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62 ACROSS ASIA MINOR ON FOOT
doctor. " I can't have it in here. They are waiting
while the authorities find a place to put it in."
A tall, thin, elderly figure, by his dress a person
of quality, was ieanino- against the balcony railing as
I passed one afternoon. The doctor told me his story
later.
" He was a famous tobacco-smuggler, one of those
who lead or control a band of smugglers," he explained.
" The Tobacco police never could bring it
home to him. They knew he was at the back of it
all, and tried to get him for years, but never succeeded.
He was often ill. He was always ill when a
big coup was in hand, sometimes as a private patient
here. How are you to rope in a man like that ?
Anyhow the police gave up catching him, and then
did better. They made him a pensioner of the
Tobacco Regie ;
gave him ten or twelve pounds a
He
month as the cheapest way of keeping him quiet.
draws his pension now and doesn't smuggle any more.
It's visiting day ; and he's come to see his son, who's
wounded." I asked if the son was a smuffMer too.
"Sure," said the doctor, laughing, "I'd say he
stepped into his father's shoes."
Gunshot cases are numerous enough at all times
but the hospital records show a clearly defined shooting
season.
The season is in spring, when water is most valuable
for the young crops, and cultivators in the irrigated
gardens and vineyards fall out over distribution. It
was after an affair of this sort that two men came
running to the hospital, each with a hand clapped
over the hole in his abdomen made by the bullet of
the other. One was found to have five perforations
of the intestines ; the other seven. But they were
hardy folk, and in three weeks' time were about again,
in a condition to renew the quarrel if desired.
In times of pressure the hospital staff may be said
to work literally at the run—at least I generally saw
them running. The sight was fascinating ; I found
myself ever looking to see them run ; to see my host