, and the day after we
+halted at midday at Tel Erman. At this point, there is a road branching
+away to the north of the route we had followed and leading up to
+Diarbekr. The Turks were moving a good many troops at this time up to
+the Caucasus fronts, through Diarbekr, to meet the Russian pressure. We
+found a large camel convoy just beyond the village; since leaving Mosul
+we had met no troops or convoys destined for Bagdad or the Persian
+front; everything for Mesopotamia appeared to go down the Euphrates on
+rafts, this being the quickest way.
+
+Tel Erman lived in our memories as being the first place where we had
+obtained any fruit since leaving Bagdad three weeks before. Some small
+cherries and apricots were to be had and were eagerly bought up.
+
+During the evening's march, we passed a regiment of Turkish cavalry,
+who, for Turks, seemed to be wonderfully well equipped. The average Turk
+never looks happy on a horse, but these fellows made a better show than
+usual. As we approached the railhead at Ras-el-Ain, signs of activity
+increased, and there were more dead horses at the roadside, showing that
+the traffic was heavier.
+
+The last day's march was one of the worst; during the morning stage the
+sun was hot, there was no breeze, and quantities of sand-flies assailed
+us. Towards midday, we reached a big Turkish camp, where there were a
+good many men and stores in course of transit eastwards. Here we rested
+until late in the afternoon, when our final march to Ras-el-Ain began.
+The last few miles were accomplished at a good pace to a sustained
+whistling accompaniment, ranging over most of the popular songs of the
+last few years.
+
+Every one thought that our troubles were over, as we were now on a
+railway, and whatever might happen would not have to walk any farther.
+These hopes were dispelled a few days later, when we heard of the two
+breaks in the line across the Taurus Mountains, which had not yet been
+completed, thus necessitating two more trips by road.
+
+We bivouacked in the open by the station, and early in the morning were
+told to get ready at once to go by the next train. An hour later, it
+appeared that we were not going till the following day. By this time we
+had ceased to pay much attention to Turkish orders, unless we saw that
+actual preparations were being made to carry them out. In the afternoon,
+the Turks took away all Hindu orderlies and servants, and informed us
+that all the doctors in our party, except one, were to stay here to look
+after the Indian troops on their arrival, as the latter were going to be
+put to work on continuing the railway farther east towards Nisibin. We
+were very sorry for our medical friends, since their prospects looked
+anything but cheerful. Local food supplied from the country round
+seemed almost non-existent, and the shops in the village had very
+little.
+
+By the time we reached Ras-el-Ain, we had completed 200 miles from Mosul
+in ten days. Most of us had walked half the distance, and bumped in
+carts over the other half. We had kept tolerably cheerful, apart from a
+few inveterate grousers; altogether we had survived wonderfully well,
+and had fared infinitely better than the troops from Kut, who were
+marching along in our tracks a few days behind us.
+
+From Ras-el-Ain we started for Aleppo the next morning, the journey
+taking nearly twelve hours. The only interesting place through which we
+passed was Jerrablus, the ancient Carchemish, where the line crosses the
+Euphrates by a fine bridge. There was not much sign of activity on the
+river banks, but before we left the station a complete train loaded with
+German motor-lorries had arrived, and after a few minutes continued its
+way eastwards.
+
+On reaching Aleppo, in the evening, the orderlies and servants were
+marched off by themselves, and after loading our kit on to carts we were
+driven away in gharries from the station. This seemed to be almost the
+height of luxury, and we thought that at last we had reached a place
+where we should be really well treated. The gharries took us to various
+small hotels, but when once inside we were not allowed to go out again.
+The Turks said that our kit would be delivered at once; some people
+waited up hoping for the arrival of their valises, but the wiser seized
+what bedding there was obtainable in the hotel, and laying it on a
+veranda made the best of a bad job, and went to sleep.
+
+In the morning, we were not allowed out to get any food. The hotel
+sharks refused to let boys come up with rolls, but tried to sell to us
+themselves at double the prices. However, we eventually got hold of a
+boy who threw up rolls from the street below to our veranda, and thus
+outwitted our enemies.
+
+All efforts to get out for breakfast, or to fetch our kit, proved
+unavailing, until about midday we were allowed to go a few yards down
+the street to where our kit had all been thrown inside a gateway the
+night before. Fortunately, although a good many valises had evidently
+been opened, very little had been stolen.
+
+It was not until four o'clock in the afternoon that we were finally
+allowed out in parties to a restaurant not a hundred yards away. While
+we were shut in, we had seen Phil May in the road and shouted to him;
+but, although he could see very well what we wanted, he never took the
+trouble to come into the hotel, much less to help us.
+
+The next day passed in much the same fashion, except that we were
+allowed out at midday, and no one was sorry when we were marched off
+back to the station early the following morning. Here we met the
+orderlies, who had fared much worse than we had. The first night they
+had been packed into a small room in some filthy barracks, and had
+suffered severely from the verminous pests which flourish in every
+Turkish building.
+
+A railway journey of a few hours brought us to Islahie, which was then
+the railhead for the journey over the Anti-Taurus range.
+
+There were some Austrian troops in Aleppo, and we now began to meet many
+more Germans. Turkish training-camps were much in evidence at the
+stations we passed after leaving Aleppo, and a good deal of material was
+going south on the railway. Most of this was going to Egypt to assist in
+the attack which ended so disastrously for the Turks.
+
+We spent the night at Islahie under some rough tent shelters. All our
+clothes had been fumigated in a steam waggon specially designed for the
+purpose.
+
+The following morning we noticed a crowd of men, women, and children
+moving off along the road and looking very wretched. Our guards said
+that these were Armenians who had been working on the line, but were
+being taken away to make room for our troops, who would be set to work
+in their place; they also added that these Armenians would be marched
+off into a waterless spot in the hills, and kept there till they died.
+
+We left our camp in the evening, travelling the first part of the way in
+carts, over one of the most bumpy roads ever seen. After a halt at the
+foot of the pass, we marched up, starting at midnight. There was a fine
+moon, and the scenery as we climbed higher became very grand. The road
+appeared to be only lately completed, and was probably due to German
+energy. As we neared the summit three or four bodies were seen lying in
+the ditch beside the road; these were evidently some of the Armenians we
+had seen starting off that morning. After descending the farther side,
+we bivouacked under trees in a pretty spot, and on the slope opposite
+saw the Armenians. Soon after they left and we did not see anything more
+of them. That evening we continued our way downhill, meeting several
+batches of sturdy Turkish youths who had just been called up and were
+on their way to training-camps near Aleppo. We were descending rapidly,
+and our drivers maintained a headlong gallop, with the result that two
+carts were completely overturned, but fortunately with no ill effects to
+the passengers. We finally bivouacked not far from the railhead, and
+reached the station of Mamoure early the following morning.
+
+The railway journey across the plain, through Adana, took some six
+hours, bringing us to Kulek Boghaz, a station within five miles of
+Tarsus. From this point the road journey over the main Taurus range
+began. All supplies were being brought over by German motor-lorries, and
+everything was being run by a German commandant. During the night
+several helmets were stolen and probably found their way to German
+soldiers, who either had no sun helmets or very inferior ones. The
+commandant did his best to recover them, but without success. He told us
+that we should leave the next morning at 9 o'clock. Punctually to the
+minute, a dozen motor-lorries rolled up, and we were soon speeding along
+the road towards the mountains. The road had been cut up dreadfully by
+the heavy traffic, so that we were jolted about almost as badly as we
+had been in the Turkish carts. The scenery grew finer as we ascended,
+until half-way we reached an open space amongst the hills, which the
+Germans had made the headquarters of their motor service, and christened
+"Camp Taurus." Here were enormous repair tents, one for each make of
+car, with living quarters and offices all of a most complete and
+elaborate type. After a halt here, we continued our way, still rising
+slowly until we entered the Cilician Gates, where the road just finds
+room to pass through a narrow rocky gorge. On the farther side, the
+descent begins at once, and is very steep in places. The road here was
+being repaired by bands of forced labourers, and had a much better
+surface.
+
+As we neared the railway again, at Bozanti, we noticed a few British
+prisoners. These were naval men taken in the Dardanelles. They said they
+were being paid, and apparently had not much to complain about. We were
+not allowed to stop and speak to them, and can only hope that they fared
+better than our own troops who were put to work shortly afterwards on
+the neighbouring sections of the line through the Taurus.
+
+At Bozanti, we were able to buy a few stores, some of which were British
+and had been left behind at Gallipoli when we evacuated the peninsula.
+With only a short wait, we were packed like sardines into a train, and
+the next stage of the journey began.
+
+The next morning we reached Konia, and were told to leave the train, but
+not to take our kit out, as the train was stopping for some time. The
+local commandant arrived, and proved to be the best Turkish officer we
+had met. Under his direction, we were taken to a hospital building,
+where there were two large rooms containing rough beds. These were a
+great delight after sleeping on the ground for weeks. The commandant, a
+little later, decided that we should be allowed to remain here until the
+next day, so that we might have a rest. If we had relied on Phil May,
+our kit would have all gone on in the afternoon to Constantinople, but
+luckily we just managed to rescue it in time.
+
+The greatest delight of Konia, from our point of view, was an hotel near
+the station, to which we were allowed to go for meals. This was run by a
+Frenchwoman, who was kindness itself, and could not do enough for us.
+Few of us will forget the delights of her omelets or the hot baths in a
+real long bath, the first we had seen since leaving India.
+
+The journey next day was more comfortable, as we had more room. After
+spending another night in the train, we arrived in the morning at Afion
+Kara Hissar, where a good number of Gallipoli prisoners were interned.
+In the evening, we reached Eski Chehir, the junction for the Angora
+line. Here all our Mohammedan servants were taken from us. We were
+conducted a little way into the town to the houses where a number of
+Indian Mohammedan officers, who had come along with the first party,
+were living. They seemed to have fared pretty well, and certainly had
+very good quarters. They were very glad to see us, and we anxiously
+inquired after their experiences by the way.
+
+Up to this point we had fondly imagined that Angora would be the end of
+our journey, but just before starting in the evening we were told that
+another ten days by road lay in front of us after reaching Angora. We
+were packed tight in the train, and rumbled on slowly through the night,
+arriving at Angora at eleven o'clock next day. Our kit was left to be
+brought in carts, while we were marched through the town to a big
+building over a mile beyond. This had been built as an Agricultural
+College, but latterly used as a Military School. Here we found the
+first party of officers, whom we had last seen at Shamran camp. They
+seemed to have had a much more unpleasant journey than we had; whether
+it was because they had most of the staff officers amongst them, or had
+adopted the plan of telling every Turk and interpreter exactly what they
+thought of them, certain it is that they were not enjoying life, and
+when we arrived had not been allowed outside the building for two whole
+days.
+
+We had bidden farewell to Phil May with great delight at Eski Chehir,
+and had since then been in charge of a much pleasanter officer. Thanks
+to his efforts, we succeeded in getting permission to stay out of doors
+to cook and to go down to a neighbouring stream to bathe in the evening.
+We felt that the first party really owed us a great debt of gratitude in
+thus providing them with an opportunity of washing and getting a little
+fresh air.
+
+All our orderlies had been marched off from the station to some dirty
+Turkish barracks, so that we were entirely dependent on our own culinary
+efforts. Two days after our arrival, the first party left in carts for
+Yozgad, a distance of 100 miles due east on the road to Sivas and
+Erzerum. We remained for a week, being only allowed to go into the town
+once to make purchases. The journey to Kastamuni began under the best
+conditions. The weather was perfect, and as we were well over 2,000 feet
+above sea-level the sun was never too hot at midday. Also, we had a new
+commandant, who did what he could to help us. The distance in front of
+us was 140 miles, and we expected to take fully a week.
+
+The road led through countless orchards for the first few miles, and
+then on into more open country. Cherries and small apricots abounded,
+and supplies in general were plentiful; a very different state of
+affairs existed a year later, when prices had doubled and trebled, and
+in many cases advanced very much more. We reached a small village the
+first evening, and our commandant appeared much surprised that we should
+prefer to sleep in the open rather than in the very doubtful shelters
+attached to the local rest-house.
+
+The following day we reached Kalejik, a picturesque little place with
+the ruins of an old castle perched on a rocky pinnacle in the centre of
+the town. Some such ruin seems to keep watch over all Turkish towns. We
+had already seen similar old forts perched on hills at Afion Kara
+Hissar and Angora.
+
+Next morning, most of our carts were taken away, and we were given
+donkeys instead. A small moke cannot keep pace with a cart, and it is an
+open question whether riding the animal with a loading saddle is less
+fatiguing than walking along and driving it in front of one. Provided
+all one's kit had been put on a cart, the easiest way was often to let
+the moke go where it liked, and walk on oneself without it.
+
+Two days from Kalejik brought us to Changri, a prettily situated little
+place, which came suddenly into view, as we rounded a bend in the road,
+after traversing a very desolate and uninteresting stretch of country
+all day. We bivouacked under some trees by a stream, which, however, was
+not fit to drink from. The local commandant and Town Council paid us a
+visit. We were allowed to visit the bazaar, and generally made ourselves
+comfortable.
+
+In the morning, we were given more carts again, much to our delight, and
+continued our way northward. The road now began to cross some high
+ridges. On one of these we passed a police post, and a halt was made
+while our commandant stalked a few sitting pigeons with his shot-gun,
+eventually securing one after a great deal of trouble. Beyond
+sand-grouse, between Bagdad and Mosul, we had seen very little game of
+any sort since we left Kut.
+
+We camped by a stream, after a very steep and bumpy descent from a high
+ridge. It is extraordinary what treatment the light Turkish transport
+carts can stand without anything giving way.
+
+Our next march led us up a very long ascent, and proved the most
+enjoyable day of our whole journey. After ascending some distance, the
+road entered pine woods, and reminded us very strongly of roads near
+different hill stations in India. We halted at midday very near the top
+of the pass, which must be close on 4,000 feet, while the mountains on
+either side rise to another 2,000 feet. The views were glorious, and we
+wished it might have been possible to stay longer in such scenery. By
+evening, we had dropped down a long distance on the other side and were
+nearly out of the woods again when we halted for our last bivouac.
+
+We were now within ten miles of Kastamuni, and by eleven o'clock next
+morning, July 5th, were in sight of the place. The old castle, standing
+on its rocky crest, was the first sight which greeted us as we looked
+down into the valley from the top of the ridge along which we had come.
+The town, spreading up and down the valley round the base of the castle
+rock, seemed very much larger than any Turkish town we had seen since
+leaving Aleppo. The valley was green with cultivated fields and trees,
+while the hillsides were bare and brown.
+
+We were halted just outside the town, while a number of local gendarmes
+formed up on each side of the road. After a long wait, we thus
+progressed in state into the town and through the bazaar to our
+quarters, which proved to be houses from which the former Greek
+inhabitants had been ejected. In the end, although somewhat crowded, we
+found ourselves each with a bed, bedding, and a little other furniture.
+Most of us had not slept in a bed for eight months or more, apart
+perhaps from a few days in hospital, and all we desired at the moment
+was one long rest.
+
+During the last week, which had been by far the pleasantest of the whole
+trek, we had averaged twenty miles a day. Our journey altogether had
+been nearly 1,700 miles, and was probably the longest distance across
+country any prisoners of war have had to travel to the place of their
+confinement.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+LIFE IN KASTAMUNI
+
+_July 1916--August 1917_
+
+
+On arrival in Kastamuni, we were divided into two groups, one being
+accommodated in a large building, formerly a Greek school, with one or
+two adjacent houses, and the other in a number of houses in a street
+lower down the hill. Both places were on the edge of the town in the
+Greek quarter. The schoolhouse was perched high up and commanded a
+splendid view across the town in the valley towards the hills, beyond
+which lay the Black Sea--only some 40 miles away.
+
+The houses were built up on a wooden frame-work, the bricks being thrown
+in to fill up the intervening spaces in a most casual manner. The best
+houses were covered with stucco; but, however good in appearance, each
+house in Turkey has its own numerous population of small inhabitants. An
+Austrian lady whom we met assured us that her house was the only one in
+the town free from these pests, and we could well believe it.
+
+The town itself is shut in by the valley and presents a confused jumble
+of houses, with almost innumerable mosques, and in the centre one or two
+large Government buildings. The mosques are not particularly beautiful,
+there being no golden domes or blue tilework. The most pretentious have
+plain grey stone minarets, while the smaller ones have to be content
+with little steeples of wood. During Ramazan a ring of lights is kept
+burning at night round each minaret, and gives the town a strange
+appearance, as these are the only lights showing, there being no such
+thing as street lamps, and very few lights in private houses--with
+kerosine at a prohibitive price.
+
+After the weary march from Kut, we were only too delighted to get into
+our new quarters, and sleeping in a bed again was a luxury not soon to
+be forgotten. A restaurant had been arranged, and we found a very good
+meal ready for us soon after arrival. Unfortunately, this was much the
+best repast we obtained from the contractor, and when it came to
+arranging a daily messing scheme we had to be content with a very
+moderate programme. However, every one had got so tired of scraping
+along, cooking and foraging for themselves on the journey up, that any
+sort of plan by which some one else would do the work was not to be
+refused, even if we were to be done over it.
+
+During the summer of 1916, food in the town was comparatively cheap,
+eggs being a halfpenny each or less, and good white flour about sixpence
+a pound. Fruit was to be had in prolific quantities, the cherries being
+especially good. But no one takes any trouble to cultivate fruit in this
+part of Turkey. There are grapes, melons, peaches, apples and pears in
+great profusion, but all of the commonest kind. Had the country any
+communications worth the name, no doubt it would be different, but, as
+it is, the Turk is content with what grows by itself and does not need
+any special attention. The local taste in over-ripe and bad pears was
+most surprising. For weeks one would see baskets of rotting pears in the
+bazaar on market days and the country people enjoying them.
+
+The ruined castle on its rocky pinnacle must have dated back to very
+early times; it is now used as a "look-out" station and has three
+ancient guns, which are fired as an alarm in case of fire and at other
+moments of importance, such as the first sight of the new moon at the
+end of Ramazan. The greatest wonder to us was that the whole town had
+not been burnt down long ago, since all the bazaar houses were wooden
+and dry as tinder. The fire brigade consisted of one prehistoric manual
+pump which was carried about on the shoulders of five or six youths,
+with a scratch collection of hose and buckets. On one occasion a major
+of the S. & T. Corps was so overcome with laughter on seeing this
+apparition that the commandant, feeling much insulted, had him confined
+to the house for a fortnight.
+
+This was our first commandant, a very ignorant specimen, who, so report
+said, had been a farmer in the Caucasus. He was a most depressing sight
+at all times. Most Turkish officers only shave on Thursdays, and he was
+no exception to the rule. His trousers invariably swept the ground; he
+always wore goloshes several sizes too large and an old overcoat. He
+would shuffle about with his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunched
+up, looking the picture of misery. Yet, notwithstanding his apparent
+dejection, he was making quite a good thing out of us, as we found out
+later on. The restaurant contractor was paying him about L30 a month,
+and, between them, they were charging us rent for our quarters, which
+was quite contrary to all rules. Another little source of income was
+making us each pay for a 5-piastre receipt stamp for our monthly pay
+instead of a 2-1/2d.
+
+This commandant knew no language except Turkish, and consequently an
+interpreter was needed on all occasions. At the start this was a Greek,
+who made great protestations of his friendliness to us; but we very soon
+found him to be a double-faced blackguard doing his best to make a good
+thing out of us by arranging for commissions with the shopkeepers with
+whom we dealt.
+
+Fortunately for us, early in 1917, a Turkish colonel--Zeur Bey, from
+Constantinople--arrived unexpectedly on a visit of inspection, with the
+result that the commandant was promptly dismissed and matters regarding
+overcharges for house rent put right. The commandant was said to have
+been seen on his knees before the colonel imploring forgiveness. This at
+all events was the story of Sherif Bey, the second in command, who was
+by way of being very anxious to do all he could for us. On our march
+from Angora to Kastamuni he had certainly done his best for us, but
+later on we were forced to distrust him.
+
+Turkish officers, as a rule, have very good manners and promise one
+almost anything without the least idea of ever keeping their word. They
+speak French with a very good accent, which makes one give them credit
+for knowing a great deal more of that language than is usually the case.
+It is quite impossible to describe the uniforms worn by officers, as one
+so seldom sees two dressed alike. All material being so scarce and
+expensive, uniforms were made from almost anything, and there being no
+such person as a provost-marshal no one could interfere. Consequently,
+one saw some officers dressed in a highly picturesque style, looking as
+if they had just been taking a part in "The Chocolate Soldier" or "The
+Balkan Princess," and others whom one could only recognize from
+shopkeepers by their badges of rank.
+
+The Greek interpreter was the first one of the original staff to depart.
+After him, two very much better fellows were sent us. One of these was a
+young Turk named Remzi, who had been a naval cadet in Constantinople
+when the war broke out--and still cherished the fond hope of one day
+being an officer in the British Navy, for which he had the most profound
+veneration. Unfortunately, in trying to help us, he wrote to
+Constantinople; got into trouble with his seniors, and was sent away.
+We were thus left with the second man, an Armenian, who was always
+called "Napoleon" from his likeness to the Great Man. Napoleon was very
+cautious, but, considering the difficulty of his own position, he did us
+very well.
+
+After our first commandant had disappeared, his successor arrived in the
+shape of a very small, but very stout and cheery little man, named
+Fattah Bey. He proved to be a very good fellow and things were soon
+running much more pleasantly. A great point in his favour was that he
+spoke German, and we were thus able to dispense with an interpreter.
+Capt. H., of the I.A.R.O., took charge of him on most occasions, and
+after we had had him a few weeks he was becoming quite pro-British.
+
+The greatest events in our life were undoubtedly the arrival of a mail
+or parcels. The letters we received in July 1916, soon after our
+arrival, were the first news most of us had had from our friends at home
+since before the siege began in Kut nearly eight months earlier. On an
+average, letters came through every ten days or so, the quickest time
+taken from home, via Switzerland, Vienna and Constantinople, being 25
+days. Parcels travelled by the same route, but were very much longer in
+making their appearance. At first they arrived in three to four months,
+but gradually took longer and longer, until finally they were eight and
+nine months on the way. The reason for this delay was to be found in
+Vienna, where all parcels were transhipped, and apparently thrown into a
+depot until such time as the Austrian officials decided to send a few
+more on. Any big operations on the Italian front had the immediate
+effect of stopping all parcels and sometimes letters as well. There were
+exceedingly few cases of anything having been actually stolen and, up to
+a certain date, officers had received nearly all parcels sent from home.
+
+Soon after our arrival, we received a number of gifts through the
+American Embassy in Constantinople, who were at that time looking after
+our interests. These consisted of thin cotton things for the summer,
+and, when wearable, were of considerable use. Unfortunately, they were
+much too small, and it was a very lucky man who could wear the trousers
+he was given. Later on, more clothes arrived, these being thick winter
+garments which, although not providing the same amount of amusement,
+fitted us better and were a great godsend, since it was not until the
+New Year that people began to receive the clothes they wanted from home.
+
+The winter in Kastamuni and, in fact, over most of Asia Minor can be
+very severe; but it is a dry and healthy cold. In February 1917, we had
+well over 20 degrees of frost for days, and during the following winter
+the temperature at Changri went down to 6 degrees below zero. Indeed, it
+would have been hard to find a better climate than Kastamuni, which was
+2,500 feet above the sea. The rainfall there was very small and confined
+almost entirely to March and April. The summer temperature was very much
+the same as in England, but drier.
+
+As one gets nearer to the Black Sea coast, the rainfall increases and
+the vegetation gets thicker. Between Angora and Changri there are wide
+stretches of almost desert land. At Kastamuni we had pine woods and
+shrubs on the hills, while all the valleys were extensively irrigated.
+On the Black Sea coast itself the climate is much milder in winter and
+there are thick woods of beech, oak and fir with heavy undergrowth.
+
+Apart from the kitchen, which always has a huge open chimney, there were
+no fireplaces of the ordinary kind in the houses. All heating in winter
+is done by stoves of sheet iron with a chimney leading out through the
+nearest wall. These stoves, fed with wood, give out a tremendous heat
+for a short time, but it is very hard to maintain anything approaching
+an even temperature. Wood was plentiful during the winter of 1916-17,
+and we used to buy it in the form of whole logs. These we had sawn up by
+two Armenians into short lengths, which we then split with an axe. This
+gave us a good deal of exercise during the cold winter mornings.
+Unfortunately, the next year, wood had become scarce and much more
+expensive and all prisoners suffered considerably in consequence. A good
+deal of charcoal is used for cooking, but we saw no coal being used in
+the district, even the railway up to Angora being largely dependent on
+wood.
+
+After a few months at the restaurant, the contractor began to put up
+prices and most of us demurred. This finally led to the majority going
+on strike and deciding to mess themselves, as we were allowed to by the
+rules. The old commandant, however, and the contractor, had no idea of
+accepting the alternative if they could possibly help it. Consequently,
+we were first forbidden to cook in the kitchens of our own houses, for
+fear we should set the chimneys and the houses on fire. To get over
+this, we made fireplaces in the back gardens or yards behind the houses.
+Other little pin-pricks of the same kind were tried, but we finally got
+our own way, and found that our mess bills were reduced to nearly a half
+what they had been before. We had a number of British orderlies with us,
+who did our cooking and waited on us. To start with, there was some
+difficulty in getting a separate room as a dining-room for each mess,
+but eventually we settled down and furnished on an economical plan, our
+carpenters making benches, tables, etc.
+
+The restaurant contractor was so disgusted at our strike that he closed
+down altogether for two or three days, thus throwing out into the cold
+the few who had remained faithful to him on any conditions rather than
+do their own catering. There was, somewhat naturally, a good deal of
+ill-feeling between the two parties in consequence, and it took time to
+die out. In the end, the restaurant supporters had to start a mess of
+their own and came into line with the rest of us.
+
+We were allowed a fair amount of liberty, although at the start things
+did not look promising, the old commandant telling us we should be only
+able to go one short walk a week. Actually we were allowed in the road
+for a hundred yards or so outside our houses and could go to the bazaar
+or Turkish bath any day by getting a sentry to go with us.
+
+The Hamams, or Turkish baths, of which there are a great many, are not
+the elaborately furnished places one sees at home, but consist of two
+vaulted chambers, supplied with vapour. Round the side are ledges on
+which one sits, and stone basins with a supply of hot and cold water.
+After being stewed in the hottest chamber for a quarter of an hour, one
+passes out to the outer room, where an aged attendant is generally ready
+to operate with buckets of cold water. Next one proceeds to the
+dressing-rooms and reclines comfortably swathed in towels, while Turkish
+coffee is brought round. After the first few months, sugar became so
+expensive that it was no longer provided, and the coffee seemed very
+poor in consequence. Altogether, in a place where one had plenty of time
+to spare, the Hamam provided a very pleasant way of spending a morning.
+
+The Turks used to put up numbers of rules for our benefit. These were
+written out in the best English the interpreter could achieve, which was
+never very clear. As a rule, we did not pay very much attention to
+them, and they, on the other hand, never seemed to care either. The rule
+was on the board, and, if any officious officer was to come round from
+Constantinople, he could always be shown it, and assured it was strictly
+obeyed.
+
+On one occasion a notice was suddenly put up, informing us that all
+lights henceforth must be put out at 9.30 p.m. It was thought advisable
+to do so the first night; the second night, the time was about 9.45; and
+after that we continued to go to bed when we pleased, and were never
+bothered any more about it.
+
+Owing to the tremendously high price of kerosine, Daylight Saving soon
+came into force, and saved us a great deal.
+
+The sentries, on the whole, were a very good-natured lot and would never
+have worried us with restrictions as far as they themselves were
+concerned. They were mostly old men who had served in previous wars and,
+until called up, were living on their own small farms. One of the best
+of them was "Johnnie Walker," a little man who had a most extraordinary
+stride and could walk any of us to a standstill. We always tried to get
+him when going for a long walk, knowing that from personal motives he
+would never stop us going a good distance. Another favourite was
+"Ginger," a very harmless old fellow with sandy whiskers. As one went
+past, he would lean over and whisper confidentially: "Ginger
+fennah?"--Is Ginger a bad fellow? Every now and then they went to their
+homes on leave and came back with a few pounds of butter or a bag of
+wheatmeal, which they sold to us without much difficulty.
+
+On our arrival, the only weapons the guard possessed were ancient
+pinfire rifles, firing a huge lump of lead. Each man had exactly two
+rounds in his possession. Later on some rather younger men came, armed
+with captured Russian rifles.
+
+We soon managed to hire a field for football. It was very stony and by
+no means level, but, nevertheless, was a great acquisition. As a rule,
+each group of houses used it three days a week. To start with, we only
+had a Soccer case and no bladder. We stuffed the case with grass and
+played a very modified form of Rugger, where collaring was disallowed on
+account of the stones, and punting and place kicking forbidden in order
+to preserve the life of the ball. After some weeks we got some proper
+footballs from Constantinople, and others came eventually from home. We
+played matches against the other group of houses, Regulars _v._
+Irregulars, and every other thing we could think of. Soccer Sixes caused
+much excitement and a local firm of bookmakers, who came into existence
+for the occasion, did a large business.
+
+We could always rely on getting out somewhere every day. During the
+early summer we had splendid walks two days a week over the hills in the
+mornings. These long walks did not suit everybody, and a gentle form of
+meandering had to be organized for the "slugs." On one celebrated
+occasion, we walked out about five miles, taking our lunch, and had a
+very cheery picnic, but this was never allowed again, and in July 1917
+all long walks were suddenly stopped, and we were barely allowed outside
+the boundaries of the town.
+
+For news of the outer world, we were dependent upon the local telegrams,
+which the best Turkish scholars used to translate, and also upon the
+"Hilal," a German-run paper, printed in Constantinople. This paper, of
+which we used to receive the French Edition, had been started for
+propaganda purposes at the beginning of the war. The news was,
+naturally, very one-sided, but, reading between the lines, one could
+tell fairly well what was the position on the Western Front. In
+addition, we had maps, and could follow the places mentioned, when, as
+during the Somme offensive, the Germans, "according to our preconceived
+plan," took up a position some miles in rear of their last. A serial
+story which ran for some time in this paper was called "L'evade de
+Tsingtau," and gave the adventures of a German, who having escaped from
+Tsingtau after the Japanese had taken it, reached America, was caught
+while trying to cross to Germany, spent some time in Donnington Hall,
+but finally succeeded in escaping, and swam off from near Tilbury to a
+Dutch ship lying in the river, thus getting clear away. Whether true or
+not, it made a wonderful story.
+
+News carefully camouflaged in our letters from home invariably arrived
+safely; in fact, the Turks never troubled to censor anything in the
+letters we received. On the other hand, every now and then some
+officious creature in Constantinople would systematically cut up our
+long letters, which we were allowed to write twice a month, and only
+send on the first two and last two lines.
+
+There were always plenty of rumours amongst the Greek shopkeepers in the
+bazaar. For instance, we were told the British had taken Bagdad long
+before they did, and our troops in Palestine were always said to be
+within three or four marches of Aleppo; the Russians were just outside
+Sivas, and Trieste had been taken by the Italians. The Turks themselves
+never believed these stories, and, in fact, even when the armistice was
+signed, many of them in country districts had not heard that Bagdad was
+in our possession. They received no letters from their friends at the
+front, no casualty lists were published, and the only news that seemed
+to reach them by post was a few letters from Turks we had taken to Burma
+as prisoners, who seemed to be very happy and contented.
+
+The country people never showed any "hate" against us, but the
+authorities used to make this an excuse for curtailing our walks, saying
+how fanatical the village people were in the neighbourhood.
+
+Apart from football matches, we employed ourselves in various ways.
+There were soon two or three well-established firms of carpenters, who
+did a great deal of work and made a lot of furniture. Others took to
+cobbling, and had plenty to do to keep our boots in order. A good many
+studied various languages, but Turkish was not very popular, as no one
+expected ever to want it again when once they had left the country.
+
+We had quite a good library, and books came through without much trouble
+in parcels from home.
+
+A long series of lectures were held during the winter, every one who
+could do so lecturing to the rest of us. It is wonderful what a
+comprehensive programme can be formed when one is really put to it.
+
+Another intellectual effort was a debating society; but this did not
+have a very long life.
+
+Our greatest achievement was undoubtedly the band. This was started in
+the spring of 1917, under the auspices of our new commandant, who was
+very keen about it. At first there were only two or three violins which
+had been discovered in the bazaar, then others were found, also some
+clarionets; drums and banjos were soon made, and, finally--greatest
+triumph of all--two 'cellos and a double bass were manufactured by our
+most progressive firm of carpenters. Altogether, the band numbered about
+sixteen. At the start they had no music, and Lieut. Parsons, R.F.A., who
+conducted, had to score the parts for a number of pieces, most of which
+were wonderfully successful. Later on, music came from home, and
+concerts were given twice a week.
+
+We even had a little dancing on one or two occasions, and one day the
+commandant brought two or three Greek and Armenian ladies. This was such
+a success that he became very excited and declared "Next veek plenty
+lady kom." Life seemed to be improving all round, but it was too good to
+last, and suddenly everything was stopped. The commandant got into hot
+water with the other Turkish authorities in the town, who had probably
+reported him behind his back to Constantinople. Our walks were suddenly
+curtailed and no long walks allowed. Had the little man been able to
+stand up for himself, things would have been much better, but he was
+much too scared to take a strong line, and a few days later departed for
+Eski-Chehir to take the place of the commandant there, who, in turn, was
+to come to Kastamuni.
+
+During the winter of 1916, prices began to rise rapidly in the bazaar
+and this went on all through 1917, until in 1918 all prisoners had great
+difficulty in getting food, even in the new camps, which were said to be
+better off in this respect than Kastamuni.
+
+When we first arrived, there was a small amount of silver money in
+circulation, the smallest notes which were just being introduced being
+20 and 5 piastres--3s. 4d. and 10d. in ordinary times. Not long
+afterwards, these were followed by 2-1/2 and 1 piastre notes, which
+carried pictures of the Dardanelles and Kut on the back, Kut being quite
+unrecognizable. For smaller change recourse had to be taken to stamps
+and by midsummer of 1917 no coins of any sort were to be seen.
+
+Money came through to us in various ways, but the best exchange we could
+get was by cashing undated cheques with the Greek shopkeepers in the
+town, who gave us 160 piastres to the pound, whereas through the Dutch
+Embassy we could only get 140, the exchange rate before the war being
+112. The shopkeepers would not be able to cash these cheques till the
+end of the war, and it says something for the reputation of a British
+cheque that they would accept them on such conditions. They undoubtedly
+regarded such cheques as being a very much safer asset than the Turkish
+paper money, which was the only alternative, and, at the end of the war,
+would very likely be suddenly repudiated by a paternal Government.
+
+We were paid by the Turks at the rate they pay their own officers, the
+equivalent of this being deducted from our accounts by the War Office.
+
+On the way up from Kut we were given one month's pay in Bagdad, which
+for senior officers was on a comparatively generous scale. However, on
+reaching Kastamuni, these unfortunates were told that the Bagdad rates
+were quite wrong, and they were now to pay up the difference; this took
+several months in many cases.
+
+Happily for us, soon after our arrival, the Red Cross came to our
+assistance, working through the American Embassy in Constantinople. They
+gave us LT.3 a month, which, with a subaltern's allowance of LT.7 as pay
+from the Turks, made it just possible to carry on.
+
+As food got more expensive, the Red Cross increased their allowance to
+LT.5 a month, and had finally to increase this still further.
+
+In May and June 1917, some additional orderlies arrived; these men had
+been in other camps up till then, and were not all Kut prisoners, some
+having been taken in the Dardanelles and others in Egypt. They brought
+dreadful stories of the treatment of the troops during the first few
+months, and it became clear that at least two-thirds of the Kut garrison
+were already dead. The last news they had heard was that all fit
+prisoners were being sent back to the North of Syria to work on the
+railway there. As conditions were very bad in that district when we came
+through in 1916, no one can say what those who returned a year later had
+to go through. This area was considered as one under military
+operations, and was, therefore, excluded from the agreement finally come
+to by which the Dutch Embassy in Constantinople was to inspect the
+various camps.
+
+Unfortunately, some of these new orderlies contracted typhus on their
+way to Kastamuni, at one of the dirty halting-places, and three
+succumbed. They were buried beside three officers whom we had already
+laid to rest, in a little cemetery at the top of the hill overlooking
+the town, near the slope where the Greeks and Armenians are buried.
+Wooden crosses were at first put up over the graves, but these were at
+once torn up and stolen by the Turkish peasants. We then obtained heavy
+slabs of stone, on which a cross was carved and the names cut. A wall
+was built round the little spot, a number of officers going up every
+morning and working hard until it was completed. Now that no British
+prisoners are left in Kastamuni, one hopes that the little cemetery will
+be allowed to remain undisturbed on the bare hillside.
+
+During the summer of 1917, a number of officers were in favour of
+getting the Turks to move the camp from Kastamuni to some place nearer
+to the railway, as it was thought that it would then be easier to obtain
+supplies of wood and fuel during the coming winter. It is doubtful if
+this would have been the case, but an official request was sent to
+Constantinople. Towards the end of July 1917, our liberties were
+considerably curtailed for no apparent reason, and after the escape of
+our party, on August 8th, very severe restrictions were imposed.
+
+Nowhere in Turkey could life in 1917-18 be considered amenable, since
+food was so short in all districts. This, combined with the depreciation
+in the paper money, kept prices very high and made messing a great
+problem; if parcels could have got through more quickly from home it
+would have made a big difference.
+
+At the end of September, the first batch of officers was moved to
+Changri, and the remainder followed early in October. At Changri
+accommodation was provided in a dirty Turkish barrack, which, besides
+needing very extensive cleansing, required much glass in the windows.
+Shortly afterwards, two-thirds of the officers left for Gedos, a small
+place about a hundred miles east of Smyrna, where they were placed on
+parole, and given liberty to go where they pleased unguarded. The
+remainder stayed for some months at Changri, where they had managed to
+make themselves fairly comfortable, although only allowed to go out to a
+neighbouring field for exercise. Later, however, they were sent to
+Yozgad, the camp to which the first half of the Kut officers had
+originally been sent.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+ESCAPE FROM KASTAMUNI
+
+
+Returning to events in Kastamuni, in November 1916 a little more housing
+accommodation had become available for us, and as a result I found
+myself sharing a good room with Keeling, a lieutenant in the I.A.R.O.
+One evening, soon afterwards, I asked him if he would make an effort
+with me to reach the Russians if, as we hoped, they should advance
+further west from their lines, which were then running due south to
+Erzinjan from a point a little way west of Trebizond. He replied that he
+had long been thinking of it, and had made a start towards preparing for
+such an effort by carefully preserving two 1 lb. tins of chocolate which
+he had received from home!
+
+At that time such a journey meant a distance of 300 miles across country
+from Kastamuni, and we considered it quite hopeless in view of the
+mountainous country to be passed. It was also obvious that any attempt
+to get a long distance across country would stand a much better chance
+if made in the summer time. It would be impossible to carry enough food
+and we should have to fall back on such crops, fruit and vegetables as
+might be ripe and obtainable. We thought April or May would be the
+earliest possible month. Another alternative was to get to the coast,
+only 38 miles as the crow flies, and then to steal a boat. This
+necessitated having one man in the party who knew how to sail a boat,
+and added a big risk in the very fact of having to launch a boat
+secretly and get away from a coast which as far as we could hear was
+well guarded.
+
+The general opinion was that it was quite hopeless to try to get away.
+This belief was shared by the senior officers and, under pressure from
+the Turkish commandant, most people gave their parole not to try to
+escape under present conditions. About ten of us refused: some because
+they believed such an act was definitely against Army rules, and the
+others, like ourselves, because they hoped for a chance to get away and
+considered that they were justified in taking such a chance if it seemed
+to offer any possibility of success. Pressure was brought to bear upon
+us by the Turks to change our views; but we remained firm. We were told
+our liberty would be curtailed; we would be put in a separate house by
+ourselves; while the others were to get additional liberty. What
+actually happened was exactly nothing, and we all went on precisely as
+before. It appeared to be merely a dodge on the part of the Turks to
+save themselves trouble and responsibility. From time to time, owing to
+various good reasons, many others withdrew their parole, and by the date
+we departed--August 8th, 1917--nearly half the officers must have
+followed suit.
+
+In the meanwhile K. and I had been trying to collect information and had
+been sounding a few other officers. It was very hard to get anything
+which was at all trustworthy: some reports said there were no boats on
+the coast, others that a boat could probably be obtained. One Greek told
+us that it would be impossible to get through to the Russian lines, as
+the people east of Samsun were so wild and savage. This man was making
+plenty of money out of us in his professional capacity, and evidently
+did not wish any disturbances between us and the Turks to imperil his
+tranquillity and source of gain. We were not therefore much influenced
+by his fears.
+
+Maps were a necessity, and the only one we had was on a scale of 32
+miles to an inch. I made tracings of this, so as to have duplicate
+copies, but the scale was too small to be of much use beyond showing the
+general trend of the country. I also succeeded in making a compass of a
+rough description by fixing a dial to some magnetic needles and
+suspending it with a thread. Fortunately, however, a little later, we
+discovered a shop in the town where we could buy some cheap but
+tolerably serviceable compasses, and secured several of these, taking
+care that the sentry with us did not see what we were buying. The best
+map we had seen was hanging up in our commandant's office. This was a
+German one and to a scale of about seven miles to an inch. No
+opportunity occurred, unfortunately, of being able to copy it. It showed
+us, however, a large number of farms and villages sprinkled over the
+countryside. The Russians had advanced no further, and the only plan at
+all feasible seemed to be to get a boat on the coast and make for
+Trebizond.
+
+As the summer began our discussions took a more practical shape, and we
+got in touch with people who were in a position to know something
+trustworthy. One of those we approached was an interned Ally. Under
+various pretexts I succeeded in getting a sentry to come with me to his
+house, which was strictly against the rules, saying I wanted to buy a
+guitar. On arrival he produced the guitar, and while pretending to try
+it we discussed the possibility of getting away. He considered that it
+would be possible to get a boat on the coast at Ineboli and suggested
+sending someone he could trust to find out how things stood and if
+possible to make arrangements. Conversation was not too easy, as his
+knowledge of English was very sketchy and I knew nothing of his
+language; also the sentry was present, so that everything had to appear
+to be about the guitar and no names of places mentioned aloud. A little
+money and cigarettes to the sentry ensured his not talking later about
+where we had been, and I endeavoured to get the same man on the next
+occasion. One day at this house I met a fellow countryman who as a
+civilian had been interned at Constantinople. For some reason the Turks
+had become more suspicious and he had been packed off to Kastamuni. He
+gave me some useful information about the state of the country further
+east, but was not at all hopeful of our getting through. I did not see
+him again, as he was naturally very loth to be seen speaking to any of
+us, as that would mean his being sent out to live in one of the small
+villages away from every vestige of civilization. Meanwhile K. had been
+interviewing one or two people whom we thought might be trusted. For
+this purpose an appointment was generally made at the Hamam, or Turkish
+bath. We were allowed to go to these baths, of which there were a large
+number in the town, whenever we liked, and, as the sentry always stayed
+in the entrance hall, one could speak freely to anyone inside. On the
+whole these Allies recommended us not to make any attempt, one saying
+that had it been possible he himself would of course have gone long ago.
+Actually, they were afraid of trying anything of the sort or being in
+any way implicated by us.
+
+We discussed the proposal of my friend with some of the others and
+decided to try his suggestion. Accordingly ten of us collected about 50
+liras--one lira equals 18s. 6d. nominally--which was handed to him. He
+in turn was to arrange with a Greek who was going to the coast and
+promised to bring back the information we needed. After some delay he
+finally departed, and, as we had feared, never turned up again.
+
+Some of those who had subscribed considered any attempt without
+previously obtaining a boat to be hopeless and, when the Greek never
+returned, the number who were keen to go was reduced to half a dozen.
+Much discussion followed as to the size of the party, whether there
+should be two parties and who should go in which, and what routes should
+be followed. Eventually only four of us prepared to start, the others
+promising to give us all the support they could. Our party now consisted
+of Captains R. J. Tipton, R.F.C., R. T. Sweet, 2/7th Ghurkas, Lieut. E.
+H. Keeling, and myself, both of the I.A.R.O. "Tip" had been taken in
+Egypt, while we three had all been in Kut.
+
+There were two possible ways of getting out of the camp, or rather away
+from the street in which we lived, and either seemed fairly easy to
+arrange.
+
+In order to get our provisions ready, we had to take one or two of the
+British orderlies into our confidence. We decided after much scheming
+that we would take 20 lb. of food each, consisting of 11 lb. of
+biscuits, 2-1/2 lb. of cheese, 2-1/2 lb. of smoked meat, 1-3/4 lb. of
+chocolate, 1-1/2 lb. of Horlick's Malted Milk and the remainder of soup
+squares, cocoa and sugar, with a box of tea tabloids. The biscuits were
+made of good white flour, for which we had at that time to pay an
+exorbitant price as it was almost unobtainable; butter and sugar, which
+were also appallingly expensive, were added. Some were made with
+raisins, all being baked as hard as possible to save weight. These, with
+raisins, proved much the most popular subsequently. Our mess cook,
+Gunner Prosser, R.F.A., made most of the biscuits and was very keen to
+do all he could to help us. In order to keep things dark we told as few
+people as possible, but several people must have suspected us before we
+finally took our departure. The all-important question of the food to be
+carried caused much discussion before the final schedule was drawn up.
+Some were for taking one solid lump of duff instead of biscuits, but the
+latter won the day as containing less water and being therefore of more
+value weight for weight. K. had a profound belief in Horlick's Malted
+Milk, which was fully justified by our subsequent experience. For some
+days prior to our departure a notice on the board, which was used by
+people who wished to exchange contents of parcels from home, informed
+all and sundry that Lt. K. could offer a very large variety of articles,
+ranging from honey to socks, in exchange for Malted Milk. This resulted
+in most of our supply being obtained. The question of meat was
+difficult, as tinned stuff received from home was too heavy and there
+was nothing to be got in the bazaar but smoked mutton, which was not
+very appetizing. Eventually, we decided on the mutton. We had a good
+many soup squares of different kinds, but on the journey we wished we
+had had more cocoa instead. We decided to pack as much food as possible
+in small bags, for which some puggaree cloth came in handy, and an old
+pillow-case made a good receptacle for the biscuits. K. spent a long
+time sewing up small bags and in generally thinking out and preparing
+for all eventualities.
+
+In the event of our being forced to buy food, we had decided that our
+only chance was to pretend we were Germans, since the country people,
+while seeing we were not Turks, would be too ignorant to know any
+difference between Briton and Hun. This also fell in well with our plan
+of going in uniform. To make things more secure we forged a passport.
+This was written out by Captain Rich, 120th Infantry, who knew Turkish
+fairly well, and purported to be a letter from the Army commander at
+Angora to Hauptmann Hermann von Below, who, with three German orderlies,
+was said to be travelling on a surveying expedition. It was requested
+that the utmost facilities should be given him in his work. The name of
+the Army commander we had managed to obtain correctly, and this was
+signed in a different hand and ink. A seal was also appended, as is
+usual in all Turkish documents, and suitably smudged so that the name
+which did not correspond with the signature might be illegible.
+
+A volume dealing with woodcraft was perused by K., who discovered that
+the ordinary type of rock lichen was a highly nutritious food and, also,
+that nearly all forms of toad-stool were equally useful. We hoped not to
+need such emergency rations and, fortunately, never got to that stage in
+our subsequent adventures. Over and above the 20 lb. of food we
+estimated that each one would need to carry 10 lb. more in kit and
+equipment, the former comprising a spare pair of socks, a "woolly" and
+vest or something similar, and the latter a haversack and waterbottle,
+matches, knife, spoon and soap. In addition we carried a sail, about 40
+feet of light rope, a light axe head, two canteens, a safety razor,
+housewife, nails and thread for repairing boots, maps, and compasses.
+These were divided up into equal weights between the four of us. The
+sail was rather a work of art. It was made in two pieces from a bed
+sheet, the lining of two Wolseley valises and a couple of towels. With
+the help of a sailor friend, Lieut. Nicholson, R.N.R., we roped it all
+round. It measured about 10 ft. by 7 ft. 6 in., and weighed complete
+about 7 lb. The idea was that, having discovered a boat and if need be
+hewn down a small tree for a mast, we would paddle off from the coast
+and put up the sail as quickly as possible after sewing the two pieces
+together. Tip was to be our navigator, as he had done a good deal of
+sailing in pre-war days.
+
+As Sweet was the only man with a rucksack, we three had to make our own.
+This meant a good deal of laborious sewing. My own was laid on the
+foundation of a khaki drill bag originally received in Mesopotamia with
+gifts from the ladies of Bombay; this was reinforced with an old pair of
+braces and the necessary webbing sewn on. It proved a most useful
+article and stood the journey wonderfully well, although getting
+somewhat soiled in appearance.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+THE FIRST NIGHT
+
+
+It was not the easiest thing in the world to hold our meetings,
+accomplish our sewing and complete the sail without being interrupted by
+other people or giving the show away. Our excuses for keeping many
+people out of our room must have seemed rather thin on many occasions,
+and certainly gave rise to suspicion in one quarter. One day the
+interpreter Napoleon came to the door, but luckily suspected nothing and
+departed. Napoleon had been of great service to us after the wretched
+Greek interpreter we had had on our arrival, and we hoped our departure
+would not get him into trouble. We instructed our orderly to endeavour
+to put Napoleon off the track the morning after we had gone. The rule
+was that we had to report to him at ten in the morning as well as at
+night. Very often people omitted to do so, but in that case he generally
+wandered round quietly until he had seen they were still present. Our
+confederates amongst the officers promised to say we had all gone up the
+hill to work at the cemetery to which a party went every day, to
+complete the building of a wall round the graves of the three officers
+and three men whom we had there laid to rest.
+
+In addition, we left a letter supposed to be written by Sweet to me,
+talking of our proposed route and saying that he agreed we had much
+better go towards Sivas, and giving a number of villages _en route_.
+This was supposed to be destroyed, and was to be found by accident by
+our orderly in a crumpled condition when and not until our escape was
+fully realized by the Turks. Our exit was to be made from a side door
+into an alley leading off the main street. This door was nailed up, but,
+like so many things in Turkey, it was done in a very slip-shod fashion
+with two boards having only two nails through each. To reach the door,
+entrance had to be obtained to a back garden, and this meant passing
+through another door which was padlocked every evening. Investigation
+proved that, though the padlock seemed sound, the staple might very
+easily be withdrawn and replaced afterwards. Six officers helped us
+enormously on the night we actually started. They were Major Corbett
+and Captain Raynor, 48th Pioneers, Captain R. Lowndes, R.G.A., Lieuts.
+Dooley, Cawley-Smith and Galloway, all I.A.R.O. Three opened the doors
+while another drowned their efforts by doing some violent bed repairing
+in a front room, this necessitating much hammering. The others kept a
+look-out on the sentries in the road or engaged them in amiable
+conversation in their best Turkish.
+
+It had been difficult to decide which night to start. We had no tables
+giving the time the moon would rise and wanted to arrange to have a good
+hour of darkness after getting out. Finally we decided to start on
+Wednesday night, August 8th, at 10 p.m. Sweet, who lived in the other
+group of houses, arranged to come to dinner in our mess, being invited
+by Captain Martin, I.M.S., who not only assisted us in selecting our
+food but placed his room at our disposal for storing our kit and
+assembling in just before starting. Our plan was to wait behind the door
+in the alley until our mess cook, Prosser, should come and tap on the
+further side to show that all was clear. This man was in the habit of
+often going out after dark into the town disguised in an old coat, a
+fez, and a sham beard which he had himself made out of goat-skins. His
+usual practice was to put the fez and beard on in the road and walk
+straight up past the sentries. On the night in question he got out in
+some such way and reconnoitred the route we should have to take to get
+out of the town on to the hill. Luckily we were on the edge of the town
+and a climb of two or three hundred yards through houses would take us
+out on to a Mohammedan graveyard on the hillside. As we were waiting
+silently in the dark behind the door, somebody gave a kerosine tin a
+kick, and the resulting clatter seemed bound to bring some one down upon
+us. However, nothing happened; but a moment or two later we heard a
+heavy tread going slowly up the alley.
+
+Our friends, watching, reported that this was the sergeant of the guard
+and we began to feel anxious. After another minute a tap came on the
+door. Our orderly had seen the sergeant safely into a small mosque round
+the corner, and everything was clear. We hurried out in single file,
+endeavouring to be quite silent but seeming to make an awful noise. I
+was wearing a pair of rope sole shoes and carrying my boots while the
+others had put old socks over their boots. In spite of our anything but
+noiseless departure we were not noticed. We scrambled up the hill and
+five minutes later were under cover in the graveyard. Here we put our
+rucksacks and coats on properly and prepared for an all-night trek. In
+order to look less like officers and more like local scallywags we had
+turned our coats inside out and also carried our packs in a blanket over
+one shoulder. We had decided to wear old khaki, so as to be able to
+prove we were really British if necessary in case of accidents or bad
+luck. After taking us a little further, our orderly friend shook hands
+with us all round, and with a quiet word of farewell and thanks for his
+invaluable assistance we set off on our adventure.
+
+We had to make a detour round the north of the town across the main
+valley to get out to the hills on the east. It was a clear, starry
+night, but even so it was extraordinarily difficult to recognize the
+hillsides which we knew quite well by daylight. Hardly had we gone a
+quarter of a mile before a dog began to bark on the main road a little
+way off. Later on, we did not pay much attention to dogs, as we
+generally started at least one every night by walking near a village or
+too close to houses; but this animal, being the first and so near to the
+town, was anything but pleasant to listen to. We scrambled down a steep
+bank across a nullah and up a gully running into a hill which we had to
+climb. The main nullah we had just crossed ran down towards the road
+passing the magazine, where by day there was always a guard. However,
+the dog soon ceased his complaint and quietness reigned. We were already
+beginning to feel the weights of our packs and, as the night was warm
+and our direction led up the stony, pathless side of a steep hill, we
+soon had to call a halt. In fact, although we did not admit it to each
+other, these moments were really almost the worst of our whole trip and
+each secretly thought what an idiot he had been ever to start. Having
+started, however, there was nothing for it but to continue and after a
+few minutes' rest we trudged on. A little further brought us out on the
+top, where we were annoyed to find that the moon was already well up,
+whereas we had reckoned on at least another half-hour of darkness.
+
+During the last few days, we had carefully timed the moon's rising, and
+endeavoured to foretell the time for the night of our venture from
+comparisons with last year's almanac, which was all we had to go upon.
+
+On the top of the hill, we could just make out the big square of the
+Turkish barracks lying down in the valley, a building which we had
+passed almost every day during the last year on our way to the football
+ground or on walks. Sweet wanted to give it a much wider berth than I
+had intended, and in consequence we were longer in getting down to the
+Ineboli road which had to be crossed. What was our horror when we did
+approach it to hear the creaking of country carts coming up towards the
+town. They seemed to be nearly opposite to us and, as there was little
+cover and the moon bright, the only thing to do was to lie down in the
+ditch where we were and hope the carts would pass. We waited some time,
+but yet more carts seemed to be approaching and the drivers of others
+had halted almost opposite to us. There was nothing for it but to turn
+back and try again lower down the road. After creeping back a little way
+on all fours, we made a circle and came out into an open field, heading
+once more for the road. Here we were dismayed to hear yet another cart
+coming. There was no cover this time, not even a ditch, so we had to
+make a dash for it. This succeeded, and we were across the road and some
+little distance into a field of high crops on the far side before the
+carts passed. These carts were evidently coming into the town for the
+following day's market, but we had not counted on meeting any at all.
+We were now in the centre of the valley, and after crossing the stream
+made our way over some more fields to the Sinope road which we crossed
+without further adventure.
+
+We had now reached open country, and after another half-mile rested
+again. We were all feeling a bit done up and thought we had taken too
+much kit. On starting again, we found that so far we were on the right
+track, but from now onwards we were going on a line we had not been on
+before even by day, and we regretted afterwards we had not for this
+first night kept straight on down the main Sinope road, along which we
+could have made good going, although it did not lead due east, which was
+the direction we had planned. There were guard houses at intervals on
+this road, but I knew it for the first ten miles, having driven out with
+my colonel once when he was allowed a carriage to go fishing, this being
+a special favour which ceased to be granted as soon as the commandant of
+the town got to hear about it.
+
+After several miles of up and down going, we reached the first river we
+had to cross. Along each side were irrigated maize-fields, but,
+fortunately, we managed to get through these and over the stream without
+coming to any houses or dogs, although there were villages and farms
+quite close. Another ascent met us on the further side and we plodded
+slowly on. The country was mostly open pasture and plough-land and there
+were few trees except those beside the streams in the valleys.
+Eventually, we got to the top of the ridge and a little later found
+ourselves overlooking another deep valley with a stream running a
+thousand feet below us. After a steep scramble down, we reached the
+water and called a halt. A tin of tongue presented by some one at the
+last minute was opened and eagerly consumed. It was now about 3 a.m. and
+we had not much more than another hour and a half to two hours before
+daylight, when we had to be safely under cover. On leaving the stream,
+we found we were not far from a hamlet, and roused the attentions of
+another dog. However, we plodded on once more. We could now see woods in
+the distance but, before reaching them, had some difficult country to
+cross. Tip and K. were feeling very done up and, as there were signs of
+dawn and other dogs taking up the hue and cry, we began to feel a bit
+anxious. These dogs seemed to be approaching from a village; but we just
+managed to get away from them, although it seemed that they must rouse
+the whole countryside. During our next halt of a few minutes, we heard
+a cart coming along from the village, and, evidently, the peasants were
+already starting on the toil of another long harvest day, even though it
+was only just beginning to get light. Sweet and I had gone on, and on
+looking back could see no signs of the others. We went back a little way
+and luckily found them. We had just scrambled up a steep hill and were
+all fairly well done up. A little further took us to a pine wood, where
+we decided to lie up for the day. We lay just inside while the cart we
+had heard approached and passed on up the track we had just left. Then
+we turned and went into the wood, only to find, however, that sheep
+tracks ran everywhere and that the wood itself only extended two hundred
+yards to the top of the ridge where there were open fields--also, what
+was worse still, no part of the wood was really thick or offered good
+cover. Still, now it was too late to go on even if we had had the
+energy, and the only thing to do was to stay and make the best of it and
+trust to luck. We looked to each side, but the sheep-tracks were almost
+as thick in all directions. This meant that at any time, but
+particularly in the evening, we might expect a flock to come along and
+that would also mean a man or a boy and a dog.
+
+It was, indeed, fortunate for our peace of mind during this first day
+that we did not know how soon our departure had been discovered.
+Actually, this was found out within two hours of our leaving, Sweet's
+absence being first ascertained by Sherif Bey, who simply snorted with
+rage and fury. What had happened was that our orderly was very nearly
+caught while trying to return to his quarters: he had to run for it, and
+in so doing lost one of his shoes. He got in safely, however, and had at
+once to destroy the other shoe. A few minutes later the Turkish guard
+came round, searching for the odd shoe, and listened carefully to the
+breathing and heart-beats of every orderly to see which one had been
+running. Luckily, however, our friend Prosser had had just long enough
+to compose himself in bed and was not detected.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+ON THE HILLS
+
+
+We made a breakfast from condensed milk and a small ration of biscuit
+and some cheese. We dared not make a fire, as people were working on the
+crops not very far away. After this we took it in turns to keep watch at
+the top edge of the wood. From this point a fine view could be had
+across the ridges back towards Kastamuni, although the town itself was
+hidden in the valley. One track was clearly visible and it was along
+this we expected to see signs of pursuit, if any; but there was nothing
+to be seen. The morning was perfect, and the country spread away in the
+sunshine back towards our old haunts. We appeared to have made at the
+very least ten miles from Kastamuni as the crow flies, but actually had
+marched much further owing to the detour round the town and our
+cross-country up and down route since. Towards the east more and higher
+hills could be seen, but we had to be careful of reconnoitring, as
+there were flocks of sheep on the slopes not far away. All of us had
+sundry adjustments to make in our kit, which we felt we must lighten to
+enable us to make better going. My own costume consisted of an old and
+thin British warm over either a thin shirt or vest with old riding
+breeches and puttees. The others had regulation tunics, and Sweet was
+highly respectable, his uniform being nearly new. In the event of our
+posing as Germans we decided he must be the Herr Hauptmann, as in
+addition to his better clothes he knew more Turkish than the rest of us.
+
+[Illustration: MAP (SLIGHTLY REDUCED) USED ON JOURNEY TO BLACK SEA
+
+_(From Sir Henry Sykes "History of Persia")_]
+
+I set about a ruthless lightening of my coat by ripping out the lining,
+cutting off the turned-back cuffs and all other small portions that
+could be spared. We found it difficult to sleep, but felt good for
+another effort as soon as it began to get dark. About three o'clock, we
+relinquished our observation post, as all seemed quiet, and made another
+meal. Hardly had we finished before a dog appeared at the edge of the
+wood, and started barking as only Turkish dogs seem able to. A few
+moments later the expected boy also turned up and stared down upon us
+after quieting the dog. We thought this meant the village being roused
+at once, and deputed Sweet to go and spin a big yarn of some sort to
+the boy. He had scarcely got up before the boy vanished. The only thing
+to do now was to pack up and be off at once. This did not take long, as
+we had purposely remained ready to move at short notice. I abandoned in
+a bush my rope sole shoes which I had carried so far, and did not regret
+it, as they were some weight and very slippery to walk in. After
+creeping along, just inside the wood at the top of the slope, for a
+short distance, we found we were getting near a farm and could not go
+further before dark. We could not see the boy, but one or two sheep-dogs
+were visible not far off and matters did not look at all hopeful.
+However, no hue and cry followed, and very likely the boy had been as
+frightened of us as we of him, or he may have thought we were merely out
+from Kastamuni for a walk--although we had never been nearly so far
+before.
+
+After waiting an hour at the edge of the wood, we saw the sheep
+approaching and knew they must be returning towards the farm. We got
+down the slope back into the wood and as much as possible off their
+line. There was a little more cover here, but still it was rather thin,
+and we could easily have been spotted by anyone looking for us. By and
+by the sheep trooped past, but no dog came near us and once more we
+breathed freely. To improve our prospects, it now began to cloud over
+and we had some rain. A dark cloudy night for cross-country tramping was
+anything but what we required; fortunately, it cleared later on,
+although even then it was black enough until the moon got up. Before
+starting again, the question of weight of kit had to be tackled and,
+although loath to part with any of our food, we decided to discard about
+two to three pounds each. For this sacrifice most of our cheese and meat
+was condemned. It seemed likely that the former would not remain good
+for very long, so that it was not much loss.
+
+We decided to make a start before it got dark, and halt for food when we
+reached the river which we judged must run in the deep valley we were
+about to enter. Accordingly, we left the wood at 7.30 and set off across
+the corn-fields. A very steep and stony descent followed, and by the
+time we struck a road along the valley it was quite dark. We followed
+this road a short distance until we saw a light in a house a little way
+ahead. We then turned off and went straight down to the stream, where we
+proceeded to drink at length and then bathe. During this bathe in the
+dark, I lost my soap, which was a great calamity, and Tip his knife. We
+dared not strike a light and had to be content to go on without. After a
+light meal, we went on up-stream. There appeared to be a ceremony of
+some sort going on at the house with a light, as there was a beating of
+drums. We crossed the stream a little higher up, taking off our boots
+and socks for the purpose. Luckily on the other bank we struck a track
+leading up the further side of the valley, which was very steep at this
+point. After climbing slowly up through brushwood in the dark for an
+hour, we came to more open country. Here there were farms, but we
+managed to avoid them successfully. The night had cleared sufficiently
+for us to see the stars, and we were steering a course about due east. A
+little further on, we got into a thick copse and had great difficulty in
+finding any track. Eventually, we emerged on to a road running along the
+ridge beyond which lay the next valley. After a short halt, we got under
+way once more and made a good distance down the road and along a path we
+found running down to the next valley.
+
+We had to pass close through a farm and several houses, but luckily
+there were no dogs. After reaching the next stream and ascending it
+some way, we crossed over and found ourselves in a maize-field. We
+gathered some cobs, which were not yet ripe but would do to cook. A few
+yards further we saw a light in what appeared to be a sheep-pen. This we
+found was the usual custom in the country. All flocks are collected near
+the farm at night and a shepherd with a big resin torch sits up on
+guard. It was now just beginning to get light in the east, so we turned
+up the hill, and after a long and tiring climb found a tolerably safe
+hiding-place in a pine wood, poor K. was very done up and the rest of us
+not much better, except Sweet, who, physically, was the toughest of us
+all. For nine hours we had been on the move, but we could not have done
+more than eight miles in a straight line--though at the time we thought
+it was much more. We lay down, and got two or three hours' sleep before
+preparing our next meal. We decided we would risk making a fire, and
+after hunting about for the most concealed spot boiled water in our
+canteens and made cocoa. This with a ration of biscuit formed our meal;
+in addition, we used to allow ourselves a very small bit of chocolate
+and a little Horlick's milk. The latter by this time had coagulated into
+one sticky lump, necessitating hard work with the point of a knife
+before a fragment could be broken off. Luckily, the fire burned without
+much smoke, and what little there was we endeavoured to mitigate by
+fanning it in different directions. Not long after breakfast, we heard
+two horsemen trotting along a road through the wood and apparently quite
+close. We thought they were probably gendarmes looking for us; but they
+passed on and did not pause to make investigations in our neighbourhood.
+Another visitor also arrived, this being a man who was chopping wood,
+and worked round our knoll for some distance, but never came within
+sight. Nothing further happened, and we spent a quiet day under the
+trees. The weather was perfect, and had we had a little more to eat we
+should have enjoyed it immensely. At five o'clock we made a stew of the
+maize with a little Oxo; and an hour later, after clearing up all traces
+of our activities, set off eastwards through the wood.
+
+We soon reached the edge of the wood, and found ourselves looking
+southwards across a valley to a high range of hills. On the lower slopes
+were several villages; but it was doubtful if people could see us,
+especially as our khaki was an excellent camouflage for this country: in
+fact, this had been a great recommendation to the proposal for marching
+in uniform. However, we endeavoured to keep out of sight; and after
+travelling across the high ground for a mile reached a spot whence we
+could see the country eastwards and choose out our route for the coming
+night. The main valley had turned somewhat, and now ran eastwards
+through a rocky gorge which opened out beyond to a much greater width.
+This seemed to be our best line, and we thought there would surely be a
+track leading up the valley along the stream. At all events, our water
+was finished, and it was urgent to fill up our bottles again as soon as
+we could reach the river. We set off accordingly, but had not gone far
+before some one reported a man coming up the road; we hid for some time,
+and when all was clear went on again, only to find we were descending to
+a field where women were still working, getting in the harvest. This
+necessitated another wait; but as darkness was approaching the women
+soon left the field. In order to help out our scanty stock of food and
+make it go as far as possible, we were always on the look-out for any
+food we could pick up in the fields, and decided to take toll of this
+corn-field. The wheat was ripe and in a few minutes we all had a good
+pocketful, meaning to make a really substantial meal of wheat porridge
+next morning. By the time we reached a path near the bottom of the
+valley it was quite dark. This track seemed to lead downwards towards
+the river, and we followed it, expecting to get to the water any minute,
+but by and by it began to ascend again and then to get rougher and
+harder to find. This was very trying, as we all now wanted water badly,
+and so we finally decided to try a rocky gully leading steeply
+downwards. Sweet led the way, but, being too eager to get down, or
+through bad luck, slipped and hurt his leg in falling over a rock. It
+was very dark in the gully, and two candle ends which Sweet had brought
+proved invaluable. After climbing and crawling down some way over rocks,
+we were finally brought up by a sheer precipice falling 200 feet to the
+river. Tired and disgusted, we sat down to rest, and had to make up our
+minds to climb out the way we had come, and then either to go back
+down-stream or climb right to the top of the valley and advance and get
+down again higher up where the valley opened out. The latter course was
+adopted and, Tip giving us a good lead, we slowly and, in Sweet's case,
+painfully scrambled back. K. also had a bad time, as he was
+short-sighted and in such a dark spot it was no easy matter to get
+along.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+SLOW PROGRESS
+
+
+We all felt dreadfully tired as well as thirsty. The past two nights had
+told on us; and without proper sleep and sufficient food we were not in
+the best trim for a third night of mountaineering. After getting back to
+the track, we had to climb up the side of the ravine, which was steep
+and rocky. Resting every few yards, we eventually reached the top and
+turned up-stream. The point where we had descended the gully must have
+been in almost the narrowest part of the gorge, and we could see that we
+should have to move some way along the crest before we could get down to
+the water. We were still ascending, and after continuing a little
+further decided to lie down till dawn, and then trust to getting down to
+the river and hiding before the country people were about. It was
+hopeless to try to get down again in the dark, even had we possessed the
+strength. Thirsty as we were, we got off to sleep; and, when we woke,
+found it was already beginning to get light. It had got much colder and
+our thirst had accordingly diminished. I had lost my cap the night
+before shortly before we camped, and now luckily managed to find it on
+going back a little way. We pressed on and began to descend again. It
+took us at least an hour down a very steep tree-clad slope. The stones
+we set rolling seemed to make a dreadful noise, but actually must have
+been drowned in the roar of the torrent below. As we neared the river,
+we found we were quite close to a farm; but no one was about, and we got
+down without trouble. How we drank, and what a relief it was to be
+beside water again! After a wash, we set about getting a meal by
+preparing our wheat. It took some time to get all the husks off the
+grain and longer to boil it; but it was very good and filling. Our
+biscuits had numbered originally about thirty-five each, so that as we
+had reckoned on a journey of a fortnight to the coast we only allowed
+ourselves two and a half per day. We made cocoa, in addition to the
+porridge, and went to sleep under the bushes, feeling a great deal
+better than we had done for some hours. Our camp was in a most ideal
+spot. Below us, the river wound down through the gorge, while the steep
+slopes on each side of the valley were covered with magnificent trees.
+There were a great many hazel nuts, but these were not yet ripe or we
+would have gathered a large number.
+
+Later on, we produced our razor and, one by one, for the first time
+since leaving Kastamuni, made ourselves presentable. I got out the
+fishing line I had brought, but had no luck, chiefly owing to there
+being no worms to be seen in the soil on the river bank. The preserved
+meat seemed to have little attraction for the fish, of which there were
+plenty, and our biscuits were too precious to be used up in any way as
+bait.
+
+We started off once more about 6.30, and after some rough going reached
+the wide part of the valley where fields came down to the river. Here we
+were soon brought to a stop by seeing people still at work. Retracing
+our steps, we crossed the stream and started to ascend the northern side
+of the valley, keeping roughly to our easterly direction. After a steep
+ascent, we reached a fair track, along which we made good progress. Once
+or twice we had to wait and hide owing to farm people being about; but
+after it had got quite dark we got on again without interruption. On one
+occasion we passed close to a farm. There was a resin-wood torch
+burning in the yard, and just as we appeared a woman opened a window and
+looked out; we expected her to see us, but possibly the glare from the
+torch was too strong, for she took no notice. By midnight, we had
+reached some high downland, where there seemed to be a large number of
+farms. After lying down for a couple of hours, we started off again; but
+soon lost all sign of our track. Continuing in our direction with the
+help of the stars or compass, we suddenly found ourselves within range
+of some village dogs. These brutes devoted their attention to us long
+and loudly, and there was nothing for it but to get away across the
+fields as fast as we could. After a little time, we found a track which
+presently led into a pine wood. We trudged on through the trees for two
+hours, the track keeping on the crest of the hill and bending round
+gradually towards the north. This wood promised good cover for the next
+day, and as we seemed to have reached its edge we decided to stop here
+all day. We lay down until it grew light and then moved to the best spot
+we could find. This day was Sunday, August 12th, and we can only have
+achieved about 30 miles as the crow flies, although at the time we put
+it at 40.
+
+Having picked no corn the night before, we had to be content with our
+small biscuit and meat ration which we carried, helped out with a
+fragment of Horlick and chocolate. Tip had not been feeling well all
+night and was now in considerable pain. He said porridge always laid him
+out, and our brew, which was not very well boiled, had proved no
+exception. As far as we could tell, it seemed to be appendicitis or
+something very like it. We discussed gloomy possibilities of giving
+ourselves up in the event of his not getting better; but he remained
+determined to push on if he possibly could.
+
+We reconnoitred our route for the coming night and set off again an hour
+before dusk. From the hill on which we had camped we could see a road
+leading in the direction we wanted, down a wide valley, and we
+determined to keep to this for some distance at all events. After
+forcing our way through brushwood to the foot of the hill, we were held
+up by hearing carts approaching and had to hide until they had gone
+past. We used this opportunity for a wash and to fill up our
+water-bottles from a small stream; and then set off again, following the
+carts down the road. After marching for an hour we reached some corn
+stacks and collected more wheat. It took longer than when gathering it
+in an open field, but in half an hour we had accumulated enough, and
+again took the road. We had noticed that, further on, there seemed to be
+a good number of houses in the valley on our right which we should have
+to cross. Our direction now led down towards the river and the track
+passed through a stack yard. We were going quietly forward, when
+suddenly we were surprised by a number of dogs, which burst out upon us
+in full chorus from behind a stack. An old man appeared immediately
+afterwards and quieted the dogs, but luckily made no attempt to question
+us, and we passed on in silence. At night we always wore fezes and hoped
+thus to pass as Turks or Greeks.
+
+A short distance further on, we crossed the stream and then were
+delighted to discover a maize-field, where we gathered a few of the
+biggest cobs we could find. A moment later some one discovered that
+beans and marrows were growing on the ground beneath the maize, so we
+helped ourselves to these also. The beans were of a dwarf French
+variety, which seems to be the most popular kind throughout the
+district. Thus provisioned, we set off up a wide valley leading up in
+front of us.
+
+Poor Tip was having a hard time, and as we had to cross several ploughed
+fields before discovering any path, matters for him became much worse.
+He could manage to get along all right on a smooth path, but rough going
+gave him great pain. Fortunately, the road we now struck had quite a
+fair surface and we made a good pace for the next two hours, assisted by
+the moon. Finally, about 4 a.m., we lay down for an hour, until dawn,
+near the side of the road. We found we had overslept ourselves on
+waking, as it was broad daylight; so we had to hurry off up a small hill
+and hide in the bushes. The country round seemed more deserted in this
+part of the valley and we had got away from cultivated land. As we were
+all now very done up, we decided to move down to the centre of the
+valley, which looked as if it must possess a stream. There we intended
+to hide for the rest of that day and the next. This we thought might
+give Tip a chance to get right again. After resting two or three hours
+on the hill, we scrambled down and eventually emerged in the main
+valley. Just before we reached it we as nearly as possible walked into
+two gendarmes, who were going up the valley road and crossed our path
+about a hundred yards ahead of us. However, they did not see us and all
+was still well. After crossing the main valley and stream, we found a
+small gully on the further side which seemed to offer us good cover, as
+well as having a small supply of water. As we crossed the river bed to
+reach it we came in view of a man and two boys working on an irrigation
+dam a little higher up. Luckily, they had their backs towards us and did
+not notice anything. A little way up the gully, we found a sheltered
+spot to camp in and prepared a meal, chiefly from the vegetables we had
+gathered the night before. We made Tip as comfortable as possible, and
+with the aid of hot compresses succeeded in making him feel easier.
+Nothing occurred during the day, and, after another stew had been
+consumed in the evening, we set about making ourselves comfortable for
+the night. With the aid of fir branches we made a tolerably soft couch.
+Tip, K. and I for purposes of additional warmth slept side by side under
+the most substantial part of the sail, while Sweet, who preferred to be
+on his own, rolled himself up in the lighter piece. We would have much
+enjoyed a little more warmth at nights and, in spite of putting on the
+few spare garments we each carried, we were always much too cold before
+morning.
+
+Our plan now was to follow the road up to the head of the valley and
+then steer as straight as possible for the Geuk Irmak valley, along
+which we knew ran the main road to Sinope. It was clear that we could
+not make fast enough progress at the present rate ever to reach Baffra
+before our provisions gave out; our boots, also, were getting badly worn
+and much work was done in repairs at our various halts. Walking across
+rough country at night had damaged them much more severely than we had
+ever imagined could be the case.
+
+The following day we spent in resting, cooking, and also shaving and
+washing. As one or two people had passed along the road in the
+afternoon, we did not like to make an early start and so waited until it
+was growing dark. For the first mile the track remained fairly good;
+then it forked, and we chose the left-hand branch as leading in the
+direction we wanted most. It was now quite dark and the sky cloudy; but
+what was much worse, the track got more and more indistinct as we slowly
+emerged into open country and fields at the head of the valley. Several
+times we had to halt and spread out to find the path; and then, at last,
+when we did reach a cart track we almost walked right into a big farm.
+After pausing to reconnoitre, we decided to try to skirt it on the
+left, and had got half way round when a sheep-dog heard us and started
+off at full blast. There was a shepherd sitting with a torch in one of
+the farm buildings, but he took no notice. Shortly afterwards we found a
+field of beans to which we helped ourselves, and then had to make a
+diversion to avoid another house. This led us into a pinewood and we
+were soon forced to give it up until morning, as we could see no way
+through in the darkness. We lay down close together and got a few hours'
+sleep before the first sign of daylight roused us to continue our
+journey. We had to pass closer than we liked to a farm; but no one was
+about yet and we got away on to a high ridge covered with brushwood.
+After making our way for a short time along this, we halted and made
+cocoa, which with a biscuit formed our breakfast. By this time our
+biscuits had broken up into small fragments, so that we had to estimate
+how many bits were equal to a whole biscuit. Our experiences of the
+night before forced us to the conclusion that it was hopeless trying to
+do a good march by night unless on a good track; and we, therefore,
+decided to cut across a low cultivated stretch of land to the forest
+covering the opposite ridge and continue by daylight until reaching the
+Geuk Irmak. It was now about nine o'clock and the peasants were at work
+in the fields almost all round us. There was no safe way of reaching the
+woods opposite without exposing ourselves to view, and the only thing
+was to do the best we could and use all the cover available. On getting
+down to a stream from a steep hill, we found we were close to some women
+and children. The latter saw us, but the women were too busy to notice
+us and we reached cover in a nullah on the further side without any
+alarm being raised. Our next encounter was with an old Turk. He saw us
+just before we saw him and was off to ground in some cover before one
+could say knife. Evidently, he was very much more startled at seeing us
+than we were at seeing him. After this we were not seen by any other
+people, and after skirting a harvest field got well into the forest. At
+two o'clock we halted, and having slept for two hours made another stew
+and prepared to go on till dark. We were in a big forest chiefly of huge
+pines which were being cut in places for resin. Our direction was now
+nearly due north, and every rise we topped would, we hoped, bring us in
+view of the Geuk Irmak valley. As is generally the case, the longed-for
+view was very slow in making its appearance, and we had to bivouac for
+the night without reaching our goal. We had passed a small flour mill,
+driven by a water wheel. Sweet had investigated it for flour, but it was
+swept and garnished and absolutely empty.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+BLUFFING THE PEASANTS
+
+
+Next morning we were off at the first streak of dawn, after a very cold
+night. We were in a narrow valley, and look where we would we could not
+find the track we had seen not long before halting the previous night.
+The hills were too steep and wooded to make it possible to get along low
+down by the stream, so there was no other course open except to start
+climbing again in the hope of meeting the track at a higher level. This
+we succeeded in doing after toiling up some distance. Following the
+track, we emerged after a couple of miles on a hill overlooking the long
+expected Geuk Irmak. It was too late in the morning and the
+neighbourhood too populous to make further progress possible, so we
+bivouacked close by in the wood and hoped to make good distance that
+night along the main road in the valley. Starting an hour before dark,
+we were forced to wait for a home-coming couple who were slowly
+returning along the track we were intending to take. When they were
+safely off the scene, we had to scramble down through the thickest copse
+it was ever our misfortune to meet with, and by the time we had reached
+the river it was quite dark. As on all such occasions, we took off our
+boots and socks to cross and replaced them on the other side, only to
+find soon after that there was another branch of the river which we had
+not been able to see in the dark, so that the process had to be
+repeated. Even then we were not over dry-shod, as there were now several
+irrigated fields to be crossed before we could get to the road. Creeping
+along the small bund dividing two fields, we endeavoured to keep on dry
+ground; but were not very successful. Finally, we reached a big
+irrigation nullah, which meant another wade. We were now, at last, on
+the main road; but it had taken us two hours' hard going to get there,
+which was a great disappointment. Soon after starting again, we met a
+couple of men on ponies, driving cattle. At the time we were rather
+separated; Tip and I escaped observation, but Sweet and K. were not so
+lucky, for the men stopped and asked who they were. Sweet promptly said
+"Germans" and gave a few details. The men, however, declared they were
+prisoners, but did not seem disposed to make trouble, and moved on again
+after a few minutes, much to Sweet's relief.
+
+After another hour's trek, we felt too exhausted to go further, and lay
+down, intending to do a little more at dawn. The mosquitoes were a great
+pest in this valley and we had a very poor night's sleep. We had now
+come down to a much lower elevation: Kastamuni was 2,500 feet above sea,
+but this spot could scarcely be 1,000 feet. As soon as it grew light in
+the morning we were off again along the road, after filling up our
+water-bottles from the river and investigating another flour mill which
+proved to be empty. Very soon we came to a picturesque old wooden bridge
+spanning the stream and, after crossing this, decided to lie up for the
+day on the hill-side above. The valley became wider at this point and
+several hamlets and farms were to be seen; it therefore behoved us to
+get under cover as quickly as possible, since the peasants are very
+early astir. We found a good place and lit a fire. This was, perhaps,
+rather rash, but we felt that it was worth risking a good deal to have
+something hot to drink. As we had had no luck in getting vegetables the
+night before, we had to be content with small rations. After an
+uneventful sunny day, we moved down to the road in the evening, and
+after filling our bottles with water from the river gathered some maize
+and marrows from a field close by. We then set off down the road and
+made very fair progress for the next three hours.
+
+Loaded as we were with several extra pounds each of marrow, we got more
+tired than would otherwise have been the case. Eventually, the road led
+us into a village, and we had to walk straight past some people coming
+towards us. They took no notice, however, and we went on. A little
+further, there was a light in a flour mill, which was grinding away as
+hard as it could go, being driven by a small water turbine. There seemed
+to be no track by which we could avoid going right through the village,
+and after retracing our steps once or twice we decided there was nothing
+else for it. We tramped down the road past several old fellows who were
+sitting outside a house and were probably interested in the activities
+of the flour mill. Most likely, by grinding secretly at night, it is
+possible to escape the Government's taxes on flour, but needless to say
+we did not stop to make inquiries. The road seemed to take us nowhere.
+After visiting one or two back yards and coming out in another place on
+top of a house, we had eventually to retrace our steps past the old men
+to the end of the village which we had first entered. How that road made
+its way out we never discovered and, in consequence, lost a good deal of
+time and distance.
+
+After sleeping for a couple of hours in a graveyard, we set off with the
+first streak of dawn to make a circuit round the south side of the
+village, and reached a hill which promised safety for the day. It took
+us a long time and many halts had to be made. We disposed of our marrows
+by eating them raw, and decided that they were too heavy to be worth
+carrying any distance in future. Finally, we reached a snug spot in
+brushwood high up on the hill and made ourselves as comfortable as
+circumstances would allow.
+
+In the afternoon, I decided to go to the top of the hill to try to
+locate our exact position in the valley. After a steep climb I got a
+splendid view all round and discovered a convenient track for us to
+follow as soon as it grew dark. A town was clearly visible a few miles
+further on, and this I felt sure must be Duraghan, although the road
+leading to it did not correspond with what was shown on our map.
+However, we decided that it must be this place, as by our calculations
+we reckoned we must have come every bit of the distance. Our disgust may
+be imagined when on the following day we found the place was really
+Boiabad, a town 30 miles short of Duraghan.
+
+Just after getting back to our bivouac, it came on to pour, but luckily
+we managed to get a fire going and a stew made just in time. However,
+the result was that we started marching an hour later, soaked very
+nearly to the skin, and with no prospect of being able to get dry in the
+near future. We came close to the town, as it was getting dark, and
+after crossing a stream had some discussion as to which road to take.
+Finally, we selected a track which we thought must lead into the main
+valley, where we were certain the main road would run on our side of the
+river. As a matter of fact, it had crossed to the other side and we did
+not meet it till next day. We continued along this track till midnight,
+when we lay down for a little sleep; but it was too cold to be possible
+in our wet things and in an hour we were up and off again. A few miles
+further on, we found we were close to a village through which the track
+ran and, joyful sight, there were several corn stacks close by. These
+promised a warm shelter until dawn; but it was not to be. The usual
+village dog had already heard us and although we remained stock still he
+would not cease his frantic barking. One old peasant had already been
+roused up and came slowly towards us. Our only course was to go straight
+on; and we went right into the village, past several houses, through a
+cow pen, over a hedge and so on to the moor beyond. Just as we got clear
+some sportsmen let off a shot-gun. No pellets came near us and it was
+probably only meant as a warning to robbers!
+
+Luckily, we were not followed and got away over the hill, steering east.
+After some distance we rested again, until morning should show us our
+whereabouts. We were evidently some way from the river and a good height
+up. As it began to get light, we moved off towards the river, hoping to
+find a snug hiding-place near the water. No such luck was in store for
+us, for just as we reached a slope overlooking the river we saw a small
+village at our feet, and the village dogs saw us almost at the same
+moment. Wearily we retraced our steps uphill, and when out of range of
+the dogs held a council as to our future efforts. It was clear that
+while walking by night we were covering very little distance, and that
+at this rate the food we carried would be exhausted long before we
+reached the sea. We decided, therefore, that our only hope lay in
+bluffing the country people that we were Germans and buying food where
+we could. Accordingly, we made for the first house we could see, where a
+miserable peasant and two women were working. We explained that we were
+Germans surveying, and produced our maps and passport in support of this
+contention. They did not doubt us; but they had no food to sell and,
+indeed, looked as poor and wretched as people well could. However, they
+referred us to their master, who was the headman of the locality. We
+crossed a few fields and were then met by this gentleman, to whom we
+told the same story. He led us into his house and providing us with
+seats gave orders for food to be prepared. In the meanwhile, Sweet
+carried on a conversation to the best of his ability. It appeared that
+our host was one Ahmed Chaoush (sergeant) who had been fighting against
+us in Gallipoli but now had a year's sick leave. He took in our story,
+but asked some awkward questions, such as why we carried no revolvers?
+Sweet had to pretend not to understand and, luckily, Ahmed did not
+become suspicious. We gathered from him that the town we had passed in
+the night was Boiabad and that Duraghan was several hours' distance in
+front of us. This was a cruel blow, and only showed us how much slower
+we had been than we thought. In the meantime, the chaoush had produced
+some small pears which were soon disposed of. Finally, after much
+anxious speculation as to whether or no our host intended to give us a
+meal, real signs of preparation appeared for that eagerly expected
+event.
+
+A few minutes later a small circular table was produced and several
+dishes were brought in. These consisted of cucumber sliced up in milk,
+small wads of boiled flour in milk, yoghourt or curdled milk and
+chapatties--a feast such as we had hardly dared to hope for. Turkish
+fashion, we sat round, each armed with a wooden spoon and dipped in the
+same dish, emptying one after another. It is etiquette on such occasions
+to wait until the next man has taken a spoonful so that all may get the
+same number in the end, but I fear we were not always so scrupulous and
+ate as fast as our usual habits would allow. When the table and dishes
+had been cleared away, Ahmed was given a little English tobacco and told
+it was the best German variety. Soon after we bid him a grateful
+farewell, and, although he was unwilling to take anything, succeeded in
+getting him to accept some money. We felt that to accept his
+hospitality and humbug him without any payment would scarcely be playing
+the game. He directed us towards our road, for which we had to descend
+again to the main valley and cross the river. On the further side we
+were delayed by a large irrigation nullah. When across this we found a
+good many blackberries and some onions in a field. The latter we seized
+upon with avidity, as being the first we had met with. There was some
+doubt as to which of two roads we should take, but it was decided to
+pursue one which some women had pointed out as the right road to
+Duraghan. This led straight away from the river and began to climb
+steeply. After a couple of hours, we had ascended some distance and
+decided to bivouac till the afternoon. The sun was pretty hot, but we
+were now high up and on top of a small hill from which the surrounding
+ranges could be clearly seen. It was evident that we had not come in the
+direction we had intended, but, on the other hand, we were now heading
+direct for the sea. After some discussion and poring over the map, we
+decided that our only real chance of reaching the sea lay in making a
+bee-line across country as nearly as possible in a north-easterly
+direction, buying food where we could and walking by day. If we had
+gone on we should not only have had to skirt Duraghan by night, or make
+a big detour by day, but the distance down to the sea would have been
+very much greater. In addition, it would have been much hotter for
+walking, with the extra hardship of mosquitoes at night.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+REACHING THE COAST
+
+
+We made it to be 30 miles in a straight line to the sea from the spot
+where we now lay and hoped to do the distance in three days. After the
+chaoush's hospitality at breakfast we scarcely felt inclined for another
+meal till the afternoon, when we made tea, and then packed up, intending
+to follow up a track beside a stream which flowed down from the range we
+had now determined to cross. Descending our hill, we came to a small
+village, and thought it would be just as well to see if we could
+purchase any provisions before going further. We asked some children for
+eggs, whereupon a Turkish matron of an unusually agreeable type came out
+and after a little parleying brought us quite a royal supper. This
+consisted mainly of an excellent tomato stew, chapatties, yoghourt and
+fruit. Taking into account what we had accumulated from Ahmed Chaoush,
+we had now got quite a good stock of chapatties. The amusement afforded
+by bluffing these good people had considerably raised our spirits, but
+all at once the good dame serving us staggered us completely by saying
+casually she had seen us in Kastamuni. We assured her it must have been
+other people, as we had no connection with Kastamuni and were real
+Germans from Angora.
+
+Just before leaving a man appeared who eyed us very suspiciously, and we
+were glad to get away without waiting to make his acquaintance. We had
+hardly gone a mile before an old man ran to meet us with his cap full of
+apples. We seemed almost to be entering on a triumphal progress and were
+tremendously amused. Several houses and a large village were passed
+without event, but a little further on we found several men with mules
+resting a short distance from the road. They called to us, and probably
+wanted to continue their journey in our company, but it was sailing
+nearer the wind than we cared for and, pretending we had to go on at
+once, we did not stop to hear anything more from them. Just before dark
+we passed through a very picturesque gorge, where the stream ran through
+a deep narrow gateway between two enormous masses of rock, and beyond
+this found a nook to sleep in for the night where we should be protected
+from the wind. This had been a truly great day, and its success seemed
+to confirm the wisdom of our new policy.
+
+Early the following morning, we were once more pursuing our path, which
+now became fainter and steeper as it rose towards the rocky ridge
+towering above us. Towards eleven o'clock, we reached some poor houses
+not far below the crest. Hoping to be able to purchase food, we stopped
+and made inquiries, but all the chief people seemed to be away at some
+market and there was nothing to be had. We continued on our way and
+after another hour's tramp came to a cattle trough by the side of the
+path. As there was water flowing here, we decided to halt till the
+afternoon, and found a snug spot a few yards up the hill. In the
+afternoon, after washing and shaving, we were nearly discovered by a man
+who appeared to be a gendarme. He came riding down the path and stopped
+to water his horse at the trough, but passed on without noticing
+anything. Soon afterwards we were again marching, still upwards towards
+the crest of the mountain ridge. We must have been now over 4,000 feet
+up, and hoped when we reached the top we should actually see the sea.
+An hour's trek took us to a poor village standing very high and,
+probably, in winter almost always in the clouds. An ill-clad woman
+informed us that she was a Greek who had only just arrived from
+Kastamuni. She seemed to have a pretty clear notion as to what we really
+were, but said nothing and, eventually, got us yoghourt and some
+chapatties. Our direction was now about north-east and we were making
+for Tel Kelik, a small place marked on the map, a little on the northern
+side of the watershed. Most of the peasants seemed never to have heard
+of it, and we had some difficulty in getting on to a path leading in the
+right direction. As it grew dusk, we found ourselves in a second village
+at almost the same elevation; there was no one about, but eventually a
+man turned up who said he was on his way home to another village. The
+village women in particular were most suspicious, declaring that there
+was no food anywhere; and it was not until some little while later, when
+the colour of our money had been clearly shown, that anything was
+forthcoming. We had intended to spend the night in a village hut if
+possible, as the only alternative was sleeping in the mist, which at
+4,000 feet was a cold and dreary prospect. However, after some
+parleying, we were led to what proved to be the travellers' rest hut.
+Our story was absorbed with due interest, a large fire lighted and some
+food brought in. We lay down on mats on the floor, rejoicing in the
+warmth and, if undisturbed by smaller visitors, felt we should have a
+really good night's rest. Several village worthies looked in during the
+evening to see the Almans (Germans) and we hope were not disappointed. A
+young soldier just returned on leave from Constantinople helped to
+procure some butter and syrup for us. The latter is a poor substitute
+for treacle and seems to be made from raisins. This reception in a
+travellers' rest hut was the limit reached by our bluff; it gave us much
+satisfaction to think how annoyed our Turkish friends in Kastamuni would
+be to know of our being entertained in such a manner.
+
+We had a splendid night, although lying on the floor, and in the morning
+obtained a little more food and some butter through our soldier friend.
+After a hasty meal we hurried off with our first acquaintance of the
+previous night as guide to put us on the right road. We were soon at the
+highest point of the range, although as yet the sea was not in view. A
+little further on, after having bought a large knife from our friend,
+we bade him good-bye with many expressions of gratitude. Tel Kelik was
+now quite close, and it was fortunate that we were not compelled to
+march through it, since we found later that there was a Turkish
+detachment stationed in the village. Leaving the Tel Kelik valley, we
+climbed the hill on our side and an hour later--at 9.30--were delighted
+at finding the sea stretching out before us in the sunshine. It looked
+about fifteen miles off, but the mere sight seemed to raise our spirits
+marvellously, and we were, perhaps, almost as elated as Xenophon's men
+when the same sea greeted their gaze at Trebizond. We were now in a
+copse and decided to halt till evening. To celebrate the occasion, we
+made a late breakfast of buttered eggs, the eggs having been bought at a
+cottage we had passed during the morning. The next work in front of us
+was to make something of the coarse flour which we had procured two days
+previously from the Greek woman. Sweet got to work and, using some of
+the butter and our last tin of condensed milk, turned out a very fine
+dough. Baking was the chief difficulty and, after trying to make an
+oven, in the end we had to be content with making small chapatties on
+our diminutive frying-pan turned upside down and on the lid of a
+canteen. The results were very satisfactory, although consisting largely
+of fragments.
+
+At four o'clock in the afternoon, we set off again and by dark had gone
+a good distance, and, after finding a sheltered spot for the night,
+collected a quantity of dead bracken to make ourselves as comfortable as
+possible.
+
+We were off again early next morning, and had a steep scramble down
+through a wood, and eventually, to a stream at the bottom of a deep
+valley. Here there were a number of blackberries which we took advantage
+of, and then climbed the further side, coming out at last on the top and
+finding nothing now lay between ourselves and the beach, which must have
+been only three miles away at the nearest point. A moment later a
+sailing boat was seen close in to the shore and two or three others soon
+after. We were overjoyed at this, as it meant that boats were still
+being used along the coast and that there was no truth in all the
+stories we had heard in Kastamuni to the effect that no boats were now
+plying. There was a small wooded hill projecting into the sea a little
+west of where we now were, and from its summit there would be a good
+view of the coast in each direction; on the other hand we knew we could
+not be far from the town of Jerse, and going west meant getting still
+nearer to it. Also, there were several farms and open country between us
+and the hill, and we were now very anxious not to be seen at all if we
+could help it. In the end, we decided to stay where we were for the day
+and go straight down to the shore in front of us late in the afternoon.
+The wood we were in was very thick and, try as we might, no good spot
+for a halt could be found which would also give us a clear outlook on to
+the coast and any boats sailing along it. We had to be content to do
+without further observation of the sailing boats, and bivouacked amongst
+the trees. Tea was made and a frugal meal of biscuits followed; our
+cocoa was now all exhausted, and greatly did we wish we had brought more
+of it in the place of some other things.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+RECAPTURED
+
+
+In the afternoon, we sewed together the two halves of the sail and cut a
+handle for our axe head so as to be as ready as possible in the event of
+discovering a boat. After making a stew from some beans we had gathered
+in a field on the hill that morning, we packed up and set off, full of
+hope and excitement. The question of going across to the wooded hill
+arose again when we got clear of the wood, but it was thrown out, and,
+bitterly did we regret it next day. Turning down to the shore, we
+crossed the road and, eventually, reached the beach just as it was
+getting dark. There were one or two small houses just on our right above
+the shingle, and we were reconnoitring carefully when a big rowing boat
+was seen coming along close to the beach, rowed by some eight men. It
+went a quarter of a mile further along, and the boat was then pulled up
+by the men and others who appeared from the houses. It was too dark to
+see what they were, but for some unknown reason we did not suspect that
+they were men of a guard at this place, or connect the houses with a
+place shown on one of our maps as being somewhere near here. We debated
+whether to go along the coast when it was quite dark and reconnoitre, or
+whether to wait for dawn. In any case, it seemed hopeless to think we
+could push off the boat which had just been pulled up: it was far too
+heavy and they had brought it up a long way. Finally, we decided to wait
+till dawn and then go along and see what we could find.
+
+As soon as it began to get light next morning, August 23rd, we were up;
+our excitement was increased by seeing a small boat moored a little way
+from the beach. This had mast and sail and was just the size of boat we
+were hoping for. We crept quietly down to a track along the shingle.
+Sweet was in front and reported seeing a peasant near the first house.
+We walked quickly on finding that there were rather more tumble-down
+houses than we had expected. However, it was too early for people to be
+about and there seemed no reason to suspect danger. We were hurrying on
+towards the boat we had seen, when we passed the end of a tumble-down
+boat-house and, to our dismay, found a Turkish sentry standing just
+inside. He stopped Sweet, while we three hurried on a little further.
+Sweet told him we were Germans bound for Samsun, the next port along the
+coast. However, the old man insisted on telling his chaoush or sergeant.
+Meanwhile Sweet had rejoined us, but there was no chance of getting
+away, as by this time three or four others of the guard had turned out.
+The sergeant had us brought back to the guard-house, where the next
+scene of the pantomime began. Sweet, as had been previously arranged,
+was to play the part of a German officer, while we three were orderlies.
+Accordingly, we carried his pack for him, jumped up and down and saluted
+and, generally, behaved in a manner calculated to show our subservience.
+Meanwhile, the chaoush who was in charge of the guard at this place--a
+village called Kusafet--was evidently not at all sure of his ground, and
+suggested we should go with him to Jerse. We replied we were going in
+the opposite direction, and wanted a boat with which to reach Samsun.
+The boat which had been moored off the beach had now been brought to
+shore and was landing some stores for the guard. We spoke to the skipper
+of this boat and, finding he came from Trebizond and knew a little
+English, hoped he would be amenable to helping us. Our idea was that
+having got on board for Samsun we could persuade him for a consideration
+to take us on to Trebizond, which was in Russian hands.
+
+He went upstairs to confer with the chaoush, but whether he gave us away
+or not we were never quite sure. He came down advising us to go to Jerse
+and see the commandant there. This man, he assured us, knew no English
+or German, and was very ignorant and would believe our story. The
+chaoush wanted to make us march to Jerse, but we refused and,
+eventually, set off in the boat under the escort of the chaoush and two
+other armed soldiers. Before leaving we had obtained some chapatties,
+and a little raw fish which was better eating than we had expected. On
+the way we suggested to the skipper that with the help of the crew we
+could easily overpower the guard and then set sail east; but he would
+not agree, and with the probability of the crew of five joining the
+guard we should have stood no chance at all. Hugging the coast, we
+reached Jerse in two hours, finding a small Turkish town built on a
+slight promontory. On the way, we passed the wooded hill we had talked
+about so often the day before. We should have been quite safe on this
+hill and, what was more, should have seen two or three boats in which
+we could probably have got away without much trouble. On reaching Jerse
+we found ourselves moored beside a small patrol boat of the Turkish
+navy, one of the crew of which said openly we were English. However,
+Sweet had gone ashore with the chaoush, and we were left hoping for the
+best, but fearing the game was up. Half an hour later we were summoned
+to join Sweet, and were conducted with him to a police station. Here Tip
+was made to speak on the 'phone to a German officer at Sinope. He could
+think of nothing to say but "Sprechen sie Deutsch," to which the Teuton
+eagerly responded at the other end. After shouting this down the 'phone
+several times Tip threw down the receiver, declaring it was out of
+order! Another man coming into the station declared he had seen two of
+us at Kastamuni. We were then taken to the commandant of the town and
+agreed it was useless to try to bluff any longer, since they believed us
+to be English spies and it was only a matter of getting hold of any
+German for our whole story to fall to the ground. We, therefore,
+admitted that we had escaped from Kastamuni, saying we had been so long
+prisoners that we wanted to get home. The commandant was one of the
+best types of Turkish officer it had been our fortune to meet and was
+most polite. We were searched, and our maps and compasses and diaries
+taken, except from K., who managed to smuggle his map through. My
+original compass, not being recognized as such, was not taken.
+
+Sweet told us that on first landing he had seen the commandant of the
+local _gendarmerie_, whom he had no difficulty in bluffing, as the
+skipper had foretold. Sweet told him we were on our way to the Caucasus
+to help in preparing a coming offensive for the Turks. He took all this
+in and Sweet was congratulating himself that our troubles were over.
+After giving Sweet coffee he said, no doubt, we would now like to be
+going on our way to Samsun. Sweet agreed, and they were just coming back
+to rejoin us when the Yuzbashi mentioned that there was a colonel who
+was commandant of the town and that he would probably like to see Sweet
+before he left. The fat was then in the fire. Sweet proffered our
+passport, but the colonel was suspicious and a Turkish naval officer
+whom he called in confirmed his ideas that we were British. The colonel
+told us later that there were two mistakes in our passport, which
+otherwise he evidently thought was quite good. He had our names and had
+been warned of our escape some two or three days after we had left
+Kastamuni.
+
+The yuzbashi, finding how thoroughly he had been bluffed, was now
+equally frantic in his wrath. We were said to be going off that day to
+Sinope, and he was already preparing to handcuff us together in pairs.
+Luckily, the colonel turned up in time to prevent this. Most of our
+money was now taken and a receipt given to us for it. A little later we
+were told we were not going that day and were given a better room in the
+police station. The chaoush was very pleased with himself and told us he
+was going to accompany us to Kastamuni. He, also, it appeared, had been
+warned of our escape and, having passed through Kastamuni recently,
+probably suspected us more quickly than he would otherwise have done.
+The colonel came in to see us, and endeavoured to find out as much as he
+could from us as to which way we had come and how we had got food, but
+we told him very little. We got some food sent in and finally lay down
+on the floor for the night. Tip was now suffering again from his
+previous complaint, and we insisted that a doctor should be brought.
+However, no one was forthcoming. Next morning we were allowed to go
+into the bazaar to buy a few things needful, and on our return were told
+to get ready to march at once. A small donkey was brought up and on this
+we loaded our kit.
+
+Tip was still feeling very poorly and had a bad time on the march. After
+some eight miles, mostly along by the sea, we reached some Turkish
+barracks which had evidently been only recently put up. They were wooden
+buildings, but, fortunately, cleaner than might have been expected. We
+were put into a small corner room in the officers' quarters and were
+much amused to find that no less than three sentries were posted to
+guard us; one outside the door, and one outside each window.
+
+The officers consisted of a fat and surly yuzbashi and an Arab
+lieutenant, a huge man who was most genial and friendly. He told us his
+home was near Mosul, but he refused to believe that the British were in
+Bagdad and evidently thought we were trying to bluff him, the ignorance
+pervading all classes in Turkey as to what is happening in the outside
+world being colossal.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+RESCUED
+
+
+We had several visits from the Arab officers, and they very kindly gave
+us a share of their food, which consisted chiefly of a vegetable stew.
+The following morning we were given a bread ration for five days and
+told to get ready at once. Tip was not fit to move, but they would not
+listen to us and dragged him out. We found a small pony had been
+brought, so Tip mounted this and we set off with a guard of a sergeant
+and eight privates; our former friend, the chaoush from Kusafet, was not
+coming with us after all and in his place we had a truculent
+quick-tempered fellow who looked as if he would be anything but an
+agreeable companion on the march. The men were evidently in the best of
+spirits, a visit to Kastamuni being a great event for them. In addition,
+they carried a good deal of tobacco, which they doubtless expected to
+sell again at a large profit on arrival. A great deal of tobacco is
+grown in the coast districts, more particularly near Samsun. We set off
+at a very easy pace and after passing the German wireless station soon
+had a halt. The guard had two donkeys which carried their kit, but the
+chaoush would not hear of us putting our packs on them as well. After
+another halt in a village, we reached a caravanserai early in the
+afternoon, where the guard prepared their food, the man who owned the
+donkeys acting as cook to the chaoush. This fellow had not even the
+disreputable uniform which the average Turkish soldier possesses, but
+was clothed in thin black stuff. His efforts produced boiled rice over
+which a little melted butter was poured. This was taken to a raised
+corner where he and the chaoush proceeded to shovel it into their mouths
+from the same bowl, etiquette prescribing that the two parties should
+take spoonfuls strictly in turn. An hour later we were off again, and
+began to ascend the lower slopes of the mountains we had crossed a few
+days previously. Now, however, we were on the so-called main road. It
+was one of the worst roads it had been our lot ever to have seen, and we
+were truly thankful we were not travelling in carts. Long stretches were
+strewn with blocks of stone, which had been, apparently, left there
+promiscuously by some contractor who had not finished his job, like so
+many others in this country. An hour or two later, after ascending some
+little distance, we stopped for the chaoush to get his pony shod. This
+animal he had commandeered at a village we had passed through, and now
+fancied himself to no small extent as a mounted man. After a long wait
+the shoeing was at last accomplished and we set off once more. To our
+delight the chaoush had also procured a second pony, and on this we were
+allowed to load our packs. About eight o'clock we reached a small
+village, where we were to spend the night; an empty log hut was found
+and a fire made in the large open hearth. We were given one side of the
+chief room while most of the guard slept on the rest of the floor. With
+some eggs we had bought we made a very good supper and, thanks to the
+fire, were as comfortable as the circumstances would allow. We were now
+high up and it would have been very cold to bivouac in the open, as we
+must have been surrounded by clouds during the night. Before going off
+to sleep we considered the chances of escape. There would be little
+chance after another day or two when we had got further from the sea and
+were halting in larger villages, so that the present night seemed the
+only practical time, should opportunity offer. However, we soon came to
+the conclusion that it was quite impossible, as not only was there a
+sentry in the narrow passage outside the door but one or two of the
+askars in our room were told to keep awake in turns. The only exit was
+the door, to reach which we should have to walk over several of our
+guard.
+
+First thing in the morning, August 27th, we were off again up the road.
+It was a glorious day and nothing happened beyond the usual halts every
+hour or so. We discussed our escapade once more, again deciding we had
+had a good run for our money, but that we had not been cautious enough
+when we did reach the coast. We went over afresh the various routes
+possible and alterations in plans which we would have adopted with the
+experience now gained. It was about nine o'clock and we had been on the
+march fully two hours when suddenly with a cry of "Askar" shots rang out
+from the nearside of the road. For a moment we were too startled to know
+what to make of it. Then K. and I made a dive down the "khud" side, as
+the open road seemed anything but the best place to stay in. The first
+shot had bowled over the man in black who was riding a donkey in front.
+We had been told so much at Kastamuni about the bandits infesting the
+hills that we quite thought we might have fallen amongst a party of them
+and that to be taken and held to ransom would be a worse fate than
+returning for a few months to the civil prison at Kastamuni or Angora.
+
+On going a little way down the hill I saw a man whom I at first thought
+to be the chaoush, but as he beckoned to me saying "Venez, venez," I saw
+that this was one of the new arrivals. He wanted me to go off down the
+hill with him, but after descending a little way I explained there were
+other officers on the road and I must go back to them. In the meantime,
+he was very voluble and excited, but I could not gather who they were or
+what had brought them. On arriving back on the road I found K. and Tip;
+the fighting was now over, and three of the brigands were collecting the
+askars' rifles and ammunition. The guard had put up no show at all and
+the nine of them were all disarmed and standing like sheep within two
+minutes, thanks almost entirely to the efforts of the three now
+collecting their arms, since my friend had been too far down the bank to
+have done much firing himself. The question now was whether we were to
+go with these fellows. K. was all for going off at once, but Tip and I
+hesitated as to the position we should be in, if caught again by the
+Turks before getting away. Our new friends would, of course, have been
+shot as outlaws, and we should very likely have shared the same fate. We
+took them aside and at length made out that they were adherents of the
+old Turk party and had no use whatever for Enver and his Government.
+They said they had come specially to rescue us, and had a boat ready to
+put off for either Trebizond of Sevastopol in three or four days' time.
+After realizing this, a process which took some time, as our knowledge
+of the language was very sketchy, we decided to throw in our fortunes
+with our new friends, as it seemed a heaven-sent chance of getting out
+of the country and almost too good to be true. We had seen nothing of
+Sweet since the firing started and now began to shout for him and search
+on each side of the road. Our new friends set the old guard on to look
+for him, but not a sign of him could we see and no response came to our
+calls. After searching and shouting for an hour, we finally had to give
+it up, and leaving the guard in the road set off with our new
+acquaintances, whom we will now style the "akhardash"--or comrades--as
+that was the name they always used for themselves and their supporters.
+As far as we could see, Sweet must have dashed away when the first shots
+rang out, thinking no doubt that this was a splendid opportunity of
+getting free again. It was very hard luck for him, especially as he had
+all along been one of the keenest and most energetic of the party. The
+old guard watched us go without emotion; they were apparently used to
+surprises of this sort. The chaoush remarked that we should now go to
+our homes, and we often wondered what happened to him when he got back
+to the barracks and reported.
+
+[Illustration: MAP (REDUCED) SHOWING ROUTE OF ESCAPE]
+
+He would be sure to say his party had been greatly outnumbered and were
+only disarmed after a prolonged resistance, but, nevertheless, he was
+probably reduced to a private. Besides the man in black who had been
+killed, two of the others had been wounded. Considering the rate at
+which the akhardash started firing, at a range of only twenty yards or
+so, the wonder is they did not hit many more; probably after inflicting
+a few casualties to start with they afterwards fired high on purpose.
+The guard, beyond firing one or two shots, seemed to have made no
+resistance at all. They were completely surprised and totally unready
+for such an occurrence. Tip had an unenviable experience. He was riding
+his pony when the shooting began and had our rucksacks festooned round
+his saddle and over his legs so that he could not dismount in a hurry
+and found himself in a helpless position in a small storm of bullets.
+Finally, he was dragged to the ground by the tallest of the akhardash,
+who proceeded to kiss him with much fervour! This man, whose name was
+Musa, became our great friend. He was a tall lithe fellow and was always
+ready to do everything he possibly could for our comfort during the
+following weeks. The leader, whom we always rather suspected of having
+played the part of the Duke of Plaza Toro in the actual scrap, was one
+Bihgar Bey, a most evil-looking gentleman. In fact none of the four at
+the time we first saw them presented an appearance likely to inspire any
+confidence, but resembled more the types one sees portrayed as those of
+the greatest criminals. Bihgar Bey, we learnt later, was one of a dozen
+implicated in the murder of Mahomed Shevket Pasha[3] some years
+previously, but as he alone when caught was not in possession of arms
+his sentence was only one of transportation, while all the others were
+put to death. The other two were Keor, an old Armenian who looked as if
+he had led a very hard life, and Kiarmil, a little man who had been a
+sergeant-major in the Turkish forces during the late Balkan war. Their
+looks, however, entirely belied them, as will be seen from our
+subsequent experiences, when on all occasions they went out of their way
+to lessen the hardships of our life in the woods. During the following
+days we found that they had been able to pay a certain sum yearly to
+avoid military service up to a few months previously, when all such
+privileges had been cancelled. They had then been forced either to serve
+or become outlaws, and had chosen the latter alternative. After living
+in the woods supported by more law-abiding friends, of whom they seemed
+to have a great number dotted about the country, they had decided to
+leave for Russia, and made arrangements with a man in Sinope to embark
+in his boat when all their party had been gathered and all arrangements
+completed. In the meantime, a gendarme at Sinope, who was also of their
+political views, had given them news of our recapture and march back to
+Kastamuni. They determined thereupon to effect our rescue, and the
+evening before had made a forced march of over twenty miles. At first,
+we could not understand why they had taken on such an enterprise, seeing
+that it could only hinder their own plans for getting away, and would
+probably make it much more difficult for them to leave at all, as the
+Turkish authorities would be sure to take a good deal of trouble to
+prevent our getting out of the country; but they seemed to have a
+profound contempt for any number of gendarmes and no doubt considered we
+should form a good introduction for them to Russia. Whatever their
+reasons, it was a very plucky act for four of them to take on a guard of
+nine, although at the time when the man in black was bowled over it
+seemed a horribly cold-blooded business.
+
+[3] Grand Vizier, 1913.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+IN HIDING WITH THE TURKS
+
+
+Throughout the following weeks our new friends did all they could to
+make us as comfortable as circumstances would permit, and we can never
+be sufficiently grateful to them for thus enabling us to leave captivity
+and reach home. They would never listen to any offers of payment, saying
+they did not wish to be taken for men who had rescued us for money.
+
+Going back to the morning of our first acquaintance, we left the guard
+standing in the road while we, with all their ammunition and four of
+their rifles, retraced our steps along the road towards the sea and then
+branched off down a side track, finding a secure hiding-place in a thick
+wood about a mile further on. We thought it might be as well to impress
+the guard with the idea that we had been taken off by the "brigands"
+against our will, and therefore got them to tie our hands together and
+behaved as if we did not want to go with them at all. When out of
+sight, we undid the cords and marched on again as really free men,
+Bihgar Bey continually cheering us by saying, "Allons, enfants de la
+patrie," which, considering his position as an outlaw, was distinctly
+humorous. It was wonderful the inspiring effect the change from
+captivity had upon Tip, who had been so seedy during the last few days;
+now he began to recover rapidly and succeeded in marching all the
+following night without any ill effects.
+
+We had taken Sweet's kit with us, thinking we might meet him and that in
+any case it would be of no use to leave it with the guard. After sorting
+it out, we took one or two articles each and made our rescuers some
+small presents from the remainder. Bihgar and Kiarmil went off to fill
+our water-bottles and returned a little while later, after announcing
+their approach by clapping their hands. This we found was the method
+always adopted by the akhardash when meeting each other in woods or by
+night.
+
+It was arranged that two of them would accompany us down at nightfall to
+a secure hiding-place, while the other two were to go in the opposite
+direction to meet friends from Boiabad who were also joining the party
+and, as far as we could make out, were bringing a good deal of money
+with them. In the end, we set off about half-past seven under the
+guidance of Keor, the old Armenian, while the other three set off again
+towards Boiabad. They had told us that we should reach our hiding-place
+in three hours, Bihgar Bey making our mouths water by describing it as a
+place of milk and honey, where we would be provided with meat, butter,
+eggs and cheese, all of which since we left Kastamuni had seemed the
+greatest luxuries.
+
+Keor started off at a trot down a path through the wood. He was carrying
+his own rifle and one of our late guard's weapons, as well as four
+bandoliers full of ammunition and a bag on his back. We three each
+carried a rifle, but hoped there would be no more cold-blooded shooting
+of the type that had effected our rescue. Keor's pace must have been
+about five miles an hour, and we soon had to request him to go slower,
+as I had a dicky knee which would be likely to give trouble going
+downhill at a trot over a bad path with daylight almost gone. Our packs
+with some of Sweet's kit were now a good weight, so that with a rifle in
+addition we were well loaded. After being told that we should reach our
+goal in three hours we felt fairly confident of attaining it in five,
+especially as we kept up a good pace and the recognized halts were not
+observed. Keor several times missed his way, but always found it in the
+end. After a couple of hours we reached a river and wended our weary way
+down its bed, first on one side, then crossing to the other side and
+then back again. There was no path and we floundered along amongst the
+boulders in the darkness. Whenever we halted, which was not often, Keor
+always said it was now only one hour's march further.
+
+About 3 a.m. we were going along a rough track beside the river bed when
+suddenly my bad knee gave way and I took a complete toss, rifle and pack
+going all over the place. There was nothing for it but to go on, so
+tying up the knee with a puttee, I hobbled on--the others nobly helping
+me by carrying my rifle. We were now all pretty well done and signs of
+dawn began to show in the east. Keor was very anxious to get in, saying
+there would be a great many gendarmes hereabouts the following day. At
+length we left the river, climbed a small rise, and passed close to some
+cottages, where the usual dogs soon started a chorus. This led to one or
+two shots being fired, probably with the idea of scaring off robbers,
+but, apparently, we were not actually seen. Finally, we dragged
+ourselves up a steep track, and got to ground in a thick copse. We were
+worn out; it was now a quarter-past five and we had done nine and a
+quarter hours instead of the three we had been promised. Still, we were
+free--and nothing else mattered. We put on what extra garments we had
+and were very soon asleep.
+
+A few hours later Keor disappeared and returned shortly afterwards with
+what seemed to us a splendid breakfast: fried eggs, chapatties and
+yoghourt. Apparently, we were close to the house of an akhardash, from
+whom all this had been procured. Although some children came near us
+during the day, we were not discovered, and remained quietly where we
+were till nightfall. Then we tramped off once more, but only to halt at
+a very short distance further on under some trees near a house, which
+was probably the one our breakfast had come from. Here we were met by a
+boy of fifteen, by name Aziz, who came to us through the trees with a
+loaded rifle slung over his shoulder. Our friends always carried their
+rifles with a round in the chamber, but with the bolt not pushed home.
+We were continually expecting some accident to happen from this
+practice, but luckily nothing did.
+
+Of the rifles belonging to our four rescuers, two were short
+Lee-Enfields which had been captured on the Gallipoli peninsula, and had
+found their way to the bazaar in Constantinople, where they had been
+retailed for LT.10 or nine pounds sterling: now, however, they assured
+us that the price had gone up to LT.20. Musa had a Turkish Mauser, made
+in Germany, while Keor possessed a Russian rifle. Aziz met us with an
+old Greek weapon, but much to his delight was given one of the rifles
+which had belonged to our guard. He was a very bright boy, and intensely
+excited and jubilant over our rescue and the discomfiture of the guard.
+In every case, the muzzle piece was removed so as to lighten the weapon,
+a bayonet, apparently, not being considered worth carrying when fighting
+gendarmes in the mountains. In addition to their rifles, some of our
+friends carried Caucasian daggers. These are straight, with a very fine
+sharp point and double-edged blade about fifteen inches long. They were
+used for cutting brushwood, rigging up shelters in the woods, killing
+sheep, or chopping up meat, as required. Whenever we halted, Keor used
+to spend much loving care over his bandoliers of ammunition, seeing
+that each round was clean and not too loose in its leather loop.
+
+After a few minutes under the trees a woman brought us a frugal supper,
+after which we set off accompanied by Aziz to find a hiding-place for
+the following day. A short distance brought us to a small Turkish house
+where a good deal of conversation took place between Keor, Aziz and the
+owner. Finally, we were taken into a maize-field and camped under a tree
+in the centre. The maize was seven or eight feet in height, so that we
+were well concealed. Our host brought us some bedding, consisting of a
+couple of old mattresses and quilts. During the following days we had a
+pretty thorough experience of the delights of such bedding, and came to
+the conclusion in the end that we should have been happier without any.
+However, in the present case it was not so bad and we had a
+comparatively undisturbed night. In the morning food was brought us by
+our host, which consisted mostly of a vegetable stew and coarse bread.
+The day was uneventful.
+
+We spent another night in this field and moved on once more the
+following evening. Keor declared it would only take us half an hour and
+I trusted it might not be far, as my knee was not much better yet. It
+amused us to think what a trio of crocks we seemed to be. Tip had been
+ill off and on most of the time since we left Kastamuni. K. had been
+very unwell that day and suffered a good deal on account of his short
+sight; and I was dead lame. A few minutes after starting we met another
+of the akhardash, a very good fellow named Kasim, and conversed with him
+for a few minutes in the shade of a corn stack before proceeding.
+
+It was a fine moonlight night, and we again passed the German wireless
+station, which was now below us and between us and the sea. In not more
+than an hour, we got close to the place appointed and after a long wait
+were conducted to a spot which seemed very secure, as it was in the
+centre of a thick copse with no houses near. Another youth turned up
+here and, apparently, was the son of our new host. For the next three
+days we stayed here, this boy bringing us food twice a day and telling
+Keor all the local news. It was now we heard that Sweet had been retaken
+or had had to give himself up and was being marched back to Kastamuni.
+Later when Bihgar Bey and the others rejoined us they declared that
+Sweet had gone back with an escort of no less than 60 gendarmes. The
+idea of such a number being necessary tickled them immensely and they
+evidently considered it a great compliment to the disturbance they had
+caused, though they were genuinely sorry for Sweet and would have made
+an effort to rescue him had it been possible.
+
+Our menu was rendered more attractive now by our being able to get a
+little butter and some fruit. As we had to keep still all day, there was
+little to do except speculate as to the composition of the next meal,
+and with having only two meals a day there was a considerable interval
+between these events. K. spent some time in making up his diary and
+checking dates. Our friends could never make out what he was writing
+about, and would say, "Here there are trees and mountains but whatever
+can a man find to write about?" Indeed, they never could make K. out
+very well. Tip was far the most popular; for one thing the fact that he
+was an aviator roused their imagination, and in addition his good humour
+under all circumstances made him a great favourite. They always
+addressed him as Kaptan, but only called K. and me, by our surnames. The
+want of tobacco in the early days had not affected K. and me, as we did
+not smoke, but Tip had had to go very short; now, however, the
+akhardash seemed to have inexhaustible supplies and were always ready
+to roll cigarettes for Tip--an art which he never succeeded in
+mastering. One day Keor informed us that some of the akhardash including
+Aziz had raided the German wireless station the night before, killing
+all the Germans and taking a lot of money. This was absolutely untrue,
+but he seemed to believe it and had evidently been told the story by the
+boy bringing our food.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+CONTINUED DELAYS
+
+
+On the afternoon of September 2nd, the third day in this wood, Bihgar
+Bey and Musa arrived, and announced that the friends from Boiabad had
+also come and that we should move on towards the sea. One of the
+new-comers had arrived with them at our lair, this being a stout fellow
+whom we always referred to as the Fat Boy: he was in fact the only pure
+Turk amongst them, the others all being of Circassian extraction. As it
+grew dark we moved off picking up some others of the akhardash shortly
+afterwards, and took a line which would bring us towards the coast while
+at the same time approaching Sinope. After some hours, it became evident
+that they were not very sure of the way, with the result that in the
+early hours of the morning they decided to stop where they were and
+reach the appointed place the following evening. At dawn a countryman
+stumbled upon a sentry guarding a path near which we lay. He was
+thoroughly scared and was allowed to go, after having evidently sworn
+never to tell of anything he had seen.
+
+As morning dawned, rain came on and we moved under some bigger trees,
+where Keor very soon had a shelter rigged up, cutting down ash saplings
+with a dagger and using our sail as a cover. It was not a very efficient
+protection, but better than nothing and luckily on this occasion the
+rain did not last long. Next evening, under the guidance of a new
+comrade, we were conducted a little way further, finally halting in a
+maize-field until such time as some unwelcome guests had left our new
+host. This was an old Greek as poor as he was dirty, but he had
+evidently agreed to hide us until the boat was ready and we were much
+indebted to him. Finally, the Turkish visitors left the old man and he
+came to meet us. The first thing he did was to go off with one of the
+akhardash and procure a sheep for us. We had not tasted any meat for
+about ten days, and looked with great interest at the fine animal now
+procured. The old man then brought us bedding, and we are not likely
+ever to forget it. We remained in his care for nearly a week, and every
+day seemed to increase the interest which these mattresses took in us.
+At daylight, the old man cleared a space for us in a neighbouring
+thicket, and we moved in there. All the others except Bihgar departed,
+saying they were going to prepare food for the voyage. Left alone with
+Bihgar the time hung somewhat heavily. He looked after us like a father
+and by our calling him this he was highly delighted. He played picquet
+with Tip, and did his best to learn a little English. The old Greek sent
+a messenger into Sinope for us, and we thus got hold of a few small note
+books and some playing cards, which helped to pass the time.
+
+[Illustration: BIHGAR BEY]
+
+After a few days in our first clearing, we moved to another, a short
+distance off, this being considered rather safer. There were a good many
+houses round about and people passed by a path running within 50 yards
+of where we lay, so that we had to keep very quiet. After three or four
+days here we began to get a little impatient, Bihgar Bey being somewhat
+indefinite; but at last one night, after going off at dark to meet some
+of the others, he came back and woke us up at midnight and told us to
+hurry up, as we were off. We hoped we might get right down to the coast
+and find the boat ready, but this was not to be. After a second meeting
+under the tree in the maize-field and a farewell to the old Greek, we
+set off down a lane and past some houses where the inevitable dog was
+soon aroused. However, no one came out and we got out to a field near
+the main road, where, after a wait of an hour, we were met by Kiarmil,
+whom we had not seen since the first day. At this point, the others had
+also met us and had with them a pony laden with bread and a little
+cheese, which were to be our rations on the voyage. The party now
+consisted of twelve of the akhardash and a boy with the pony, the latter
+not intending to leave the country with us.
+
+We learnt that they had had a long fight with the gendarmes the day
+before, one being killed on each side. Apparently, the gendarmes had
+rounded them up in a village where they were preparing the food which
+they had now brought. There were, they said, 80 gendarmes, whereas they
+had only eight! Anyhow, our guide of a few nights before, a swarthy,
+powerful looking man, had been killed, but in the end they had succeeded
+in getting away from the gendarmes or driving them off. The story,
+naturally, lost nothing in the telling and we never quite knew what to
+believe. At first, from their accounts, it sounded as if they had
+deliberately invited a scrap, and it was some time before we found out
+that they had been almost surrounded. They also brought the news that
+hundreds of gendarmes were being sent to Sinope from Kastamuni, but as
+there were never many at Kastamuni we were somewhat sceptical about this
+also. Crossing the main road, we found we were close to the sea, and a
+little further on entered a copse where we spent the rest of the night.
+At dawn we went still further in, and sentries were posted. Meanwhile,
+the pony boy had gone off on his steed to Sinope to interview the
+boatman, and we waited till the afternoon, hoping that we might hear the
+boat was coming to pick us up that night. Our hopes were dashed again
+when the boy returned with the news that the boat and its proprietor
+were not in Sinope, but had gone round the coast to the next port to the
+west.
+
+The akhardash decided it was too risky to stay where we were and,
+therefore, we moved again at nightfall. After following the main road a
+little way on towards Sinope we left it, climbing slowly and going
+farther away from the sea. After some hours they found that they had
+missed the way again, although we were close to our destination, which
+was the inevitable akhardash's house. Making across some fields and
+hedges, we gained a lane, but soon had to leave this, as carts were
+heard coming along. Luckily, Turkish carts make their presence known
+a long way off by their perpetual creaking, so that we were all
+safely under cover by the time they passed. A certain amount of
+misunderstanding now arose, Bihgar not seeing eye to eye with another of
+the akhardash who knew best our whereabouts, with the result that we
+nearly split up into two or more groups in the darkness.
+
+However, we eventually all got together again, and reached the house of
+our new host or rather the field surrounding it. He came to meet us and
+escorted us to a wood close by. Here we slept till dawn and then moved
+farther into the trees. This old man was evidently a more influential
+"comrade" than most of those we had met so far. His house was a good
+deal larger than the average and he was treated with great respect.
+Another more humble supporter also appeared, and between the two we were
+provided with food. Late in the day, the old man departed for Sinope,
+and our hopes again ran high that he would be successful in arranging
+for the boat. Disappointment was once more in store for us on his return
+about six o'clock. The leading three or four conferred apart with him,
+and it was not until afterwards that we were told that the Turks were so
+bent on preventing us leaving the country that they had had all boats
+pulled up, masts and sails taken out and guarded, and that no boat was
+allowed to put to sea from Sinope to eastwards of Kusafet, the place
+where we had been recaptured. The akhardash said that, this being the
+case, we must try elsewhere, and they proposed to march off towards
+Iyenjak, a little town about 30 miles westwards, where the restrictions
+imposed at Sinope would probably not be in force and where they hoped to
+get another boat. They said if this failed they would then go east
+towards Samsun, a distance of fully 100 miles across rough mountainous
+country.
+
+We were beginning to wonder if they ever would get afloat. On August
+27th, when they had rescued us, they declared everything would be ready
+in three or four days. It was now September and our early sailing seemed
+more unlikely than ever. In addition to this our boots were nearly worn
+out, and physically we were not in particularly good condition. It
+looked as if they would have a much better chance of getting off without
+us, so we decided to offer to go off on our own and leave them free. We
+explained that it was a hanging matter for them if caught, whereas it
+only meant a few months in prison for us. They realized this only too
+clearly, but would not hear of our leaving them for an instant, and
+declared they would get a boat, however much it might cost.
+
+Kiarmil, upon whose person all the wealth of the party had been
+concealed in various places when it was thought we were about to embark,
+now began to disgorge his treasure and divide it up again. Musa appeared
+to be by far the richest of the party and seemed to be quite a country
+gentleman. He told us he would lose his house, cattle and land worth
+thousands of pounds. These would all be confiscated by the Turkish
+authorities, but he confidently hoped with the next change of Government
+to return to the country and get it all back again with a little more
+besides. Some of the others were in a similar situation in a lesser
+degree. They had succeeded in changing most of their money into Russian
+notes which had somehow found their way into Sinope and Jerse, and these
+transactions had delayed their preparations a good deal.
+
+After a supper which included a little meat and was therefore noteworthy
+in itself, we set off again on the march, but found we had left behind
+one of our party who had had fever. At the start, we made good progress
+along a road, but then turned off to follow a river down the valley. To
+find the track was not always easy. Many fences had to be partially
+demolished to allow the pony to get through, and no effort was ever made
+to repair the damage or conceal our tracks. After crossing a good deal
+of cultivated land, we reached the river bed and began the type of march
+we knew so well, crossing continually from one side to the other,
+stumbling along over boulders and rocks. About three o'clock in the
+morning, we reached a thicket in a lonely part of the valley where the
+sides had narrowed considerably. They decided to halt here till the next
+night, much to our relief. Cross-country marching by night is never a
+very easy mode of progression, but when an attempt is made to use a
+stony river bed as a road it becomes a prolonged torture.
+
+No incident marked the following day, and just before dark we were off
+once more. As dawn was breaking we reached the neighbourhood of yet
+another akhardash's house and went into hiding in thick brushwood which
+was soaking with dew. Just as we had got settled down, Bihgar for some
+reason decided that we three would be safer elsewhere, and much to our
+disgust hustled us off to an equally wet spot in a thicket on the
+opposite side of the road. He was always prone to worry and fuss a great
+deal more than the others, and later on in the day, in a rash moment, I
+expostulated with him, going through a little pantomime to show how he
+had acted in the morning. The effect was startling and a great deal more
+than I had bargained for. He began by fervently kissing my hand,
+declaring he was our servant and that everything he did was for our
+benefit. I hastened to stop the flood of protest and affection which I
+had unwittingly let loose, but it was some time before he was calm
+again.
+
+That evening we moved on, having been fed during the day by the local
+akhardash. We were now under the command of the fellow we termed the Fat
+Boy, Bihgar having gone off with some of the others to interview another
+friend regarding a boat. This man never worried at all, and would shout
+to men on guard over the crops as if he were a countryman returning home
+late. The fires all over the countryside at night in this district were
+used for scaring wild pig from the maize and other crops. In nearly
+every field would be a small perch for a man, who would keep a blaze
+going beside him and make various noises to scare off the intruders.
+Most of them had old guns of some sort and frequently a shot would be
+heard. The subject of pig formed a perpetual joke; the akhardash, as
+Mussulmans, declaring it was not good to eat, whereas we always offered
+to show them how good it was if they would bring us one. Another source
+of never-ending merriment was the prophecy that Tip would be taken
+prisoner when flying in France and again be sent to Kastamuni.
+
+Towards midnight we reached a big wood and, under the guidance of a new
+supporter, found a sheltered spot beneath lofty trees. The character of
+the country had altered a good deal since we had reached the coast. Here
+the rainfall was evidently a great deal heavier than it was at Kastamuni
+and the climate milder, with the result that all sorts of trees abounded
+and the vegetation was much thicker. This was the first spot considered
+safe enough by our friends for a fire and they soon had a fine blaze
+going. We lay down in the warmth and were quickly asleep. Our comfort
+was short-lived, however, as it began to rain heavily. A small oil silk
+sheet which had belonged to Sweet kept me dry for a time, but it soon
+became necessary to move, as the fire had nearly gone out and another
+had been started further away. Tip evinced a wonderful power of being
+able to sleep when lying in a puddle and soaked through. The akhardash
+were experts at fire-lighting, under all circumstances, and skilfully
+arranged the logs to protect the inside of the blaze from the rain.
+
+In the afternoon we moved on under the guidance of two sturdy lads, one
+of whom with the aid of an axe cut a way for us through the brushwood
+and made a track up the steep hill, along which the pony struggled
+heroically. On reaching higher ground we found a path and followed this
+a little further to a water trough, near which we camped, another fire
+being lighted at once. Our guide of the night before turned out to be a
+Turkish soldier on leave, but he showed little surprise on finding out
+who we were. The other lads had also been in the Army and, as far as we
+could make out, had been sent to their homes on account of the shortage
+of rations in Constantinople. They bore us no ill will and evidently
+thought that the Gallipoli campaign showed them to be the better
+soldiers of the two. They knew nothing about our having taken Bagdad and
+were quite ignorant of all other war news. The following day was fine
+at intervals, generally just long enough to allow of our drying our
+clothes before it began again. Our diet had been limited to coarse
+Turkish bread, of a most indigestible and half-baked variety, with
+potatoes and meat which we cooked by toasting small pieces on long
+sticks; but now the bread ran out and for two days we lived almost
+entirely on potatoes. The erstwhile soldiers also brought us a number of
+small pears. For washing we had the trough, but while the rain continued
+and for some time after each shower a small stream flowed down beside
+our camp.
+
+The next event of interest was the arrival of a visitor who brought with
+him a sheep. We were told that this man had been employed in the
+_gendarmerie_, but was now also leaving for Russia and intended to sail
+in ten days' time. He suddenly wanted our party to postpone their
+departure, so that he might join us, but this was not agreed to. To show
+his good faith, he had brought the sheep as a present and no time was
+lost in turning it into mutton. A long pole was cut and supported
+horizontally on two Y pieces driven into the ground beside the fire. The
+sheep's carcase was scientifically balanced and tied to the pole and the
+roasting process then began, the pole being slowly turned in the
+supports. We made use of our canteens and anything else we could get
+hold of to catch the dripping: butter had been scarce and any substitute
+was greatly in demand. Our experience in this connection was that coarse
+indigestible bread became much less harmful when any butter could be had
+to eat with it.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+THREE DAYS ON THE BLACK SEA
+
+
+There had been a certain amount of going and coming amongst the
+akhardash during the days we spent in this wood, but on September 19th
+Bihgar Bey arrived and declared everything was arranged. A boat said to
+be quite new had been purchased for 400 liras. This sum had been paid in
+hard cash, gold and silver, a fact of more interest than might appear
+since at this time not a single coin of any description was to be seen
+in the bazaars in Turkey. Notes had been issued down to 1 piastre and
+below this postage stamps were used. We again offered to contribute a
+share to the cost of the boat, but they would not hear of it. Nearly all
+of them had some gold coins, English sovereigns being as numerous as
+Turkish lira pieces. The following day, September 20th, our gendarme
+friend again appeared, bringing another sheep, which was cooked without
+delay in the same manner as the first. We were to leave that evening at
+six o'clock, go down to the coast and embark the following evening. At
+last everything seemed to have been definitely arranged and our spirits
+rose accordingly.
+
+A dark night march followed over some bad going and as we got lower down
+we entered the inevitable river bed. This lasted for an hour only and we
+then climbed a hill and found ourselves in a small copse immediately
+above the sea.
+
+Since our recapture at the coast we reckoned we had covered about 150
+miles, while our trek from Kastamuni to the coast must have been about
+200 miles.
+
+In the morning the pony boy was sent along to interview the boat owner,
+and on his return we were told the boat was to come along at dark and we
+were to embark at eleven o'clock. The day passed uneventfully, and there
+was nothing to be done but to lie still and hope that no misfortune
+would upset the scheme at the last moment. On these occasions the
+akhardash posted one or more sentries round our hiding-place and great
+care was taken to make no noise. As it grew dark Bihgar told us to go to
+sleep and said he would awaken us when the boat came. No sign of the
+boat had been seen and they were evidently much worried. It looked as
+if even now something had gone wrong. The pony boy was despatched again,
+and returned hours later to say that the boat had left as arranged.
+
+Meanwhile, we had gone to sleep and did not wake until dawn. An awful
+presentiment seized us that another failure had occurred. However, as it
+grew light, the sentries who had not seen the boat the night before
+discovered it a quarter of a mile away across a stream with a fire lit
+on the beach above it. This had, apparently, been the signal, but for
+some reason had not been seen. No time was now lost in getting down to
+the boat. The pony boy galloped off, presumably to his home, and we
+trust never aroused the suspicions of the authorities. The sacks
+containing the bread for the voyage were carried down and put on board,
+and a kerosine tin and keg from the boat taken to the stream to provide
+the water supply. Meanwhile, others had been ballasting the boat with
+boulders from the beach. Just as the water was being brought back to the
+boat an old sentry emerged from a tumble-down house on the beach, which
+our friends had, apparently, thought to be deserted. He had scarcely
+taken in the situation before he was disarmed and tied up near the
+house. His Mauser rifle and ammunition were all taken from him, and in
+exchange he was left with an old Greek rifle, but without a round to put
+in it. The last of the party pushing off the boat leaped on board, and
+with thankful hearts we felt we really were off at last. Our vessel was
+the usual type of coastal fishing boat, with a single big sail. She was
+about twenty-four feet long and between two or three tons displacement,
+but, whereas we had been expecting a new boat, we now found a very old
+one with mast and rigging that looked anything but trustworthy, the only
+sign of any recent attention being a little fresh paint here and there.
+However, we had left Turkey and had a boat and that was all we wanted.
+The question of navigation and handling the boat we left to start with
+to the akhardash, of whom several said they were accustomed to sailing
+and knew all about it; but we relied on Tip's experience to help us
+along if our other friends failed.
+
+[Illustration: BOAT IN WHICH THE PARTY CROSSED THE BLACK SEA]
+
+The first thing that engaged our attention, when the boat had been
+pushed off, was another vessel of the same type which was very slowly
+making its way close in along the coast and was now quite near to us.
+The result of a short palaver amongst the akhardash was that they rowed
+quietly up to this boat, not a rifle showing and all except the four
+rowers sitting down as quiet as mice. On getting up to the new-comer
+they all jumped up and levelled their rifles at the unfortunate crew in
+true pirate style. The crew had no course left but to accept any orders
+they were given, and after a few minutes' violent yelling and
+gesticulation their captain and one other were transferred to our boat,
+while Musa and the Fat Boy took their places in the other. Both boats
+now sailed off in company. There was a good breeze from the east and
+they had decided to make for Sevastopol; but it soon became evident that
+they had little idea of the direction as a course N.E. was taken,
+whereas Sevastopol lay rather to the west of the point at which we left
+the coast. Other diversions, however, put questions of direction in the
+background for some time. To start with, the spar in our boat very
+nearly broke in two and had to be lowered and patched with two small
+pieces of wood and some old nails, a makeshift which gave little promise
+of being a permanent remedy. This was not accomplished without a
+tremendous hullabaloo, in which Bihgar played a prominent part. Arms
+were waving and all seemed to be yelling instructions to all the others.
+
+During the process the end of the rope suspending the spar ran through
+the pulley at the top of the mast, and it became necessary to get it
+back again somehow. The captured captain of the second boat made a noble
+effort, swarming up the mast and holding on to the shrouds like a
+monkey; but the boat was rocking about a good deal and after several
+vain attempts he had to give it up. This necessitated the mast being
+unshipped and causing more frantic excitement, especially when the
+moment arrived to put it up again. But, in the end, the feat was
+successfully accomplished and both boats sailed off in company. The
+breeze was strong and the sea choppy. Several of the akhardash at once
+became _hors de combat_ and remained nearly motionless at the bottom of
+the boat for the next three days. It was a glorious morning, and, as we
+watched the coast receding, we were more than repaid for all the
+discomfort of the last few weeks. The Sinope headland stood out away on
+our right, and it was not till late in the afternoon that we were out of
+sight of the mountains. A small boat crossed our course soon after
+starting, but there were no signs of any pursuit or commotion on shore.
+We wondered what stories of our doings would reach our friends in
+Kastamuni, and were pretty sure that the Turks would tell them we had
+come to an unhappy end at the hands of the "brigands."
+
+We now attempted to get our friends to steer a course more nearly north
+instead of north-east; but they would not do so, as they were in a
+terrible state of apprehension lest they should reach Rumanian territory
+occupied by Germans. K. produced our chart--the largest map of the Black
+Sea we had been able to find at Kastamuni--but it was only some three or
+four inches long and coming as it did from an "Ancient Atlas" showed the
+Greek colonies in 500 B.C. and nothing more modern. We were not sure of
+the exact position of Sevastopol but did not allow our friends to know.
+Whatever was urged had no effect and the course remained N.E.
+
+[Illustration: MAP (ACTUAL SIZE) OF THE BLACK SEA]
+
+When dark came on, it soon became evident that neither our captured
+mariners nor the akhardash had the least idea of steering by the stars;
+and, finally, about midnight, Tip discovered we were going about due
+east. We thought it was high time we took charge, and therefore arranged
+to take watches, one of us sitting up beside the steersman and keeping
+the direction a little west of north. The boat had no cabin, but the
+stern was decked across and we were allowed to keep this to ourselves.
+All the first day there had been a good breeze, but it became much
+feebler at night. With dawn the wind grew stronger again, and we were
+making a good pace in company with the second boat when, at nine
+o'clock, signals of distress from her were noticed. She was about 300
+yards from us at the time and it was impossible to make out what had
+happened. Pandemonium at once reigned on board and we thought by the
+commotion that our companion must be sinking. After much shouting, our
+sail was lowered, the oars got out and the vessel slowly brought up to
+our comrade in distress, only to find that the latter had broken her
+rudder. Much shouting now took place on both sides. Any thought of
+steering with an oar was never entertained and they decided to abandon
+one boat. As the captured second boat was so much the better of the two,
+an attempt was made to substitute our rudder in her, but without
+success. The result was that she was abandoned after transferring her
+crew, sail and spar, and part of her cargo to our boat. We were now
+packed very tightly, having a total of nineteen on board. Some of the
+ballast had been thrown overboard, but not enough to compensate for the
+additional load. Had we realized at the time that the second boat had a
+valuable cargo of kerosine, the price of which was fabulous in Turkey,
+we should have made some attempt to salve her or, at all events, have
+set her on fire. This information was not divulged till afterwards, but
+even so it is doubtful if she would not have sunk before drifting ashore
+or being discovered by another boat.
+
+All went well, despite the crowd, until about midday, when the wind
+dropped altogether and rowing had to be resorted to. The boat was
+arranged for four oars and it was in this capacity that the captured
+crew proved of the greatest service. They were relieved at intervals by
+some of the akhardash. We calculated our speed when rowing at about two
+miles an hour, whereas for the first 24 hours it must have been at least
+double this. I plotted our course as nearly as possible on the
+diminutive map, and it was annoying to see how much further on we should
+have been had we started in the right direction the day before.
+
+Our rations were the coarse bread, together with a little honey and
+butter which we had preserved for some days; but as neither of the
+latter could be said to be good they were not of much value. Some of our
+Horlick's milk was still left, and this helped matters along.
+
+The morning of the third day broke with windless serenity and rowing
+went on uninterruptedly. The sky was perfectly clear, but at midday we
+noticed some very small clouds straight ahead which seemed stationary.
+We held on our course, trusting that the clouds meant land. At 6 o'clock
+that morning, as far as we could make out from the chart, we were at
+least seventy miles from the nearest point of the Crimea.
+
+During the afternoon the question of rations and water was discussed,
+and we decided that if land was not in sight the next morning to take
+over all the remaining bread and water and distribute it ourselves, as
+the akhardash had not the least idea of rationing and used to eat and
+drink as the inclination prompted them. We had not liked to interfere
+before, but now it was a matter of necessity.
+
+The sun set in a glorious blaze, and just at this moment there was a
+commotion at the forward end of the boat and the word went round that
+land was sighted. It was anything but clear, but we took the word of the
+sailors for it and every one became much excited. Just before this
+event, Keor had made a fire in the bottom of the boat, making a hearth
+with some of the stone ballast and using some floor boards and any other
+bits of wood he could find as fuel. On this was cooked some meal which
+had been brought in from the abandoned boat; sea water was used to boil
+it and a very useful sort of porridge resulted.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+THE CRIMEA AND HOME
+
+
+At dawn on the fourth day, September 25th, the land was very clear and
+we could see a lofty headland which ran steeply down to the sea. An hour
+or two later, we could make out houses and then it became clear that we
+were approaching some seaside resort. All through the previous two days,
+after we had taken charge of the steering, the akhardash had continually
+inquired whether the "road" was "good" and they were now more than
+satisfied that we knew the best way over the sea. Fortune had been with
+us, in giving us fine weather and clear skies by day and night;
+otherwise we might have reached a very different destination. Rowing on
+steadily, it was soon clear that the place was quite extensive and
+probably much frequented. Several large buildings could be seen and
+something which looked like a pier or jetty, to which we now steered. It
+was not until one o'clock that we finally reached this spot and landed,
+to find ourselves opposite the baths.
+
+For days we had talked of the delights of a good hot bath and now we had
+come straight to the very place. We were met by a Swiss who was bathing.
+He hurried off to dress, but before he could return we were accosted by
+several other people, notably a retired Russian general and an American
+diplomat who lent us clothes and escorted us to the baths. After getting
+really clean once more, we were taken to a _pension_ and made the guests
+of the hospitable Russian ladies to whom it belonged. They told us the
+place was called Alupka and was one of the most popular seaside places
+in Russia. Meanwhile the akhardash had been escorted into the town. In
+the morning they had begun to don their bandoliers and handle their
+rifles, but we persuaded them that they would be looked upon in a more
+friendly manner on landing if they abandoned these weapons.
+
+[Illustration: ALUPKA]
+
+It had taken us 78 hours to cross the 180 miles of sea, but actually we
+must have sailed well over 200 miles. We found that, comparing our
+position on the third morning with the spot we had marked on the map, we
+were only some twenty miles out, which, as amateur navigators, we
+considered quite good work.
+
+At the _pension_ we were given lunch, and wine was produced in our
+honour by our new friends. We shall never forget their kindness, and the
+extraordinary feeling of being amongst all the amenities of civilization
+once more after two years under other conditions. In the afternoon, we
+were taken to the municipal office and there interviewed by a very
+business-like and intelligent lady who seemed to combine the duties of
+commissioner of police and most other municipal departments. Our friends
+told us that there was some difficulty in establishing our identity,
+since the commandant of the town--who a few months earlier before the
+Revolution had been an actor--was very suspicious and inclined to
+believe we were really Germans. In fact, some splendid stories were
+going about. According to one, a boat-load of Turks under the command of
+three German officers had attacked the town, one of the Germans being
+wounded. Tip had been to see a doctor and this no doubt lent colour to
+the idea. At all events, the commandant told off a sentry to shadow us
+about wherever we went.
+
+The akhardash, we found, had been accommodated in the central police
+building, where they had been given plenty of food and seemed to be
+receiving visitors. We bought them some fruit and tried to cheer them
+up, as they had imagined they would be received with triumphal
+rejoicings and were somewhat crestfallen at being treated more like
+prisoners. Our first object was to get in touch with the nearest British
+consul, so as to put their case before him and get matters explained to
+the Russian authorities; but no one seemed to know where the nearest
+consul was to be found. We got telegrams sent off to our people at home
+addressed to the Embassy at Petrograd. It was hopeless at this time to
+try to get private telegrams through, and for mails from home we found
+they were even worse off here than we had been in Kastamuni. It was
+strange, indeed, being in a spick and span town, with well made roads
+and everything clean and up-to-date, after the filthy dilapidation which
+characterizes everything in connection with the Turk.
+
+[Illustration: THE ALUPKA BATHS]
+
+Some people we met seemed rather annoyed that we had not struck a mine,
+as they assured us there was a large minefield through which we had
+passed. We discovered, later, this was quite wrong, but in any case our
+boat was of much too shallow draft to be in much danger. Others told us
+that we were fortunate to land where we did, as had we gone a little
+further east we should have come to the estates of some of the Grand
+Dukes who at that time were interned under armed guards, with orders to
+prevent anyone approaching from land or sea! We were told that every one
+was on rations and that food was getting scarce. One of the most
+striking contrasts to Turkey was the magnificent fruit on sale, grapes,
+pears and peaches, all evidently cultivated with great skill.
+
+As we emerged from our interview with the lady commissioner, we were
+summoned to halt in order to be cinematographed by the representatives
+of some Moscow firm. All the educated people we met in Russia were
+kindness itself to us and made our journey through the country very
+pleasant. It was pathetic to be asked, as we were, to tell people in
+England that not every one in Russia is bad and worthless. All classes,
+we found, had welcomed the Revolution when it started, thinking a new
+and brighter era had dawned; but it very soon became clear that the
+pendulum was swinging much too far in the other direction, and no one
+would dare to prophesy what might happen next. Fortunately for us, there
+was no actual internal fighting taking place at the time and we got
+through the country without trouble.
+
+The following day we left Alupka by motor for Yalta, a port a little
+further east. The road led past some of the Grand Dukes' estates and
+Livadia, the Tsar's Crimean palace. The scenery all along was
+magnificent, the pine-clad hillsides sloping steeply down to the blue,
+with white houses or palaces. Yalta itself was one of the most charming
+spots it had been our good fortune to see, and is easily equal in beauty
+to any of the Riviera resorts. From here we were to travel by night by a
+transport back past Alupka, reaching Sevastopol on the following
+morning, but before leaving a surprise was in store for us. As we had
+some time to wait, we went into an hotel, with the officer conducting
+us, for tea. This, however, we found was the headquarters of the local
+committee of soldiers and workmen, and a few minutes later we were asked
+to go into their meeting hall to receive their congratulations. This
+promised to be rather awkward, as we knew no word of Russian; but
+fortunately a schoolmaster who knew French was introduced to us. As we
+entered the room, the soldiers and sailors present all clapped
+vigorously. There were about 30 or 40 present and it was necessary, as
+on every possible occasion in Russia, to shake hands all round. The
+schoolmaster then gave a harrowing account of our imprisonment in
+Turkey and told them how we had eventually escaped and reached Russia.
+He appeared to say that we had been manacled in chains and endured the
+worst possible fortune as prisoners. After a suitable expression of
+thanks conveyed through the schoolmaster, we shook hands again all round
+and returned to our tea. This was our only actual meeting with a
+revolutionary committee, and we are bound to say they seemed to have no
+love for the Turk or any wish to leave their Allies in the lurch by
+concluding a separate peace.
+
+[Illustration: YALTA]
+
+The transports steamed only at night and kept close into the coast for
+fear of possible submarines; so that the chances of our being picked up
+by one on our way over had been very remote.
+
+The akhardash travelled with us to Sevastopol, and on arrival there we
+met the British Naval Representative, Commander Sage, R.N., who looked
+after us for the next few days. As he spoke Russian fluently and was in
+touch with all the highest authorities, we had no trouble of any sort.
+The akhardash were handed over to the Russian Staff authorities, who
+provided them with good quarters on a ship in the harbour. We three
+lived with Commander Sage on an auxiliary cruiser, the _Almaz_, which
+had previously been used as a private yacht by the Grand Dukes. The
+akhardash had for some time wished that we should all be photographed
+together and we, too, were anxious to have such mementoes of our time
+with them. The Russian Staff very kindly arranged it and we had two
+groups taken, one with our original rescuers with their rifles and
+bandoliers, and one with all the others included. Unfortunately Keor,
+the old Armenian, was ill in hospital and could not be present. As some
+days had elapsed before the photos were taken, our friends had obtained
+new clothing and hats and, therefore, did not present the picturesque
+appearance to which we had become accustomed. As regards some recompense
+for all their services, we could not get them to accept anything more
+than what they had spent on our food during all the time we were with
+them, but the Russians paid them the exact sum they had given for the
+boat, so that they were not out of pocket on that account. As souvenirs,
+they had given us each one of their long Caucasian daggers, and we in
+return got wrist watches for them and a suitably inscribed cigarette
+case for Bihgar Bey. We left them in good hands and have often wondered
+since what has been their fortune. No men could have acted more pluckily
+in rescuing us in the first place, or taken more trouble over our
+comfort and welfare during the weeks we spent with them in the hills and
+woods; and never shall we forget how much we owe them.
+
+[Illustration: THE THREE OFFICERS AND THREE OF THEIR RESCUERS]
+
+After some days in Sevastopol, we said good-bye to them and went round
+to Odessa on the _Almaz_, where we made arrangements with the British
+consul for our journey home. At Odessa we were entertained at a most
+convivial dinner by the British and American Club. Like all dinners in
+Russia, it proved prolific in speeches, a start being made with the
+King's health, in the middle of the fish course, by an enthusiastic
+American. From these speeches we learnt how whole-heartedly the great
+American nation had entered the struggle and the efforts they were
+making in Russia, more especially with regard to improving the railways.
+Coming out of the obscurity of Turkey, these things were new to us,
+although by reading between the lines of the Turkish papers we had been
+able to get a fair idea of the general position on the actual battle
+fronts. Another speaker told a pitiful story of the position in Rumania
+and of the appalling lack of medical stores and awful ravages of disease
+in the Army. A visit to the races and opera helped to pass two very
+enjoyable days before saying good-bye to Commander Sage and our new
+friends, and leaving for Mogileff, the then headquarters on the Russian
+front to which we had been summoned by the British Mission.
+
+On our way we passed through Kieff, a magnificent town, peopled very
+largely by Poles. Here we met some forlorn British gunners who did not
+know what was to be their fate, but were soon, I trust, back in England.
+After a day in Mogileff we went on to Petrograd. Travelling even at this
+time was very comfortable on the Russian lines, for those with passes
+such as we possessed, except for the temperature of the carriages. In
+some it was impossible to open any window. The result was that we all
+got heavy colds, although during the past six weeks we had kept fit
+while sleeping out in the open and occasionally getting soaked through.
+
+Petrograd was cold, wet, and dreary, and we spent our time in rushing
+about between the various departments before we could get passports and
+tickets through to Bergen. We, eventually, accomplished this by hard
+work in three days, and were then told we were fortunate not to have
+been kept at it for a week. It was necessary to borrow mufti to travel
+through Sweden and Norway. Clothes in Russia were practically
+unobtainable, but, fortunately for us, two naval officers at the
+Embassy came to our rescue by most generously giving us the necessary
+garments. We were also indebted to the Red Cross Depot at the Embassy
+for other assistance in the way of clothes.
+
+[Illustration: THE THREE OFFICERS AND THE AKHARDASH]
+
+Tip and I left on October 14th, and after an interesting trip through
+Sweden and Norway reached Aberdeen ten days later.
+
+K., on the other hand, returned to the Black Sea. It had been hoped, and
+we had done our best to arrange, that an attempt should be made with the
+assistance of the akhardash to release some of the other officers at
+Kastamuni. Unfortunately this plan never materialized: for one thing our
+friends were moved further inland from Kastamuni before any attempt
+could be made, and when everything was settled on our side the Bolshevik
+rising had commenced and brought all plans to a standstill. K. reached
+England two months later, after having made a trip over to the Turkish
+coast in a Russian destroyer, and worked in every conceivable way to
+bring off the scheme for the rescue of the other officers. His
+persistent but unsuccessful efforts bring the account of our adventures
+to a close.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+FRIENDS IN CAPTIVITY
+
+
+This story would not be complete without recording the deaths of Captain
+R. J. Tipton, R.F.C., and Captain R. T. Sweet, D.S.O., 2/7th Ghurka
+Rifles.
+
+Tipton, after very few days at home, reported again for duty and would
+not rest content until he had obtained leave to fly and fight over the
+German lines. For this purpose he had refused his majority. On March 9th
+he was severely wounded in a fight with a Hun whom he brought down. With
+great courage and skill he brought his own machine back and landed
+safely, but the injury he had received proved fatal and he died three
+days later.
+
+Tipton thus went back to fight at the earliest possible moment, feeling
+it his duty to the other officers left behind in Turkey, who were bound
+to be suffering for our escape. Although the youngest of our party, he
+was our leader on the long journey to the coast; and to his unfailing
+good humour and tact we owed much more than we realized at the time.
+Although in pain for many days, he kept cheerfully on and would never
+give in.
+
+Few men have been more beloved by all with whom they came in contact,
+and his gallant death has left a wide blank in the affections of all who
+had the privilege to know him.
+
+Sweet, whose gallantry at Kut had earned him the D.S.O., was imprisoned
+at Angora, after being brought back from the coast, and exhibited to the
+other officers at Kastamuni for a few minutes on the way. He shouted to
+them to take a few days' provisions and try their luck, that it was
+quite easy to get away, and that he meant to start again the first
+chance he had. In reply they cheered him, much to the disgust of the
+Turks.
+
+After two dreadful months in the civil prison at Angora, he was taken to
+the officers' camp at Yozgad, a place 4,000 feet above the sea amongst
+the hills, in the very centre of Asia Minor. Here he remained till a few
+weeks before the armistice with Turkey was announced, when he fell a
+victim to the influenza scourge and died of pneumonia.
+
+In our escape Sweet was always the most indefatigable, and on many an
+occasion spurred us on when we three had no energy left. His knowledge
+of Turkish was invaluable and enabled us successfully to bluff our way
+along during the days when we were posing as Germans. It was only the
+merest accident that parted him from us when the akhardash arrived, and
+it is hard to feel that so small a thing should have ultimately resulted
+in the death of such a brave officer.
+
+The first officers who died in Kastamuni were Lieutenants Reynolds, of
+the 103rd L.I., and Lock, of the I.A.R.O., attached 104th Rifles.
+Reynolds had been unwell during most of the journey up and, undoubtedly,
+had not got over the hardships of the siege; he succumbed within a few
+days of our arrival. Lock, who had been an indigo planter in Bihar, went
+down with peritonitis very shortly afterwards. Both officers had done
+well in Kut and were greatly liked by all who knew them. Their death in
+a strange country, after the worst of our troubles seemed to be over,
+was all the sadder to think of.
+
+The third officer who died was Commander Crabtree, R.N.R., of the S.Y.
+_Zaida_, which struck a mine while patrolling the Adana coast. He,
+along with three other officers from the same ship, was sent on to
+Kastamuni. At Angora he was ill, but the Turks considered him fit enough
+to travel, and sent him on in a springless country cart over the 140
+miles of rough road to Kastamuni. Riding in a cart over this road is bad
+enough for a fit man, but in his case it must have simply jolted him to
+death. At all events, he arrived dying, and never regained
+consciousness.
+
+Another sad death occurred amongst the officers after they had been
+moved to Changri from Kastamuni. On Christmas Day, 1917, Major Corbett,
+48th Pioneers, died suddenly from an aneurism of the heart after some
+strenuous tobogganing, which had been allowed as a special concession.
+
+Major Corbett was one of those officers who assisted our party to escape
+and would himself have come with us had he considered there was any
+small chance of success. To the camp at Kastamuni he was invaluable as
+staff officer to the lower group of houses, always energetic and cheery
+and turning his hand to something. Carpentry formed his chief occupation
+when not playing games.
+
+He was one of those men whom we felt we simply could not do without, and
+his loss may well be imagined in the camp at Changri, where conditions
+had been rough and painful in the extreme.
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX A
+
+_GARRISON OF KUT_
+
+
+HEADQUARTERS
+
+MAJOR-GEN. C. V. TOWNSHEND, G.O.C.
+
+                            { 2nd Dorsets.
+  16th Infantry Brigade,    { 66th Punjabis.
+   MAJ.-GEN. DELAMAIN.      { 104th Rifles.
+                            { 117th Mahrattas.
+
+                            { Oxford and Bucks L.I.
+  17th Infantry Brigade,    { 22nd Punjabis.
+     GEN. HOGHTON.          { 103rd Infantry.
+                            { 119th Infantry.
+
+                            { 2nd Norfolks.
+  18th Infantry Brigade,    { 120th Infantry.
+     GEN. HAMILTON.         { 110th Infantry.
+                            { 7th Rajputs.
+
+                            { 2 Coys. Royal West Kents.
+                            { 3 Coys. 4th Hants T.F.
+  30th Infantry Brigade,    { 2/7th Ghurka Rifles.
+    MAJ.-GEN. MELLIS.       { 24th Punjabis.
+                            { 67th Punjabis.
+                            { 76th Punjabis.
+
+
+DIVISIONAL TROOPS
+
+  17th Coy., S. & M.
+  34th (Poona) Signalling Co.
+  Sirmoor Sappers (Imperial Service).
+  1 Squadron 7th Hariana Lancers.
+  48th Pioneers.
+  63rd, 76th, 82nd Batteries, R.F.A. 18 guns, 18 pdr.
+  104th Battery, R.G.A. 2 4" guns.
+  84th Battery, R.G.A. 4 5" guns.
+  Volunteer Battery. 4 15 pdr. guns.
+  "S" Battery, R.H.A., left behind 2 14 pdr. guns.
+
+  Naval Detachment. 4 4.7" pdr. guns.
+
+  H.M.S. _Samarra_: 2 3 pdr. guns; 1 13 pdr. gun.
+  Machine Gun Battery (6 guns).
+    Supply and Transport, including Jeypore
+  Transport Train, Wireless, Royal Flying Corps,
+  Depot and other details.
+
+
+MEDICAL SERVICE
+
+  One British General Hospital.
+  One Indian General Hospital.
+  3 Field Ambulances.
+
+
+  _Strength of garrison at_      _Strength on_
+  _beginning of siege._         _surrender._
+
+  British Officers         301       277
+  British Rank and File  2,851     2,592
+  Indian Officers          225       204
+  Indian Rank and File   8,230     6,988
+  Indian Followers       3,530     3,248
+                        ------    ------
+              Total     15,137    13,309
+                        ======    ======
+
+  Losses: Killed and died of wounds, 1,025.
+  Died of disease, and missing, 803.
+  Arab population of Kut (?) 3,700.
+  Animals (horses and mules) before killing for food, 3,000.
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX B
+
+
+Copy of translation of pamphlets thrown over from Turkish trenches
+towards our line during the earlier part of the siege and picked up
+between the two old lines when these had been evacuated on Jan. 21st.
+
+    OH DEAR INDIAN BRETHREN,
+
+    You understand the fact well that God has created this war for the
+    sake of setting India free from the hands of the cruel English. That
+    is the reason why all the Rajahs and Nawabs with the help of Brave
+    Indian soldiers are at present creating disturbances in all parts of
+    India and are forcing the English out of the country. Consequently
+    not a single Englishman is to be seen in the N.W. Frontier of India
+    districts of Saad, Chakdara, Mohmand and Kohat. Brave Indian
+    soldiers have killed several of their officers at Singapore,
+    Secunderabad and Meerut cantonments. Many of the Indian soldiers
+    have on several occasions joined our allies the Turks, Germans, and
+    Austrians of which you must have heard.
+
+    O heroes! our friends the Turks, Germans and Austrians are trying
+    merely for the freedom of our country (India) from the English and
+    you being Indians are fighting against them thus causing delay. On
+    seeing your degraded position one feels severely ashamed (lit.
+    'blood in the eyes') that you have not got fed up of their
+    disgraceful conduct and hatred towards you.
+
+    You should remember how cruelly were Maharajah Ranjit Singh of the
+    Punjab and Sultan Tipu treated by the English govt., and now when
+    our beloved country is being released from their cruel clutches you
+    should not delay the freedom of your country and try to restore
+    happiness to the souls of your forefathers as you come from the same
+    heroic generation to which the brave soldiers of the Dardanelles and
+    Egypt belong.
+
+    You must have heard about the recent fighting in the Dardanelles
+    when Lord Hamilton was wounded and Lord Kitchener cowardly ran away
+    at night taking with him only the British soldiers from the
+    Dardanelles siege and leaving behind the Indian soldiers who on
+    seeing this murdered all their officers and joined the Turks.
+
+    Nearly everywhere we find that our Indian soldiers are leaving the
+    British. Is it not a pity that you still go on assisting them? Just
+    consider that these and we have left our homes and country and are
+    fighting only for rupees fifteen or twenty; a subaltern 20 or 25
+    years old is drawing a handsome amount as salary from Indian money
+    while our old Risaldar and Subadar majors are paid nothing like
+    him--and even a British soldier does not salute them. Is that all
+    the respect and share of wealth for the sake of which we should let
+    them enjoy our country?
+
+    For instance see how many of you Indian soldiers were killed and
+    wounded during the battle of Ctesiphon and there is nobody to look
+    after the families of your deceased and wounded brothers. Just
+    compare the pay a British soldier draws with that which you get.
+    Brethren hurry up, the British Kingdom is going to ruins now.
+    Bulgaria gave them several defeats, Ireland and the Transvaal are
+    out of their possessions of which perhaps you already know.
+
+    H.M. the Sultan's brave Turkish forces which were engaged at the
+    Bulgar frontier before are now coming over this side in lacs for the
+    purpose of setting India at liberty.
+
+    We were forced by the British to leave our beloved country for good
+    and had to live in America, but on hearing the news of our country
+    being freed from English hands we came here via Germany and found
+    our Indian brethren fighting against H.M. Sultan.
+
+    Other nations are trying to restore us freedom from the British, but
+    it appears we do not like to be freed from slavery, hence we are
+    fighting against our friends the Turks.
+
+    Brethren, what is done, that is done, and now you should murder all
+    your officers and come over to join H.M. Sultan's Army like our
+    brave Indian soldiers did in Egypt and the Dardanelles. All the
+    officers of this force and Arabs have received orders from the
+    Sultan that any Indian soldier, irrespective of any caste, a Sikh,
+    Rajput, Mahratta, Gurkha, Pathan, Shiah or Syed, who come to join
+    the Turks should be granted a handsome pay and land for cultivation
+    if they like to settle in the Sultan's territory. So you must not
+    miss the chance of murdering your officers and joining the Turks,
+    helping them to restore your freedom.
+
+    Dated _28th December, 1915_.
+
+    Printed and distributed by the Indian National Society.
+
+    Translated from originals in Urdu and Pushtu or Punjabi.
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX C
+
+
+Comparison of rations issued in Kut at the middle of April, 1916, with
+full service rations.
+
+
+BRITISH
+
+  _Normal Field Service._                      _In Kut._
+
+  Bread, 1-1/4 lb.                       4 oz. (from April 17th).
+  Fresh meat, 1-1/4 lb.                  1-1/4-1-1/2 lb. (horse and
+                                           mule).
+  Potatoes and vegetables, 1/2 lb.       Nil. (except sag).
+  Bacon, 3 oz.                           Nil.
+  (or butter 1-1/2 oz. twice a week).
+  Tea, 5/8 oz.                           Nil.
+  Sugar, 3 oz.                           Nil.
+  Salt, 1/2 oz.                          Nil.
+  Jam, 4 oz.                             Nil.
+  Cheese, 3 oz.                          Nil.
+  Ginger, ----                           1/3 oz.
+
+
+INDIAN
+
+  _Normal Field Service._                      _In Kut._
+
+  Atta (wheat meal), 1-1/2 lb.           4 oz. (barley meal).
+  Ghi, 2 oz.                             1/2 oz.
+  Dal, 4 oz.                             Nil.
+  Meat, 4 oz.                            9 oz. (horse).
+  Gur, 1 oz.                             Nil.
+  Potatoes, 2 oz.                        Nil.
+  Tea, 1/3 oz.                           Nil.
+  Ginger, 1/3 oz.      }
+  Chillies, 1/6 oz.    }
+  Turmeric, 1/6 oz.    }               1/8 oz.
+  Garlic, 1/6 oz.      }
+  Salt, 1/2 oz.        }
+
+
+
+
+APPENDIX D
+
+RATIONS AT END OF SIEGE
+
+
+All except meat and ginger dropped by aeroplane.
+
+        _British._                         _Indian._
+
+  Bread, 3 oz.                        Indian atta, 3 oz.
+  Sugar, 1 oz.                        Gur, 1/2 oz.
+  Chocolate, 1/2 oz.                  Dal, 1 oz.
+  Meat, 1-1/2 lb. (horse or mule).    Salt, 1/8 oz.
+                                      Ginger, 1/8 oz.
+                                      Meat, 9 oz. (horse).
+
+
+
+
+JOHN LANE'S "ON ACTIVE SERVICE" SERIES.
+
+Now that the Great War is definitely over it is necessary to get it
+adequately chronicled. Of necessity we must have comprehensive surveys
+of the war, formal histories in many volumes; but the real history of
+the great conflict is to be found not so much in these, as in the vital
+pieces of descriptive literature which our fighting men have struck off,
+often while the drama was being enacted before their eyes. It is with
+the object of getting together a really vivid and actual record of the
+world conflict, which will be of service not only to ourselves, but to
+our children, that the "ON ACTIVE SERVICE" Series has been formed. It
+consists of a number of volumes, uniform in format and production, which
+have been selected as being representative of particular aspects or
+phases of the war, written by soldiers, sailors and others who have
+witnessed or actually participated in what they describe. Here, in these
+personal experiences of our men, is an enduring record of the last four
+or five years; a record which, more surely than any formal histories,
+will carry forward the memory of those tragic but glorious days.
+
+
+_THE FOLLOWING VOLUMES HAVE ALREADY BEEN PUBLISHED_
+
+DOVER DURING THE DARK DAYS. By a "Dug-out" (LT. COMM. STANLEY COXON,
+R.N.V.R. Author of "And That Reminds Me.") With contributions by other
+officers of the DOVER PATROL. Crown 8vo. 7/- net.
+
+    This book lifts the veil which was so closely drawn over the
+    operations of the Navy during war-time. It gives accounts of many
+    engagements and scraps with the enemy, written by actual
+    participants, and forms a valuable contribution to the history of
+    our navy during the most momentous years of its existence.
+
+    "_The real thing._"--_Daily Express._
+
+    "_Makes good reading._"--_Times._
+
+    "_Spirited and exciting._"--_Yorkshire Observer._
+
+    "_The book has many fine pages in it._"--_Evening News._
+
+TEMPORARY CRUSADERS. By CECIL SUMMERS, author of "Temporary Heroes."
+Crown 8vo. 4/- net.
+
+    A further volume by the author of the very successful "Temporary
+    Heroes," describing his experiences in France, Palestine, Egypt and
+    Italy.
+
+    "_A cheery, chatty chronicle. The author has a keen eye for the
+    humour of circumstance and a most beguiling way._"--_Morning Post._
+
+    "_Bright and exhilarating. It is sure to be read widely._"--_Scotsman._
+
+    "_Even more hearty and sincere than the successful 'Temporary
+    Heroes.'_"--_Liverpool Courier._
+
+THE BOY WITH THE GUNS. By the late LIEUT. G. W. TAYLOR. Edited by his
+sister MRS. ROGER COOKSON. With an introduction by SIR JAMES
+CRICHTON-BROWNE. With Illustrations and Maps. Crown 8vo. 5/- net.
+
+    This is a vividly realistic account of the work done and hardships
+    endured by our Royal Field Artillery in the war, and of their
+    "hair-breadth 'scapes in the imminent deadly breach" in France and
+    Flanders, by one who went through them all and made the supreme
+    sacrifice.
+
+PUSHING WATER. By R.N.V. (LIEUT. ERIC DAWSON.) Crown 8vo. 4/- net.
+
+    "Pushing Water" reveals a phase of warfare of which the world knows
+    little or nothing. It is the story of the "Movy" of
+    submarine-hunting and mine sweeping in perilous seas, of duties
+    faithfully accomplished, without expectation of fame or reward. As a
+    sidelight on a branch of the Navy's activities it has a good deal of
+    interest, but the book would recommend itself on the score of its
+    quiet humour and abundant anecdote alone.
+
+    "_This entertaining book ... a vivid picture of existence on a
+    'Movy.'_"--_Sunday Times._
+
+    "_An animated narrative._"--_Scotsman._
+
+    "_Described with real humour ... decidedly
+    interesting._"--_Birmingham Post._
+
+A HANDFUL OF AUSSEYS. By C. HAMPTON THORP, A.I.F., with a foreword by
+General Sir William Birdwood, K.C.B., K.C.S.I., K.C.M.G., etc., and an
+Introductory Poem by Robert Bridges, Poet Laureate. With Illustrations
+by James F. Scott. Crown 8vo. 7/- net.
+
+    "A Handful of Ausseys" is the only book from the pen of an
+    Australian soldier which deals intimately with the troopship voyage
+    between the Commonwealth and England, and the more detailed side of
+    the Soldier's life in England before he goes across the Channel.
+
+    "_Well justifies its place among war books, for it is well written,
+    graphic and amusing, and full of facts and anecdotes.... The
+    illustrations are rather telling and rather original._"--_Times._
+
+    "_Among the good war pictures of the present war, the description of
+    this draft's moving up to the firing line deserves to find a
+    pleasant place._"--_Bookman._
+
+    "_Racily describes with much good humour and amusing anecdote the
+    daily experiences of an Australian reinforcement ... these bright
+    and spirited pages._"--_Scotsman._
+
+THREE CHEVRONS. By "OREX" (MAJOR H. F. BIDDER, D.S.O.) Crown 8vo. 5/-
+net.
+
+    An absolutely authentic, cool record of what the author saw on the
+    Flanders front from Christmas, 1914, to June, 1917. It contains the
+    experiences of a clear-sighted conscientious officer who keeps as
+    close as possible to fact and maintains his detached judicial point
+    of view. A book which both the military man and public generally
+    will appreciate for its freshness and candour.
+
+    "_'Orex' has made a singularly successful contribution to war
+    literature by the direct method of honesty, modesty and simplicity.
+    His book is a pleasant surprise.... He expresses it all in an
+    individuality of great charm, the charm of literary unconsciousness
+    and quiet restraint.... In every respect a good book._"--_Daily
+    News._
+
+    "_Simply and attractively written, and quite worth its place in the
+    ON ACTIVE SERVICE Series._"--_Times._
+
+SOME SOLDIERS AND LITTLE MAMMA. By HELEN BOULNOIS. Crown 8vo. 5/-
+net.
+
+    "_A book of singular interest.... Remarkable for its sidelights, on
+    what may be called the domestic phases of the war._"--_Daily
+    Graphic._
+
+THE SILENCE OF COLONEL BRAMBLE. By ANDRE MAUROIS. Translated from the
+French. Second Edition. Crown 8vo. 5/- net.
+
+    This remarkably amusing account of an English regimental mess by a
+    French officer who was attached as an interpreter, has had an
+    immense vogue in France, and its appeal to English readers will
+    without doubt be equally wide.
+
+    "_Those who do not already know the book in French, will lose
+    nothing of its charm in English form.... The humours of the mess
+    room are inimitable.... The whole thing is real, alive, sympathetic.
+    There is not a false touch in all its delicate glancing
+    wit._"--_Daily Telegraph._
+
+    "_An excellent translation.... A gay and daring translation.... I
+    laughed over its audacious humour._"--_JAMES DOUGLAS in The Star._
+
+FIELD AMBULANCE SKETCHES. By a Corporal. Crown 8vo. 4/- net.
+
+    These sketches by a stretcher-bearer are extraordinarily clear and
+    actual. "Behind a Raid" is a wonderfully vivid piece of work; the
+    reader lives every second of these thrilling hours, and the whole
+    scene is touched in masterly style. The other pages are equally
+    fine. To the civilian they bring home the actualities of War; while
+    soldiers of every class will enjoy them in their fine truthfulness.
+
+SAPPER DOROTHY LAWRENCE: The only English Woman Soldier. Late Royal
+Engineers, 51st Division, 179th Tunnelling Company, B.E.F. With
+Portraits. Crown 8vo. 5/- net.
+
+    Miss Dorothy Lawrence enjoys the distinction of having been the only
+    British woman soldier, and in this book she sets out her varied
+    experiences, first in Paris, where she did the necessary drills, and
+    finally "up the line."
+
+A KUT PRISONER. By H. C. W. BISHOP. Illustrated. Crown 8vo. 6/- net.
+
+    More exciting than any fictitious story of adventure the main part
+    of this book is occupied by the story of the author's escape, in
+    company with three other British officers, from Kastamuni in Asia
+    Minor. MR. BISHOP was captured at the fall of Kut, and his narrative
+    includes a description of the appalling long march from Kut to
+    Kastamuni, during which such a large proportion of our men succumbed
+    to their sufferings which were wilfully aggravated by their
+    captors.
+
+WITH THE CHINKS. By Lieut. DARYL KLEIN. With Illustrations. Crown 8vo.
+6/6 net.
+
+    The author of "With the Chinks" was a civilian in China who
+    volunteered as an officer for the training of Chinese coolies who
+    were brought to France to form Labour Brigades to work behind the
+    lines. The characters of his charges are sketched with considerable
+    skill, and the voyage via Canada and the Panama Canal to France is
+    picturesquely described. The book forms a unique and interesting
+    page in the voluminous History of the War.
+
+
+_THE FOLLOWING ARE IN IMMEDIATE PREPARATION:_
+
+TALES OF A TROOPER. By A. CLUTHA MACKENZIE. Crown 8vo.
+
+    These tales convey in the most living manner the experiences and
+    sensations of a typical Anzac en route to the war, then landed at
+    Gallipoli, and finally "knocked out" in the terrible battle for the
+    ridge.
+
+A PRISONER IN TURKEY. By JOHN STILL, author of "Poems in Captivity,"
+etc. Crown 8vo.
+
+    The author of this remarkable book was largely instrumental in
+    conveying to the British Government, by messages, in an ingenious
+    code of his own invention, sent at considerable personal risk, very
+    valuable information regarding the treatment of British Prisoners in
+    Turkey. In this book, which is an account of over three years'
+    imprisonment in Turkish hands, at Constantinople and at Afion Kara
+    Hissar, Mr. STILL gives a very forceful and vivid, but restrained
+    account of the trials, sufferings and dangers through which he and
+    his fellow prisoners passed during their long captivity.
+
+WARD TALES. By E. CHIVERS DAVIES. Crown 8vo.
+
+    In this capital little record of V.A.D. work in a hospital Miss
+    Davies combines very cleverly two points of view--the Nurses' and
+    Hospital Staff's, and the Tommies'. The author has humour, insight,
+    sympathy, and a very quick eye for a situation, and in the course of
+    her sketches she synthesizes the atmosphere and outlook of a big
+    Military Hospital, especially as it appears to a V.A.D. Soldiers,
+    and others, will delight in the truthful and entertaining pictures
+    of this admirable little book, as will all who have served, and are
+    serving, in hospital.
+
+BEHIND BOSCHE BARS. By E. WARBURTON. Crown 8vo.
+
+    A cleverly written description of a young English officer's
+    internment as a prisoner of war in Germany. As his experiences were
+    thoroughly typical of the later treatment by the Germans of officer
+    prisoners, his account forms a very valuable record of this aspect
+    of the war. The writer gives the Germans credit for some kind acts,
+    while laughing at them for their stiffness, pedantry and stupidity.
+    He conveys a strongly actual picture of the whole body of prisoners
+    in every camp--their ways of life, outlook, habits and feelings.
+
+WITH THE SERBS IN MACEDONIA. By DOUGLAS WALSHE. Illustrated. Crown
+8vo.
+
+    This is a very bright account of war experiences in Macedonia, by an
+    A.S.C. officer, who has the gift of making his scenes _living_
+    scenes. Mr. WALSHE'S narrative is very human, and he gives us an
+    excellent bird's eye view of the country, and the tangle of races
+    inhabiting it.
+
+FOUR MONTHS IN ITALY IN WAR-TIME. By BEATRICE THOMSON. Crown 8vo.
+
+    This book gives a remarkably clear idea of hospital life, and also
+    of Italian character and ways. It is a fine record of service, and
+    in its quiet restrained humanity it is a chronicle which deserves to
+    be widely read. The author served for several months in a war
+    hospital in France, and her sketches of her patients' characters and
+    her record of their talk and behaviour give us the real Italy.
+
+WITH THE CAVALRY IN THE WEST. By J. D. DELIUS. Illustrated. Crown 8vo.
+
+    While we have had many books describing the work of the Infantry and
+    Artillery in the war, very little has been written about the part
+    played by our Cavalrymen. The fact that their operations were
+    restricted by the conditions of modern warfare does not, however,
+    detract in the least from the interest of CAPTAIN DELIUS' book, for
+    it is a book of happy anecdote and amusing description, rather than
+    of the more repulsive side of war.
+
+FROM THE SOMME TO THE RHINE. By MAJOR A. ASHMEAD-BARTLETT. Crown 8vo.
+
+    This is a valuable narrative of the last phase of the Great War. The
+    author, who has the literary talent of his family has used his
+    opportunities as an Intelligence Officer to great advantage, and his
+    narrative is very clear, very picturesque and very human. He has
+    seized the salient details of what he is describing, and his
+    sincerity combined with his artistic gift, makes a moving, life-like
+    picture.
+
+  JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD,
+  VIGO STREET, LONDON, W.1.
+
+
+
+
+      *      *      *      *      *      *
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's note:
+
+Illustrations have been moved near the relevant section of the text.
+
+Inconsistent hyphenation and use of separate words have been retained for:
+
+   down stream/downstream
+   Eski Chehir/Eski-Chehir
+   framework/frame-work
+   goatskins/goat skins
+   half way/half-way
+   hillside/hill-side
+   machine guns/machine-guns
+   sheep tracks/sheep-tracks
+   some one/someone
+   tilework/tile-work
+   trench digging/trench-digging
+   up stream/up-stream
+   up to date/up-to-date
+   used up/used-up
+
+Inconsistencies in italicization and capitalization have been retained.
+
+The following minor typographical corrections were made:
+
+   Period added after "line" on Page 20
+   Space added before "the" on Page 54
+   "Poor" changed to "poor" on Page 131
+   Period removed after "Tip" on Page 185
+   "A pparently" changed to "Apparently" on Page 188
+   "pro cured" changed to "procured" on Page 195
+   "andfind" changed to "and find" on Page 196
+   "Bighar" changed to "Bihgar" on the illustration following Page
+      196
+   Period added after "Mellis" and "Maj.-Gen. Mellis." centered on
+      Page 235
+   "in in" changed to "in" on Page 249
+   Period added after "Mackenzie" on Page 250
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A KUT PRISONER***
+
+
+******* This file should be named 34069.txt or 34069.zip *******
+
+
+This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
+http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/4/0/6/34069
+
+
+
+Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
+will be renamed.
+
+Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
+one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
+(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
+permission and without paying copyright royalties.  Special rules,
+set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
+copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
+protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark.  Project
+Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
+charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission.  If you
+do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
+rules is very easy.  You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
+such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
+research.  They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
+practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks.  Redistribution is
+subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
+redistribution.
+
+
+
+*** START: FULL LICENSE ***
+
+THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
+PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK
+
+To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
+distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
+(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
+http://www.gutenberg.org/license).
+
+
+Section 1.  General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic works
+
+1.A.  By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
+and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
+(trademark/copyright) agreement.  If you do not agree to abide by all
+the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
+all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
+If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
+terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
+entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.
+
+1.B.  "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark.  It may only be
+used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
+agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement.  There are a few
+things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
+even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.  See
+paragraph 1.C below.  There are a lot of things you can do with Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
+and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.  See paragraph 1.E below.
+
+1.C.  The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
+or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic works.  Nearly all the individual works in the
+collection are in the public domain in the United States.  If an
+individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
+located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
+copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
+works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
+are removed.  Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
+Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
+freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
+this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
+the work.  You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
+keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
+Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.
+
+1.D.  The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
+what you can do with this work.  Copyright laws in most countries are in
+a constant state of change.  If you are outside the United States, check
+the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
+before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
+creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
+Gutenberg-tm work.  The Foundation makes no representations concerning
+the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
+States.
+
+1.E.  Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:
+
+1.E.1.  The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
+access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
+whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
+phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
+Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
+copied or distributed:
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+1.E.2.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
+from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
+posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
+and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
+or charges.  If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
+with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
+work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
+through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
+Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
+1.E.9.
+
+1.E.3.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
+with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
+must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
+terms imposed by the copyright holder.  Additional terms will be linked
+to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
+permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.
+
+1.E.4.  Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
+work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.
+
+1.E.5.  Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
+electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
+prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
+active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm License.
+
+1.E.6.  You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
+compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
+word processing or hypertext form.  However, if you provide access to or
+distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
+"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
+posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
+you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
+copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
+request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
+form.  Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.
+
+1.E.7.  Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
+performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
+unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.
+
+1.E.8.  You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
+access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
+that
+
+- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
+     the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
+     you already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  The fee is
+     owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
+     has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
+     Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.  Royalty payments
+     must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
+     prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
+     returns.  Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
+     sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
+     address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
+     the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."
+
+- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
+     you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
+     does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
+     License.  You must require such a user to return or
+     destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
+     and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
+     Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
+     money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
+     electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
+     of receipt of the work.
+
+- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
+     distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.
+
+1.E.9.  If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
+electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
+forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
+both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
+Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark.  Contact the
+Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.
+
+1.F.
+
+1.F.1.  Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
+effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
+public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
+collection.  Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
+"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
+corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
+property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
+computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
+your equipment.
+
+1.F.2.  LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
+of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
+Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
+Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
+liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
+fees.  YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
+LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
+PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3.  YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
+TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
+LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
+INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
+DAMAGE.
+
+1.F.3.  LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
+defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
+receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
+written explanation to the person you received the work from.  If you
+received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
+your written explanation.  The person or entity that provided you with
+the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
+refund.  If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
+providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
+receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund.  If the second copy
+is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
+opportunities to fix the problem.
+
+1.F.4.  Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
+in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER
+WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
+WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.
+
+1.F.5.  Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
+warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
+If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
+law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
+interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
+the applicable state law.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any
+provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.
+
+1.F.6.  INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
+trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
+providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
+with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
+promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
+harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
+that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
+or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
+work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
+Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.
+
+
+Section  2.  Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
+electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
+including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.  It exists
+because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
+people in all walks of life.
+
+Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
+assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
+goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
+remain freely available for generations to come.  In 2001, the Project
+Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
+and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
+To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
+and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
+and the Foundation web page at http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/pglaf.
+
+
+Section 3.  Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
+Foundation
+
+The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
+501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
+state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
+Revenue Service.  The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
+number is 64-6221541.  Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
+permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.
+
+The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
+Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
+throughout numerous locations.  Its business office is located at
+809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
+business@pglaf.org.  Email contact links and up to date contact
+information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
+page at http://www.gutenberg.org/about/contact
+
+For additional contact information:
+     Dr. Gregory B. Newby
+     Chief Executive and Director
+     gbnewby@pglaf.org
+
+Section 4.  Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
+Literary Archive Foundation
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
+spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
+increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
+freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
+array of equipment including outdated equipment.  Many small donations
+($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
+status with the IRS.
+
+The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
+charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
+States.  Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
+considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
+with these requirements.  We do not solicit donations in locations
+where we have not received written confirmation of compliance.  To
+SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
+particular state visit http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate
+
+While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
+have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
+against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
+approach us with offers to donate.
+
+International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
+any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
+outside the United States.  U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.
+
+Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
+methods and addresses.  Donations are accepted in a number of other
+ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations.
+To donate, please visit:
+http://www.gutenberg.org/fundraising/donate
+
+
+Section 5.  General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
+works.
+
+Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
+concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
+with anyone.  For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
+Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.
+
+Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
+editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
+unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we do not necessarily
+keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.
+
+Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:
+
+     http://www.gutenberg.org
+
+This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
+including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
+Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
+subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
+