While the first and second expeditions were fitting out from Alexandretta, the terrible state of things at Zeitoun and Marash was confirmed by the leading missionaries there, and we were asked to assume the expense of physicians, druggists, medicines and medical relief in general. This we were only too glad to do. Negotiations had already been opened by them with Dr. George E. Post, of Beyrout, the glorious outcome of which was the going out of Dr. Ira Harris, of Tripoli, Syria, with his corps of local physicians, and the marvelous results achieved. For some cause the doctor took the route via Adana, rather than by Alexandretta, and found himself in the midst of an unsafe country with insufficient escort. After a delay of two or three days, he got a dispatch to us at Constantinople. This dispatch was immediately sent through our legation to the Porte, and directly returned to me with the written assurance that the proper steps had been instantly taken. On the same day Dr. Harris left Adana with a military escort that took his expedition through, leaving it only when safe in Marash. Dr. Hubbell had arrived some days previous, but following instructions left immediately on the arrival of Dr. Harris, to pursue his investigations in the villages, and supply the general need of the people wherever found. This formed really the fourth expedition in the field at that early date, as the separate charges later so efficiently assumed by Messrs. Wistar and Wood, who were on the ground previous to the medical expedition, became known as the second and third expeditions. It will be inferred that the assignment, furnishing and direction of these several expeditions, nearly a thousand miles distant, four weeks by personal travel, six weeks to write a letter and get reply, from two days to almost any time by telegraph, according to the condition of the wires, and in any language from Turkish and Greek to Arabic, with all other duties immediately surrounding, could not leave large leisure for home correspondence. While conscious of a restlessness on this score, we began to be mystified by the nature and text of dispatches from committees at home: "Contributors object to Turkish distribution." What could it mean? We could only reply: "Do not understand your dispatch. Please explain." These were followed by others of a similar character from other sources; finally letters expressing great regret at the means to which I had been compelled to resort in order to accomplish my distribution, and the disastrous effect it could not fail to have upon the raising of funds. "Well, it was probably the only way to do, they had expected it, in fact, foretold it all the time."--What had I done? The mystery deepened. Finally, through the waste of waters and the lapse of time it got to me.--A little four-line cablegram from Constantinople as follows: