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TO CONSTANTINOPLE 31
As the League’s High Commissioner for Russian Refugees it
fell to my lot to try to help them.
The present Bulgarian Government feared that some of the
Russian refugees were Communists, who might prove a
source of dangerous infection, and accordingly desired to get
rid of them. Those who were considered doubtful were segre
gated in a camp near Varna, and last spring, at the beginning
of March, 250 of them were crowded on board a small, crazy
vessel, the Triton, barely large enough to carry fifty people.
With the barest rations for a short time, they were launched
on the Black Sea to sail to Odessa. Bilt no agreement had
been made with the Russian Government for their reception,
and the Russian authorities had not even been informed that
they were coming. Accordingly, on their arrival at Odessa
they were refused permission to land. The frail Triton had
to put to sea again ; but whither bound ? It was useless
to go anywhere in Russia, and equally useless to return to
Bulgaria ; there was nothing for it but to try Turkey. It
was a long voyage, and one can hardly imagine the sufferings
of all these people, short of food and water, and herded
together in that miserable little boat, so leaky that she could
barely keep afloat. At last, after a voyage of twenty-six
days, she reached Constantinople in April in a sinking condi
tion. Salvation was at hand, and great was the joy on board.
But no, not even the Turkish authorities would allow these
unfortunates to land ; so they had to remain on board.
Next a tug was dispatched to tow the Triton back through
the Bosporus and out into the Black Sea again ; but when the
towing commenced the despair of those on board turned to
fury. The Triton was sinking—was half full of water—and
the Russians screamed, shouting for help, and threatening to
jump overboard. Luckily an English ship lay alongside.
The captain heard their shouts, and grasping the situation, got
hold of the Turkish police and warned them that they would
be held responsible for the loss of life if they dared to carry
through this act of inhumanity. The attempt to tow the
sinking ship had to be given up, and the Russians were
allowed to leave her. They were permitted to stay in a small
enclosed area on the shore opposite where the Triton sank ;
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