Thurs. Feb 4. [4 February 1909] Determined to go to Aziziyeh
[Pinarbasi (Aziziye)] and made the move at once. Spent the morning
in hotel. Tajir and Shellem came to see me, Tajir about Tell Ahmar
[Tall al Ahmar]. Shellem assured me all was going well - 4 Muslem
deputies, some of them good; good committee composed partly of
Xians. Mr Gracy, Miss Shaddochs's agent, and Dr Piper came to see
Dr Griffeths and were introduced to me. After lunch went to see
Longworth about Tell Ahmar. Mr Fontana from Benghazir is
appointed here. He was very vague and sent me to Mr Christie whom
I found in bed with a cold. The Khourys presently appeared and we
discussed the Tell A. business. Christie well satisfied with events
here, chiefly I think on account of ovations[?] to the English. Then to
Mme Koch, an amusing friendly lady. She was a great friend of
Ibrahim Pasha's and believes him to be alive in the Jebel Sinjar
[Sinjar, Jabal]. She says all is going ill here - the Vali Reshid from
Jerusalem [(El Quds esh Sherif, Yerushalayim)] is very weak, there is
no govt, crime has increased and goes unpunished there being no
one who can inflict punishment. Her next door natives some Xians,
have some mortal enemies who only spare them because the Kochs
live near them. Ahmed Riza gave her letters to the Committee; they
never turned up and she believes there is no committee here. This
seems scarcely possible. She thinks there will be a row in the spring
because there is absolutely no authority in the town. Formerly you
could get things done by bribery; now nothing is ever done. So to Dr
Altounyan and home.