Morning journal and courier., 1889-10-09

tried, our keener sensibilities shocked be-
yond all reason. From nay youth up had
regarded "First come, FIRST served" as the
fundamental truth of all civilization, the
foundation of our government and almost
the creed nucleus of our religion. I had
considered that this principle was unohange-
able, while governments rise and fall and
empires sink forever. But what did find
in my state-rooma found not my baggage,
but two great white turbaned, fur.collared
(although it was warm weather), blue
oloaked, heayy-bearded Turks, with shoe
toes high turned up and deep satisfaction
brooding upon their ceuntenances. My
goods were in the saloon under the care Of
my servant. They had been dumped there
when he WAS outside and when he afterwards
demonstrated with the captain he came near
getting thrown overheard for his trouble. I
sought an early Introduction to the comman-
der Of the ship, and after had given him
several brief and disconnected extracts of
Fourth Of July, E pluribus unum, extempore
oration in French, Turkish and English all
together, accompanied by the proper GESTURES
and accentuations, he hastened to my state
room and told the two Turks that he had
made sad mistake in assigning their lord
ships to that particular room, as it had al.
ready been taken, contrary to his knowl-
edge (Which WAS lie), by high of6cial Of
the United States government (another ie),
august selves and encumberances thereof to.
another room much better in every way than
the present one Qie Ne. 3, so that the great
and honorable Ia French American EHendi
may have his room. was satisfied.
This little episode gave me great prestige
upon that trip. The two Turks were men of
Importance and the captain must have shown
me marked honor in order to carry out his
story to them. They must know that was
a hipOar than hox fhov xvou1d
down upon the captain for expelling them
from their room. It is sufficient to say that
l carried out my role to the satisfaction of
the Turks and all parties concerned. These
men did not doubt or question my high rank
and official position, but they were in total
ignorance as to what my government bust
ness was, and why travelled incog without
uniform and large retinue of attendants.
kept them well confused by my mysterious
and evasive replies. When we separated
they were undecided whether I was going to
buy up for the United States government
the southern section of Russia, or whether
my commission was to complete an alliance
with Persia against the Ottoman rule In Tur-
key. They are probably discussing the mat
ter yet.
Let me inform my readers right here that
we are now in country where there is no
democracy, and where a mans Importance
and rank are measured by external appear
ances alone, by the way he sets himself up
above all others and orders around every-
body whom he regards as beneath him. It
would be socially fatal to a man to enter a
room where men were seated and sit down
near the door, or, as they put 1t here, upon
low seat. "Please." ''by your leave, 81 beg
your pardon" &c., &C., are all left behind at
Constsntinople to be called for upon our re-
turn. We shall have no present need for
these embellishments OF human nature. We
are where they are not appreciated and un-
derstood. They are drug in the market.
A man-an ordinary man I mean-who
would make use of these terms in the Orien-
tai world would be set down at once by the
masses as low born fellow who would prob
ably be asking for money if allowed any
privileges at ALL Language from here on
must be in the imperative mode, present
tense, underscored in bold face type, with
no gilt. Order the captain, dictate to the
steward, call your servant a lazy. good for
nothing dog in a tone that can be heard
throughout the ship, if any bodies else ser
want comes near tell him to git (Which is
good Turkish If it is bad English), or you
will have him thrashed: if the captain says
anything about navigation contradict him,
tell him you know better, but don't tell him
what you know; If a Turkish official speaks
of politics call him an ass for not knowing
more about his own country; if q mollah
speaks of his religion tell him he better read
up the books of Islam before he parades his
| ignorance before unbelievers. Keep up this
style and you will be regarded the largest
man In that company, more especially If you
can make some show of wealth, such as a
brass watch and chain, ring or two with
some colored glass set in them, fur over
coat (fur inside) and gold eye glasses. 1t is
that in the most enlightened countries men
become "grest" % by these same means.
| Such is human nature. II makes all the
world akin.
One of my servants is linguistic curiosi-
| ty. He is an Armenian by birth and hence
speaks that language well, and, like all Ar
menians born in this part of the country,
knows Turkish. When about eighteen years
of age he spent some twenty months in Rus
sia, part of the time in Greek settlement,
and thus learned to speak Russian and
Greek. Soon after his return home he se-
cured government position as servant to
the Vail of Mosul, where he learned Arabic.
This Vail was transferred to Moush, where
our man learned Kourdish. He after this
returned to Constantinople and became ser
want to the consulate to Paris, and there he
picked up French. This gave him a speak
ing acquaintance with seven languages.
can testify that he spoke three of them very
we'll indeed. He would turn from one to
the other without any trouble whatever. he
Was very OeSlIOub OF l6AEuluk GuRllbu, Ne
said If he could be where 1t was spoken he
could master it in three months. I do not
doubt that he would do SO. 1t was a most
fortunate thing for me that secured the ser
vices of such linguist as this, as will ap-
pear later on. 1 am confident that his many
tongues saved my life. To this dragoman,
linguist, traveller, ex-ofieial and servant I
contracted to pay the magnificent salary of
two Turkish pounds eight dollars and eighty
csnts) per month and board. His name was
Mugerdicl-pronounced Mugur ditch-aud
which by Interpretation meaneth the baptist.
My other servant WAS also Armenian, who
spoke only Armenian and Turkish. His
name was Merdiros-"the martyr" but !
| came to the conclusion that he was all right
and was the martyr before he had been
| with me week OF all men that could not
| be made to understand plain orders, and
who could invent excuses for not obeying
them when understood, that man-the mar~
| tyr-stands head and shoulders above them
for hereafter fear.
I, myself, having spent some years in the
East, was familiar with Armenian and knew
some Turkish.
After comfortable ak days. sail-it you
can call q chop sea a comfort-we approached
the foot of Trepizond, long since made ia
nous by Xenophon and his ten thousand.
We were now out of the beaten tracks of
tourists and travellers, where American foot
prints are rarer than honest Orientals, and
where familiar sounds, and customs and life,
do not appear at all. A strange land to the
western world. NJ. HIGaINs WENTWORTH.
THE FIRST.
Fruits are so nice nowadays it is hard to
LII ~ H. L. D.