The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-04-21
THE lola REGISTER.
FRIDAY, APRIL 81, 1898.
FROM FAR COUNTRY.

FROM A FAR COUNTRY.
The many Allen county acquaint
ances of Miss Mary A. Clarke who
after five years spent in Persia as 6
missionary and after a vacation in
America has again returned there, viii
be greatly interested, we are sure, in
the following account of her long and
perilous journey. The letter was writ.
ten to an lola friend, who kindly per.
mits its publication, and was dated al
Teheran, Persia:
Left New York Oct. 90 reached London Oct
2S; left Tendon Oct 81, reached Liverpool Oct
81: left Liverpool Nov ], reached Constantine
pie Nov. 81; left COnstantinople Nov. &c, reached
Batnum Dec. 10; were in quarantine in BatOum
until Dec. II: left Batoum Dec II, reached Baku
Dec. l6; left Baku Dec. Il, reached Rhest Dec
"a; left Rhest Dec. PC. reached Teherau Dec. 81
Such is the brief outline of our Jour-
ney-the longest, and in some re-
spects the hardest journey taken by
any missionary party in recent times.
Wednesday night, Oct. 10Th, we
went on board our steamer the "Aug-
usta Victoria" of the Hamburg-Amer-
lean Line, in order to be ready for the
early start on Thursday morning.
The morning was delightful and at
7:l5 we steamed out OF the beautiful
harbor. Our first day upon the ocean
was perfect, the second was perfect
ly awful, the third was much like the
second, but on Sabbath morning the
sun shOne out brightly, the feeling of
sea-sickness had passed away, and 1
was once more prepared to enjoy life.
In the afternoon DR.. Holmes conduct
ed a very pleasant service in the Sa-
loon, which was attended by most OF
the passengers. Monday was pleas
ant and We said to one another "We
are through with our sea-sickness
and will be able to enjoy the remain
der of the voyage" Monday night
was so warm that We sat on deck
without wraps, and the sea was so
calm that the young people danced on
deck almost as easily as upon the
ballroom floor. What wonder then
that we land-lubbers merely laughed
when our Captain looked grave and
said There is a storm somewhere
near" On Tuesday, however, there
were several Of us who did not laugh,
and on Wednesday we were barely
able to smile. On Thursday we all
struggled on deck, inspired by the
thought that it was the last day on
ship-bOard. The most frequent re-
mark heard during that day was az
think it is getting a little clearer"
but in spite of all that it continued to
grow more and more foggy, and about
three O'Clock we were obliged to aban-
don the deck. For several hours the
fog-hOrn sounded at frequent inter-
walls, and as we knew that we were
approaching the most dangerous part
of the English Channel, we felt some
what apprehensive. We ran very
slowly for the Captain said 81 prefer
a safe boat to a fast One." When the
fog grew so dense that danger seemed
eminent the life boats were made
ready for use and axes placed along
the deck in their sockets, but thanks
to human precautiOn and to an over
ruling Providence We passed the dam
gerOus rocks in safety. Friday MORN
ing the German steward called out at
my state-TOOm door "SiX o'clock and
in one hour and a half we bees in
SousehamptOn." AS we went up on
the train from Southampton to Lon
don we read the sad news of Mrs.
Harrison s,,funeral which had occurred
the day before.
We spent but two days in London.
On Saturday l took the children of
the party out sightseeing, visiting
the National Gallery and the South