29
THE KING’S BUSINESS
the walled city managed to send us word that they were holding their own and had taken some of the Government buildings; they were only a handful of fighters and were cannonaded day and night. Jevdet altered his tactics. The women and children. were driven in by the hun dreds to help Starve the city out. Unless help, came from Russia, it would be im possible for the city to hold out against him. Many ships were seen on the lake sailing from Van with Turkish women and
ance; others resisted until their ammuni tion gaye out. On Sunday, the 25th, the first band of village refugees came to the city. At early dawn we heard them knock ing at our gate. Pitiful tales they had to , tell. FIRST AID TO INJURED Six thousand people from the Gardens had early removed to our premises with their worldly possessions, filling church and school buildings and every room that could possibly be spared in the missionary
“THE PEPPER BOX” On the Summit of Topra-Kala Hill, in the Distance
children. We became a “city all gone up to the house tops,” wondering and surmis ing. The sky darkened again. Cannon at the big barracks on the plain began to fire in our direction. Seven shells fell on our buildings. The next day-twenty-six shells fell on the premises before noon. The children were taken to a narrow "hall on the first floor. There we listened to the shrieking of the shrapnel and awaited the bursting of each shell. A deafening ex-
residence. A large portion of these people had to be fed. Our hospital, which had a capacity of fifty beds, accommodated 153, every available space being used. Many wounded who could walk or be brought came to have their wounds dressed. Many complicated operations were required to repair the mutilations inflicted by an un imaginable brutality and love of torture. DIARK DAYS FOLLOW At the end of two weeks the people in
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