1 February 1915
In the morning we left Karasu. The weather turned bad. It was not yet
noon. We stayed at the home of the imam in Altkezi village. The
snow and storm continued till evening. We stayed here. Some Russian
officers came and we went up to them and chatted. One of them was a
Muslim named Mehmet who was a student at the War Academy. There
was also a very beautiful , smooth-faced one who caught my attention.
Afterwards I figured out that she was a woman in men’s clothes (from
The Red Cross). I gave them quinine sulfate and we ordered
milk.
2 February 1915
The weather changed in the morning but it was terribly cold.
Immediately we began walking through the Köroğlu Pass where the
Köroğlu River flows. The cold was severe and we suffered. Finally,
we reached Refahiye (Kercanis) town center and settled into a room
of one of the rather wealthy persons there. The host was able to give
us each a bed after we nsisted as weary travelers (it could have been
offered). There were four of us, the other fellows had come yesterday.
After Sivas we all came haphazardly. We’ve all been together since
we left İstanbul by train. The others were separate. This town is in
our minds. The Armenians robbed a postal courier here but they were
caught.
3 February 1915
We left Refahiye in the morning. Toward evening we reached a town
center probably named Melek Şerif (I don’t know the name for sure,
I’ve forgotten it) and we stayed in the room of an imam.
4 February 1915
In the morning we left here and reached Ermenik town in heavy rain.
We went into a home. It’s very run-down here. Mountainous.
5 February 1915
We departed Ermenik in the morning. The terrain was quite
mountainous and difficult. In the evening, following Kemah Pass and
the Euphrates River we came to the town of Kemah and stopped at the
inn of one of the town gentlemen, Hayrettin. Right away, I wrote cards
to my father and friends. Compared to other places, this town was
better, nice. Hayrettin served us a European table in the evening, which
was quite nice. The inn is comfortable. At night we chatted. Hayrettin
is said to be the brother of the (former) Harput Governor.
6 February 1915
We said farewell in the morning after a European breakfast. We
followed the Euphrates and passed over a bridge. A person gets goose
bumps from fearful places like this. We took a rest for a while at an inn
and ate bread. Some sick soldiers had died here. We felt badly for them
and said that they should be removed. We came to a village named
Avini in the evening and stayed in the home of an Armenian.
Erzincan
7 February 1915
In the morning we left Avini. Again the terrain was fearsome,
mountainous, as we followed Kemah Pass. This place is frightening,
there’s no road whatsoever in the pass. We walked along the edge of the
mountain, it was quite dangerous. After the pass came the broad
Erzincan Plain and from here to Erzincan there was a very nice
straight paved road. It took us about two hours and we spent the night
in the Erzincan Government House.
8 February 1915 (no entry)
9 February 1915
Today we moved to a new hotel near the Post Office and rented a room.
We had a bath for the first time on our journey and bought some things
we needed. Erzincan is quite nice, Sivas is nothing by comparison. The
government, military high school and other buildings are striking. I
liked this place very much. I had my military coat repaired and wrote a
telegram and a letter. In the telegram I asked my father for two liras.
The sweets store owner, Arnavut Cemal, is said to be a horrible and
infamous man. At night we enjoyed ourselves at the hotel coffeehouse
and chatted.
10 February 1915
In the morning I got the two lira banknote that my father sent from the
Post Office. Upon the order of the Central Command we got ready to
depart. Because the military tax office horses we had gotten from Sivas
were taken from us, we rented horses here and at mid-day we said
farewell to Erzincan. In the evening we came to a village named
Karakilise, which was quite run-down. We spent the night in the small
room of a child by the name of Irfan whose father had died in the war.
Up to here the road is paved. Sa/4 distance.
11 February 1915
We left Karakilise in the morning. A bit later the plain ended and
terrain roughened. A few of the horses fell over. With great difficulty
we reached Dalav village in the evening and settled into a shabby room.
A short while before we reached here we saw someone who was dying
in agony. His clothes had been stolen while he was still breathing.
This savagery affected me very badly. This village is horrible. There
are sick soldiers along the road and quit a lot of animal carcasses, as
if it was doomsday.
12 February 1915
In the morning we departed Dalav. There was snow here, all the
places around here had snow, just like high places. A bit later we
passed Cebik Slope (pass). Then we came to Ahmedağa Hanı. We
beat up the innkeeper because he wouldn’t let a sick soldier into
the inn and we got the soldier in. We rested a while and then rather
further on we passed over Kötür Bridge. After that we traversed flat
(dry) land. We reached the town of Mama-hatun (Tercan) by evening
and found a room in the local government building. Before one enters
the town, there are two steep, rocky hills. I wrote a letter. This place
is run-down.
A Kurdish Chieftan in Mamahatun
13 February 1915
We said farewell to Mama Hatun in the morning (the ruins of a building
of Akkoyun Sultan are here.) Toward evening the terrain was heavily
snow-covered. We reached Reşid Bey way station and went into a room
belonging to Kürt Beyi who is a very ill-mannered fellow. He wanted
extravagant promissory notes for things like barley and kerosene,
practically begging for them. A way station is smaller than a village,
sort of like a bear’s den.
14 February 1915
In the morning we left Reşid Bey way station. Winding and weaving
through the mountains and hills (all snow-covered), with great difficulty
we reached Pirtin village. It was so cold that the water in the canteens
froze while we were walking. We went into a house here, the rooms are
all in stables.
15 February 1915
We left Pirtin in the morning, passing by the villages of Abdalcık,
Merdiven and Ciniz before coming to Torişik village where we spent
the night. Erzurum is said to be five hours away.
//END of PART III/
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