large/3681/withturkspalestine_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/withtheturksinpalestine_10_aaronsohn_64kb_26
large/3681/withturkspalestine_1301_librivox_64kb_mp3/withtheturksinpalestine_10_aaronsohn_64kb
English
3681
Any boatman was eager enough to take me for a few cents. As I sat in the boat, every stroke of the oars bringing me nearer to the shore and to what I felt was inevitable captivity, a great bitterness swelled my heart. ANY BOATMAN WAS EAGER ENOUGH TO TAKE ME FOR A FEW CENTS AS I SAT IN THE BOAT EVERY STROKE OF THE OARS BRINGING ME NEARER TO THE SHORE AND TO WHAT I FELT WAS INEVITABLE CAPTIVITY A GREAT BITTERNESS SWELLED IN MY HEART
I stood in the captain's cabin. There I unfolded my story, and wound up by asking him if, under the circumstances, my "first papers" might not entitle me to protection. As I spoke I could see the struggle that was going on within him. When he answered it was to explain, with the utmost kindness, that if he took me aboard his ship it would be to forfeit his word of honor to the Turkish Government, his pledge to take only citizens of neutral countries; that he could not consider me an American on the strength of my first papers; and that any such evasion might lead to serious complications for him and for his Government. Well, there was nothing for me to do but to withdraw and go back to Jaffa to face trial for an attempt to escape. When I reached the deck again I found it swarming with refugees, many of whom knew me and came up to congratulate me on getting away. I could only shake my head and with death in my heart descend the Tennessee's ladder. It did not matter now what boat I took. TEN MINUTES LATER I STOOD IN THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN THERE I UNFOLDED MY STORY AND WOUND UP BY ASKING HIM IF UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES MY FIRST PAPERS MIGHT NOT ENTITLE ME TO PROTECTION AS I SPOKE I COULD SEE THE STRUGGLE THAT WAS GOING ON WITHIN HIM WHEN HE ANSWERED IT WAS TO EXPLAIN WITH THE UTMOST KINDNESS THAT IF HE TOOK ME ABOARD HIS SHIP IT WOULD BE TO FORFEIT HIS WORD OF HONOUR TO THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT HIS PLEDGE TO TAKE ONLY CITIZENS OF NEUTRAL COUNTRIES THAT HE COULD NOT CONSIDER ME AN AMERICAN ON THE STRENGTH OF MY FIRST PAPERS AND THAT ANY SUCH EVASION MIGHT LEAD TO SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS FOR HIM AND FOR HIS GOVERNMENT WELL THERE WAS NOTHING FOR ME TO DO BUT TO WITHDRAW AND TO GO BACK TO JOFFA TO FACE TRIAL FOR AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE WHEN I REACHED THE DECK AGAIN I FOUND IT SWARMING WITH REFUGEES MANY OF WHOM KNEW ME AND CAME UP TO CONGRATULATE ME ON GETTING AWAY I COULD ONLY SHAKE MY HEAD AND WITH DEATH IN MY HEART DESCEND THE TENNESSES LADDER IT DID NOT MATTER NOW WHAT BOAT I TOOK
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