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Diary entry by Gertrude Bell

Reference code
GB/2/9/5/4
Creator
Bell, Gertrude Margaret Lowthian
Creation Date
Extent and medium
1 entry, paper
Language
English
Location
Coordinates

38.963745, 35.243322

Thurs 4. [4 May 1905] Shining morning, the air like wine. Even the
barren little village looked charming. And after all the one or two
poplars were just coming into leaf. We rode off at 6.15, Fattuh first
buying a chicken which he desired to carry alive but I insisted on its
being killed saying that it wd not be mabsut. "Mabsut ketur" said he
"ysafir khamset ayyam kaik." However he did kill it. The desolate
high country was today all pleasure. We presently came to large
patches of snow and when the snow had melted the ground was
covered with blue anemones, a dark blue iris with yellow tips to its
petals, mauve crocus, a yellow aconite very sweet smelling and a tiny
yellow tulip just coming into flower - the Arncliffe tulip. We all rode
together and the air was like wine. But it was cold. I walked for an
hour. Then the sun went in and presently it began to sleet and was so
bitter that I had to stop and get out my fur coat. It sleeted harder and
harder but we rode on till 2.30 when we came to a deep valley - the
first break in the country we had seen, the only place marked on the
map was [space left blank] and it was a Yuruk cemetary [sic].
Mustafa chowwish announced that there were caves here and that we
had better camp as the next possible place was 2 hours off and on
reflection I decided to do so. The caves are I think cave dwellings
and the place is evidently a Yuruk yaila though I doubt if there is water
in the stream in summer. The stream is one of the sources of the
Gˆdet Chai. We pitched camp on a very narrow ledge under the
caves and put the animals inside a cave. The muleteers lighted a big
charcoal fire and dried themselves and the sun came out a little. The
valley is all full of rose red tulips. A charming camp and deliciously
cold. The chicken refused to cook and I dined without him. I asked
Fattuh what they had to eat. He replied: Fi and na ... shikel. He does
all the work of the camp. This place is Uru Pavar.

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