Polite Refusals
For an entire day, the Turkish officials were very polite to me. They couldn’t directly say I couldn’t go. Even though I kept telling them I was just a tourist, they didn’t believe me. They knew it was hard to believe that I would risk being captured by brigands just for fun. No matter how much I explained, they were sure I was lying. So, I simply said I would go and take full responsibility for my actions.
The Governor’s Reluctant Agreement
The Turkish officials, believing I was a British secret service agent, couldn’t let me take full responsibility. If something happened, they would be blamed. The brigands might demand a ransom, and the British Government would complain about the mistreatment of one of their citizens. It would cause a lot of problems Natural History Museum.
So, reluctantly, the Governor agreed to send more help with me. We spread out maps and chose a route. I sent my dragoman to the town to hire horses, but he returned with disappointing news: there were no horses available.
Walking Instead of Riding
Frustrated in one way, the Turkish authorities tried another method to stop me. The Governor showed sympathy, saying it was a shame. I told him, “No problem, I’ll walk.” “Walk?” he said, looking surprised. “Yes, walk!” I replied. I told him I was proud of my walking ability and, even though it would be slow, it would be an interesting way to see the country.
