The Secrets of a Kuttite: An Authentic Story of Kut, Adventures in Captivity and Stamboul IntrigueMousley, Edward O. (Edward Opotiki)
History
The Secrets of a Kuttite: An Authentic Story of Kut, Adventures in Captivity and Stamboul Intrigue
Mousley, Edward O. (Edward Opotiki)
Al Kut (Iraq) -- History -- Siege, 1915-1916; World War, 1914-1918 -- Prisoners and prisons, Turkish
White horses raced by, and cold spray dashed over us.
Except in the sun it was almost freezing. We called at two
or three little ports. The weather grew worse, and every one
was seasick, including Mohammed Ali. It was a race as to
who would be sick first. He eyed me helplessly. And, of
course, no sooner had he been sick two minutes than I had
a letter or two off. I felt sick, but was not actually so, and
tried to hide it. Later, I was allowed into the captain's wheelhouse,
and sat down. The sea was very rough, and got so
bad that we had to lay to all night off an island, where we
tossed and tossed. All the Turkish peasants, men and women,
went through their toilet in the dark, and what with men
smoking, women being seasick, and children--dozens of
babies bawling their heads off--I had plenty of entertainment.
I paid a lira for a place to stretch my legs and, later on, slept.
Before morning I had appropriated a fat peasant for a pillow,
in discovering which at dawn he was so honoured that he gave
me some cigarettes. Here Mohammed Ali butted in and
kicked him. However, I gave my place to him to finish my
lira's worth, and at this Mohammed Ali became nearly mad
with annoyance. During the previous day the cattle had
stampeded from side to side, and as the boat heaved one went
overboard, but was recovered. One was lost for good. More
than once, when the tiny top deck was deserted except for
my guard and myself, Ali edged away from the heaving side
and eyed me most furtively. I saw what he was thinking of.
I laughed, and caught hold of him, and he squealed and had
his posta brought up. I informed them both that they must
be careful, as the boat was rocking and the sea was rough and
that one cow had gone overboard!
The next morning we awoke to a magnificent dawn, and
all was still. Across a silver, warm, and sunny sea we cut a
gleaming path towards Stamboul. Land was scarcely in
sight, and I was alone with the sea. Things deep down within
one stirred with a sympathy now long grown old.... The sea
and destiny and the secrets ahead of us, known only to these
both.... Here was I, returning to Stamboul either to the
wonderful far-away world that lay before April 29th, 1916,
or to prison. I knew not which.
At about 3 p.m. the minarets of Stamboul stood out of a
glorious afternoon sky. I saw the scene of our adventure, and
soon was ashore once more by Galata Bridge.
Here I found a whole _posse_ of police to escort me, and began
to realize I was not going back to London!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account