LETTERS FROM ARMENIA

Note from the administration of ArmenianHouse.org: the page numbering is preserved, so the book can be used for quoting. Also we did our best to keep the layout as close to the original as possible.

The cover and pages 1-4 (the half-title, title page, etc.)

Preface

Table of contents (as in the book)

Turkish Armenia with Route of J.R. & H.B. Harris (a map)

LETTER I.
ARRIVAL AT CONSTANTINOPLE — VISIT TO THE BRITISH EMBASSY

LETTER II.
VISIT TO JUDGE TARRING — A FRIENDS' MEETING IN STAMBOUL — ROBERT COLLEGE — VISIT TO THE PATRIARCH IZMIRLIAN — FRIENDS OF THE SUFFERING ARMENIANS AT CHALCEDON, ETC.

LETTER III.
ARRIVAL OF THE " TESKEREH " — THE NEWLY DISCOVERED SIXTH-CENTURY GOSPELS

LETTER IV.
PROJECTED DEPARTURE FROM SMYRNA TO ALEXANDRETTA — AN AMERICAN LADY MISSIONARY FROM THE INTERIOR — POSSIBILITY OF ARMENIAN EMIGRATION

LETTER V.
ARRIVAL AT ALEXANDRETTA — START FOR THE INTERIOR

LETTER VI.
JOURNEY TO AINTAB — TROUBLES AT KILLIS — AN EARLY START BAULKED — A HARD NIGHT — ARRIVAL AT AINTAB

LETTER VII.
AMERICAN BRAVERY — OFFICIAL HYPOCRISY AND FATALISM — DETAILS OF THE GREAT MASSACRE — INSULTS TO ENGLAND — OCCUPATIONS OF ARMENIAN WOMEN — SOME COMPASSIONATE TURKS, ETC

LETTER VIII.
AMERICAN CIVILISATION IN THE MIDST OF TURKISH DESOLATION — REVIVAL OF RELIGION IN AINTAB — REMARKABLE SERVICES IN THE OLD GREGORIAN AND PROTESTANT CHURCHES

LETTER IX.
CROSSING THE EUPHRATES — DRYING UP OF THE GREAT RIVER — DIFFUSION OF THE KURDS — MISS SHATTUCK, THE HEROINE OF OURFA, ETC

LETTER X.
A MORNING WITH MISS SHATTUCK AT OURFA

LETTER XI.
HOUSE HIRED IN OURFA — ANCIENT LEGENDS OF EDESSA — RELIEF WORK IN THE CITY — AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUZZLE, ETC

LETTER XII.
VISIT TO THE BURNED CHURCH — A CALL UPON THE PASHA'S WIFE — HER WARM SYMPATHY WITH THE SUFFERING PEOPLE, ETC

LETTER XIII.
A COMMUNICATION FROM SOME LEADING EDESSANS

LETTER XIV.
SCHEMES OF RELIEF AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION — ORPHANS, WIDOWS, AND SCHOOLS

LETTER XV.
OUR FOURTH SUNDAY IN OURFA — WOMEN'S MEETING IN THE PROTESTANT CHURCH — AN ARMENIAN BETROTHAL — LETTERS FROM MISSIONARIES

LETTER XVI.
WE LEAVE OURFA AND VISIT GARMOUSH AND SEVERER — A NIGHT IN A HOVEL — MASSACRE IN SEVBREK — OUR SERVANT CLAPPED IN PRISON — A NIGHT IN A KURDISH TENT — ARRIVAL AT DIARBEKIR

LETTER XVII.
DIFFICULTIES AT DIARBEKIR — A ROUGH RIDE TO MARDIN — EXCURSION IN SEARCH OF MSS. — ALEXANDER IN TROUBLE AGAIN

LETTER XVIII.
CLOSING OF THE HIGH SCHOOL — IMPOSING CEREMONIES — VISIT TO THE JACOBITE SCHOOLS, ETC

LETTER XIX.
FIRST RUMOURS OF THE VAN MASSACRE

LETTER XX.
A MODERN SIMEON STYLITES — BRIEF ACCOUNT OF A VISIT TO THE TUR ABDIN — VISIT TO A TURKISH PRISON, ETC.

LETTER XXI.
JOURNEY FROM MARDIN TO DIARBEKIR — FORDING THE TIGRIS RIVER — INCIDENT AT A DESOLATED VILLAGE — NATURE AND EFFECTS OF THE MASSACRE AT DIARBEKIR — THE FRENCH CONSUL — PLANS FOR FUTURE MOVEMENTS

LETTER XXII.
ATTEMPTS AT RELIEF IN DIARBEKIR AND NEIGHBOURHOOD — A REVIEW OF HAMIDIYEH CAVALRY, ETC. — A SAD LETTER FROM AINTAB

LETTER XXIII.
JOURNEY FROM DIARBEKIR TO HARPOOT — TAURUS MOUNTAINS — SOURCE OF THE TIGRIS — HEROIC BAND OF MISSIONARIES AT HARPOOT : STORY OF THEIR PRESERVATION DURING THE MASSACRE AND IN THE PRESENCE OF DEATH

LETTER XXIV.
HOW TO HELP THE DESOLATED VILLAGES ? — CONDITION AROUND HARPOOT — DESPAIR OF THE VILLAGERS — PETITION FROM HOO-I-LOO FOR REBUILDING OF PROTESTANT CHURCH — VISIT TO THE VILLAGE IN RUINS — MEAL IN AN ORCHARD — ASSESSING THE TAXES OF THE DEAD UPON THE SURVIVORS — PLANS FOR FUTURE WORK — VAN, MALATIA, ETC.

LETTER XXV.
VIGOROUS PROTESTS AGAINST WESTERN SCEPTICISM — DIFFICULTIES OF RELIEF WORK — REBUILDING OF VILLAGES, ETC

LETTER XXVI.
DETENTION AT HARPOOT OWING TO DIFFICULTIES OF TRANSIT STORY OF A YOUNG ARMENIAN, JUST RECOVERED FROM HIS WOUNDS, NOW PUT IN PRISON — QUESTION OF THE RELEASE OF THE MANY IMPRISONED ARMENIANS ; IS BRIBERY LAWFUL ? — A HARD CASE — EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY CHURCH — THE MISSIONARIES' DECISION — LETTER FROM OURFA — TEACHING THE WOMEN AND GIRLS — WORK FOR THE ORPHANS — "HARRIS HOME" IN FULL OPERATION — ONLY THOSE ENTIRELY ORPHANED CAN BE HELPED

LETTER XXVII.
ARRIVAL AT MALATIA — EXTENSIVE DISTRESS THERE — A PARADISE CITY — ACCOUNT OF THE MASSACRE — THE RUINS TO-DAY — HOW TO HELP THE PEOPLE — THE REFORM COMMISSIONER — LARGE MEETING IN A GARDEN — DEPARTURE OF J. R. H. — PASSPORTS FOR THE TWO SERVANTS — INTERVIEW WITH SHAKIR PASHA, AND WITH THE PASHA'S WIFE IN THE HAREM — A FRIENDLY BEY WHO HELPED THE ARMENIANS — EMBROIDERY WORK — BOARDING OUT THE ORPHANS: FIVE POUNDS FOR ONE YEAR — THE PRESS OF TEARFUL WOMEN — CONFISCATING THE FRUIT IN THE GARDENS — PERSECUTION OF KURDS WHO REFUSED TO MASSACRE — MISS BUSH AND DR. GATES

LETTER XXVIII.
OUR LAST DAY IN MALATIA : A BUSY CROWD — SELECTING FIFTY ORPHANS OUT OF FIFTEEN HUNDRED — DEPARTURE — GOODNESS OF SOME MOSLEMS — THE ZAPTIEHS — JOURNEY BACK TO HARPOOT BEGUILED BY HYMNS — WELCOME AT HARPOOT — PLANS FOR VAN

MEMORANDUM : NOTES OF INFORMATION FROM J. R. H.

LETTER XXIX.
PRIVATE LETTER OF THANKS FOR UNEXPECTED CONTRIBUTION — BUILDING OF SCHOOLS, ETC., AT MALATIA — THE PEOPLE SET CHURCH BEFORE HOUSES — ONE THOUSAND CHILDREN TO BE ACCOMMODATED — A JOINT SCHOOL BOARD — UNION OF THE CHURCHES

LETTER XXX.
JOURNEY TO VAN PUT ASIDE FOR THE PRESENT — HEMMED IN AT HARPOOT — SIGNS OF TROUBLE AROUND — PRESENCE OF H. B. H. " A SAFEGUARD TO THE TOWN" — COLLEGE FLOURISHING — H. B. H. ILL WITH MALARIAL FEVER — THE GREAT NEED OF HELP FOR THE ORPHANS

LETTER XXXI.
SUMMARY BY R. H. F. OF PRIVATE LETTER FROM H. B. H — SYMPTOMS OF FURTHER MASSACRES — THE BLOW FELL AT EGHIN — HARPOOT THREATENED — STATE OF TERROR — THE PROTESTANTS TO BE SUPPRESSED — REPORT OF THE EGHIN MASSACRE

LETTER XXXII.
INTENDED VISIT TO EGHIN — FURTHER REPORT OF THE MASSACRE THERE — TWO LETTERS FROM PROTESTANT ARMENIANS IN NEIGHBOURING TOWNS

LETTER XXXIII.
LETTER FROM J. R. H., NARRATING HIS JOURNEY OUT OF ARMENIA IN AUGUST, VISITING KHANGAL, SIVAS : MARTYRDOM OF PASTOR — TOKAT : TOMB OF HENRY MARTYN — MARSOVAN — AMASIA : CLIMATE OF PONTUS : TERTULLIAN ON MARCION — SAMSOUN — REPORT ON REBUILDING VILLAGES — FURTHER REPORT ON EGHIN MASSACRE

LETTER XXXIV.
ON THE EVE OF SETTING OUT FROM HARPOOT FOR ARABKIR AND EGHIN — THE LATE PANIC : MASSACRE AVERTED — THAT AT EGHIN CARRIED OUT BY THE CITIZENS : ALLEGED REVOLUTIONARY CAUSE FALSE — AT ARABKIR, THE PEOPLE STARVING — THE REPAIRED SCHOOLHOUSE AT HARPOOT WELL FILLED — COLLEGE DOING EXCELLENT WORK

LETTER XXXV.
DEPARTURE FROM HARPOOT — DELAYS, FAREWELLS — TOILSOME JOURNEY — ARABKIR — A FINE CITY, IN RUINS — THE BETTER CLASSES IN POVERTY — VISITS FROM THE WOMEN TILL STOPPED BY THE GOVERNOR — A HEROIC TURKISH ZAPTIEH : VISIT TO HIS SICK-BED

LETTER XXXVI.
LETTER FROM H. B. H. — VISITING THE WOMEN AT ARABKIR: A MEETING WITH THEM — DISORDER HARSHLY QUELLED BY THE SEXTON — JOURNEY TO EGHIN : A ROMANTIC LITTLE CITY, RUINS OF BEAUTIFUL HOUSES : SAD TALES OF THE MASSACRE THERE, AND AT FIVE NEAR VILLAGES — THE BEREAVED WOMEN IN THEIR HOMES — PROVISION OF WHEAT, BEDDING, ETC., FOR WINTER NEEDS — LETTER FROM MISS BUSH, EGHIN — LETTER FROM MISS SHATTUCK, OURFA

LETTER XXXVII.
JOURNEY FROM SIVAS TO MARSOVAN VIA TOKAT — HARD TRAVEL — WELCOME AT MARSOVAN — 'AN IDEAL MISSION THERE — TOILSOME JOURNEY TO SAMSOUN — LETTER FROM HARPOOT, STATING PRESENT DIFFICULTIES AND THE APPARENT INTENTION OF THE GOVERNMENT TO CLOSE THE MISSION SCHOOLS, ETC. — RELIEF WORK IN EGHIN

Acknowledgements:

Source: J. Rendel Harris & B. Helen Harris. Letters from the Scenes of the Recent Massacres in Armenia. London, James Nisbet & Co., Limited, 1897
Provided by: Aram Arkun, Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center
Scanned by: Karen Vrtanesyan
OCR: Irina Minasyan

LETTERS FROM ARMENIA

CONTENTS