Tues 25. [25 April 1905] Up at 5 and got my caravan off at 7. My tent
was left for me to sit in till the train went. It rained a little then cleared
and for half an hour the snowy Taurus [Toros Daglari] were quite
clear. Mr Lloyd came up to say goodbye and we went down together
to his Khan where I saw him and Amin off in their carriage. They had
had great difficulties in coming to terms with the muleteers. There is
apparently a mule trust, or rather a kadish trust, for all the beasts are in
the hands on one man. Finally they were paying some 4 or 5 naps of
which 2 in advance, to Eregli [(Cybistra Heraclea)]. Came back and
sat in my tent. It rained hard. I have taken into my service one of Mr
Lloyd's servants, Fattur. He is kavass to Catoni's son in Alexandretta
[Iskenderun (Alexandria ad Issum)] who is now away in Italy and he
got permission to accompany Mr Lloyd in his absence. He is coming
on with me to Konia [Konya (Iconium)] and I think he seems charming
and an excellent servant. Left at 10 and got to Mersina [Mersin (IÁel)]
at 11. Went to an hotel on the sea. Horrid poky place Mersina but the
laurus[?] are out and quantities of Marshal Niel roses. Washed my
hair, sent off films, bought toothbrushes and some mosquito netting for
my ties - it was the nearest thing they could do to tulle. Impossible to
get a kadish for Fattur here, either to hire or to buy. NB Murray says
that all the necessaries for a journey in the interior are to be found. I
shd think from the look of the place that they were never to be found.
The consul's vakil, a Greek called [space left blank] came to see me,
a nice old man. He has a son working on the Mecca [Makkah]
railway and another in England, at Shipley. He told me the commerce
of Mersina was worth last year £1300000 (or naps or T£) exports and
£60000 imports. They are terribly afraid that the Baghdad railway
may go down from Adana [(Seyhan, Ataniya)] to another port which
wd do for Mersina altogether. Dined wrote letters and at 9 to bed. All
the commerce is in the hands of the Greeks and a few Armenians.