PERSECUTIONS OF THE GREEKS IN TURKEY SINCE THE ...

50 PERSECUTIONS OF THE GREEKS
they were taken to Kaphzan, in the Province of Sebastia,
a distance of 80 kilometers from Samsoun, having made
the journey in four days, without food. During this
journey many died from hunger, cold and hardships.
I have just been informed that there are many dead
in the church at Kaphzan. Notwithstanding the promises
which had been given that the authorities would settle
those deported in the Christian villages near Kaphzan, all
of them have been sent to Tsoroum, in the Province of
Angora. On the way the girls of Cadikioi, being sure
of the fate which awaited them, sang the song, " Farewell,
poor world; farewell, sweet life." What will happen
at Tsoroum? How will so many thousands of people
live in the midst of a severe winter, deprived of everything?
This is a riddle which past experience can only
solve."
" On January 10, 11 and 13, other arrests were also
made, the arrested persons being likewise sent to the
interior and thus the Greek community was completely
disorganized; its schools were transformed into barracks,
its shops were closed, property was plundered, and the
richest villages of the district were burned. Thus the
Greeks, whose misfortunes are beyond all description,
are now in a most wretched condition."
Another report contains the following details:
" From the day that Rafet Pasha came to Samsoun,
the whole place has been turned into a hell. He is 36
years old, fanatic, passionate, and, to a high degree, a
hater of Greeks. To him alone are due the various
cases of arson and of deportation, which I have described
in many of my reports. Having left Bitlis three months
ago where he had been promoted to the grade of Pasha,
he came here, with full powers. In a short time he has
become the scourge of the country and the tyrant of
the Christians."
"On January 17 and 18, the arrests and the deportations
to the interior were resumed; therefore, Samsoun