Narrative of a tour through Armenia, Kurdistan, Persia and Mesopotamia Vol. I
The work now offered to the English public was originally prepared with reference to its publication in this country. Hence the reader will find the Church of England frequently associated with the Episcopal Church of America, to which the author belongs. The obligations of the Reformed Churches of the West to the Episcopal Communions of the East rest both upon the mother and the daughter, -but not equally. The measure of Christian responsibility being that which we have, there must surely be demanded of the parent Church of Great Britain efforts far superior to any that may fairly be expected of her youthful daughter in America. I speak not of human demands, but of that which the Great Head of the Church Universal expects of us. And yet, I think, that I rightly interpret the sentiment of the American Church, when I say, that she is ready to follow closely in the steps of, the English Church in the sublime enterprise of re-uniting the dissevered members of the Body of Christ in a Primitive and Apostolic Communion. Such a consummation it is, in part, the design of the present work to promote, and the author gladly avails himself of the opportunity which his journey through England (on his return to the lands which have been the scene of his former travels and labours) affords him of presenting the results of his recent investigations to the English people, and especially to the members of the Established Church.
Contents of volume first
Introduction
Mohammed - the Koran - the sunneh, or oral law - Mohammedan theology - the mussulman catechism – the Mohammedan sect, sunnites and shiahs - historystory of their origin - difference in their creeds - doctrines of the Persians respecting Ali the founder of their sect - believers in his divinity - minor differences between the two sects - mutual enmity - Turks and Persians contrasted – other schisms in Mohammedanism - present state / 1
Chapter I From New York to Constantinople Farewell meeting – instructions – embarkation - journey through France - voyage through the Mediterranean archipelago – Syra – English and American missions – Islands - the troad -Turkish peasant - Alexandria troas - St. Papaul – steamers - first impressions the Hellespont - Mussulman devotions - arrival at Constantinople / 51
II – Constantinople Study of the Turkish - its use - right judgment of eastern character – lodgings - Hassuna d'gchiz - teachers of Turkish - Turkish honesty - pilgrimage to mecca - sultan's portraits - Mohammedan aversion to pictures - the royal schools - ignorance of foreign languages among the Turks - comparison of English and French labours in oriental literature - the plague – its character – fatality precautions against it-effects of its appearance in a family - feelings of the Turks respecting it - ignorance a cause of neglecting precautions - its influence on missionary operations / 65 X Contents
III.-Constantinople Drought - public prayer for relief - superstition, a feature of Mohammedanism – Ramazan, or month of fasting - its institution - its observance - parallel with Christian fasts - commencement of the fast, how determined - penalty for violating it - opening of the fast in 1836-mode of spending the day during Ramazan - scenes at sunset - illuminations - anniversary of the sultan's birth - night of power - close of the fast - minor fasts / 89
IV.-Constantinople Mohammedans feasts - Turkish Passover - the feast of sacrifice - procession and public services - festivities - effect of the fast and feast on Mohammedans - Christianity insulted - mosques - those of Turkey and Persia described and compared - different classes of mosques-many of them originally churches - St. Sophia, the model - the minarets - the exterior - the interior - structure of the ancient churches - candles - ornaments - the pulpit - preaching - impressive feature of Islamism / 106
V.-Constantinople Retrospect - disappointment in colleagues - decision - excursion in Asia Minor - disappointment relieved - preparation for the tour - my attendant - ills character and travels - incident in the bazars - Turkish court of justice - the Kadi - oaths - bond - false witnesses - the issue - opinions of Mohammedans respecting the sacred scriptures - doctrine of the Koran - resemblances and discrepancies between the Koran and the bible - the latter, how regarded by turks - how far circulated - the bible in Persia - martyr's labours / 125
VI.-From Constantinople to Trebizond. Firman - its character - departure from Constantinople - passengers - black sea - Sinope - Trebizond - its early history - description - population - Osman pasha - changes - friends / 142
VII. -Trebizond to Gumush Khaneh Caravans and post-horses - leave Trebizond - lazes - valley chiefs - visit from one - the peasant - hills at sunrise - oppression - defeat of reform - summits – snow - storm – Stavros - Turkish travellers - Gumush Khaneh - mines and poverty - Turkish polity - population - schools - hospitality / 150
VIII. -From Gumush Khaneh to Erzroum Leave Gumush Khaneh - Xenophon - ancient fortress – Balahor Baibout - singular edict of the sultan - cause of it - how far obeyed - Mussulmans of Baybout - prospects of reform - medical labours - Belicious charity - its objects - its decline - scene among the mountains - Ashkaleh - warm springs - plain of Erzroum - general remarks - agriculture – people / 161
IX. –Erzroum, journey towards Moush Antiquities of Erzroum - the modern town – trade - houses-climate -population-new mosque-past and present compared-change of plan - determine to enter Kurdistan - preparations and precautions - change of dress - utility and necessity of it – muleteer - first day's journey - Kurdish girl - the araxes - Kurdish tents-reception-manners of the people-repast-the Egyptian – presents – mountains - plain of Kheunneus arous – lodgings - illustration of scripture – villagers - Armenian priests / 172
X. -Journey to Moush, description of Moush Mountains and rivers - young Kurd the Euphrates – fish - plain of Moush - bridges - Moush - position - interior- population - redressed - curiosity excited – Armenians - miraculous book – monastery - Armenian Catholics - Kurds-appearance – manners – dress - trade – productions - the pasha - visit of the Russians / 189
XI.-Journey from Moush to Bitlis Departure - plain op Moush - Marnik - Armenian – peasantry – villages - houses-people - churches - robbers-ride to Bitlis - is Khans -approach to the town / 201
XII.-bitlis. Arrival - interview with the governor - my host - the banker - situation op the town - buildings and streets – trade - fruits evening scene-visit to the Armenian bishop – mosque - adventure - medresseh - population - manners - Armenians – Kurds - character of the mountain Kurds - devil worshipper - government – antiquities – regrets - Armenian hospitality / 209
XIII.-From Bitlis to Vastan. Departure -musicians -muleteer - pilgrims - friends-peak of nimrod - foreigners in Bitlis – robbers - first view of the lake of Van- villages – water – illness – Elmaleu - night of the 4th of July - difficult path – pougah - Kurdish villages-pilfering - wandering Kurds - a dance - difficult passage of a mountain country along the southern shore of the lake – adventure agriculture – cascade - virtue op cold water - Akhtamar / 224
XIV.-From Vastan to Van. Vastan - Kurdish Bey - Mohammedan piety – rivers - Shanikoum illustration of scripture - view of the lake – Erdremid - introduction to the pasha of Van – chairs – homage - lodgings / 241
XV.-Van History of Van – situation - ancient remains - partial destruction by Tamerlane – gardens - ancient inscription - my host - repast etiquette of the table - eastern and western habits compared – Sunday - the church - government of Van – military - Schultz - the city – trade – inhabitants - character of the Armenians - the state of Mohammedanism in these regions / 250
XVI.-Journey from Van into Persia. Plan of route - miseries of travelling - village of Shah Baghi - lake Altchek – village – guard - face of the country - equestrian exploits - Ararat – ablutions - mode – baths - lustration before burial - ablution with earth - duty of conformity - villages - oppressed Christianity - division of forces - the boundary - Persian muleteers - ceremonial uncleanness / 268
XVII.-Farewell to Kurdistan. Reception at a Kurdish village - the Nestorian – depredations village mosques - the imam - manner of his appointment - his official character and duties - missionary labour among the Kurds - departure from the apostolic model - character of the Kurds - journey to Salmas - first reception in Persia - first impressions - the mullah - message from a Turkish lady – Salmas / 279
XVIII.-Journey from Salmas to Ourmiah A Mohammedan catholic - Mohammedan sectarians – Dilman - assassinations-a days journey-sleeping on the house – tops - Persian school - plain of. Ourmiah – mission – house – missionaries - policy of the mission - approaching crisis - our duty -work of the English and American churches / 290
XIX.-Ourmiah Plan of the mission - clerical pupils - the Nestorians - mountain tribe - confidence in the missionaries – cause - religious services – climate - mounds-plain of Ourmiah - the governor -Persian habits - the lost imam - visit to a village - popularity of the missionary physician - reception at the village / 300
XX. -Journey from Ourmiah to Khoy Determine to travel by night - plan of journey – departure – robbery - clouds - the bishop's father - lake of Ourmiah - garden at Dilman – night – travelling - roads in the east - plain of Khoy / 312
XXI -Khoy journey to Tebriz. Garbs - a pilgrim –caravanserais - Mohammedan idea of Christianity - dangerous medicine - Persian prejudice against men of other religions – climate – bazaars – population – mountains - Persian harem - arrival at Tebriz / 318
PREFACE
The Mission whose history is detailed in the following pages, was performed under the direction of the Foreign Committee of the Board of Missions of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
The author has found it impossible to embrace, in a publication of ordinary size, all the information which he has accumulated. Re has, therefore, omitted the narrative of his journey through European Turkey, as well as of two excursions in the Western part of Asia Minor. He has withheld, moreover, from unwillingness unduly to extend the size of his work, an account of the recent and present reforms in Turkey, for which he had collected ample materials, and has confined himself to a few incidental notices of them, which-will be found scattered hi different parts of the narrative. He has, also, been compelled, for the same reason, to confine himself, in his survey of Mohammedanism, to the most essential points in its present character and condition, without indulging in speculative disquisitions upon the numerous topics of interest which they suggest, or carrying out the in formation detailed, in all its bearings upon the advancement of Christianity in the regions over which his survey extended.
While the author was pursuing his inquiries among the Mohammedans, he soon found his mind drawn, almost unconsciously, to the state of the Eastern Churches, and his interest became, at length, so deeply excited in their behalf, that he devoted to them all the attention which the more immediate duties of his work permitted. The information which he collected and the views which be formed, are, so far as his limits allowed, embraced in the following narrative. With regard to the plan of the work, he has endeavoured to combine, as much as possible, incident with instruction, and to relieve the dullness of statistical information by the interest of personal experience and adventure. A map of the countries surveyed being indispensable in a work of this nature, much time and labour have been expended upon it. In constructing it, a valuable French map, the most accurate of any which had come under the notice of the author, was selected as a basis, and its authority followed in most parts which the writer did not survey. Along his own route, however, everything is original, excepting the latitude and longitude of the principal places. These were taken, in part, from the French map, and, in part, from the best English authorities.
In the explanation of foreign terms, the author has followed the course which he has always desired to see pursued in works upon the East. He has explained them where they first occur, either by a brief definition in the text or by a note in the margin, excepting a few instances, in which they are explained by the context. In the most important cases, or where the meaning would not readily be remembered, the definition is repeated, or referred to, on the recurrence of the term. In the first instance, the original word is uniformly printed in Italics, which the reader may regard as an intimation to fix the meaning firmly in his memory.
Several items of information which could not conveniently be embraced in the narrative, are given in the Appendix, to which have been added some other pieces, particularly rules for the pronunciation of foreign terms, and a table of the distances travelled each day.
My acknowledgments for aid received in my work are, for the most part, made in the course of my narrative. I cannot, however, forbear to add in this place, the expression of my deep gratitude to the Committee, under which I went forth, for their hearty co-operation in all the plans and labours of my Mission, and also to the two Secretaries, the Rev. Dr. Milnor and the Rev. Dr. Vaughan, under the superintendence of the first of whom the work was commenced, and during the official term of the second, is now brought to a close. Nor may I forget to record the extraordinary liberality of a single congregation, the Church of St. Andrew, Philadelphia, by which a thousand dollars, annually, were contributed, for the space of three years, to the support of the Mission.
My work, with all its toil and suffering, and the deep interest which it has so long sustained in my breast, is now about to end. With these concluding words my labours terminate. There have already grown out of it, two Missions, one at Constantinople, and another among the Jacobite Christians of Mesopotamia, both which, I humbly believe, will be productive of rich and glorious results, if faithfully prosecuted and sustained. Other Missions may yet be established in the wide-spread field which I have been permitted to survey, and, perhaps, a new interest will be awakened in some hearts by the humble record which I now offer to the Church. I leave my work, therefore, with no other feelings than those of gratitude, joy, and encouragement, and with these feelings I turn to other labours in the sane good cause.
H. S.
Narrative of a tour through Armenia, Kurdistan, Persia and Mesopotamia Vol. I
With observations on the condition of Mohammedanism and Christianity in those countries in those countries
By the Rev. Horatio Southgate
In two volumes
Vol. I
London: Tilt and bogue 86, fleet street D. Appleton & Co., New York. MDCCCXL
