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Updated: June 4, 2025
" This is an araba yole," they argue, "you are riding an araba; we have seen even our own clumsily-made arabas go up here time and again, therefore it is evident that you are not sincere," and they gather closer around and spend another ten minutes in coaxing.
Binns arrives, and is highly amused at the ludicrous mistake that brought me to the Armenian pastor's instead of to his man, with whom he had left instructions concerning me, should I arrive after his departure in the evening for the vineyard; in return he has an amusing story to tell of the people waylaying him on his way to his office, telling him that an Englishman had arrived with a wonderful araba, which he had immediately locked up in a dark room and would allow nobody to look at it, and begging him to ask me if they might come and see it.
But how was this to be done? Methley was much too ill to be kept in his saddle, and wheel carriages, as means of travelling, were unknown. There is, however, such a thing as an “araba,” a vehicle drawn by oxen, in which the wives of a rich man are sometimes dragged four or five miles over the grass by way of recreation.
Stepping ashore, you see a long line of carriages drawn up in several rows, and of every conceivable variety from the Turkish araba to the most coquettish-looking Parisian coupé gilded and adorned in a style to make a French lorette stare with amazement at a lavishness of expenditure exceeding her own.
These men will have marvellous tales to tell in their respective villages concerning what they saw; unless other bicycles are introduced, the time the "Ingilisiu" went through the country with his wonderful araba will become a red-letter event in the memory of the people along my route through Asia Minor.
In spite of the frantic exertions of my escort, the mob press determinedly forward, in an attempt to rush inside when the gate is opened; instantly I find myself and bicycle wedged in among a struggling mass of natives; a cry of "Sakin araba! sakin araba!" A couple of dozen happy mortals have gained admittance in the rush.
The people cluster expectantly around, while I endeavor to explain that they are doomed to disappointment that to be disappointed in their expectations to see the araba ridden is plainly their kismet, for the hill is too steep to be ridden. They laugh knowingly and give me to understand that they are not quite such simpletons as to think that an araba cannot be ridden along an araba yole.
Finding that toward their entreaties I give but the same reply, one of the younger men coolly advocates the use of force to coerce me into giving them an exhibition of my skill on the araba.
Consoling myself with the thought that perhaps I will be able to mount and shake the clamorous multitude off by a spurt, the promised araba yole is announced; but the fates are plainly against me to-day, for I find this road leading up a mountain slope from the very beginning.
There in Zeitoon we have weapons numbers advantage of position, for no roads come near Zeitoon that an araba, or a gun, or anything on wheels can use. The only thing we fear is treachery, leading to surprise in overwhelming force. And against these I keep watch!" "Why should you tell us all this?" demanded Will. "How do you know we are not agents of the Turkish government?"
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