No. 1.

Dear Jones,

I wanted to write to you since a long time but it has been impossible. Happily the British Authorities have allowed us this week to send letters to the Entente countries and the first one I send abroad is for you. I am most anxious to hear of your health and that of Hill. I have not heard of you for six months (September) and it seems such a long while! The last time I saw you you were in such a bad state, and I hope, and very sincerely wish that the strain which you were subjected to, has loosed a little and that your health has improved. I have a lot of news to give, still more to ask. You know that all the officers interned at Yozgad came to Constantinople on their way home. They are the only prisoners who came here. I don’t know why. I had a chat with many of them, especially with Captain Miller and Major Peel. Miller told me that Hill had made a camera with which you took many photographs of Yozgad. I congratulate Hill for his industry! My talk with Major Peel was more interesting. He looked stiff, and I dare say a little furious with me. He said that the Commt. the Cook, I and two other gentlemen were looking up for a treasure amounting to £18,000, the arrest of these two officers, the letter, the enquiry, all that was a fraud. The Commandant was acting. He had rehearsed it the day before with the officers. One of the officers told him everything, that Hill has taken a photograph of the Comt. I, the Cook, the gentlemen (!) sitting round a big fire lighted on great stones at the top of a hill near the camp. I could not understand that. How could they have got such a photograph? I very strongly protested against this, it was false and that some officer with a wide fancy has started this rumour in the camp. The gentleman could not have given him the photo since the gentlemen had stopped to see them when the thing is supposed to have occurred. I could not change his mind; the photo is there and he sticks to it. I waited until the Commandant’s arrival to have more explanations.

I am giving you all these details because Peel might put it in a paper. I may not know it and make it clear. I had lived in a very friendly footing with all the officers and I don’t wish to get into trouble for a misunderstanding. I reckon on your friendship to settle the matter clear, if necessary.

The facts are these. While you were in the hospital, here, about sixteen^[81] officers escaped from the Camp (among which Cochrane, Sweet (dead), Stoker, Matthews, etc.). Many of them were caught again (it was a pity) but some got home without any difficulty.^[82] The Turkish War Office, on hearing it, sent the Commanding Officer of the Army Corps in Angora to enquire. The relations between the two Commandants were far from being good. The latter tried to make as many charges against our Commandant as possible. As he knew some French Captain Shakeshaft was used as interpreter. Many complaints were put forward by Col. Maule who spoke with him about the treasure digging and gave him the photo.^[83] I have long wondered how he got it. I cannot make it out. It is not HUMAN: How could they get a photo when there was nobody to take it! It is mysterious. None of my Best Friends did know it. If they had done they would certainly have informed me. Among the other complaints there are about his ill-treatment, his making money out of them, his robbing them and so on. Now, the reports were sent to the War Office and the Commandant is going to be court-martialled here. He said that the escapes are in the background now, according to him the money business comes in first and he can answer for everything but the photo. Very cleverly he wanted to put my name forward in the trial! I did not want to get mixed up in such business, I threw away my uniform,^[84] and never went again to see him, notwithstanding many wires he sent to me. He does not know where I am lodging and I am not afraid of him.

I am leaving (sic) by teaching French and English. It is very difficult to get on with and the mere commodities being at an awful price and there being no prospect of peace signed soon. I applied for a situation at the British H.Q. and as they wanted to send me to Anatolia as interpreter I declined. The pay was good, food free, but I remembered that “a crust of bread where there are people to see you eating it is better than rich meats in the wilderness.”^[85] I remained and the situation was lost. What do you advise me? Was I wrong in doing so? What is the opinion of the Control? You liked Turkey and know Turkish quite good. Could you not manage to be sent here with Hill? How happy I will be to see you again! But you prefer of course to go back to India, to Burma, don’t you. Are you discharged? Hill is he in the R.F.C.? Could you send me your and his home address? You can write as many letters as you like and so can give all news you think interesting to me. Besides letters will you try to send me a message^[86] every 1st and 15th of each month? I’ll try to do the same. I hope that everything is all right and that nothing has been spoilt. I am working hard to learn English better for our next meeting.^[87]

(To be labelled so by order).

No. 2.

Dear Jones,

I wrote a long letter to you about two weeks ago. As I am not certain you will get it I do it once again.

I am very anxious about your health and Hill’s and it will be for me a great relief when I hear of your perfect health. You will not believe me if I tell you I am thinking of you both the whole day.

I cannot forget our experiment. Instead of thinking of the future, my thoughts are going to the happy past elapsed since March, 1918. Goodness! When you get this letter a whole year will have passed and we were going to be so happy long ago but for the double-faced Superior.^[88] Notwithstanding the promises of help lavished on me by our teacher^[4] nothing seems to come out of it. Ill luck is going after me. I do not complain because the end will be good. I trust him^[89] so much and all’s good that ends good! Is it not so?

I have applied a great many times to your offices here, but as I told you I am not favoured by chance. People who have applied after myself who have not so good knowledge of your language have got splendid and well paid jobs. Could you give me some letter to any of the officers here, if you are aware of acquaintance of you being here?

Before any of your letters of introduction what I wish most is that you don’t forget me and that you honour me of your friendship. Our experiments have bound me to you and Hill. Be assured that it is not only by interest. It is an admiration, a great love for all that you have undergone, with the only object of scientific knowledge.^[90] It may be true that you have not lost in the bargain; the knowledge and the power you got came as a reward. You did not expect so much on the beginning. When do you think we are most likely to give an end to our story?^[91] Is everything all right or has anything gone wrong? Do you intend to come back to Turkey or to go back to India? Would you not like to come here as a Red Cross officer?^[92]

I am working hard at the English,^[92] but what would make me improve would be to be all day long with English speaking people, that is, to get an employment in an office. But it won’t come. I told you. Luck is shunning me.

Dear Jones. Do send me a letter. Let me know all about you since I saw you last. Could you not send me a message every 1st or 15th (on the evening) every month as you used to send home.^[93] He^[94] could find the way of how to do it.

I just heard today that the British Government has asked the punishment of many camp Commandants but ours is not included in the list. (Anyhow the interpreter who succeeded me is.) As I told you he is going to be court-martialled,^[95] and I think will be forgiven.

Send me your home address as this letter will take such a long time to reach you, as I am sending it c/o the Indian Civil Service. Give me the address of Hill too. Hoping to get very soon some news from you.

No. 3.

Dear Jones,

I wrote to you many letters but I have not had any from you yet. As I did not know your address I sent a line to your father asking for your whereabouts.

As I told you before, I am now in the employ of the British here and attached to the P.M. as interpreter. The other day I attended a court-martial, in order to give evidence about the Sup.^[96] Most of the questions ran about the two officers sent sick to the hospital at Haidar Pasha. They showed to me a photo^[97]: it represents a hill somewhere near the camp; the Sup.^[96] is on the left side; a tall officer is holding his hands up as if he were praying.^[98] I am near him and the old Cook near me. Those four are the only persons in the picture. It puzzles me a lot as I cannot understand who took the photo and admitting it was taken by OOO^[99] how the dickens did he manage to pass it to the camp?

Miller^[100] before going to England on his way here, told me that Hill gave it to them with many others. Of course, it is all rubbish^[101] but cannot you give an explanation of the riddle?

That affair has formed the subject of many articles published in papers by officers of our camp. I have seen one of them by Captain Forbes in a Glasgow newspaper. I agree that he has a wonderful imagination.^[102] But I suppose that the whole camp thought like him. If you could send any copies available referring to our camp and this business, I shall be glad indeed.

How is Hill? Is he in England or is he gone to Australia? What are your ideas? Shall we meet again? I hope you have not forgotten what you promised in the train^[103] and that nothing wrong has happened since that could irritate the Controller and that we shall be able to resume our studies.”

[Then follow remarks about the weather in Constantinople. He ends]:

“I want, now that I have plenty of time, to study those questions^[104] further. Could you send me a few important standard books dealing with this subject? I should be greatly obliged to you and do not forget please to drop a line to your