was in charge of Dr. Harris, who reached there March 18. The report of
the consuls had placed the daily number of deaths from the four
contagious diseases at one hundred. This would be quite probable when it
is considered that ten thousand were smitten with the prevailing
diseases, and that added to this were the crowded conditions of the
patients, by the thousands of homeless refugees who had flocked from
their forsaken villages; the lack of all comforts, of air, cleanliness,
and a state of prolonged starvation. Dr. Harris' first report to me was
that he was obliged to set the soup kettles boiling, and feed his
patients before medicine could be retained. My reply was a draft for two
hundred liras, with the added dispatch: "Keep the pot boiling; let us
know your wants." The further reports show from this time an
astonishingly small number of deaths. The utmost care was taken by all
our expeditions to prevent the spread of the contagion and there is no
record of its ever having been carried out of the cities, where it was
found, either at Zeitoun, Marash, or Arabkir. Lacking this precaution,
it might well have spread throughout all Asia Minor, as was greatly
feared by the anxious people. On the twenty-fourth of May Dr. Harris
reported the disease as overcome. His stay being no longer needed, he
returned to his great charge in Tripoli with the record of a medical
work and success behind him never surpassed if ever equaled. The lives
he had saved were enough to gain heaven's choicest diadem. Never has
America cause to be so justly proud and grateful as when its sons and
daughters in foreign lands perform deeds of worth like that.
The appalling conditions at Zeitoun and Marash on the arrival of Dr.
Harris, naturally led him to call for more physicians, and the most
strenuous efforts were made to procure them, but the conditions of the
field were not tempting to medical men. Dr. Post had already sent the
last recruit from Beyrout, still he manfully continued his efforts.
Smyrna was canvassed through the efforts of our prompt and efficient
Consul, Colonel Madden, on whom I felt free to make heavy drafts,
remembering tenderly as we both did, when we stood together in the Red
Cross relief of the Ohio floods of 1884. Failing there, I turned my
efforts upon Constantinople. Naturally, we must seek nationalities
outside of Armenians. We succeeded in finding four Greek physicians, who
were contracted with, and sailed May 11, through perplexing delays of
shipping, taking with them large and useful medical supplies and
delicacies for the sick, as well as several large disinfecting machines
which were loaned to us by the Turkish Government, Dr. Zavitziano, a
Greek physician, who kindly assisted us in many ways, conducting the
negotiations. Through unavoidable delays they were able to reach
Alexandretta only on May 25. By this time the fevers had been so far
overcome that it was not deemed absolutely necessary for them to proceed
to Marash; and after conferring with Dr. Harris, they returned to
Constantinople, still remaining under kindly contract without
remuneration to go at once if called upon by us even to the facing of
cholera, if it gained a foothold in Asia Minor. We should not hesitate
to call for the services of these gentlemen even at this distance if
they became necessary. This was known as the fifth expedition, which,
although performing less service, was by far the most difficult to
obtain, and the most firmly and legally organized of any.
The closing of the medical fields threw our entire force into the
general relief of the vilayet of Harpoot, which the relieving
missionaries had well named their "bottomless pit," and where we had
already placed almost the entire funds of the Boston and Worcester
committees.
One will need to read largely between the lines of the modest skeleton
reports of our agents in order to comprehend only approximately the work
performed by them and set in motion for others to perform. The apathy to
which the state of utter nothingness, together with their grief and
fear, had reduced the inhabitants was by no means the smallest
difficulty to be overcome; and here was realized the great danger felt
by all--that of continued almsgiving, lest they settle down into a
condition of pauperism, and thus, finally starve from the inability of
the world at large to feed them. The presence of a strange body of
friendly working people coming thousands of miles to help them, awakened
a hope and stimulated the desire to help themselves.
It was a new experience that these strangers _dared_ to come to them.
Although the aforetime home lay a heap of stone and sand, and nothing
belonging to it remained, still the land was there and when seed to
plant the ground and the farming utensils and cattle were brought to
work it with, the faint spirit revived, the weak, hopeless hands
unclasped, and the farmer stood on his feet again; and when the cities
could no longer provide the spades, hoes, plows, picks, and shovels, and
the crude iron and steel to make them was taken to them, the blacksmith
found again his fire and forge and traveled weary miles with his bellows
on his back. The carpenter again swung his hammer and drew his saw. The
broken and scattered spinning wheels and looms from under the storms and
debris of winter, again took form and motion, and the fresh bundles of
wool, cotton, flax, and hemp, in the waiting widow's hand brought
hopeful visions of the revival of industries which should not only
clothe but feed.
At length, in early June, the great grain fields of Diarbekir, Farkin
and Harpoot valleys, planted the year before, grew golden and bowed
their heavy spear-crowned heads in waiting for the sickle. But no
sickles were there, no scythes, not even knives, and it was a new and
sorry sight for our full-handed American farming men, to see those
poor, hard, Asiatic hands, trying by main strength to break the tough
straw or pull it by the roots. This state of things could not continue,
and their sorrow and pity gave place to joy when they were able to drain
the cities of Harpoot and Diarbekir of harvest tools, and turned the
work of all the village blacksmiths on to the manufacture of sickles and
scythes, and of the flint workers upon the rude threshing machines.
They have told me since their return that the pleasantest memories left
to them were of those great valleys of golden grain, bending and falling
before the harvesters, men and women, each with the new sharp sickle or
scythe--the crude threshing planks, the cattle trampling out the grain,
and the gleaners in the rear as in the days of Abraham and Moab. God
grant that somewhere among them was a kind-hearted king of the harvest
who gave orders to let some sheaves fall.
Even while this saving process was going on, another condition no less
imperative arose. These fields must be replanted for the coming year, or
starvation had been simply delayed. Only the strength of their old time
teams of oxen could break up the hard sod and prepare for the fall
sowing. Not an animal--ox, cow, horse, goat or sheep--had been left. All
had been driven to the Kourdish mountains. When Mr. Wood's telegram
came, calling for a thousand oxen for the hundreds of villages, some of
which were very large, I thought of our not rapidly swelling bank
account, and all that was needed everywhere else, and replied
accordingly. But when, in return, came the telegram from the Rev. Dr.
Gates, president of Harpoot College, the live, active, practical man of
affairs, whose judgment no one could question, saying that the need of
oxen was imperative, that unless the ground could be ploughed before it
dried and hardened, it could not be done at all, and the next harvest
would be lost, and that "Mr. Wood's estimate was moderate," I loosened
my grasp on the bank account and directed the financial secretary to
send a draft for 5,000 liras ($22,000) to care of Rev. Dr. Gates,
Harpoot, to be divided among the three expeditions for the purchase of
cattle and the progress of the harvest of 1897.
This draft left something less than $3,000 with us to finish up the
field in all other directions. As the sum sent would be immediately
applied, the active services of the men would be no longer required, and
directions went with the remittance to report in person at
Constantinople. Unheard of toil, care, hard riding day and night, with
risk of life, were all involved in the carrying out of that order. Among
the uncivilized and robber bands of Kourds, the cattle that had been
stolen and driven off must be picked up, purchased and brought back to
the waiting farmer's field. There were routes so dangerous that a
brigand chief was selected by those understanding the situation as the
safest escort for our men. Perhaps the greatest danger encountered was
in the region of Farkin, beyond Diarbekir, where the official escort had
not been waited for, and the leveled musket of the faithless guide told
the difference.
At length the task was accomplished. One by one the expeditions closed
and withdrew, returning by Sivas and Samsoun and coming out by the Black
Sea. By that time it is probable that no one questioned the propriety of
their route or longer wondered or cared why they went to Smyrna or
Alexandretta, Sivas or Samsoun. The perplexed frowns of our anxious
committees and sympathetic people had long given way to smiles of
confidence and approval, and glad hands would have reached far over the
waters to meet ours as warmly extended to them.
With the return of the expeditions we closed the field, but contributors
would be glad to know that subsequent to this, before leaving
Constantinople, funds from both the New York and Boston committees came
to us amounting to some $15,000. This was happily placed with Mr. Peet,
treasurer of the Board of Foreign Missions at Stamboul, to be used
subject to our order, and with our concurrence it is now being employed
in the building of little houses in the interior as a winter shelter and
protection where all had been destroyed.
The appearance of our men on their arrival at Constantinople confirmed
the impression that they had not been recalled too soon. They had gone
out through the snows and ice of winter and without change or rest had
come back through the scorching suns of midsummer--five months of rough,
uncivilized life, faring and sharing with their beasts of burden, well
nigh out of communication with the civilized world, but never out of
danger, it seemed but just to themselves and to others who might yet
need them that change and rest be given them.
Since our entrance upon Turkish soil no general disturbance had taken
place. One heard only the low rumbling of the thunder after the storm,
the clouds were drifting southward and settling over Crete and
Macedonia, and we felt that we might take at least some steps towards
home. It was only when this movement commenced that we began to truly
realize how deep the roots of friendship, comradeship, confidence, and
love had struck back among our newly found friends and countrymen; how
much a part of ourselves--educational, humanitarian and official--their
work and interest had become, and surely from them we learned anew the
lesson of reciprocity.
Some days of physical rest were needful for the men of the expeditions
after reaching Constantinople before commencing another journey of
thousands of miles, worn as they were by exposure, hardship and
incessant labor, both physical and mental. This interval of time was,
however, mainly employed by them in the preparation of the reports
submitted with this, and in attention to the letters which followed them
from their various fields, telling of further need, but more largely
overflowing with gratitude and blessing for what had been done.
For our financial secretary and myself there could be neither rest nor
respite while we remained at a disbursing post so well known as ours.
Indeed there never had been. From the time of our arrival in February to
our embarkation in August there were but two days not strictly devoted
to business, the fourth of July and the fifth of August--the last a
farewell to our friends. For both of these occasions we were indebted to
the hospitality of treasurer and Mrs. W.W. Peet, and although held in
the open air, on the crowning point of Proti, one of the Princes'
Islands, with the Marmora, Bosporus and Golden Horn in full view, the
spires and minarets of Constantinople and Scutari telling us of a land
we knew little of, with peoples and customs strange and incomprehensible
to us, still there was no lack of the emblem that makes every American
at home, and its wavy folds of red, white and blue shaded the tables and
flecked the tasteful viands around which sat the renowned leaders of the
American missionary element of Asia Minor.
Henry O. Dwight, D.D., the accomplished gentleman and diplomatic head,
who was the first to suggest an appeal to the Red Cross, and I am glad
to feel he has never repented him of his decision. One fact in regard to
Dr. Dwight may be of interest to some hundreds of thousands of our
people: On first meeting him I was not quite sure of the title by which
to address him, if reverend or doctor, and took the courage to ask him.
He turned a glance full of amused meaning upon me as he replied: "That
is of little consequence; the title I prize most is _Captain_ Dwight."
"Of what?" I asked. "Company D, Twentieth Ohio Volunteers, in our late
war." The recognition which followed can well be imagined by the
comrades for whose interest I have named the incident.
Rev. Joseph K. Greene, D.D., and his amiable wife, to whom so much is
due towards the well being of the missionary work of Constantinople. I
regret that I am not able to reproduce the eloquent and patriotic
remarks of Dr. Greene on both these occasions, so true to our country,
our government and our laws. Rev. George P. Knapp, formerly of Bitlis,
whose courage no one questions. Mrs. Lee of Marash, and Mrs. Dr. George
Washburn of Robert College, the worthy and efficient daughters of Rev.
Dr. Cyrus Hamlin, the veteran missionary and founder of Robert College,
living in Lexington, Mass. A half-score of teachers, whose grand lives
will one day grace the pages of religious history. And last, though by
no means least, our host, the man of few words and much work, who bears
the burden of monetary relief for the woes and wants of Asia Minor, W.W.
Peet, Esq.
It was a great satisfaction that most of our field agents were able to
be present at the last of these beautiful occasions and personally
render an account of their stewardship to those who had watched their
course with such interest. The pleasure of these two days of recreation
will ever remain a golden light in our memories.
As the first official act of the relief work after our arrival in
Constantinople was my formal presentation to the Sublime Porte by the
American Minister, Honorable A.W. Terrell, diplomatic courtesy demanded
that I take proper occasion to notify the Turkish Government of our
departure and return thanks for its assistance, which was done formally
at "Selamlic," a religious ceremony held on the Turkish Sabbath, which
corresponds to our Friday. The Court Chamberlain delivered my message to
the palace. It was received and responded to through the same medium and
I took my departure, having finished my diplomatic work with that
government which had from first to last treated me with respect,
assisted my work and protected my workers.
To correct certain impressions and expressions which have been
circulating more or less extensively in this country, and for the
correct information of the people who through their loyal interest
deserve to know the facts, I make known my entire social relations while
residing in Turkey. Personally I did not go beyond Constantinople. The
proper conduct of our work demanded the continuous presence of both our
financial secretary and myself at headquarters. I never saw, to
personally communicate with, any member of the Turkish Government
excepting its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tewfik Pasha, as named
previously. I never spoke with the Sultan and have never seen him
excepting in his carriage on the way to his mosque.
On being informed through our Legation that the Turkish minister at
Washington, Mavroyeni Bey, had been recalled and that his successor was
about to leave for his new position, I felt that national courtesy
required that I call upon him and, attended by a member of our
legation, my secretary and myself crossed the Bosporus to a magnificent
estate on the Asiatic shore, the palatial home of Moustapha Tahsin Bey,
a gentleman of culture, who had resided in New York in some legal
capacity and who, I feel certain, will be socially and officially
acceptable to our Government.
I have received a decoration, officially described as follows:
Brevet of Chevalier of the Royal Order of Melusine, founded in 1186,
by Sibylle, Queen and spouse of King Guy of Jerusalem, and
reinstituted several years since by Marie, Princess of Lusignan. The
Order is conferred for humanitarian, scientific and other services
of distinction, but especially when such services are rendered to
the House of Lusignan, and particularly to the Armenian nation. The
Order is worn by a number of reigning sovereigns, and is highly
prized by the recipients because of its rare bestowal and its
beauty. This decoration is bestowed by His Royal Highness, Guy of
Lusignan, Prince of Jerusalem, Cyprus and Armenia.
Some months after returning home I received through our State Department
at Washington the Sultan's decoration of Shefaket and its accompanying
diploma in Turkish, a reproduction and translation of which is here
given:
[Illustration: ORDRE DES CHEVALIERS DE MÉLUSINE]
[Illustration: TOWER OF CHRIST, CONSTANTINOPLE]
[Illustration: W.W. PEET, ESQ.]
[Illustration: REV. HENRY O. DWIGHT, D.D.]
[Illustration: REV. JOS. K. GREENE, D.D.]
[Illustration: REV. GEO. WASHBURN, D.D.]
[Illustration: TURKISH DIPLOMA ACCOMPANYING DECORATION.
As Miss Barton, American citizen, possesses many great
and distinguished qualities and as recompense is due to
her, I am pleased therefore to accord to her the second
class of my decorations of Shefaket.--[Translation.]]
The first notice of this honor came to me through our own Smithsonian
Institute, as indicating its scientific character.
On the ninth of August we took passage on board the steamship "Meteor,"
a Roumanian steamer plying between Constantinople and the ports of the
Black Sea, our objective point being Costanza, at the mouth of the
Danube River. This was our first step toward home, and the leaving of a
people on whom, in common with the civilized world, our whole heart
interest had been centred for more than half a year; having no thought,
however, until the hour of parting revealed it, of the degree of
interest that had been centred on us.
On the spacious deck of the steamer were assembled our entire American
representation at Constantinople, prepared to accompany us through the
Bosporus, their boats having been sent forward to take them off near the
entrance of the Black Sea.
The magnificent new quay in either direction was crowded with people
without distinction of nationality, the strange costumes and colors
commingling in such variety as only an Oriental city can produce,
patiently waiting the long hour of preparation. When at length the
hoarse whistle sounded and the boat swayed from its moorings, the dense
crowd swayed with it and the subdued tones pealed out in tongues many
and strange; but all had one meaning--thanks, blessings and God speed.
We received these manifestations reverently, for while they meant
kindliness to us and our work, they meant far more of homage and honor
for the nation and people we represented. And not only in Constantinople
but the shores of the Bosporous as we proceeded presented similar tokens
of recognition--the wavy Stars and Stripes from Robert College, Rebek,
and Hissar, told more strongly than words how loyal to their own free
land were the hearts and hands toiling so faithfully in others.
Touching at Budapest for a glimpse at its Millenial Exposition; at
Vienna to pay respects to our worthy Minister, Hon. Bartlett Tripp; we
hastened to meet the royal greeting of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess
of Baden, at their beautiful island of Minau in Lake Constance--the
wedding gift of the Grand Duke to his young princess bride forty-three
years ago. It was a great pleasure to be able to bring our hard-worked
men into personal contact with these active royal personages, who know
so well in their own philanthropic lives how to appreciate such labor in
others.
Lest some may not recall directly the lines of royal succession, our
readers will pardon me if I say that the Grand Duchess of Baden is the
only daughter of the old Emperor William and Empress Augusta, the
sister of Germany's "Fritz," the aunt of the present Emperor, the mother
of the Crown Princess of Sweden, and the granddaughter of the beloved
Queen Louise, whom she is said to very much resemble.
One day was given to Strasburg--another labor field of the Franco-German
war, of longer duration than Armenia--reaching London on the
twenty-fourth day of August.
Our passage was engaged on the "Servia," to sail September 1, when the
news of the terrible troubles in Constantinople reached us. We were
shocked and distressed beyond words. The streets where we had passed,
the people who had served us, the Ottoman Bank where we had transacted
business almost daily for nearly a half a year, all in jeopardy if not
destroyed. Our men of the interior feared a general uprising there, in
which case we might be able to help. Our sense of duty did not permit us
to proceed until the facts were better known. We cancelled or rather
transferred our passage by the "Servia," telegraphed to Constantinople
and cabled to America, expressing our willingness to return to the field
if our services were in any way needed. Kindly advices from both
directions, together with a more quiet condition of things, decided us
to continue our journey, and engaging passage by the "Umbria" for the
fifth, we arrived in New York on the twelfth of September, eight months
lacking ten days from the time of our departure on the twenty-second of
January.
DISTANCES AND DIFFICULTIES OF TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS.
For the convenience of the closely occupied who have not time to study
as they read, I have thought it well to condense the information above
referred to in a paragraph, which can be taken in at a glance, in
connection with the map.
The one great port of Asia Minor is Constantinople. To reach the centre,
known as Anatolia or Armenia, there are two routes from Constantinople.
One by way of the Mediterranean Sea to Alexandretta, the southern port
or gateway; the other by the Black Sea, to reach the northern ports of
Samsoun and Trebizond, lying along the southern coast of the Black Sea.
There is no land route, but a "pony post," like the overland days of
California, takes important dispatches for the government, or money. The
way is infested by brigands.
There are no regular passenger boats, but Russia, Austria, France and
Greece have dispatch--in reality, coasting boats--one of which aims to
leave Constantinople each week, although at first we found it at least
two weeks between the times of sailing and irregular at that.
The time from Constantinople to Alexandretta is eight to ten days. From
Constantinople to Samsoun, two days. From either of these ports the
interior must be reached by land.
From Alexandretta to Harpoot is fifteen (15) days,
" " " Marash is five (5) days.
" " " Zeitoun is seven (7) days.
" " " Oorfa is six (6) days.
" " " Diarbekir is twelve (12) days.
On the north from Samsoun to Harpoot is fifteen (15) days.
These journeys were made by horse, mule or donkey, over mountain paths,
rocks and precipices. Only in comparatively a few places are there roads
allowing the passing of a wheeled vehicle of any kind, even the passing
of a horse along the steep declivities is sometimes dangerous.
COMMUNICATIONS.
As will be seen, the sending of a letter from Constantinople to the
interior, requires at the best six weeks, or forty-six days with no
delays.
Only the large and more important towns have telegraphic communication.
This requires two, three, four days of a week, according to
circumstances. These dispatches are all sent and must be answered in
Turkish.
[Illustration: Head of Turkish Telegraph Blank.]
[Translation of above Telegram.]
ARABKER, May 17, 1896.
MISS BARTON:
Since three days we are attending with our doctors and their
attendants to one hundred sick per day. The contagious fever
(typhus) is diminishing. Miss Bush and all the party are
distributing clothing and bedding. Lemme is giving implements and
seed to the farmers. The needs here are extreme. Wistar's party are
at Pyre. Wood with his party are working in the district of Palou.
HUBBELL.
The larger towns have mails usually leaving once a week, carried on
horses with a military guard. No newspaper is published in Asia Minor.
The missionary stations, with but two or three exceptions, are not near
the seacoast, but from three to fifteen days' travel from either the
Mediterranean or the Black Sea, or three to twenty-five days to the
nearest Mediterranean port. As will be seen by reference to the map the
following stations are on the seaboard: Trebizond on the Black Sea;
Smyrna and a small station near Merisine on the Mediterranean, and
Constantinople on the Bosporus.