CHAPTER IX.Climbing the mountains—It is bitterly cold—Delan—The soldiers—Kargan—A bridge over the Euphrates—Mohallata—Our Padishah is poor now—The Captain of the Zaptiehs—He wishes to be married—Promotion wanted—The Erzingan track meets the Trebizond road—Bashi Bazouks—The Kara Su—Zaptiehs—Erzeroum—The fortifications of Erzeroum—Ismail Pacha's residence—A pacific speech made by Lord Derby—A decoration sent by the Tzar to the Armenian Bishop of Erzeroum—An Armenian demonstration—Caravan trade—Timbaki—Duties increased—The price of Timbaki—The Kurds—Russian agents—A massacre of the Christians to be brought about by Russian agents.It was bitterly cold as we gradually climbed the mountains which lie between Erzingan and Erzeroum, and after a nine hours' march we halted for the night at a little village called Delan. There were only twelve mud hovels. The three hundred Kurds stowed themselves away as best they could. I was fortunate enough to obtain a resting-place in a stable. My horses werepacked together as closely as possible on one side of the building. There was just room for my followers and myself on the other.The inhabitants of this little hamlet were Kurds, and the people did their best to make the newly-arrived soldiers comfortable. The latter were all fed at the expense of the villagers; each inhabitant giving as much bread as he could spare towards the rations of his countrymen. So far as I could learn, none of the soldiers had any money with them, and it was a five days' march to Erzeroum. But they evidently had solved the problem of how to get on without money; a week later I saw them arrive at their destination, and, with the exception of a few men laid up with frost-bite, they were not much the worse for their journey.It was very slippery as we descended the slope which leads from Delan. We drove our horses before us; the little animals tacking from side to side, like ships beating against the wind, and putting their feet down with the greatest caution, so as to make sure of the ground before them. We then had to lead the animals up the mountains, Radford having great difficulty in wading through the snow, owing to his state of debility. Fortunatelywe soon arrived at a place where it was possible to ride. Here another path branched off to the village of Kargan, but continuing by our old track we shortly came to a fine stone bridge, called the Kutta Kupri. It is about seventy-five yards wide, and spans the river Euphrates.We passed through a series of natural basins, each of them two or three miles in diameter, and after an eight hours' tiring march put up for the night in the village of Mohallata. It contains about 100 houses, and a small barracks, with quarters for a squadron of Zaptiehs.A battalion of redifs had also halted here. The men had marched from Erzingan without having had anything to eat since they left that town—the soldiers had gone more than thirty hours without food. There were no grumblers in the ranks.One of the sergeants appeared rather an intelligent fellow; I spoke to him about the matter."We came to a village," he said; "there was nothing to eat, and so we went without our dinners.""Did the men make any remarks?""No, Effendi, they knew that the people would have given them food if they had any to spare. When we beat the Russians, go to St. Petersburgand conquer all their country for our Padishah," said the sergeant, "we shall have many paras, there will be plenty to eat. But our Padishah is poor now," continued the man sorrowfully, "he cannot give us any pay, there is no money in Stamboul."The captain of the Zaptiehs accompanied me in my walk through the barracks. This officer was anxious to obtain his promotion."I am forty years of age," he remarked, "and a captain's pay is very little. It is not enough for me to keep a wife. I want to be married, but before that event can take place I must be a major. Shall you see the Pacha at Erzeroum?" he added."Yes.""Will you speak to him for me, and recommend me for promotion?""How can I? I do not belong to your army, and am only here as a traveller.""But you are an Englishman!" exclaimed the Zaptieh excitedly. "That is quite sufficient. The Pacha would know that no Englishman would recommend any one without a reason. I should be promoted!""My good sir," I observed, "I have only seen you for a few minutes; how could I solicit your promotion on the ground of your merits?"The captain was not to be rebuffed."I will write down my name," he said, "and then you will speak to the Pacha."Taking a dirty piece of paper from his pocket, he scribbled something and handed it to me.Forward again for twelve more hours, our horses slipping up, or varying the performance by falling into snow-drifts, and we came to a spot where the Erzingan track meets the Trebizond and Erzeroum road. Here most of the snow had been cleared away. There was but little to impede our progress. Large caravans of several hundreds of horses and mules were bringing cartridges from Trebizond; bands of Bashi Bazouks were with them and on the march to Kars.We rode along the left bank of the Kara Su (Black Water), the name given to the Euphrates in this district, and presently were met by some Zaptiehs. Their leader, advancing a few steps, said that he had been ordered by the Pacha to meet me, and escort my party into the town.Erzeroum lies at one end of a large plain. It is surrounded on the north, south, and east sides by hills. A few detached forts had been thrown up on these heights. The town itself isencircled by an intrenchment of loose earth—this defence was in no place more than three quarters of a mile from the city.I rode to Ismail Pacha's residence. It is a large building in the middle of the town, and is also used as an office by the military Pacha.Ismail, the civil governor, is a Kurd by birth. Some of his female relatives have made influential marriages: this, added to the talents which the Pacha possesses, has raised him to his present high position.He did not think that war would take place between Turkey and Russia. A pacific speech made by Lord Derby had been telegraphed from London to Erzeroum. It was the opinion of many of the townspeople that the Tzar did not mean to break the peace."It will be much better for us if we fight now," said the Pacha, when he gave me the above-mentioned information. "If war is postponed, Russia will continue her intrigues[3]amidst our Christian population."A few months previous the Tzar had sent a decoration to the Armenian Bishop of Erzeroum. The order had been forwarded through theRussian Consul. The latter, instead of asking Ismail to give the decoration to the Bishop, had ignored the Pacha altogether, and had not even invited him to the ceremony.This had been converted into an Armenian demonstration. The relations between the Mohammedans and Christians were not so friendly as could be desired.Erzeroum is the principal depôt for the caravan trade which is carried on by the merchants in Teheran and theirconfrèresin Constantinople.Timbaki, the tobacco used in nargilehs, is exported from Persia to this part of Asia Minor. Of late, the Turkish authorities have increased the duty on timbaki from eight to seventy-six per cent. This has been done in consequence of many Turks liking the Persian plant better than that which is grown in their own country. The price of ordinary timbaki was formerly only twenty-five piastres an oke at Constantinople, whilst Turkish tobacco of the same quality costs as much as sixty-one.Ismail Pacha was doubtful whether in the event of war he would be able to keep the Kurds quiet in the neighbourhood of Erzeroum. Russian agents had been busily engaged for some time past in attempting to suborn these mountaineers. Moneyhad been lavished upon their chiefs. Anxiety was expressed as to which side they would take."The Russians are nearly as poor as we are," continued the Pacha, "but they have enough money left for the purpose of intrigue. If the war breaks out, it is not at all improbable that they will bring about a massacre of Christians in Asia Minor. Some of the Kurds would obey any order they might receive from St. Petersburg. It would go very hard with us in the court of European public opinion, if any fresh rebellions had to be suppressed by strong measures on our part."
Climbing the mountains—It is bitterly cold—Delan—The soldiers—Kargan—A bridge over the Euphrates—Mohallata—Our Padishah is poor now—The Captain of the Zaptiehs—He wishes to be married—Promotion wanted—The Erzingan track meets the Trebizond road—Bashi Bazouks—The Kara Su—Zaptiehs—Erzeroum—The fortifications of Erzeroum—Ismail Pacha's residence—A pacific speech made by Lord Derby—A decoration sent by the Tzar to the Armenian Bishop of Erzeroum—An Armenian demonstration—Caravan trade—Timbaki—Duties increased—The price of Timbaki—The Kurds—Russian agents—A massacre of the Christians to be brought about by Russian agents.
It was bitterly cold as we gradually climbed the mountains which lie between Erzingan and Erzeroum, and after a nine hours' march we halted for the night at a little village called Delan. There were only twelve mud hovels. The three hundred Kurds stowed themselves away as best they could. I was fortunate enough to obtain a resting-place in a stable. My horses werepacked together as closely as possible on one side of the building. There was just room for my followers and myself on the other.
The inhabitants of this little hamlet were Kurds, and the people did their best to make the newly-arrived soldiers comfortable. The latter were all fed at the expense of the villagers; each inhabitant giving as much bread as he could spare towards the rations of his countrymen. So far as I could learn, none of the soldiers had any money with them, and it was a five days' march to Erzeroum. But they evidently had solved the problem of how to get on without money; a week later I saw them arrive at their destination, and, with the exception of a few men laid up with frost-bite, they were not much the worse for their journey.
It was very slippery as we descended the slope which leads from Delan. We drove our horses before us; the little animals tacking from side to side, like ships beating against the wind, and putting their feet down with the greatest caution, so as to make sure of the ground before them. We then had to lead the animals up the mountains, Radford having great difficulty in wading through the snow, owing to his state of debility. Fortunatelywe soon arrived at a place where it was possible to ride. Here another path branched off to the village of Kargan, but continuing by our old track we shortly came to a fine stone bridge, called the Kutta Kupri. It is about seventy-five yards wide, and spans the river Euphrates.
We passed through a series of natural basins, each of them two or three miles in diameter, and after an eight hours' tiring march put up for the night in the village of Mohallata. It contains about 100 houses, and a small barracks, with quarters for a squadron of Zaptiehs.
A battalion of redifs had also halted here. The men had marched from Erzingan without having had anything to eat since they left that town—the soldiers had gone more than thirty hours without food. There were no grumblers in the ranks.
One of the sergeants appeared rather an intelligent fellow; I spoke to him about the matter.
"We came to a village," he said; "there was nothing to eat, and so we went without our dinners."
"Did the men make any remarks?"
"No, Effendi, they knew that the people would have given them food if they had any to spare. When we beat the Russians, go to St. Petersburgand conquer all their country for our Padishah," said the sergeant, "we shall have many paras, there will be plenty to eat. But our Padishah is poor now," continued the man sorrowfully, "he cannot give us any pay, there is no money in Stamboul."
The captain of the Zaptiehs accompanied me in my walk through the barracks. This officer was anxious to obtain his promotion.
"I am forty years of age," he remarked, "and a captain's pay is very little. It is not enough for me to keep a wife. I want to be married, but before that event can take place I must be a major. Shall you see the Pacha at Erzeroum?" he added.
"Yes."
"Will you speak to him for me, and recommend me for promotion?"
"How can I? I do not belong to your army, and am only here as a traveller."
"But you are an Englishman!" exclaimed the Zaptieh excitedly. "That is quite sufficient. The Pacha would know that no Englishman would recommend any one without a reason. I should be promoted!"
"My good sir," I observed, "I have only seen you for a few minutes; how could I solicit your promotion on the ground of your merits?"
The captain was not to be rebuffed.
"I will write down my name," he said, "and then you will speak to the Pacha."
Taking a dirty piece of paper from his pocket, he scribbled something and handed it to me.
Forward again for twelve more hours, our horses slipping up, or varying the performance by falling into snow-drifts, and we came to a spot where the Erzingan track meets the Trebizond and Erzeroum road. Here most of the snow had been cleared away. There was but little to impede our progress. Large caravans of several hundreds of horses and mules were bringing cartridges from Trebizond; bands of Bashi Bazouks were with them and on the march to Kars.
We rode along the left bank of the Kara Su (Black Water), the name given to the Euphrates in this district, and presently were met by some Zaptiehs. Their leader, advancing a few steps, said that he had been ordered by the Pacha to meet me, and escort my party into the town.
Erzeroum lies at one end of a large plain. It is surrounded on the north, south, and east sides by hills. A few detached forts had been thrown up on these heights. The town itself isencircled by an intrenchment of loose earth—this defence was in no place more than three quarters of a mile from the city.
I rode to Ismail Pacha's residence. It is a large building in the middle of the town, and is also used as an office by the military Pacha.
Ismail, the civil governor, is a Kurd by birth. Some of his female relatives have made influential marriages: this, added to the talents which the Pacha possesses, has raised him to his present high position.
He did not think that war would take place between Turkey and Russia. A pacific speech made by Lord Derby had been telegraphed from London to Erzeroum. It was the opinion of many of the townspeople that the Tzar did not mean to break the peace.
"It will be much better for us if we fight now," said the Pacha, when he gave me the above-mentioned information. "If war is postponed, Russia will continue her intrigues[3]amidst our Christian population."
A few months previous the Tzar had sent a decoration to the Armenian Bishop of Erzeroum. The order had been forwarded through theRussian Consul. The latter, instead of asking Ismail to give the decoration to the Bishop, had ignored the Pacha altogether, and had not even invited him to the ceremony.
This had been converted into an Armenian demonstration. The relations between the Mohammedans and Christians were not so friendly as could be desired.
Erzeroum is the principal depôt for the caravan trade which is carried on by the merchants in Teheran and theirconfrèresin Constantinople.Timbaki, the tobacco used in nargilehs, is exported from Persia to this part of Asia Minor. Of late, the Turkish authorities have increased the duty on timbaki from eight to seventy-six per cent. This has been done in consequence of many Turks liking the Persian plant better than that which is grown in their own country. The price of ordinary timbaki was formerly only twenty-five piastres an oke at Constantinople, whilst Turkish tobacco of the same quality costs as much as sixty-one.
Ismail Pacha was doubtful whether in the event of war he would be able to keep the Kurds quiet in the neighbourhood of Erzeroum. Russian agents had been busily engaged for some time past in attempting to suborn these mountaineers. Moneyhad been lavished upon their chiefs. Anxiety was expressed as to which side they would take.
"The Russians are nearly as poor as we are," continued the Pacha, "but they have enough money left for the purpose of intrigue. If the war breaks out, it is not at all improbable that they will bring about a massacre of Christians in Asia Minor. Some of the Kurds would obey any order they might receive from St. Petersburg. It would go very hard with us in the court of European public opinion, if any fresh rebellions had to be suppressed by strong measures on our part."