A Turkish steamer was to leave Batoum that night for Constantinople. I made inquiries as to when she would be likely to arrive at her destination.
"In five days," said the agent at the booking-office—a most saturnine-looking old Turk, "that is if the Lord wills it; but the Lord may will that the vessel shall lay to in Trebizond, and return here with troops without going to Stamboul."
Under these circumstances I determined to go in the Turkish boat as far as Trebizond, and continue my journey in some other steamer to Constantinople. Mohammed accompanied me on board the vessel. The moment for parting at last arrived. The poor fellow was much affected. Some big tears began to roll down his cheeks.
"Will you go with me to Constantinople?" I inquired.
"To the end of the world, Effendi!"
"But think how ill you will be."
"Never mind, Effendi, only let me come. It is true that my stomach sank within me yesterday, but my heart is very full to-day; for am I not losing my lord as well as my brother?"—seizing Radford's hand, Mohammed wrung it heartily.
The vessel had got up steam; the deck was being cleared. Mohammed rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and clambered down the side of the ship into a little boat. Several of his countrymen tried to comfort him. He was not to be consoled. As we steamed out of the harbour, I could still see the poor fellow straining his eyes in our direction.
"That Mohammed was not such a bad chap after all, sir," presently remarked Radford. "Them Turks have stomachs, and like filling them they do; but they have something in their hearts as well."
There was a great deal of truth in the observation. Those people in England who have declared that it is impossible to reform the Turks would do well to learn the Turkish language, and travel in the Sultan's dominions. Human nature is everywhere much the same. There is more good in the world than bad, or otherwise, as a French philosopher once said, the bad would have destroyed the good, and the human race would no longer exist. Give the Turks a good government, and Turkey would soon take her place amidst civilized nations.