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TO ARPA-CHAI AND LENINAKAN 165
virtues of these Eastern lands. The sluice-gates of the dam
and the tunnel were lowered and closed. At once the water
began to rise rapidly behind the dam, and a number of people
who were standing on the level by the river had to get up
quickly on to higher ground to avoid being surrounded by
the water, which crept along the lower places and formed
islands. Little by little the islands, too, vanished beneath
the rising surface. Soon there was a big lake above the dam,
and it went on rising.
Suddenly several naked figures dived from the clirT near
us with a tremendous splash into the water. They were
some young men, who proceeded to swim and lark about in
the new lake. They all threw their arms forward alternately
over the water when they swam, instead of moving the hands
and legs symmetrically as wc do. Others followed quickly,
splash after splash, laughing and hurling the spray about.
The first had on bathing-drawers ; those who followed were
not so particular. The water continued to rise until it reached
the top of the dam, then went foaming over in a splendid
waterfall. Many of the swimmers climbed on to the top of
the dam and sat sunning themselves there in the dress of old
Adam. They were slim, well-built, and powerful.
Next came the opening. Together with the President of
Armenia and the Commissar for Agriculture and a number of
others, including Mr. Yarrow, of the Near East Relief, I was
asked to cross the suspension bridge to the sluice at the mouth
of the tunnel. At a given signal the President and several
members of the Government took turn and turn about at
the windlass and began raising the huge sluice-gate in front
of the tunnel, amid enthusiastic shouts of applause which
thundered like a storm along the gorge. They went on
winding with might and main, salutes rolled and rumbled
against the crags, the banners waved, the crowd redoubled its
hurrahs, and the water began to flow with increasing force
into the tunnel. I had to lend a hand with the windlass,
together with my friend the Commissar for Agriculture, and
the crowd roared its appreciation. Mr. Yarrow took his
turn at it, too, and several public officials. Gradually the
opening became large enough down below for us to see the
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