stolen out by night and made his way to the Russian army operating
in Salmas, Persia. He was received with great distinction, but it
was found out after many precious weeks of delay that it might not
be possible to send any relief for the people in the interior who
were not in the line of march. Later on, the Russians sent their
army to Van, and then Mar Shimun with a few faithful followers and
good rifles—he himself is an excellent shot—set out again for the
interior to reach his flock and his brothers and sisters. They soon
made ready to take the congregation through the valleys and defiles
to the plains of Persia.
The last day of their stay was the saddest of all. On that day
Ishaya, a brother of the Patriarch, died of fever. Mar Shimun,
hearing of his illness, had come over the day before. The enemy was
then very near, and they could hear the sound of the guns in Tkhuma.
Just when the funeral of his brother was to take place, Surma and
Romi, his sisters, and Esther, his sister-in-law, were compelled to
leave the place, lest they should be caught by the enemy. Mar
Shimun, two priests and a few laymen remained behind at this time of
danger to bury Ishaya. The burial service was quickly said and the
body hastily interred, and Mar Shimun hastened after the fleeing
women and children. They were only just in time, for, a few hours
after their departure, the Turks arrived and made straight for the
church, having heard that the Patriarch’s household was there.
I shall not dwell on the horrors of those caught and slain on the
way nor on the many beautiful villages ruined and the women taken
captive, nor on the thousands of others who have met the same fate.
In one district of forty villages, its Bishop said to me, only
seventeen had been able to make an escape, and he knew but very
little of the fearful fate of the rest. I want only to speak of the
living who are anxious to die, but to whom death does not come. They
arrived in Persia at places already ruined; they camped out in the
plain of Salmas (4,000 feet above sea level) sleeping in the fields
with no clothes to cover them at night, clad in the rags which they
have worn for many months, without food or shelter. Some assistance
has gone to them from America and England. Some quilts were bought
to be distributed, one for each family of five persons, to serve as
cover in the bitter cold. Some families have as many as ten members,
indeed one had twenty-eight. These are the people who have been
living on one dollar a month, and to whom flour is served in
quantity barely sufficient to allow each person one small loaf a day
and nothing more. I dare say that even their Bishops and other
clergy are in not much better condition than their flock.
Assistance, however, can now be sent out to them and will reach them
immediately. Urmia and Salmas are now in the zone of safety, where
there are many Russian troops, and these have been very kind to the
suffering Christians. Money is being sent through the American
Consul, the missionaries and the Patriarch, and is at once
distributed to the sufferers. The Rev. Y.M. Nisan, who is still
alive, although he has lost his wife and daughter, is on the
distributing committee. The defeat of the Turks at Erzeroum means
peace and safety of life for all Armenia and Persia. In the latter
country there are over 80,000 destitute, the majority of them
Assyrians, and some Armenians as well. Money is distributed to all
without discrimination.
I have purposely avoided saying anything of the horrors that we have
suffered at Urmia and the agonies we have passed through, simply
because I have felt that the condition of these mountaineers is even
more pitiable. I hope Christian people will be moved at once to make
an effort to save them from the clutches of starvation. The gallant
Patriarch has saved them and brought them out of Turkey, where
relief will get to them. I therefore appeal to all my friends and to
others who may be so disposed to help rescue this ancient Church.
38. REFUGEES FROM THE HAKKIARI DISTRICT: SERIES OF EXTRACTS FROM
LETTERS BY MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN MISSION STATION AT URMIA;
COMMUNICATED BY THE BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS OF THE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U.S.A.
=(a) Extract from a letter, dated 8th November, 1915, from the Rev.
E.T. Allen (?).=
As you know, the first attack by the combined force of Turks and
Kurds was made in June and was partially successful. The people were
driven out of their valleys into the high mountains central to
Tiari, Tkhoma, Tai and Baz. In this movement not many lives were
lost, but many villages were destroyed. The hostile forces were for
some reason withdrawn, and for some weeks there was comparative
quiet, broken only by spasmodic attacks by local forces. About three
weeks ago there was another concerted attack made by the Turks and
Kurds on their stronghold in the mountain top, and they were driven
out. Between fifteen and twenty thousand, with great difficulty,
made their escape, part of their road being held by the Kurds. They
came down the Tal and Kon Valleys, followed by the Kurds, and
attempted to turn up the Zab to get out by way of Djoulamerk. They
found the Kurds in force at the Djoulamerk bridge, and were forced
to turn down stream. At the head of Tiari they crossed the Zab and
went up into the hills, which they found deserted by the Kurds, who
had gone to war. They then made their way round behind Djoulamerk,
meeting no hostile force until they reached the ridge between
Quodshanis and the Zab. Here again they found a force of Kurds
waiting for them. They had quite a sharp fight with them and the
Kurds were worsted. From there on they had no more trouble, reaching
Bashkala in safety, and later coming down to Salmas.
These are the people I found in Salmas. They number, according to my
estimate, between fifteen and twenty thousand. Among them are Mar
Shimun and his family and all our helpers, with one or two
exceptions. (Mar Shimun is the Patriarch of the Nestorian Church.)
With reference to those who were left in the mountains, perhaps a
thousand more succeeded in getting through. There are still some
thousands shut up there, and their fate is still uncertain. How many
were killed in this last attack, I have found no one who could give
even an estimate, but undoubtedly the number must be large. This is
in reference to those in Salmas. All the facts cannot be given out,
but this is their case in brief. The mass of them are without
shelter of any kind and also without bedding. They are sleeping on
the bare ground without covering. The rains have begun and the
winter promises to set in early. What all this means to these
thousands who are without shelter, you need not be told.
Since coming down a great many of them have been taken sick with a
peculiar form of bowel trouble, such as the mountaineers have been
having here. Dr. David Yohannan estimates that there are as many as
one thousand cases. The fatality is not as great as might be
expected, but there are a great many deaths. One tribe reported
forty deaths within a week. I have seen the dead lying on the
roadside, and the women carrying their dead, orders to move on
giving them little time to die decently or to be buried with
respect. I gave no relief while there. Along the road they had
gathered up a little grain; the Russians were giving out 1,200
loads, and help was being given on the threshing floor and from door
to door. I have been making a complete list, so that when we are
ready to begin we shall have them classified and shall be able to
handle them. We shall give flour or wheat in weekly allowances. The
cost per head will be about five shahis (1_d._). I shall refrain
from giving as long as I see they can subsist on what they get from
other sources.
Bedding is needed as badly as food. There is not much choice between
dying from hunger or dying from cold. We shall have to supply
several thousand outfits, cost of each about three-and-a-half tomans
(12_s._). You may rest assured that I shall use the utmost caution
in the giving of relief.
There is no further word from those left in the mountains. There is
still hope that some of them may succeed in getting through, but
undoubtedly many will be lost.
=(b) Extract from a letter, of later date, from a missionary.[55]=
About 150 or more of the Mutran’s[56] people came down. Some of the
children were a sight to see for destitution. I had a tableful of
women to breakfast with me the next morning, including one of our
own pupils who was married into the Mutran’s family. They said that
200 Turks had been living off them since a year ago, but that their
flocks had been so multiplied that they were able to sustain the
burden. At last the Turks began sending twenty men every day with
packs on their backs to Mosul, loaded with the spoils of their
houses, so they feared their own end or deportation might be near;
they found a chance to escape one day when their guards were a mile
or two away, and silently stole away with some of their possessions.
=(c) Extract from a letter, of later date, from a missionary.[57]=
Some of the refugees in Salmas had flocks and possessions, but all
were ravaged by disease, so that even if they had work they could
not do it. A boy who was with me found his relatives among the
people. One uncle of his had been living in the barracks. He had
lost his three children one after the other, and then his wife died
and he had no one to care for his affairs but himself. He was so
weak he could not do anything—reduced to skin and bone himself—but
he got a rope and tried to carry the body of his wife on his back to
bury her somewhere. He had not even strength enough to dig her a
grave. There the story ended. The boy said the man broke down and
could not tell any more, and he did not have the heart to ask what
had become of her.
Another of our preachers has lost three of his four children, and
the last was very ill when we saw her. His wife had lost her brother
and two sisters—one of them a pupil in the Fiske Seminary.
-----
Footnote 55:
Name withheld.
Footnote 56:
A dignitary of the Nestorian Church, second in rank to the
Patriarch, Mutran (or Matran) = Metropolitan.
Footnote 57:
Name withheld.
39. REFUGEES FROM HAKKIARI: LETTER, DATED 26th SEPTEMBER/9th
OCTOBER, 1915, FROM A RELATIVE OF MAR SHIMUN, THE PATRIARCH;
COMMUNICATED BY THE REV. F.N. HEAZELL.
I have not written to you for a long time. I think you will know the
reason is that the war with Turkey has stopped the post to Europe.
As you know, during past years there have been difficulties between
the Turks and ourselves, but now the truth of the matter is made
clear. When we saw many Christians of Gawar and Albek killed without
reason, we thought our turn would come. Every kind of warfare
commenced, and since then, for months, we have been fighting in the
mountains; in the end we were not successful, because the Kurds were
helped by the artillery of the Turkish Government. Of course when
our cartridges were exhausted we could not stand before the great
force of Turkish artillery. Then first of all Tiari was destroyed;
we then thought we could flee to the mountains in the hope of
victory, but soon the Turks came to the entrance of Tkhoma and our
hope was destroyed—either we must deliver ourselves to Turkey and be
killed or flee to save ourselves. We did the latter, but even then
half the nation was left behind.
Now we are here in Diliman, Salmas; but the larger part of Tiari and
Tkhoma is conquered. Up to the present time we have no news of those
people; whether they are alive or have been destroyed, we know not.
Many of the refugees who come here are dying of hunger; they have no
bedding, and many men just died on the way here. Would you were here
to see with your own eyes our state; your sympathy would indeed be
aroused. All the houses have been destroyed (also Mar Shimun’s house
and your Mission house in Quodshanis) and burnt and robbed; we are
in rags and hunger and in a strange land. Many of the houses where
you have spent the night as a guest have no bedding, the house of
Malik Ismail, for instance, and the house of Khiyu.
Of all these the condition of the Tkhumnai is the most miserable;
they are quite destitute. If some help is not forthcoming for the
nation all hope of survival is at an end, for three parts will die
of hunger. Our thanks are due to the Russian Consul, who is taking
care to distribute the people among the villages to prevent them
dying of cold, for all are under trees and in fields in the open.
In the course of February, Esther and I and her children went down
to Malik Ismail’s house in Tiari, for we thought it would be safer
there. Then we soon moved from Tchumbar to Dadush, a small village
of Tiari. When the Turkish army drew near that place we fled to the
Church of Mar Audishu of Tal. In each place we were obliged to leave
behind some of our clothes and our bedding; many times we were
hungry; we made our journeys by night, and Esther’s little children
would fall asleep on the road. Three months we stayed in Mar
Audishu, the whole time the fighting drawing nearer. Our brothers
are fighting in Dizan, and there every three or four men are
sleeping together for want of quilts at night. We sleep with our
clothes on, ready to start when it may be necessary. In Mar Audishu
the food was good, but the provision for sleeping and bathing was
bad. Soap there was none; water could be had for drinking and
cooking only. Sometimes we would go down to one of the Tal villages
to wash our clothes and to bathe.
From Quodshanis everything we possessed was carried off and our
house destroyed. A few quilts we brought to Dizan; these we could
not bring away with us because we had no mules, for the Kurds had
carried them off, and I think they will now remain for our
neighbours (the Kurds). Of clothes to wear we had only enough for
the road, but not enough for the cold of the winter. When we came
here, on the road, we saw some women who had never known want
entirely naked; we divided our clothes among them, giving them just
enough to prevent them dying of cold. During all these years our
state has been, glory to God, that only our souls have been
chastened, but finally one thing has befallen us which we can never
forget. I recall the last days that I stood in the Church. I had
gone down to Dizan because Paulus, my brother, was sick and
Ishaya[58] was ill with fever in Mar Audishu. It was at the time
when the guns of the Turks were drawn up before Tkhuma and were
moving forward—then it was he sickened and died. Mar Shimun had
arrived there a little before. Romi[59] and Esther[60] and her
children, at that very time of great sorrow, when they least wished
to leave, had to set out, weeping, with their families. Only Mar
Shimun with two priests and a few men remained in the Church for the
funeral service, for as quickly as they could they had to place the
body of Ishaya in the grave and hasten after their families. Going
quickly on foot they arrived at Darawar, where Malik Ismail was.
Those little children (God bless them) went on foot, without a
servant, accompanied by Romi and Esther. That day, if our families
had delayed in Mar Audishu, they would have been prisoners now in
Turkey. The day after they left, the Turkish army entered the
Church, for they knew we were there. But, thanks be to God, we had
escaped.
Paulus is better, and now our family is with Mar Shimun in Diliman.
Up to the present time we have not hired a house, for we do not know
where we shall settle down. There is a Church here.
Mr. McDowell came from Urmia to see us and they hope to help this
people as much as they can with food and clothing.
Of all the things that were left in our house I am sorrowing most of
all for my English books that have gone. Those of our own language
are hidden; I do not know whether they will be safe or not. I only
left about forty in Dizan.
-----
Footnote 58:
Youngest dearly loved brother to Surma.
Footnote 59:
Surma’s sister.
Footnote 60:
Sister-in-law; her eldest little boy, Theodore, will succeed his
uncle as Patriarch.
40. REFUGEES FROM HAKKIARI: LETTER, DATED DILIMAN, 1st/14th APRIL,
1916, FROM SURMA, THE SISTER OF MAR SHIMUN, TO MRS. D.S.
MARGOLIOUTH, OF OXFORD.
I was very glad to get your sweet letter, for which I was longing
and looking forward, my dearest friend. I know how you loved Ishaya,
and he always asked after you. I wonder if you ever got his letter
that he wrote to you in Syriac.
I wrote to you while at Quodshanis (before the war) but got no
answer; I wondered if you might be away from home. I wonder if Mr.
Wigram and Mr. Heazell got my letters, written since we came to
Diliman; I am afraid you won’t get yours, the address was incorrect.
You most kindly asked after Hormizd. I wish we knew his fate, dear
boy; we have no news of him since the 20th February (5th March),
1915. I asked Mrs. Wigram if she would be able to tell us something
of him by way of Dr. Wigram’s letters; we are most anxiously looking
forward to the answer.
The hospitals which are endowed by great Russia to help the sick are
a great help. Now the people get nursed well, and, of course, the
sickness is growing less. But outside the hospitals, although they
do get help from Russia (recently some clothes, too), England and
America, still their miseries are great, and their living very poor.
I trust and hope you will read the report recently written by Mr.
Paul Shimmon. A copy has been sent to Mr. Heazell. It is all quite
true, and there you will see our nation’s wretchedness. Really,
Russia couldn’t have done more than she has by helping with
hospitals, money and clothes.
Now the Russian Government wants us all to go up to Bashkala—the
people to be provided with oxen and wheat to be able to plough land
for themselves. Of course, Mar Shimun is quite willing to make the
people do what they are ordered, and what is best for them. It
really is a very good thing, but I am much afraid it won’t come to
pass, for two reasons—first, the difficulty of finding enough oxen
and corn, and, secondly, because it is getting too late for sowing.
Soon after Easter Mar Shimun intends to go to Khoi and talk the plan
over with General Tchournazoukov.
I wanted very much to go to England, but Mrs. Wigram wrote to me
that my friends didn’t think it advisable. I don’t understand well
what you say in your letter about directing to me through Mr.
Shipley. If it is anything to help the poor, it is most welcome.
One can’t help longing to read the London _Times_ and the _Church
Times_, especially the Bishop of London’s sermons. What will be the
end? Is the world being refined? Who will endure to the last? We can
only pray for mercy. His will be done. My heart is yearning to hear
that “England has conquered”; pray God it will prove so—although one
does feel for all the young men’s lives, whether friend or foe, no
difference, and for the world’s misery.
Last October David and I went down to Urmia and stayed with dear Mr.
Nisan. His house seemed to me quite desolate with no Beatrice or her
mother, but he was the same, cheering and helping others. His
daughter-in-law Nanajan is very nice, and, with her little dear boy,
she will be a comfort for his old age. Samuel is still in America;
it is rather hard for the young wife. I have twice written to Mr.
Nisan to send service books, which he kindly sent. We often wonder
what our church would have done if it were not for English printing
presses? Nearly all our church books are gone. Mar Shimun has
consecrated little tablets, and nearly every priest in Diliman has
one to celebrate on for the people; it is the same in Urmia and
Khoi.
You will like to hear that David, Zaya, Paul and Ishaya fought most
bravely in Dizan. Twice the Kurds were driven away with twelve
killed, and the third time Paul and Zaya alone with four servants
fought against the foe and saved the little ammunition they had. I
intend to write a report of all that happened (what I saw and heard)
in the mountains. But really I can’t, as long as I am with ten
children playing in the small yard and making as much noise as a
herd of the Kurds, poor little kids. I don’t think you know that
David is father of two boys and four girls, and Romi is mother of
three girls and two boys. Are not they old? The children are as
happy as children ought to be, only they are disappointed at not
having as many new clothes as they used to have at home, and
especially the boys, for they are not going to have any new clothes
for Easter as they had theirs at Christmas, and now it is the girls’
turn for Easter. The market is another difficulty for them—seeing
new toys and sweets (they were free from that in Quodshanis) and
with no money to buy them. However, they get used to it, poor dears.
I teach the four boys for two hours a day; they are promising pupils
if properly taught. The little girls read their alphabet, too.
Romi and Esther have suffered very much under the circumstances. It
was too much for them, although they have gone through it quite
bravely, especially Esther, who was with child all this time, and
during the last days of flight was expecting the child every hour.
However, God was merciful, and the baby girl was born nearly a
fortnight after we arrived in Diliman. She is baptised Helena. I am
rather uneasy about Esther. She is very weak, and after Easter she
will go to Urmia, both to visit her father’s house (the Mutran’s
brother) and see the doctor.
I can’t say it was too much for me; if it were not for certain
reasons I should have been rather enjoying the struggle between the
Kurds and Turks and us. Thank God we are very well at present,
except for being over anxious for our poor nation’s misery. The
living here is very hard for us; we simply have no money for our
ordinary necessities, and at times we have people coming to our door
who can hardly stand on their feet for hunger; how could one turn
them away?
However, all the world is suffering, and so must we and our nation.
Would you kindly tell Mr. Heazell that Mar Shimun got the £50 which
he sent. I never wrote to him that the Mutran was let free by the
Turks and has come to Urmia safely, although quite broken and very
weak.
I rather enjoy the plan of going up to Bashkala after we have lost
our country and home. It will suit us to turn into nomads, like the
Israelites—Mar Shimun for Moses; can’t make David into Aaron, he has
no beard, so dear old Peter for Aaron, with his white beard; I
suppose I must be Miriam, and we must take a tent, too, for
celebration, which we will call the “Assyrian Tabernacle”; and very
likely we shall always be having skirmishes with the Canaanites to
get to our fathers’ land. Wouldn’t you like to come and see us, the
new Israelites?
The houses in Bashkala are all ruined.
Mar Shimun sends his blessing to you and Professor Margoliouth, and
we our best regards.
41. THE NESTORIANS OF THE BOHTAN DISTRICT[61]: LETTER, DATED SALMAS,
6th MARCH, 1916, FROM THE REV. E.W. McDOWELL, OF THE URMIA
MISSION STATION, REPORTING INFORMATION BROUGHT BY A YOUNG MAN
(WITH WHOM MR. McDOWELL WAS PREVIOUSLY ACQUAINTED) WHO HAD
ESCAPED THE MASSACRE; COMMUNICATED BY THE BOARD OF FOREIGN
MISSIONS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE U.S.A.