Lifeless Body Found in Istanbul Stream

türkçe  links to original Turkish article

(Bursadabugün website, 30 September 2020)

So sad, she had so much to live for...

In Fikirtepe, Istanbul, police received a tip that a body had fallen into

the Kurbağlıdere stream so they set out in a boat to find the body,

which turned out to be a store-window mannequin. (!).  

Yesterday in Istanbul a freak hail storm wreaked havoc, especially

in Kadıköy, where police rushed to find "a body" said to be floating

down Kurbağlıdere stream.  Besides the police, fire trucks and 

ambulances arrived at the scene, where, in the end, the "dead"

mannequin was fished out of the water.

 

Remarkably, the same mannequin had been 

caught on camera hours earlier in the car of 

a local deviant.

TNT History Archives: Ottoman & Senussi Anti-Italian Efforts in Libya (1918 & 1924)/Part II/FINAL

//Ed. note: The first two paragraphs here are 

the continuation of Part I (1918).//

"The same day, as the local fighters were attacking from land,(probably

German) submarines forced a 900-ton ship to run aground, allowing 

the contents to be looted by the local populace.  The local fighters then

took what they wanted, blew up the ship and spirited the crew members 

into the interior."

"Recently, the local fighters have agreed to exchange prisoners with the

Italians, who had taken village leaders as hostages during their retreat.

Now, though, since the Italians are increasingly vulnerable on the coast,

they may send these prisoners to Eritrea." 

//Ed. note: Fast-forward six years to 1924, when 

the Italians were engaged in their long and brutal

"Pacification" - click here for the gory details.  

This related article is also from the Istanbul 

journal  'Sebil'ül Reşad', dated 28 August 1924.//

Senussi rebel leader Omar Mukhtar, chained

after his arrest by the Italians in 1931.  Soon

afterwards, he was executed in a public

hanging.

"Written from the Sirte fighters' HQS in Tripoli:"

"In my last letter, I wrote that a 7,500-man enemy force had attacked

in three columns an hour before dawn on the night of 25-26 Zilkade

(18-19 June 1924).  After a long and bloody battle, we captured heavy

artillery and 300 camels, taking 38 Italian soldiers as prisoners, too. 

 The rest of the enemy was only saved by their protection by their

battered warships."

      Count Giuseppe Volpi

"However, to redress this bitter defeat, based on the order of the 

Tripoli commander and governor Count Volpi, a top-secret attack plan 

was developed and the date selected for its implementation was the

tenth of Zilhicce (2 July), the day of the 'bayram' (Moslem religious

holiday).  On that day, while everyone was busy with religious 

observations and listening to the 'hitap' (preacher) explain the story of

İsmail, a cavalryman of our reconnaissance columns arrived in haste

and announced 'To the fight Moslems! The enemy is upon us!'"

"Everyone grabbed his weapon, yelled 'God is Great,' and set out to

battle.  This was the second great battle of Tripoli.  On our front alone,

there were 15 Italian airplanes participating and at Dotülberama there

were 8 airplanes.  Thanks be to God, no one was affected by the gas

bombs the airplanes dropped."

"This battle continued non-stop for two days and two nights.  Thanks

to the patience and determination of the fighters, 6 machine guns, 2

mountain guns, 128 ammunition crates, 300 crates of macaroni and

a large amount of other foodstuffs were seized and 100 Italian soldiers

taken prisoner, two of them officers - one an Italian captain and the 

other an Eritrean lieutenant.  The number of enemy dead was beyond

counting." 

//Ed. note:  'Sebil'ür Reşad' took the 

unusual step of disassociating itself

from the correspondant://

"This individual named Ispartalı Zeynülabindin purports to represent 

'Sebil'ür Reşad', trying to deceive people in that regard, although we

state again for the second time that he has no affiliation at all with 

Sebil'ür Reşad."

//END of PART TWO/FINAL//

TNT History Archives: Ottoman & Senussi Anti-Italian Efforts in Libya (1918 & 1924)/Part I

 //Ed. note: This article was published in 

the Istanbul journal 'Sebil'ür Reşad' on 22 

August 1918, in the waning months of World 

War I, evidently after it had first been published 

in the 'Zaman' newspaper.//

Victory of the Islamic Fighters in Tripoli

Zaman Newspaper has published this article as it was printed in the 

New Rotterdamishe Coronet (probably a Dutch newspaper of the 

day.)

"Enver Paşa has succeeded in retaining the influence and fame he

won among the population of Tripoli, and particularly among the

Senussis, during the (Ottoman-Italian) war five years ago.  

Consequently, the Moslems of Tripoli are implementing his orders

and instructions today (World War I) without reservation and without

hesitation."

"It can be said that the Moslems of Tripoli have completely re-taken

Tripoli, with Italian control henceforth relegated to a few spots along

the shore.  The Italians have no sway whatsoever among the people 

of the interior."

"Maintaining a communications link in some way or other between 

the Ottoman State and Tripoli remains essential.  Today in Tripoli

there is a fully-equipped Ottoman contingent made up of thousands 

of soldiers and excellent cannon.  How this contingent was formed 

and how the cannon were transported there is known only by a very 

few.   Lately, this contingent has been able to take some positions on 

the shore by means of independent detachments and 'allied' (probably 

German) submarines have been able to bring provisions and 

equipment for the contingent."  

"A short while ago (Ottoman) Prince Osman Fuad arrived in Tripoli 

and was met with an outpouring of love by the populace.  The prince 

is now 25-years old and he is well trained in military science and 

knowledge,  having studied in Germany and having attained the rank 

of  lieutenant in the Sultan's 'Hassa Alayı' (Imperial Guard Regiment).  

Now, as a captain in the Ottoman Army, the prince is in Tripoli to 

represent the Sultan to the people and to the (Ottoman) contingent."    

Prince Fuad in Germany 1916 click here for

the first of a four-part TNT series about 

Russian Moslem POWs in Germany and 

their transformation into soldiers in the 

Ottoman Army.

"Currently, the Ottoman contingent is firing land-based cannon at the 

ports under the control of the Italians, while Allied Powers' warships, 

including submarines, are firing at the Ottoman contingent with long-

range guns.  Because a fleet of (probably German) submarines is 

always patrolling the waters off Tripoli, such large enemy ships had 

not been seen here for a while."

"On the other hand, our allies' (again probably German) submarines

are effectively providing aid to the besieging Ottoman contingent, so

those being besieged (Italians) have been forced to seek assistance 

mostly from Europe.  Other than the radio and telegraph stations, all

communications links between Italy and Tripoli have been destroyed

over the past few months.  And the ships the Italians have sent to 

deliver provisions to their besieged troops on the coast have either 

been sunk by (probably German) submarines or, if they succeed in 

reaching the shore, their crews are captured by the local fighters, who 

take the crew members into the interior."

"Italian newspapers are full of stories about the attacks of the local

fighters.  In fact, one report noted that as the result of an attack by 

local fighters on 26 June, the violent counter-firing of Italian shore 

batteries enflamed the entire Mısrata coast and that the local fighters

were dispersed only with great difficulty."

END of PART ONE

TNT History Archives: U.S. Civil War "Trent Affair" Cited in French-Italian-Ottoman Dispute Re: Libya (1912)

 //Ed note: This transcribed-translated

article appeared in the Istanbul journal 

'Mecmua-ı Ebüzziye' on 4 April 1912. 

Italy declared war on the Ottoman Empire 

over Libya on 29 September 1911.//

      French coverage of the war.

The Trent Affair click here for background.

first-hand account of Libya battle click here

for a TNT report on the Ottoman-Italian war

in Libya in 1912.

Newspapers are reporting that two French ships, one ferrying airplanes

to the native (pro-Ottoman) fighters at Tripoli and the other bearing 

Ottoman officers under Turkish Red Crescent cover, were seized by the 

Italians, who claimed there were Ottoman officers on both vessels, and 

brought to Italian ports.  This has prompted a protest by the French 

government and a heated debate in the French Parliament.  

Three French parliamentarians - Mr. Hipolit La Rouche, Admiral

Bineme and Mr. Cartier - addressed questions to the Prime Minister 

and Foreign Minister Mr. Poincaré about the Italian transgressions, 

asking what the French government intended to do about the matter. 

Our (Ottoman) diplomats were eager to obtain both the critical 

assertions of the three parliamentarians and the response of 

Mr. Poincaré, since both contain important and time-sensitive 

information and proof regarding the incident.  Unfortunately, although

this parliamentary debate is of grave importance to us, the verbatim 

contents of the deliberations were not provided to our newspapers so 

they could be translated for non-French speaking statesmen and 

experts.

In fact, in the course of the debate, some of Mr. Poincaré's statements

were particularly important, including references to official documents

of great significance.  So the fact that not even a summary was provided

to our journal (Mecmua-i Ebüzziye) is very disappointing.   

The USS San Jacinto seizing the Trent

In any event, one point we wish to take note of is that in the opening 

remarks of Mr. La Rouche, he made reference to a precedent relating

to the Italian transgressions and we considered it worthwhile to convey

this precedent of international law to our readers.   

 After thoroughly chastising the Italians for their outlandish actions, 

Mr. La Rouche stated that:

"It is clear that the actions of Italy in this matter are contrary to 

international law and there is no precedent in our (French) history.

However, there is such a precedent in the history of one of our 

neighbors (England) from the rather recent past."

"In November 1861, shortly after the war between the North and the 

South in America over slavery began, two Confederate representatives

named Mason and Slidell boarded the British ship 'Trent' at Havana,

Cuba, in order to go to England.  Hearing of this activity, the North

sent a warship to track the Trent and seize Mason and Slidell, who

were then taken on board the North warship."

"As soon a word of the seizure reached London, the government sent

a severe ultimatum to the North, demanding that the two Southerners

be freed within eight days or else England would declare war.  The

North government saw the wisdom of bowing to the English demand,

released Mason and Slidell and reprimanded the captain of the North

warship (USS San Jacinto) for acting against his orders."

After Mr. La Rouche's remarks based on history, he asserted that France

must demand the quick release of the Ottoman prisoners, in order to

preserve France's honor and dignity.  Neveretheless, we reiterate that

our journal was blocked from receiving access to the subsequent 

discussions, which contained many points of importance and benefit.

//END//

Paraguayans Naming Newborns for Turkish 'Dizi' Characters

türkçe  links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 23 September 2020)

it's not just Paraguay! click here for a previous

TNT report on this phenomenon.

T

  Affecting Paraguay's import-export balance.

Turkish 'dizi' (soap operas) have been among the most-watched 

programs in Latin American countries over the past few years, to

the extent that Paraguayans have been giving their newborn

children the names of the Turkish characters. (!)

Paraguay's "Registro Del Estado Civil", the nation's population

bureau, announced on Twitter that the names of the characters in

Turkish 'dizi' such as "Fatmagül'ün Suçu Ne", "Binbir Gece", 

"Muhteşem Yüzyıl" and "İffet" are among the most popular names

given to newborns: "Şehrazad", "Kerim", "Devran" and "Mustafa".

     Referendum: Change 'Paraguay' to 'Turkdizistan' 

The population bureau also provided examples of how the Turkish

names mix in with a child's complete name: "Onur Juan Jose", 

"Sherazade Verenice", "Wilson Kemal", "Salvano Mustafa".   Those

responding to the bureau's Twitter announcement were prompted to

comment favorably that "these are all because of the Turkish 'dizi'!"

Mardin's 'Karl Marx'...and 'Marilyn Monroe'

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 26 September 2020)

Mardin's Marilyn Monroe click here for a TNT

report about the 'Hollywood star''s political efforts

in Mardin in 2017.

               Any more doubts about reincarnation?

Mehmet Sait Kaya (48) of Mardin has worked in the Kızıltepe Public

Education Center teaching folk dancing, for 25 years.  At the 2019

wedding of his daughter, Kaya and the bride danced the 'karşılıklı

reyhani' dance together.  The video became quite popular on social 

media, as did Kaya's striking resemblance to German philosopher 

Karl Marx.  Herewith Kaya's story: 

Kaya explained that since childhood he has loved folk dancing,

hence his teaching career at Kızıltepe, where he has taught over

10,000 students in his 25 years there.  The video of Kaya and his

daughter dancing at her wedding netted 2.5 million views.

Mardin, where the famous flock to for a second shot 

at life.

As for his resemblance to Marx, Kaya noted that "Karl Marx was a

great philosopher so when people liken me to him it pleases me. But

the video was popular because of the daddy-daughter dance and the

message it sends to both fathers and daughters about the importance 

of fathers being present in their daughters' lives."

Kaya added that "I've had roles in some 'dizi' (TV shows) and I have

an interest in movies, too.  I made a film entitled 'Ah Vatanım' (Ahh,

my poor nation) about the suffering of Syrian refugees over the course

of three years with my own resources and put it on YouTube.  I also

draw portraits in pencil, beside teaching 9 months of the year.  The

other 3 months I sell pickles that I make at home to get by."

  

TNT History Archives: Greek Occupation of Bursa (1920-1922)/Part II/FINAL

Turkish forces entering Bursa on 11 September 

1922, led by Army Corps Commander Şükrü Naili

Paşa.

"Within two days all the local Greek and Armenian homes were 

vacated, while the Greek soldiers played hide-and-seek.  The sound

of cannon fire was approaching Bursa and Greek pressure on Moslem

villages reached its peak, as homes were broken into and women tied

up and pressured to produce money."  

"It was dangerous to be out on the street anymore, with local Greek, 

Armenian and Caucasus roughs, carrying their daggers in their belts,

patrolling every corner.  Even a glance at them would prompt them

to grab the onlooker, tie him up and drag him away. The markets were

half-open, half-closed.  Greek soldiers took what they wanted without

paying."

                                 Işıklar Mektebi

"When (Greek) cannon were positioned at the Işıklar Mektebi (the 

then-former Ottoman military high school), concern about lives and 

property was amplified and the prospect that this historic city might 

burn to the ground gained currency.  On the night the effort (by 

Turkish forces) to re-take the city began this anxiety became all too

real."

"As dawn broke, intermittent cannon and rifle firings could be heard

coming from the plain.  Some Greek villages were in flames, as fires

burned in Tepecik, Köprübaşı, Hasanağa and Samanlı villages.  The

fires spread to Moslem villages, as well.  In the morning, gangs 

entered the city to burn neighborhoods and rob homes."

"Finally, the cannon fell silent and rifle fire ceased.  Nevertheless, 

the attendant anxiety remained as we wondered what our hoped-for

liberators were doing.  When night fell, the city was calm but it was a

fearful calm, as everyone listened for the firing to start anew.  Again,

dawn came but this time it was the dawn of salvation for us."

"Our (Turkish) forward units approached Işıklar Mektebi and were

met by a rain of Greek shrapnel.  The two cannon positioned at the 

train station fired continuously and were answered in kind.  Explosions

generated by a 20-30-man group of the 'Püskülsüz' (a pro-Turkish 

band) could be heard."

"Between four-thirty and five o'clock, the firing caused the gunpowder

depot near the station to explode, damaging some shacks and homes

close by.  The resulting fire lasted for half an hour and countless gun

shells exploded, shaking Bursa and prompting the sobs of those who

had never known war up close."

"Neighbors knocked on doors to check on friends.  This situation

continued beyond 'ikindi' (the late afternoon prayer).  At this point,

our forces entered the city and fighting began at Demirtaş train

station, spreading toward Işıklar Mektebi.  (Turkish) cavalry, 

'Püskülsüz' and other swashbucklers descended from the mountain

to Maksem quarter, shouting 'Allah! Allah!'." 

Greek Army units in front of 'Ulu Cami' in 1922.

"To the villagers, they commanded 'whoever has a Mauser (rifle) grab 

it and follow us!"  and their men were scattered into all the 

neighborhoods up to the 'Ulu Cami' (Great Mosque)." The few Greek 

sellers in front of the 'Ulu Cami' were shot and those who tried to flee 

were killed by a bomb that exploded on the Setbaş Irgandı Bridge."

"After street fighting that lasted for another half an hour, Bursa began

to rejoice on this Sunday, 11 September.    (Turkish) Army Corps

Commander Şükrü Naili Paşa and his entourage entered the city.  A

delegation of 'ulema' (Moslem clergy) said prayers in the Çınar and

İstikbal quarters.  A parade led by the cavalry and followed by the

infantry and lancers, preceded Şükrü Naili Paşa, who was accompanied

by Saruhan Member of Parliament Reşad Bey and 'Vakit' newspaper's

front correspondant."  

Greek Army activity click here for the ninth

of a ten-part TNT series about the Greek 

Army's activities in Eskişehir and Bursa, in

particular, at this time.

//END of PART TWO/FINAL//

TNT History Archives: Greek Occupation of Bursa (1920-1922)/Part I

The following article appeared in the weekly journal 'Yeni Mecmua' 

on 1 May 1923, some seven-plus months after the Greek occupation of 

Bursa ended on 11 September 1922.  

Note: for TNT reports about the Greek occupation 

of Izmir and Western Anatolia in 1919 see a number 

of entries from July and August this year.

Türk held in Mudanya and Bursa click here for a TNT

report about one Ali Sami who was caught by the 

Greeks while running guns to the Turkish nationalists 

at Darıca, on the coast of the Gulf of Izmit.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Capt. Sophocles Venizelos, son of 

the Greek Prime Minister, posing in

front of the tomb of  Sultan Osman,

founder of the Ottoman dynasty in

Bursa.

"An official Greek communique signed by 'Paraske Volopolus' 

and dated 9 July 1920, declared that the city of Bursa had been taken

after (Turkish) resistance five kilometers east of the city collapsed. 

Also in the same communique, it was stated that (Turkish) forces in

Bursa had been disbanded and prisoners taken, along with cannon,

machine guns and all sorts of ammunition, the amount of which 

remained uncounted."

"On the 11th of September 1922, the Anatolian News Agency sent the 

following urgent telegram to Istanbul 'The leader of the national 

defense in the Turkish Parliament has informed the members of the

happy news that Bursa has been re-taken by our army and the members

applauded heartily in response'. " 

"On 8 July 1920 Bursa fell into captivity that lasted two years, two 

months and two days, ending with liberation on 10 September 1922.

In recent times, before liberation, two people discovered chatting 

together in Bursa would immediately be remanded to the Greek central 

command in Bursa or to the (Greek) Gendarmerie Command.  For this

'crime', the individuals would be brought before a martial law court."

                         Pirinç Han Medresesi

"Capt. 'Paparkiri' at the Gendarmerie Command administered that place

in a particularly bloody fashion, beating and torturing the detainees and 

then 'inviting' them to interrogation, which lasted for 50-60 days in the

stifling heat and humidity of the basement of the Pirinç Hanı Mesresesi

and the Government Building."

"'Witnesses' would soon be found to support the court's decision and

some number of these innocents would be packed off to prison camps

in Athens, Crete and Lesbos, experiencing vicious treatment along the

way."

one victim's account  click here for the first

of an 8-part TNT series about an Edremit 

pharmacist's brutal interrogation there and his

subsequent imprisonment in Athens.

"At the beginning of September, when news began arriving that our

(Turkish) army had re-taken Eskişehir, there was quite a bit of 

agitated activity among the Greek soldiers in Bursa."  

"On the 8th of the month, the local Greeks and Armenians  took to the 

roads, mixing in with those fleeing from Eskişehir and Kütahya after 

the Turkish army's victory at Sakarya.  Day and night, the sound of 

creaking wagon wheels and anguished cries and moans filled Bursa.

On the one hand, the Gendarmes prodded the nursing children and

patients dragged from their hospital beds, while, on the other hand

they banged on doors, yelling 'The Turks are coming! They'll cut you

to ribbons!   Get a move on!'"

Map shows Greek advance in 1920 from Izmir,

lower left, toward Bursa, upper right.  Edremit

is at upper mid-left-center, near the coast.

 //END of PART ONE//

Artichoke (Enginar) Sales Skyrocket with Prof. Dr. Engin Ar's Endorsement

Yesterday, at the farmers' market in Erenköy, Istanbul, a vegetable-

seller hawking artichokes came up with a clever 'endorsee' for his

product, which means 'enginar' in Turkish: 

Next on the list of endorsees, no doubt, is the good professor's

sister, actress Müjde Ar...

Coincidentally, Erenköy is the location of TNT Center,

(sort of like CNN Center).

TNT History Archives: Excursion to Thrace and Anatolia (1892)/Part IV/FINAL

Halim Salim survived the Burdur wedding he attended and next 

learned what to do during a drought: pray for rain:

"A few days after the wedding, the criers in the markets began to

announce that everyone would be going to a prayer service for rain.

The elementary and high school students complied with their teachers'

directives and, together with all the officials, clergy and town notables,

everyone moved en masse to a high hill."

"Since I was living in Burdur city, I, too, felt the responsibility to 

participate in the prayer service.  So, right away I renewed my 'aptes'

(ritual ablution) and went to the aforementioned hill to humble myself

in prayer.  A member of the clergy said the prayer and all present 

affirmed him."

"The prayer service for rain continued for three days but the rain 

refused to fall.  Then, another clergyman wrote a rain-making prayer

on a stone and tossed the stone into the nearby stream.  The next day,

the sound of thunder and the crack of lightning that reinforced the 

glory of God in the hearts of men, began to be heard."

"Next, as if a part of the sky had been ripped from the heavens, the

rain poured down in buckets and continued for 17 days.  The ground

became thoroughly soaked and wet, putting smiles on the faces of the

farmers, in particular."

"So, thanks to the help of God, all was well in Burdur and I departed,

arriving back in Istanbul four days later."    

//END of PART FOUR/FINAL//

TNT History Archives: Excursion to Thrace and Anatolia (1892)/Part III

During the course of his stay in Burdur, Halim Salim (HS) was invited

to a wedding:

"I found myself at a wedding here.  Since Anatolian customs are 

different from those of Istanbul and other places I took the opportunity

to attend the wedding.  Herewith my account:" 

"A fellow that I knew got married.  He was a state official and invited

many of his friends, along with me.  The next day, they told me that 

they would be going to bring the bride-to-be from her home to the 

groom's and that I should come along.  I wanted to see what a Burdur

wedding was like so I went."

"The bride-to-be was boarded onto a 'tatar' (government courier) 

carriage  and we set out, with three or four 'münadi' (heralders) and

'duahan' (prayer-sayers) in front of us.  Whatever they were shouting

and praying couldn't be understood but, after five minutes, they 

repeated the same thing.  I'd never heard such utterances so I asked

my companions and was told 'we don't know what they're saying 

either!'"

In any event, in this manner, we conveyed the bride-to-be to the 

groom's house.  That evening we went to the 'zifaf' (wedding 

ceremony) and prayed in the mosque of Kalender Dede.  After the

meal we all said 'yatsı' (two hours after sunset) prayers.  Then we

took the groom to his house, where the town 'mufti' (religious

official) said a prayer at his front door and then everyone present

completed the event by reading 'Fatiha' (opening chapter of the 

Koran)."

"However, at this point, they all beat the daylights out of the groom!!!

After depositing the poor fellow in his home, everyone returned to 

Kalender Dede mosque but I said to myself 'enough is enough! It's

four in the morning!  Do they have other customs to perform??!! 

And do the invitees get a beating, too??!!'"

"Nevertheless, I went along with them all to Kalender Dede mosque 

but after sitting a while I tried to excuse myself and go home.  

But they said 'We're going to eat lamb so hold on!'  An hour and a half

later the groom appeared holding a big tray with a stuffed lamb on it. I

wondered what the meaning of this was and asked the fellow next to 

me."

"He said 'Before the bride and groom consummate the wedding they eat a

piece of lamb and then the groom offers some to the guests.  The groom

then asks permission to leave and if the guests agree he goes.  If not, he

stays until morning.  In other words, it's up to the guests to allow the 

groom to go home.'" 

   

"For a while, I thought about this odd custom, feeling sorry for the poor

groom!  If he crosses the guests somehow, God give that groom and his

bride patience!  In any case, after eating some lamb and having learned

about this custom, I persuaded the guests to free him and send him home.

The poor fellow joyfully departed.  One wonders how much he had 

prayed for this!"

END of PART THREE

 

TNT History Archives: Excursion to Thrace and Anatolia (1892)/Part II

 

Dedeağaç it at top right and Izmir bottom right.

Having spent about a week in Dedeağaç and İnöz (Enez), Halim Salim

(HS) sailed off to Izmir, but with a bit off a scare at sea to begin with:

"On the third day after my return from İnöz, I got word that the ferry

'Semiramis' was weighing anchor to set sail for Izmir.  Thanks to the

frantic gestures and handkerchief-waving of the rowboat sailors, I was

able to just catch the ferry."

"But after our ferry had gone just a few miles, we noticed agitation 

among the crewmembers and were told that the ferry had a problem.

It then stopped suddenly.  The captain and the crew worked furiously

with the machines for about an hour.  Thanks to the calm seas, the

crew's efforts were made easier and we were able to re-commence 

our voyage, but at one-third the speed."

"Nevertheless, we were ecstatic not to be stranded in the water. The

next day at eight in the morning we sighted the city of Izmir, first

noticing the lighthouse and, beyond it, the fearsome redoubt with its

gleaming cannon that strike terror in enemies."

A fierce thunderstorm greeted HS as the 'Semiramis' entered the 

Izmir harbor.  Soaked to the skin, he was finally able to check into

the 'Hamidiye' hotel.  Walks along the 'kordon' (esplanade)  followed

after a change of clothes.  HS was particularly impressed with the 

'Rüsumat' (Customs Administration) building, among the many

modernity-focused achievements of Sultan Abdülhamid II that HS 

made a (belabored) point of praising throughout his excursion.  

Rüsumat under Greek threat 1919 click

here for the first of a two-part story of 

the Izmir Rüsumat (customs) chief's 

harrowing experiences as the Greek 

occupation force entered Izmir in mid-

May 1919.

Izmir is the starting point at left. Dinar is 

on the right directly above Lake Burdur.

After a few days in Izmir, HS bought himself a train ticket to Dinar-

Geyikler.  En route, a ten-hour trip to Aydın ended with train troubles, 

forcing HS to spend the night there.  The next day, though, HS reached 

Dinar-Geyikler, spent the night and then rented a carriage to take him

to his ultimate destination - Burdur:

"Since I was to spend a month here, I learned about all its aspects. 

Burdur is close to Isparta, six-hours distance away.  In history this

area was known as 'Hamideyli' and these days it is 'Hamid' subdivision

of Konya province.  In the time of Sultans Osman and Orhan, the 

region was linked to Kerman-Kütahya province and after that to 

Bursa."

"There are no grasses or trees on the hill slopes and the roofs of the

houses are made of dirt, reminding one of Arabia.  Lake Burdur is

quite famous but its water is like seawater, so there are no fish in it."

"There are quite a few orchards and gardens in the city.  The people

are engaged in commerce and agriculture.  'Burdur alacası' is a kind

of cloth needlework that is quite famous, made not in factories but 

in household workshops here.  Even the best quality is very 

inexpensive.  There are many mosques and Mevlevi lodges and the

famous 'Kalender Dede' is buried here."  The main mosque here

has an İstanbul-type double 'şerefe' (minaret gallery) minaret."

"A fine government building and one-each elementary and high

schools are found in Burdur, where the weather is agreeable and

healthy.  In the summer, the women flock to a promenade place they 

call 'Çarşamba', that resembles the one in Kağıthane, Istanbul, each

Wednesday.  There they occupy the orchards and gardens and enjoy

each other's company until one in the morning, before returning home."  

In this map of the Ottoman province of Konya, Lake Burdur

is the lake at left-center, almost directly north of Antalya. 

END of PART TWO

TNT History Archives: Excursion to Thrace and Anatolia (1892)/Part I

One Halim Salim (HS) took a trip to Rumeli (Thrace) and Anatolia in 

1892.  He began his journey in Istanbul at the end of  March, taking 

the train to Dedeağaç (today's Alexandropolis in Greece).  He had to  

change trains in Kulelibergos, east of Dimetoka, to get the right one

for Dedeağaç:

"It was approaching dawn and the sky was as clean and clear as the 

deep blue sea.  I heard the roosters crow as the train stopped all of a

sudden.  Since this was my first trip to Rumeli I didn't really know 

where I was going so I asked a fellow traveler, who informed me that

'This is Kulelibergos.  Since you're going elsewhere you have to 

catch a different train here.'" 

Map of the Rumeli Railroad around HS's time.  

Istanbul is the dark spot at right-center. The rail 

line diverges in the center of the map at 

Kulelibergos, with one line going north to Edirne 

and Bulgaria, while the southern branch goes to 

Dedeağaç.

HS toured some of Dedeağaç's schools with a relative and marveled

at the students' command of French and the diversity reflected by

the Armenian, Greek, Jewish and Turkish student body.  He also sat 

in on an Ottoman history class: 

"We happened to come in during the history lesson, which was about

Süleyman Shah, the father of Ertuğrul Gazi (who was Ottoman founder

Osman's father).  The teacher asked the student at the blackboard why

Süleyman Shah bin Kaya Alp had left 'Maveraünnehir' (Transoxiana)

and headed toward Anatolia and the relationship between the Selçuk

dynasty and the Ottoman Empire.  The student provided excellent

responses."

another Ottoman's tour in 1889 click here for

the story of a journey from Baghdad to Istanbul

in 1889, which passes by the grave of Süleyman

Shah on the Euphrates River in today's Syria.

After a few days in Dedeağaç, HS took a sailboat to İnöz (today's Enes 

on the Meriç River border between Greece and Turkey), but getting

there was a maritime adventure: 

"Travel between Dedeağaç and İnöz (Enes) is via the water, specifically

sailboats.  I boarded one at three-thirty in the afternoon, along with a 

few other passengers.  We lost sight of Dedeağaç and the weather 

began to deteriorate, putting the fear of God in all of us.  With the force 

of the waves the sailboat would head for the sky and then for the depths.

Nevertheless, our captain used the wind to keep our speed apace."

"At six o'clock we reached the point where the Meriç River joins the 

sea, creating a foaming focal point.  Our sailboat was captured by the

Meriç's current so we could not reduce speed and we began to be

pulled back to where we had come from, as the current dragged 

us in that direction.  The crew struggled mightily with oars but

fighting the Meriç's current proved to be extremely difficult."

"Our crew prevailed, though, and İnöz came into view.  We managed

to escape the current and take calmer refuge in the shore waters,

although we grounded twice, but easily freed the boat. Finally, at

ten-thirty we reached the modest İnöz pier."

HS spent two days touring in İnöz, admiring its historical Greek

fortress, in particular, and the mosque built inside of it by Sultan

Mehmed the Conqueror.  Nevertheless, HS had this to say about

the air quality:

"The sand and mud that the Meriç brings downstream to this place

has created a swamp covered by reeds and rushes. Since this swamp

is near to the town, the air is disturbed, creating a 'rotten egg' smell

all around.  In addition, the mosquitos are voracious.  In the event

that the swamp can be purified and a ferry line is established with

Dedeağaç, then İnöz can return to its earlier commercial glory by

means of improved transportation."

After returning to Dedeağaç, HS just barely caught a ferry to Izmir.

END of PART ONE