The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-05-22
w. f. Collins Writes interest
ingly of Journey from
Coast to Sofia
HID GOLD SUPPLY
IN OVERCOAT POCKET
Turbulent Rivers Seemed to Emphasize
Unsettled Conditions of Country -
Many German Officers on Their Way
to Constantinople.

Unsettled Conditions of Country -
Many German Officers on Their Way
to Constantinople.
Writing from Sofia under date of
April Is, William F. Collins tells the
following interesting story of his trip
through Turkey:
Travelling through Turkey isn't ex
actly pastime at present. Under nor
nal conditions, which is to say when
the war gods are not turning Europe
topsy turvey, travelling in Turkey has
its disadvantages. Now, what joy there
is in Turkish travel consists in a safe
passage with a successful emergence
from the crumbling empire of the Otto
mans.
Landing from an Italian boat at
Bulgaria S port on the Ae-
geau, it was necessary for me, In order
to get to Sofia, to take a train from
Dedeagatch to AdrianOple and thence
to get to Sofia, to take a train from
Bulgaria There is one train a day from
Dedeagatch to Adrianople. That is,
there is supposed to be one train day
The departure of the train is an event.
The station, little to the east of the
town, is reached either by walking
along the sea front and then following
spur tracks or by going over road
leading out of the town at some dis
lance from the sea. Having once maze
the journey, in quest of information, by
the former route, | preferred the ROAD.
For the final trip to the station car
rage, by some hocus-poeus process, was
hired-this because of luggage. ] was
told with due solemnity that l was very
lucky to get q carriage, and / imagine
that the circumstance. if not unprece-
dented, was unusual IN Dedeagatch.
myself thought | was lucky-until the
carriage started.
There were two wild steeds with the
minimum of harness and the maximum
of bells. The driver, who could be elias
sified ethnologically, if not politically,
as Young Turk, dashed the ponies
constantly, and used language for tnell
benefit, doubtless quite as picturesque
and varied as his own costume The
larger part OF the population of Dedea
Catch watched the outgoing with a Gu
riosity which | hope, but do not be
lieve, had a slight admixture of sym
patty. As to the road-weh, ] am GLAD
that there was something left of tht
baggage. 7
The train had car which was mark
ed directto Sofia. | changed from il
later, but the sight of it at Dedeagatcf
filed me with gratitude. BY riding il
it | was able at the Bulgarian Turkish
frontier to have the luggage sealed ant
so made exempt from Turkish examina
ton. But the Bulgarians gave a strie
enough examination at the frontier. Al
so there was much scanning or pass
ports and much questioning. The reall,
important thing, however. that the Bull
garians wanted to establish was tn,
fact that you were taking no gold on
of the country with you.
Gold represents everything here
abouts 1t follows that no countr,
wants it exported; every country pro
hibits its export. | had some gold wit
me; not a very large amount. for I ha
been appraised of the situation, but
| did not wish to lose it, nor had I an
| intention of turning it over to iron
| tier official if that contingency couI
be avoided. But the tales in Dedea
| Catch of the search for gold were eli
cumstantially precise. 1t was neces
sary to resort to some special means O
procedure.
The simplest procedure APPARENT
was the safest. | put the gold in tn
| inner pocket of my overcoat, which dt
| pended innocently from a hook in tn
| compartment, while / was searched a
| frontiers for the precious metal n
/ one thought to look in the overcoat;
1 would be foolish to carry gold there.
I The Turks were rather easier tina
] the Bulgars as to examination Up t
| within a few days, they had been e,
tremely rigorous, not only in the ma
| ter of gold, but also with respect t
papers,, Some one, however, had rea
| them the riot act, and when 1 wer
through they were comparatively d,
cent. One resented, more than an,
/ thing else, perhaps, the ogling and sid
! remarks of the Turks. 1t would hav
been worth quite little, even in til
way of personal discomfort, to te
them exactly what l thought of then
The ride through Turkey on a beaut
full sunny afternoon and night luri
with thunder storms was Fascinating
The train went slowly enough for e.
cry detail of the landscape to be appr
ciated The rapidly flowing and vef
muddy rivers seemed to emphasize IL
turbulence and the essential condition
| of the country. Much marsh land w;
visible. but the portion not under wat,
was evidently very fertile. and man
aoclzs were to be seen. Wildness.
course, was a characteristic note. 4
each station was a motley assemblag
which reached its climax at Adrian
pie. One could but think, as he n
preached that ancient city, of the ba
ties which for centuries have rage
about it, What stories those fields ar
ramparts could tell. Now the trai
rolls up to a rather modern station. @
the cars headed for Constantinople a.
many officers in the long cape coats
German gray.
After crossing from Turkey into Blu
garia, sleeping car was available. ar
to it such passengers as there were ma
tily made their way. But the ira
boasted no restaurant car; the travel
: must carry his own supplies, or {
hungry and thirsty. IT was a long ri9
!. 70 Snfia l1ndar n11snnicnS not 4bo mo