Chapter XIV: Part 14

Besnia was saved from pillage and massacre by the efforts of Pasha Youcab, Osman Zade, Mahund Bey, and several other Turkish Beys, but the surrounding villages were attacked and suffered more or less severely. Some of the women escaped and found protection in Besnia, where they were still living. We did some medical work here and left, in good hands, a moderate sum for emergencies. Our reception by the officials at Besnia, as indeed at every place we have been, large or small, was most cordial and friendly. With only an exception or two, no more considerate treatment could have been expected or asked from any people. Before reaching the city we had heard that there was a feudal war in progress ahead of us, and when the military commander learned that we were intending to go to Adioman, he interposed, saying he could take no responsibility in sending us there; that he had just sent a hundred soldiers out on that road to quell a riot; that it was dangerous, but he would give us a good officer and soldiers for another road to Malatia. This we accepted and four days more of mountain travel, via Paverly, Soorgoo, and Guzena, brought us to the fruit and garden city of Malatia, which formerly had a population of 45,000. It is reported that about 1500 houses were plundered and 375 were burned, and some thousands of persons killed. The people of all classes were still in fear.

A sum of money from friends in America had been sent by the missionaries, but its distribution had been delayed several weeks through some formality in the post-office, and was but just being made the day we arrived. We left here a sum for special cases and typhus patients, and with a promise to return, pressed on to our objective point, two days' journey more across the Euphrates at Isli to Harpoot, when the limit of our time would be out for meeting the second expedition which arrived only two hours ahead of us. Here the people turned out _en masse_ to welcome the Red Cross; the road was lined, the streets and windows filled, and house roofs covered, and all had words of welcome on their lips. We were told by the Rev. Dr. Wheeler, the founder of the Mission and American College of Central Turkey, that we were the second party of Americans, not missionaries, that they had seen in Harpoot in forty years. We were most cordially met by the mission people. Although they, too, had been plundered, and most of their buildings and their homes had gone in the flames, we were offered, most kindly, the shelter of the remaining roofs and seats at their table as long as we would stay.

We felt at home again, though startled, too, when we stopped to think we were 8000 miles away and fifteen days by horseback to the nearest steamer that might start us on a homeward trip or that could carry a letter for us to the outside world. We had been told from the first that Harpoot was suffering more than any other part of the interior, and here we prepared to begin systematic work; Mr. Wistar taking the Char-Sanjak with Peri as a centre, the Harpoot plain, and later the Aghan villages. Mr. Wood took the Palou district with two hundred villages, and Silouan in the Vilayet of Diarbekir with one hundred and sixty villages, with the town of Palou and the city of Farkin as centers. While making these arrangements we received your telegram of May 1st: "Typhus and dysentery raging at Arabkir. Can you send doctors with medicines from Harpoot? Please investigate." Upon inquiry we found reported one thousand sick and many dying. This naturally would be my field.

After telegraphing to the various centres for additional medical help without success, we found a native physician, educated in America, Dr. Hintlian, at Harpoot, who was ready to go. Miss Caroline Bush and Miss Seymour of the Mission, with unassumed bravery, volunteered to accompany the expedition. As only one could leave, the choice fell upon Miss Bush. When one reflects that this was a slight little body, never coming up to the majesty of a hundred pounds, with sensitive nature, delicate organization, educated and refined conditions of early life, fears might well be felt for the weight of the lot assumed; but every day's contact convinced us that the springs were of the best of steel, tempered by the glowing fires of experience, thus teaching us how far mind may be superior to matter.

On our first night out, as is frequently the custom in this country, we slept in the stable with our horses--and _smaller animals_. On the second day in crossing the Euphrates at Gabin Madin, the big wooden scoop-shovel ferryboat struck a rock in the swift current mid-stream, and came very near capsizing with its load of luggage, horses and human beings. The boatmen lost their chance of making the opposite shore, and we were in the swift current fast making for the gorge and rapids below. I looked as unconcerned as I could at Miss Bush, only to see that she was as calm as if this was an every-day occurrence or that she had been from childhood accustomed to such experiences. We knew she had not, only she had lived long enough in the interior not to be frightened at anything that might happen. However, another rock was reached near the bluff and we unloaded. Each leading his horse and the pack animals following, we climbed up over the edge of a precipice, over loose stones, slippery earth and ragged rocks, back to the landing we should have made had we gone directly across.

Our next day's travel was through a cold, pouring rain, into the ruined city of Arabkir, but notwithstanding the rain, hundreds of people stood in the streets as we passed to make their "salaams" and to say their word of welcome to those who had come to bring the gifts of another land to the suffering, the sick and needy of their own. Passing through the rain, we arrived at the native pastor's house, which had been saved by a Turkish military officer and cleared of refugees and typhus patients for our installation.

Nearly the entire city of Arabkir was in ruins, only heaps of stones where houses had been. Out of eighteen hundred homes but few remained; the markets as well as the dwellings were destroyed, and the people, plundered and destitute, were crowded into the few remaining houses, down with the typhus. We were told that six hundred had already died of the disease, and the people's physician, the only one in that part of the country, was in prison. Later we were told that the arrival of help changed the character of the disease the moment it was known that we had come. Miss Bush went with us directly into the sick rooms, and the presence of a woman gave cheer and strength. A hundred patients were seen daily. After the first wants of the typhus patients had been met the long neglected surgical cases were looked after, and many lives and limbs were saved. The medical and surgical efforts gave gratifying results, of which Dr. Hintlian will make a special report from his daily record.

Immediately upon our arrival the Gregorian church and school buildings, which escaped destruction, were offered for our use as a hospital. These rooms were admirably adapted for this purpose but by selecting and employing persons already in need of help as assistants and nurses we found that we could better care for the sick in their own quarters than to attempt to remove them to a hospital, where the congregation of sick would only be increased. To give employment was the one thing needed for the well, therefore we made no hospitals, but employed competent, healthy women in need, instructed and put them to care for sick families also in need, but of another kind. The piaster a woman earned for a day's work gave food for herself and for her own family, and gave the sick family the services necessary to save their lives. The necessary beds for the patients were furnished.

A sheep or a goat given where there was a helpless babe or mother would give food for both, and be a permanent property that would grow by the increase of its own young. A small sum for fowls would be a gift that would furnish more than its value in eggs for food for present use. It would prove a small investment that must multiply in kind and value as chicks were hatched. While medical work was going on other forms of relief were also in progress. A supply of tools had been ordered from Harpoot, directly upon our arrival, for blacksmiths, carpenters, tinkers, masons, stone workers, etc. The blacksmiths were set to work making sickles for cutting grass and reaping grain; shovels, plows and other implements for farmers. Others were put at making spinning-wheels for the destitute women, who with these could earn their own living; others made weaving looms. Out of the twelve hundred hand looms formerly in the city it was said only forty remained. Arabkir was the chief manufacturing centre for native cotton cloth, and if a man had a loom which would cost three medjidieh (about $2.50) he could earn his own family's living. Field and garden seeds were bought in quantity and distributed.

For the villages which had no cattle we gave oxen for plowing the fields. Sometimes with the oxen, cows were given, with instructions that in this stress of need the cows should be made to work with the oxen, even while they were giving milk for the family. Thus they would secure a double service for one outlay. Melkon Miranshahian, the druggist, kindly offered his services, and we arranged with him to take up special cases and to continue to care for them after we would no longer be able to remain on the field. Then, feeling that we might safely leave this work in the hands of Dr. Hintlian, we went to Egin to arrange for distribution in the Aghan villages, Miss Bush accompanying.

The inquiry will naturally be made as to how relief was received. The gratitude of the people was almost overwhelming at times. If you could only have heard the blessings that were poured out upon Clara Barton, the Red Cross, and the good people everywhere who have aided, you would realize that deep as the need, so fervent and sincere have been the thankful prayers and blessings that the unfortunate people who survive the massacre could alone render to all who help them. To you and your name especially were they responsive. Of all this, I would say we often had most gratifying evidence and expression on the lonely roads, in the stricken homes, and through personal letters from many sources.

When we were some six miles out on the road to Egin, we met the leading men of the village of Shepik coming to town; they had heard that we were going away soon, and the villagers had sent this committee to Arabkir to express their gratitude for what they had received and for all that had been done for them. This was five or six weeks after we had made a distribution of seeds, and as we came in sight of their village we saw gardens green with onions, potatoes, beans, cucumbers, melons, squash, pumpkins, etc., from the seeds we had given. Here, too, the women were in the fields cutting the grass and grain with the sickles which, the blacksmith had made from the iron and steel we had furnished. The men were plowing with the plows and oxen we had supplied and, notwithstanding they had been plundered of every movable thing and their houses burned or destroyed, there was an air of prosperity in the fields that banished thoughts of want or suffering. We rode on past the little room where the school was kept and every child rose to his feet and made a most profound, though youthful bow to our passing company.

Egin is an old, strangely beautiful city, inhabited by the descendants of the noble families of Mosul (NINEVEH) who fled to this mountain stronghold on the Euphrates during the Persian invasion, many years ago, and they are still a royal and gentle people. At Egin the officials declared it unsafe for us to go to the villages as we had proposed. Accordingly we made purchases in this market and sent them to the needy points. Egin had bought the Kourds off with 1500 lire, and consequently it had remained up to the date of our arrival unharmed through all the destruction about it. We also left a sum of money with a responsible committee for eight unfortunate villages, and did what medical work we could in our short stay. We then returned to Harpoot.

On our road back, Miss Bush had with her a young girl whom we were taking to Harpoot for safety (we had frequent charges of this kind), and she wanted me to stop at her favorite beautiful village of Biervan, for a pleasant picture to carry back in memory to America. We had a long day's journey at best to reach our village, and had met with delays; four hours in the morning waiting for a zaptieh. Our muleteer left us at the ferry some twelve miles back, in order to stop over night at his own village; and the second zaptieh was two hours late, but having started we must keep on through the mountain pass, and it was ten o'clock at night when we reached the village. Our zaptieh took us to the house of the "Villageman" (each village is provided with such a personage whose duty it is to see that shelter is provided for travelers). We rode up together and the zaptieh pounded on the door. The dog on the roof barked viciously, then all the dogs in the village barked. A woman on another roof above this one raised herself and talked, then shouted down the chimney-hole (the roof is the sleeping place in warm weather), after a time she pointed with her hand and the zaptieh started off in the direction indicated; the moon had gone down and it was too dark to see anything distinctly. He came to a small pile, poked it with his foot, punched it with his gun, kicked it.

After a time a part of the pile raised itself in a sort of surprised astonishment, mystified, uncertain, complicated attitude--evidently looking at the "poker." Then the pile expressed itself emphatically, the zaptieh did the same more emphatically, each in turn louder and louder, all with necessary and unnecessary gesticulation. Then the pile got up and began on our servants for having the pack mules and animals on his roof. After these had been led off the house, he wanted to know what we came there for anyway, at that time of night, to wake him up when there were six other villages we could have gone to; why didn't we go to one of them? Then our zaptieh changed his tone and attitude and in the most polite, persuasive, pleading voice and manner, tried to explain that he himself was not to blame for all this trouble, he was under orders and had to come with these people; he couldn't help doing his duty. But this made no impression, and we were told there was no place for us.

None could be found at this time of night; besides there was no barley for the horses, and nothing was to be done unless it was to go on and try another village. Our zaptieh seemed to have exhausted his resources and said no more. Other villagers had come and were standing around the "villageman," who still insisted that he could do nothing. Miss Bush quietly suggested "_Argentum_." We got down from our horse, went around carelessly, and slipped a "cherek" (a five piaster piece) into his fingers. He took and felt of it, and then went away without a word. After about ten minutes he returned with a light, a door was opened close beside us, and we unloaded our animals, put them all in, took in the luggage, went in ourselves, got our supper, spread our blankets, drove away our audience of villagers, fastened the stable door and announced to ourselves that we were one hour into the "next day," and went to sleep. We were off again the next morning before the sun was up. This is a sample incident of what happened in frequent variation during interior travel.

At Harpoot we arranged for supplying tools and cattle to the remaining villages which we failed to reach from Egin. Here, too, we found Mr. Wistar busy supplying harvesting and threshing implements, and cattle for plowing in the Harpoot plain and villages. In this vilayet there are upwards of two hundred villages either plundered or wholly destroyed, and from these many persons of all classes came for medical or surgical help.

Preparations were made to work in Malatia, where, some weeks before, we had ordered supplies and medicines sent to be ready for our arrival, but owing to the unsettled conditions there, no such work could be done to advantage. The time for our return to Constantinople was drawing near and on the twenty-seventh of June we were ready to start for the Black Sea. We called to pay our respects to the governor of Harpoot and found him as cordial as he had always been. Inquiries were made and explanations given, so that he might more thoroughly understand the character and purposes of the Red Cross. His Excellency remarked that it gave to those engaged in the work great opportunities to become acquainted with different countries, and that we must have found Turkey the most difficult of them all to work in. He regretted that he himself had been of so little assistance to our efforts, etc., but we took pleasure in saying that he had done at all times all that we had asked and ofttimes more. Speaking for those associated with our work I could safely say that all the recollections of our personal relations with the vali of Harpoot will remain with us as pleasant and satisfactory.

The principal food and the main crop of the interior is wheat, and this year's growth wherever we have been is reported to be unusually good. If the wheat can be distributed where the destitution will be this coming winter, many lives may be saved; if not, many must inevitably be lost for want of food. When we left the Harpoot valley harvesting had well begun, and was even more briskly going on as we neared the Euphrates, which we crossed for the last time at Isli on the twenty-ninth of June. The usual Euphrates ferry-boat is twenty-four to thirty feet long, eight feet wide, and two feet high at one end and eight at the other where a rudder, or sweep, forty feet long is hung. An American frequently sees methods of work and management that lead him sometimes, when first traveling, to make suggestions. After seeing the ferrymen upon many occasions putting loaded wagons on the boat, lifting them by main force some two or three feet with much awkwardness over the edge of the craft, we ventured to suggest that two planks laid on the bank and end of the boat so as to roll the wagons in or out would save much trouble and time and extra help and labor. We were met with this unanswerable reply: "Who would pay for them?"

To Malatia we carried money to the people from their relatives in America which had been entrusted to Dr. Barnum at Harpoot. We also left in the hands of a responsible committee a fund for artisans' tools, and a smaller sum for food and supplies in special needy cases. The feeling of security among the people in Malatia was entirely absent. They had seen terrible slaughter. They were possessed with fear to such an extent that we could meet very few of them; and had we not known, that it was Doctor Gates' Plan to visit the place soon with assistants and means from Harpoot it would have pained us still more to leave them in their terrible condition, for we could not remain to carry on the work, and an unwise or untimely effort often fails of its end or only aggravates the conditions it seeks to relieve.

The sun is extremely hot during the summer in the interior, hence when the moon was favorable we traveled by night, leaving the saddle long enough to sleep in the "Araba" (a sort of small, springless, covered wagon used where there are roads) so as to have the day to work in while our horses rested. When we could do so in our journey we left funds for specified purposes, but frequently the sufferers felt safer without such assistance and declined to receive it. At Sivas we gave a fund for farmers' tools. Here the grain crop was later than in the valleys further south. We also left here with the Rev. Messrs. Perry and Hubbard, a horse, in order to facilitate their relief work. From Malatia several families and individuals placed themselves under the protection of the Red Cross and its guards in order to go in safety to the coast. A portion of this road is infested with brigands and a strong guard is necessary, in fact it is needed throughout the whole region. The government took particular care of us by giving us a brigand as a special guard through the dangerous part of the road, saying that we should be safer with him than with the regular military guard. A few weeks before a rich caravan was robbed on this road, and when we passed we had the interesting pleasure of taking tea and journeying for a while with the chief of these brigands who had two days before been enlisted in government service. With the ample government protection we have at all times had, we seldom felt concern for our personal safety, notwithstanding that in places where we visited there was often a great deal of anxiety and fear on the part of the people for their own safety and that of their friends, or their property if they had any.

Tokat and Amasia were on our homeward route--the latter place being the site of the ancient castle of Mithridates, King of Pontus.

At Samsoun we had two saddle horses to dispose of, and our consular agent, Mr. Stephapopale, having a stable, kindly offered to sell them to the best profit for us, and to see that the proceeds were used in aiding the refugees who crowd to the coast in the hope of getting farther on, but only find themselves stranded and unable to return, becoming thereby veritable sufferers.

On the sixteenth of July we reached the Bosphorus, four months and six days from the time we started out from Constantinople for the interior, glad of the privilege and power we have enjoyed as messengers to carry some of the gifts that have been entrusted to your care by the people of America for the innocent, unfortunate sufferers of Anatolia.

Wherever we have met the missionaries, Protestant or Catholic, we have found them devoting most, if not all, of their time to the work of relieving the suffering about them, regardless of sect or nationality; but in all cases their fields of work have been greater than their strength or their means. With them we have worked always harmoniously and without consciousness of difference of place or creed; and to them and to many others we are indebted for courtesies and for hospitalities that will always be remembered with gratitude.

The real work of the relief expedition was greatly aided by the hearty co-operation of every European and American resident with whom we came in contact. Each did all in his power for our aid, and we regret that space forbids our telling how each gave his support and help.

At Egin we will ever remember the generous hospitality during our short stay with the families of Nicoghos Agha Jangochyan and Alexander Effendi Kasabyan, noblemen, who by their energy and liberality saved the city and people from destruction, while the country round about was being plundered and burned, and who gave us great assistance in furnishing tools and implements to this section of the country.

Not long after leaving Egin we learned the sad news that these gentlemen with nearly a thousand others had been killed. These families were the centre of a large community of the most charming and cultivated people we had met.

To the Turkish officials everywhere we are grateful for their careful supervision of our personal safety, and for the general personal freedom allowed ourselves wherever we worked. To the officers and guards who always accompanied us in our journeys through cold and heat, on the road by night or day, over desolate plain or mountain trail, for bringing us safely through from sea to sea without a scratch or harm of any kind, for all this we are most assuredly grateful, and oft recall the cheerful vigilant service and special courtesies we enjoyed at their hands, which could only be prompted by the most friendly feelings and consideration.

But we do not forget, dear Miss Barton, that the success of this expedition is due to your careful and constant oversight and direction of all our movements, from the seat of government at Constantinople, from first to last, and to the conviction which you had impressed upon the Sublime Porte of your own and your officers' honesty, integrity and singleness of purpose. Hence for your statesmanship and generalship and constant oversight, we would express our warmest gratitude.

We are grateful for the gratitude of the people we tried to relieve. It was universal and sincere. The kindness with which we were everywhere welcomed, and the assistance so cordially rendered by all the noble men and women, with whom it has been my good fortune to become personally acquainted. Surrounded as they were with desolation, dangers and misery, they will be remembered for their worth and devotion to duty.

_Constantinople, August 1, 1896._
J.B. HUBBELL.

MEDICAL REPORT.

Dr. Ira Harris, resident American physician at Tripoli, Syria, a gentleman of high attainments, Christian character, scholarship and service, who directs a large private hospital and practice of his own, honored the Red Cross and contributed largely to the beneficence of his and our own people's efforts to relieve and rebuild the people of Asia Minor, by accepting a commission to command an expedition for the relief of the fever-stricken thousands, residents and refugees, crowded into the cities of Marash and Zeitoun. The reports received from consuls and missionaries presented a terrible condition of affairs, threatening the lives of thousands by pestilence and hunger, more rapidly than the Circassian knife and the Kourdish spear and bullet had done. Our own special agents were all in charge of difficult and distant fields, and none could be spared to this section. After various disappointments, aided by the Rev. Dr. Post at Beyrout, Dr. Ira Harris was reached and asked to aid in organizing and forming a relief expedition at once. Besides himself as director, six other physicians and two pharmacists were required. Dr. Harris, though burdened with hospital patients and promised operations, finally decided to proceed to Beyrout and meet Dr. Post, taking with him his own assistant and pharmacist. Dr. Hubbell had already been Dr. Harris' guest and this fact aided the latter's acceptance. At Beyrout time was spent in examining medical applicants, most of whom withdrew however on learning of the dangers before them. Two Protestant doctors were secured on the second day, and so with half the needed medical force at hand, the supplies and stores were quickly purchased and packed for travel. Arrangements at Tripoli for the care of Dr. Harris' own patients were then made, and upon the third of April our fourth expedition was under way. A route was chosen via Mersene and Adana. At the latter city some delay was occasioned by the rumors of incursions of bandit tribes to neighboring towns and villages and an insufficient military escort available. After trying in vain two or three days, to influence the local authorities Dr. Harris telegraphed to Red Cross headquarters for assistance. The matter was immediately brought to the attention of the Porte, through the United States Legation, and within an hour an imperial order was sent to the governor of Adana. As fine a mounted Turkish soldier guard as ever escorted an expedition was at once found, and Dr. Harris with his corps of assistants, hastened on to Marash, where he was welcomed by Dr. Hubbell of our first expedition, on the eighteenth of April, after five days of severe travel. Dr. Harris' report was embodied in a letter. After enumerating the trials at Adana, from which he was so quickly freed by the order from the Porte, the doctor in his communication says:

We found that the medical work was being cared for by native
physicians, and the missionaries and their wives were caring for the
other relief work, one feature of which seemed to me very valuable
indeed, _i.e._, the making of clothing by poor women from the
material sent by you from Constantinople or purchased by Dr. Hubbell
in Marash. I wish the dear people in America who gave of their
means, could see with their own eyes the condition of thousands in
these districts alone. The hundreds of women, almost destitute of
covering, and that a mass of rags. It does not require much thought
to realize the value of good clothing at such a time.

A consultation was held and our party decided to proceed to Zeitoun,
just as soon as our weary bodies were rested. Unfortunately the day
after we arrived I had a severe chill and fever which prostrated me
for several days. As the symptoms seemed to resemble typhus fever
the doctors remained with me until a clear diagnosis was made by the
fever leaving me on Thursday. The next day the party went to Zeitoun
with Mr. Macallum, I following three days later.

I have witnessed scenes of suffering, both in the United States and
the Orient, but never, to my dying day, will I be able to dismiss
from my mind the horror of the pinched, haggard faces and forms that
gathered about me that first day. Before we left the tent one of the
doctors said: "We will now see the place is full of walking
skeletons." This expressed fully their condition. Just imagine a
place having a normal population of 12,500 living all told in 1403
houses, you can see there is not much cubic space to spare; then
imagine 7000 or more refugees to be provided for in the town also.
Some of the Zeitounes gave shelter to a small number, but the
greater majority lived on the street, under the houses, in many
instances too vile to be of use to its owner; in cow and donkey
stables with the animals; in spaces in close proximity to
water-closets; in fact not a place that even suggested shelter was
unoccupied. The smell and presence of human excrement were
everywhere, and this, added to divers other odors, made the air a
fit place for the culture of disease germs. So much for the hygienic
conditions of the place.

Diseases.--I regret that I am unable to give the exact number of
those afflicted with each individual disease; to ascertain this
would have taken too much valuable time. We found it a difficult
task even to make a true estimate of the number ill with acute
diseases. Our first estimate sent you, viz., 1400 dysentery and
diarrhoea, 600 typhus fever, afterwards proved nearly correct,
_i.e._, if we take about three hundred from the typhus and add to
the dysentery. These were acute cases. Of the refugees, ninety-eight
per cent complained and were treated for diseases such as chronic
dysentery, diarrhoea, dropsy (usually those recovering from
typhus), rheumatism, bronchitis, dyspepsia, malaria; all were
suffering from anæmia and debility.

Causes.--Overcrowding and bad air; but that condition bordering on
starvation was the principal cause of all the sickness. I should
add, many of the cases of diarrhoea were caused from eating a soup
made from grass, weeds, buds and leaves of shrubs and trees. In fact
anything green that could be gathered in the fields was boiled in
water to which a small quantity of flour was added. This diet was
especially dangerous to children.

Treatment.--We were soon convinced that if we expected to gain the
upper hand of all this sickness and save even a remnant of the
refugees, we must first feed the sick, and then when they were
well--to give the former every possible chance to get well, and to
prevent the well from becoming ill. Second, we must try in every way
in our power to get the refugees to return to their homes, or at all
events to camp out in the fields. The first day we filled the
hospital opened by Consul Barnum with cases off the street, and from
that time on we increased hospital facilities as fast as possible.
We engaged two men and one woman to care for the hospital; four
interpreters and one assistant for the pharmacist. We then divided
the town into districts so as to systematically get at every sick
person. Then we hired (for we could get nothing without a system of
bargaining as to price) two large copper kettles used to make grape
molasses, and purchased two hundred pounds of beef and made a
strong, rich soup. We then strained every nerve to get a soup ticket
into the possession of every sick person. We did not waste time by
trying to cull out the impostors; in fact there were very few of
this class, all the refugees were needy and hungry. The second day
we added three kettles, and to supply the number we served at ten
o'clock clear meat broth; at four o'clock thick soup of beef and
rice. By the end of the third day every sick person was receiving
food. Then all complaints of vomiting the medicine ceased.

The problem then to be met was--how to get the people to go outside
the town. We suggested that if they would, we would place a soup
kettle out in the open fields to the south, north and east, and in
addition to the soup we would give them flour. This had a very
decided effect, for one thousand went the first day. The moving
continued until every person living on the streets and in cow
stables had built for himself shelters of twigs and leaves. Now the
butchers saw a chance of applying the plan of putting up the price
of meat from seven to fourteen piasters per oke (2¾ pounds). But
we had anticipated this and sent men to a friendly Moslem village to
purchase cattle. So their scheme failed. By the end of the second
week there were no hungry people in Zeitoun.

Results.--The typhus cases began to recover, the new cases took on a
mild form, the same could be said of dysentery. The new cases of
both became less and less until they almost disappeared. The most
marked improvement was the rapidity which the daily funerals in the
three burying grounds decreased. I watched these places with deep
interest, for they were a thermometer to gauge the success of our
work, and it was with deep gratitude to God that we saw the daily
burials reduced from fifteen to none. So much for the acute cases.
The first week the chronic cases took the entire time of one doctor,
each taking our regular turn. Tonic treatment and food so reduced
the number that sixty became the daily average at the end of the
second week. At the end of the third week, fell to ten. Our
pharmacist, Shickri Fakhuri, proved, as he always has, a jewel. His
hands were full to prepare the prescriptions of three doctors. At
first it was necessary for one of us to give him assistance of an
hour or so daily. On the twentieth of May we felt we could leave the
town free of acute typhus and dysentery. We gave to the committee
selected by Mr. Macallum, funds enough to keep the soup kettles
going for one week, and 200 liras ($880) worth of flour, which would
suffice for at least six weeks, and by that time it was hoped that
all the refugees would have departed for their homes.

On our return to Marash we remained four days superintending the
work of relief of the native doctors, and performing surgical
operations. We then started for the coast. We chose a shorter and
less expensive route than that by which we came. We were able in
several places on the road to give needed relief, although to a
limited amount. The lessons learned by our experience have been
many:

1. The value of keeping well, for obviously, success depends upon
this. It is evident to us the way to reduce the danger of infection
to a minimum for medical men, is to eat and sleep outside the
infected town. This plan may present difficulties, but if possible,
it is best. The dreadful mortality among doctors and nurses in the
epidemics of typhus fever is well known. The query is, could not
this mortality be reduced by the plan suggested? It proved so in our
case at least.

2. The food supply is of first importance, especially for epidemics
caused by _lack_ of food.

3. The utter worthlessness of medication without it.

4. Pure air. It is much better for people to risk possible exposure
out in the open air, than risk contagion in vile, unwholesome
shelter in an overcrowded town.

Lastly, I am more than ever convinced that small doses of medicine
oft repeated give better results in typhus and dysentery than those
usually recommended in text-books. I, at least, had ample
opportunity to test this to my satisfaction.

In conclusion, I wish to express my hearty approval of the methods
pursued by yourself and associates, especially as applied to the
giving relief to the suffering people. The distribution of your
forces was admirable, and the way they grasped the situation and the
needs of the people of each particular place should excite the
admiration of all who have the relief of this afflicted people at
heart. Instead of scattering the money here and there in an aimless
way, food, medical and surgical supplies, clothing, seed, cattle,
farming utensils, simple cooking vessels, were systematically
distributed, thus putting all in the way of providing for themselves
in the future and becoming independent again. It is very easy to
pauperize the people of the Orient, but your methods prevent this.

Again, the non-sectarian aspect of your work has made a favorable
impression. It eliminates all religious prejudices from the minds of
all, especially the religious heads. Therefore no ungenerous remarks
as to the ulterior motives of your relief. On the contrary we heard
nothing but words of commendation.

No one but yourself and your associates and those who have lived in
Turkey for a number of years, can appreciate the difficulties and
perplexities under which you have labored from the very first.

I am sorry that this report ends my official relations with you, but
believe me, dear Miss Barton, my wife and I shall hold yourself and
your associates always in interested remembrance.

Truly and sincerely yours,
IRA HARRIS.

_Tula, Mt. Lebanon, August 15, 1896._

Equally interesting reports are in hand of the work of our special field agents, E.M. Wistar, of Philadelphia, and Charles King Wood, whose labors extended to different fields of Harpoot; Chimiskezek Peri Diarbekir; Palou Silouan Farkin, feeding and clothing the people, furnishing tools, cattle, seeds, grain for harvesting the crops, and planting the fields for future provision.

We regret that space will not allow their introduction here in full.

So faithful and competent agents deserve their own recitation of a work so well done.

Returning from the field when called, Dr. Hubbell and assistants arrived in Constantinople July 16, Mr. Wistar and Mr. Wood on the twentieth of the same month.

I need not attempt to say with what gratitude I welcomed back these weary, brown-faced men and officers from a field at once so difficult and so perilous, and none the less did the gratitude of my heart go out to my faithful and capable secretary, who had toiled early and late, never leaving for a day, till the face grew thin and the eyes hollow, striving with tender heart that all should go well, and "the children might be fed."

And when the first greetings were over, and the first meal partaken, the full chorus of manly voices: "Home Again," "Sweet Land of Liberty," "Nearer My God to Thee," that rolled out through the open windows of the Red Cross headquarters in Constantinople, fell on the listening ears of Christian and Moslem alike, and though the tones were new and strange all felt that to some one, somewhere, they meant more than mere notes of music.

_Taken in 1897._]

THE RED CROSS FLAG.

"When the smoke of the cannon cleared away we saw the Red Cross flying
over the hospital."

The shot sped out from our serried ships,
Like the sob of a strong man crying;
The sun was veiled as with sudden eclipse,
When the shot sped out from our serried ships,
And England's flag was flying.

Up from the shore the answer came,
The cry of the wounded and dying;
A burst of thunder, a flash of flame--
Up from the shore an answer came,
Where the Prophet's flag was flying.

So we dealt destruction the livelong day,
In war's wild pastime vying;
Through the smoke and thunder and dashing spray,
We dealt destruction the livelong day,
And the hostile flags were flying.

But far through the rolling battle smoke--
Ah, God! 'mid the groans and the crying--
A sudden gleam on our vision broke;
Afar through the rolling battle smoke,
And the Red Cross flag was flying.

O'er the house of mercy with plain, white walls,
Where they carried the wounded and dying,
Unharmed by our cannon, unfearing our balls;
O'er that house of mercy with plain, white walls,
The Red Cross flag was flying.

As the sign of the Son of Man in the heaven
For a world of warring and sighing
We hailed it; and cheered, for the promise given
By the sign of the Son of Man in the heaven--
The Red Cross banner flying.

For we know that wherever the battle was waged,
With its wounded and dead and dying--
Where the wrath of pagan or Christian raged--
Like the mercy of God, where the battle was waged,
The Red Cross flag was flying.

* * * * *

Let the angry legions meet in the fight,
With the noise of captains crying;
Yet the arm of Christ outstretched in its might,
Where the angry legions meet in the fight,
Keeps the Red Cross banner flying.

And it surely will come that war will cease,
With its madness and pain in crying,
Lo! the blood-red Cross is the prophet of peace--
Of the blessed time when war will cease--
And the Red Cross flag is flying.

JOHN T. NAPIER, in the Moravian.

THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.

In the subsequent chapters is traced the history of the operations of the American National Red Cross during the past year, including the distribution of relief among the "Reconcentrados" in Cuba, and the auxiliary field and hospital service in the Spanish-American war.

Being called away to Cuba in the midst of the preparations for war relief, with much of the preliminary work unfinished, it seemed proper to leave at home, for a time, a personal representative familiar with the obligations of the National Red Cross, to relieve the overburdened committee in New York of some of the details which fell more particularly within my own province, and to which I had planned to give personal attention.

Accordingly, Mr. D.L. Cobb, of my staff, was detached for this service. Being familiar with the work which was done in my absence, and in which he has faithfully and efficiently served with an interest second only to my own, I have asked him to tell the story of the relations of the National Committee with the Government, the formation of the committees and the auxiliary societies, through whose guidance and administrations all the great work of relief in the Camps and elsewhere was carried on. This he has done in the following chapter, under the title, "Home Camps and American Waters."

HOME CAMPS AND AMERICAN WATERS.

D.L. COBB.

During the summer of 1897 there began to appear reports of great suffering among the unfortunate people of Cuba, since familiarly known as the "reconcentrados." They were the non-combatants, men, women and children, ordered from their homes and plantations in the interior and concentrated in the seacoast towns under control of the Spanish arms. Thousands were dying, hundreds of thousands were in want; the terrible story of their misery and awful distress was re-echoed throughout the country, and everywhere the cries for relief and the appeals to humanity were heard. Congress, too, had taken the matter up and were discussing plans for Cuban relief. The time had arrived when something must be done. Finally the President opened the way by issuing the following appeal to the people on the twenty-fourth of December:

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, D.C.

By direction of the President the public is informed that, in
deference to the earnest desire of the Government of the United
States to contribute, by effective action, toward the relief of the
suffering people in the island of Cuba, arrangements have been
perfected by which charitable contributions, in money or in kind,
can be sent to the island by the benevolently disposed people of the
United States.

Money, provisions, clothing and like articles of prime necessity can
be forwarded to General Fitzhugh Lee, the Consul-General of the
United States at Havana, and all articles now dutiable by law, so
consigned, will be admitted into Cuba free of duty. The
Consul-General has been instructed to receive the same and to
co-operate with the local authorities and the charitable boards, for
the distribution of such relief among the destitute and needy people
of Cuba.

The President is confident that the people of the United States, who
have on many occasions in the past responded most generously to the
cry for bread from peoples stricken by famine or sore calamity, and
who have beheld no less generous action on the part of foreign
communities when our own countrymen have suffered from fire or
flood, will heed the appeal for aid that comes from the destitute at
their own threshold, and especially at this season of good will and
rejoicing give of their abundance to this humane end.

JOHN SHERMAN, _Secretary_.

This appeal was sent out through the Associated Press and distributed through the mails, and met with a most generous response from the public. It soon became apparent, however, that to inaugurate a thorough system of relief, to concentrate and administer the varied contributions of the people, a central committee would be required who should be charged with the duties of organization, collection and shipment. A conference was held at Washington, between President McKinley, the Secretary of State and the American National Red Cross, the result of which appears in the following communications:

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
_January 1, 1898_.

MISS CLARA BARTON, _President, American National Red Cross_:

DEAR MADAM: After my conference with you yesterday, I saw the
President again, who expressed his great pleasure that the Red Cross
will so cheerfully respond to the initiative which the President has
taken toward the relief of the suffering people of Cuba. No less
could have been expected by him in view of the good work which the
Red Cross has done in the past when called upon to fulfill its
humane mission of relieving suffering, either at home or in foreign
countries, and acting as the medium for the effective application of
the charitable gifts of our citizens.

With the President's approval, I have the pleasure to suggest to you
the way in which it is deemed that the co-operation of the Red Cross
in this humane endeavor can be most practically accomplished.

The first necessity is the organization, in New York City as the
most convenient centre of operations, of a committee whose functions
it will be to appeal to the kindly sentiments of the American people
in behalf of the sufferers in Cuba; to receive contributions in
money or in kind, and to forward the same to Havana, consigned to
the Consul-General of the United States, he having been placed by
the President, in sole charge of the receipt and application of the
relief in the island; the committee, as a whole, to act under the
supervision and direction of the Secretary of State, with whom it
may correspond on all matters of business arising and requiring
direction in the name of the Government of the United States.

In view of the generous and cordial offer of Mr. Louis Klopsch, of
the _Christian Herald_, the President desires that, if agreeable to
you, he shall be a member of the committee and, in concert with a
third member to be designated by the Chamber of Commerce of New
York, co-operating with the representative of the Red Cross to make
effective the effort which is now being put forth.

The representation of the Red Cross on the proposed relief
committee, is left to you. While the President would be most
gratified were you in person to act as the second member, he
recognizes that the duties and labors of the office might more
conveniently fall upon a representative of the Red Cross in New York
City, and will cheerfully accept your suggestion that Mr. Stephen E.
Barton, second vice-president of the American National Red Cross,
serve in that capacity.

Mr. Barton will be furnished with letters to Mr. Louis Klopsch and
to Mr. Alexander E. Orr, president of the New York Chamber of
Commerce, explaining the circumstances under which their
co-operation toward the formation of the proposed committee is
solicited. It is trusted that speedy action may be had, so that the
organization of the Central Cuban Relief Committee may be announced
to the people of the United States by the Secretary of State at the
earliest possible day.

I am, my dear madam,
Very respectfully yours,
ALVEY A. ADEE,
_Second Assistant Secretary_.

Letters of notification were then sent by the Secretary of State to Mr. Stephen E. Barton, Mr. Louis Klopsch and Mr. Alexander E. Orr. Mr. Barton being appointed, Mr. Klopsch having accepted the invitation to serve, Mr. Charles A. Schieren was selected to represent the New York Chamber of Commerce, and thus was formed what is still known as the Central Cuban Relief Committee. The committee met early in January of this year and organized, Mr. Barton being elected as chairman, Mr. Schieren treasurer. This committee began active work by sending a telegraphic appeal to the governors of all the States and Territories, announcing the object of the committee's existence, and asking their co-operation and active support, in order to carry out the President's policy in the administration of relief to the starving people in Cuba. All responses received were favorable, many committees were appointed, and the supplies and funds began to come in. It was at this point that the Secretary of State issued the second public appeal by the government, on January the eighth, again urging the people, the municipal authorities and the great corporations to assist in the work.

The first shipment of supplies to Cuba by the Central Cuban Relief Committee was made on January 4, and the second on January 12, the first consisting of 160 cases of condensed milk, and the second of about forty tons of food, clothing and medicines. These supplies were consigned to Consul-General Lee at Havana, and were transported by the Ward Line of steamships free of charge.

In the meantime the committee issued its own circular appeal to all local authorities, business houses, boards of trade, religious institutions, charitable corporations, social and business clubs, organizations and societies generally in every State of the Union.

The question of transportation and its cost now became one of vital importance. If full freight charges were to be paid on all consignments to the committee to the Atlantic coast, the expense of shipment might in many cases equal the value of the supplies, and in any event would be a serious burden upon the treasury. Accordingly, negotiations were carried on with the principal railway and steamship transportation lines, and with the Joint Traffic Association of New York, one result of which was that the association shortly afterward issued its general circular of instructions, the substance of which was: