Making Trouble for Muslims: A. Rawlinson's Adventures in the Near East, 1918-1922 by Rawlinson Arnold

Author:Rawlinson, Arnold [Rawlinson, Arnold]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Westphalia Press
Published: 2013-07-30T16:00:00+00:00

THE COAST COUNTRY ROUND TREBIZOND

The bay at Platana

Hidden guns discovered

THE RUSSO-TURKISH FRONTIER

Our frontier camp at Zivin

View looking south from the edge of Kars plain over the Aras valley to the frontier range; Mount Ararat is 50 miles east

The old bridge itself was evidently built to take an araba , or small native cart, the model of which to-day is exactly as it was 2,000 years ago, and I much doubted if there was breadth sufficient to allow a car to pass over; ascent and descent also were so steep, and the arch pointed at the top, that the crossing in any case would be one of the greatest difficulty. However, the spot beyond looked so delightful that I hailed the men, and, all having had a look, we decided to try. So, bringing the cars one by one up the goat-track which led to the bridge, one of us drove and the other three pushed, and so we finally got our cars over, and then, having camped, we spent a most delightful evening amongst the flowers and grass, the air heavy with scent of apple-blossom and the two torrents roaring one on either side of us.

I fancy anyone would have appreciated the beauty of this spot, but to us, after so many months of snow and ice, without ever a shrub or tree, or even a green blade of grass, to gladden our eyes, the contrast here was restful beyond expression, and we dreamed we were in England far away, and woke next morning with the same idea. That one lovely summer evening still remains in my recollection as just one beautiful dream amidst a long succession of nightmares.

Next day we met with a certain amount of bad road and mud in ascending the Zigana Pass, which caused us some delay; but the summit was clear of snow and, driving very fast down the steep gradient, we reached Trebizond by 4 P. M ., receiving a hearty welcome from our reinforcements, who were there awaiting us. This party had come from Constant, and consisted of two Intelligence officers, two interpreters, eight horses, two mules (for the interpreters), a perfectly invaluable Medical Officer (with a hospital orderly and outfit of medical stores), two N.C.O.s, and twenty men—the whole under command of Captain Fletcher, R.F.A.—and with them they brought stores of many kinds to which we had long been strangers.

Having checked the lists of the Trebizond armament prepared during my absence, I took a drive round the coast country on the day after our arrival, having a shrewd suspicion that there were many guns about, which were not included in the lists which had been presented to us, although the number already acknowledged as in the Trebizond area was over 300.

I was also anxious to observe the general condition of the surrounding districts, and it was as always a real satisfaction and pleasure to me to observe the excellent results of the work of the American Relief Organization, of which evidence was here again available on every hand.

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