CHAPTER VIII.Russia's conduct in Servia—The Hodja—We have a great many troops—If the Circassians will rise—The Pacha—Raw cotton—The Mohammedan school—The Hodja's sum—Three jealous husbands—The mosque—Issek Pacha—A comparison between Mohammedan Imaums and Christian priests—Provisions—The old doctor—The road to Erzeroum—Want of sport—Soldiers frost-bitten.Later in the day, the Mutasarraf called at my house, and at once commenced his favourite theme, politics."What do the people in your country say about Russia's conduct in Servia?""Many of them do not like it," I replied."It was a cowardly act on the part of the Tzar, was it not?" said the Pacha; "he pretended to be at peace with our Sultan, and allowed Russian officers and soldiers to take part in the fight against us. I tell you what it is," added the speaker, "Ignatieff wishes to cut off another arm from Turkey, by making Bulgariaindependent, like Servia. If we are to die, better to perish at once than be torn to pieces limb by limb!""But I thought you told me this morning that in your opinion, sooner than that this should occur, your Government ought to join Russia?""Yes, I did," said the Pacha, "and if we were to join Russia and attack Europe, who will do nothing for us now, what would happen then?""Yes; what would happen then?" said the Hodja, or schoolmaster, a friend of the Pacha, and who had accompanied him during his visit."Europe would probably swallow up both Turkey and Russia!""You do not really think so," said the Pacha."We have a great many troops," said the Hodja."Yes; but not many officers.""He is right," said the Pacha sadly; "our officers have not much brain, but we have one chance," he added."What is it?""If the Circassians were to rise, the Russians would have so much on their hands that they would be unable to advance.""Is it likely that there will be a rising?""There is sure to be one," said the Pacha; "but it is doubtful whether it will be general, or confined to some districts;" and shaking hands with me he left the room with his companion.The Pacha was an energetic man, and very popular with the inhabitants. He had been at Erzingan but a few months. He had found time to put the streets in tolerable order, and to make the town one of the cleanest in Anatolia. He was desirous of purchasing some machinery with the object of making cloth from the cotton which grows in this district. As it is, the raw cotton is sent to England, and is then manufactured into the articles required. The Pacha would have liked to save all this expense, and have the work done on the spot. He had tried to form a company, with the object of realizing his idea; but there was no energy in Erzingan—the people were afraid of risking the little money they possessed; it was impossible to carry the project into execution.I now went to the Mohammedan School."Will you ask the boys some questions?" said the Hodja.I remembered the success which I had obtainedwith the sum put by me to the lads at Yuzgat, and at once gave it. The schoolmaster was at his wits' end for a solution. However, later in the day he came to my house and said—"You set me a sum this morning—I cannot do it. I should like to ask you one.""Go on," I remarked."Three men," said the Hodja, "who were accompanied by their three wives, arrived at a river. The husbands were all jealous of their wives. There was one boat in which to take the party. The bark would only hold two persons, and no woman could be trusted by her husband unless there were two men with her. How did they cross the river?""Can you do it?" said the schoolmaster."I will think it over," I replied."This sum has puzzled our Mutasarraf for six months," said the Hodja; "it is a beautiful sum!""Do you know the answer?" I inquired."Unfortunately, I have forgotten it," he replied.I proceeded to visit the Mosque, which was being built at the expense of Issek Pacha, Governor of Sivas. It had been in the course of construction for three years, and was only half finished. The walls were made of stone andmarble, which had been brought from some quarries, about eight miles from the town. It was said that when the mosque was finished, it would be the handsomest one in Anatolia.I met the Italian doctor as I was returning to my quarters."So you have seen the mosque?" he said."Yes.""Well," he continued, "the Turks in some ways resemble us Catholics. Issek Pacha probably thinks that by building a magnificent mosque, he will be less likely to be fried in a future state of existence; and we are told that if we leave money to the priests, to say masses for our souls, we shall not have to remain so long in purgatory.""It all comes to the same thing," said the old gentleman. "It is no matter where a man is born, whether in the Mohammedan East or in the Christian West, his Imaum or Priest will always get money out of him in some manner or other.""In this instance," I remarked, "the money has gone to build a mosque and not to Imaums.""Yes," said the Italian, "but whenever a priest or dervish asks a good Mohammedan for anything the latter will never refuse. The result is that the religious profession in Turkey is made up ofas many idlers and beggars as can be seen in my own country."Provisions, according to the doctor, were not very dear in Erzingan. A good sheep could be bought for six shillings; 80 eggs for a shilling; two pounds and a half of bread, or rather of the thin unleavened cake which takes the place of the staff of life in Anatolia, for a penny; whilst eight pounds of potatoes could be purchased for the same price. A nice-looking horse would not cost more than 10l.Fuel was dear in proportion to the other articles of consumption—charcoal costing a farthing the pound."Erzingan is not a bad place for poor people to live in," added the old doctor. "I have resided here nearly half a century. A man can get on very well if he has 50l.a year."On leaving the town I found a fair carriage road, which led in the direction of Erzeroum. This state of things was not to last long, and after marching two or three miles we were riding once more along a track.Marshes extended for some distance on either side of our route. A number of geese and ducks, some of the latter of a very peculiar breed and different to any I had hitherto seen, were feeding in the fields around us. I tried toapproach them, so as to have a shot, as goose or duck would have been an agreeable change to the chicken fare which awaited us in every village. But the wild geese in Anatolia are quite as wary as their kindred on this side the Channel. It was impossible to stalk them.I began to disbelieve in the stories which have been written about the amount of sport which can be obtained in Anatolia. With the exception of a few snipe, partridges, and hares, I had seen literally nothing in the shape of game since our departure from Constantinople. Deer were said to exist in some of the forests, but I had never even heard of any being exposed for sale in the different markets.Should an Englishman ever think of undertaking a journey through Anatolia, and have the idea that he will be able to combine shooting with the pleasure of travel, he will find himself very much mistaken.Now we overtook three hundred Kurds—redif soldiers on the march to Erzeroum. There were no officers with them. The men had to find their way as best they could to their destination. They were armed with needle rifles, but had no uniform, and were clad for the most part in rags and tatters. Many of them had no shoes or evenslippers, but were walking with bare feet through the snow. A few men were riding on mules, and on a closer inspection I found that these poor fellows had been frost-bitten. Some of them had lost their toes on the march.
Russia's conduct in Servia—The Hodja—We have a great many troops—If the Circassians will rise—The Pacha—Raw cotton—The Mohammedan school—The Hodja's sum—Three jealous husbands—The mosque—Issek Pacha—A comparison between Mohammedan Imaums and Christian priests—Provisions—The old doctor—The road to Erzeroum—Want of sport—Soldiers frost-bitten.
Later in the day, the Mutasarraf called at my house, and at once commenced his favourite theme, politics.
"What do the people in your country say about Russia's conduct in Servia?"
"Many of them do not like it," I replied.
"It was a cowardly act on the part of the Tzar, was it not?" said the Pacha; "he pretended to be at peace with our Sultan, and allowed Russian officers and soldiers to take part in the fight against us. I tell you what it is," added the speaker, "Ignatieff wishes to cut off another arm from Turkey, by making Bulgariaindependent, like Servia. If we are to die, better to perish at once than be torn to pieces limb by limb!"
"But I thought you told me this morning that in your opinion, sooner than that this should occur, your Government ought to join Russia?"
"Yes, I did," said the Pacha, "and if we were to join Russia and attack Europe, who will do nothing for us now, what would happen then?"
"Yes; what would happen then?" said the Hodja, or schoolmaster, a friend of the Pacha, and who had accompanied him during his visit.
"Europe would probably swallow up both Turkey and Russia!"
"You do not really think so," said the Pacha.
"We have a great many troops," said the Hodja.
"Yes; but not many officers."
"He is right," said the Pacha sadly; "our officers have not much brain, but we have one chance," he added.
"What is it?"
"If the Circassians were to rise, the Russians would have so much on their hands that they would be unable to advance."
"Is it likely that there will be a rising?"
"There is sure to be one," said the Pacha; "but it is doubtful whether it will be general, or confined to some districts;" and shaking hands with me he left the room with his companion.
The Pacha was an energetic man, and very popular with the inhabitants. He had been at Erzingan but a few months. He had found time to put the streets in tolerable order, and to make the town one of the cleanest in Anatolia. He was desirous of purchasing some machinery with the object of making cloth from the cotton which grows in this district. As it is, the raw cotton is sent to England, and is then manufactured into the articles required. The Pacha would have liked to save all this expense, and have the work done on the spot. He had tried to form a company, with the object of realizing his idea; but there was no energy in Erzingan—the people were afraid of risking the little money they possessed; it was impossible to carry the project into execution.
I now went to the Mohammedan School.
"Will you ask the boys some questions?" said the Hodja.
I remembered the success which I had obtainedwith the sum put by me to the lads at Yuzgat, and at once gave it. The schoolmaster was at his wits' end for a solution. However, later in the day he came to my house and said—
"You set me a sum this morning—I cannot do it. I should like to ask you one."
"Go on," I remarked.
"Three men," said the Hodja, "who were accompanied by their three wives, arrived at a river. The husbands were all jealous of their wives. There was one boat in which to take the party. The bark would only hold two persons, and no woman could be trusted by her husband unless there were two men with her. How did they cross the river?"
"Can you do it?" said the schoolmaster.
"I will think it over," I replied.
"This sum has puzzled our Mutasarraf for six months," said the Hodja; "it is a beautiful sum!"
"Do you know the answer?" I inquired.
"Unfortunately, I have forgotten it," he replied.
I proceeded to visit the Mosque, which was being built at the expense of Issek Pacha, Governor of Sivas. It had been in the course of construction for three years, and was only half finished. The walls were made of stone andmarble, which had been brought from some quarries, about eight miles from the town. It was said that when the mosque was finished, it would be the handsomest one in Anatolia.
I met the Italian doctor as I was returning to my quarters.
"So you have seen the mosque?" he said.
"Yes."
"Well," he continued, "the Turks in some ways resemble us Catholics. Issek Pacha probably thinks that by building a magnificent mosque, he will be less likely to be fried in a future state of existence; and we are told that if we leave money to the priests, to say masses for our souls, we shall not have to remain so long in purgatory."
"It all comes to the same thing," said the old gentleman. "It is no matter where a man is born, whether in the Mohammedan East or in the Christian West, his Imaum or Priest will always get money out of him in some manner or other."
"In this instance," I remarked, "the money has gone to build a mosque and not to Imaums."
"Yes," said the Italian, "but whenever a priest or dervish asks a good Mohammedan for anything the latter will never refuse. The result is that the religious profession in Turkey is made up ofas many idlers and beggars as can be seen in my own country."
Provisions, according to the doctor, were not very dear in Erzingan. A good sheep could be bought for six shillings; 80 eggs for a shilling; two pounds and a half of bread, or rather of the thin unleavened cake which takes the place of the staff of life in Anatolia, for a penny; whilst eight pounds of potatoes could be purchased for the same price. A nice-looking horse would not cost more than 10l.Fuel was dear in proportion to the other articles of consumption—charcoal costing a farthing the pound.
"Erzingan is not a bad place for poor people to live in," added the old doctor. "I have resided here nearly half a century. A man can get on very well if he has 50l.a year."
On leaving the town I found a fair carriage road, which led in the direction of Erzeroum. This state of things was not to last long, and after marching two or three miles we were riding once more along a track.
Marshes extended for some distance on either side of our route. A number of geese and ducks, some of the latter of a very peculiar breed and different to any I had hitherto seen, were feeding in the fields around us. I tried toapproach them, so as to have a shot, as goose or duck would have been an agreeable change to the chicken fare which awaited us in every village. But the wild geese in Anatolia are quite as wary as their kindred on this side the Channel. It was impossible to stalk them.
I began to disbelieve in the stories which have been written about the amount of sport which can be obtained in Anatolia. With the exception of a few snipe, partridges, and hares, I had seen literally nothing in the shape of game since our departure from Constantinople. Deer were said to exist in some of the forests, but I had never even heard of any being exposed for sale in the different markets.
Should an Englishman ever think of undertaking a journey through Anatolia, and have the idea that he will be able to combine shooting with the pleasure of travel, he will find himself very much mistaken.
Now we overtook three hundred Kurds—redif soldiers on the march to Erzeroum. There were no officers with them. The men had to find their way as best they could to their destination. They were armed with needle rifles, but had no uniform, and were clad for the most part in rags and tatters. Many of them had no shoes or evenslippers, but were walking with bare feet through the snow. A few men were riding on mules, and on a closer inspection I found that these poor fellows had been frost-bitten. Some of them had lost their toes on the march.