Produced by Taavi Kalju and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net MARTYRED ARMENIA BY FA'IZ EL-GHUSEIN BEDOUIN NOTABLE OF DAMASCUS Translated from the Original Arabic All Rights of Translation Reserved NEW YORK GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY MCMXVIII FOREWORD I am a Bedouin, a son of one of the Heads of the tribe of El-Sulut, who dwell in El-Lejat, in the Hauran territory. Like other sons of tribal Chiefs, I entered the Tribal School at Constantinople, and subsequently the Royal College. On the completion of my education, I was attached to the staff of the Vali of Syria (or Damascus), on which I remained for a long while. I was then Kaimakam of Mamouret-el-Aziz (Kharpout), holding this post for three and a half years, after which I practised as a lawyer at Damascus, my partners being Shukri Bey El-Asli and Abdul-Wahhab Bey El-Inglizi. I next became a member of the General Assembly at that place, representing Hauran, and later a member of the Committee of that Assembly. On the outbreak of the war, I was ordered to resume my previous career, that is, the duties of Kaimakam, but I did not comply, as I found the practice of the law more advantageous in many ways and more tranquil. I was denounced by an informer as being a delegate of a Society constituted in the Lebanon with the object of achieving the independence of the Arab people, under the protection of England and France, and of inciting the tribes against the Turkish Government. On receipt of this denunciation, I was arrested by the Government, thrown into prison, and subsequently sent in chains, with a company of police and gendarmes, to Aaliya, where persons accused of political offences were tried. I was acquitted, but as the Government disregarded the decisions given in such cases, and was resolved on the removal and destruction of all enlightened Arabs--whatever the circumstances might be--it was thought necessary that I should be despatched to Erzeroum, and Jemal Pasha sent me thither with an officer and five of the regular troops. When I reached Diarbekir, Hasan Kaleh, at Erzeroum, was being pressed by the Russians, and the Vali of Diarbekir was ordered to detain me at that place.