AT this time, when I was making a fair living by means of the business
entrusted to me by those European concessionnaires whom I have
mentioned, I thought it convenient to take up my residence in Pera,
the European quarter of the capital. But my residing in Pera among
foreigners must have made me an object on which some persons connected
with the Palace deemed it worth while to keep an eye. I began to
suspect that my movements were being shadowed by some mysterious
individuals, though I could hardly be sure. I informed my English
friend, the late correspondent of the Times, that I had reason to fear
that the spies were after me, and that I thought the time had come
to carry out my old intention of going to England. He agreed with me
as to the advisability of my getting out of Turkey, but he warned me
that unless I secured some means of livelihood beforehand, it was a
most risky matter to give up my work, my hopes and probable chances
at home, and go over to a country which was absolutely foreign to
me. A strong presentiment, however, possessed my mind that I should,
sooner or later, be added to the list of the victims of the prevailing
tyranny. Taking advantage of the approach of the summer vacation,
I thought it would be better at least to go away for some little
time from Constantinople. My English friend recommended me to the
director of the then newly opened Anatolian railways, and he gave me
a first-class free ticket to Angora, which I had not seen for several
years. A few days later I crossed over the harbour of Constantinople
to the Asiatic shore, and from the Haidar Pasha terminus I took the
train which carried me away at once towards the heart of Asia Minor.
The distance between Haidar Pasha and Angora is shorter, I should say,
than between London and Glasgow, yet the express train takes two whole
days to cover it. The German Railway Company does not seem generous
in affording facilities to the people of the country, and the customs
officers and the rough inspectors employed by the Tobacco Régie Company
(one of the European companies) give the traveller an intolerable
amount of trouble by seizing and examining his belongings at different
places on the journey. The train stops when it has gone half-way on the
first evening, as it is not allowed to run at night The traveller's
inland passport is examined, and he himself is subjected to a perfect
inquisition of questionings, first in the capital, again on the first
night, and finally on the second night, when he reaches his destination.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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