At present there were only 300 Turks in Yalova and a few hundreds in the distant villages of Samanli and Ak-Keui.
The kaïmakam asked the commission to evacuate the Turkish population to a place of safety. On leaving the Greek headquarters, the commission found the Greek refugees raving with anger. The reason for this was that Hafiz Ahmet (one of the guides of the commission and also one of the chief men of a neighbouring village, who had gone ashore that morning with the commission) had been accused by some Greek women of having been implicated in various massacres which had taken place in the neighbourhood. It was with the very greatest difficulty, and only by turning the attention of the crowd on another point, that he was enabled to enter a boat and return on board. He was pursued by a howling crowd, which even entered the water while the boat was pushing off with all speed.
At 2·30 the “Bryony” anchored at Chinejik and the commission at once went ashore. The Turkish quarter was quite empty, but not destroyed. The mosque had been looted, but not burned, and no traces were found of the horrible massacres reported as having taken place at this spot.
The Greek priest showed the commission freshly-turned Turkish graves.
The “Bryony” then left for Enguri. When the commission went ashore, it was received by the officer commanding the Greek detachment. As far as he knew, only brigandage had taken place in the neighbourhood.
The commission then made for the twin villages of Kojadereh, which were entirely destroyed. There were no inhabitants and no bodies were found; no information was obtained.
The commission returned to the “Bryony,” which remained at anchor off shore all night.
May 22.—Returned at 8·30 and arrived at Top-Haneh, Constantinople.
Report of the Ismid Commission of Enquiry.
To His Excellency,