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at last had a chance to see something
This morning, I at last had a chance to see something of their
aviation. We rode through the city in an auto: through Stamboul,
along the old Byzantine city wall, past the cemetery, and a number of
barracks, through the dreary district to St. Stefano, and looked over
the aviation station there. Here, Major S. has made himself quite a
neat bit out of nothing at all. Naturally, under present conditions,
it is very hard for him to get the necessary materials of all sorts.
In the afternoon I was a guest on board the _General_.
In the afternoon I went with Captain D. and other gentlemen, through
the Bosphorus to Therapia, where the German cemetery is wonderfully
situated. Then we inspected a shoe factory at Beikos, and, later, went
to the _Goeben_ and _Breslau_, where I had a splendid reception.
After a brief inspection of both boats, we ate supper and enjoyed a
concert on deck. On leaving, Captain A., commander of the _Goeben_,
drank a toast to me. Who would have believed this possible a few years
ago.
To-day I took a pleasure spin on the Sea of Marmora, with S.'s
adjutant, and his motorboat. We passed the Sultan's palace and went to
Skutari, where I made a short stop. Then we went to the Princes'
Islands, where we landed at Princepu. Princepu is to Constantinople
what Grunewald or Wannsee is to Berlin. It is a wonderful island,
hilly and situated in the middle of the sea. All the wealthy have
summer homes here, and most of Constantinople takes a trip here
Saturday and Sunday. In the Casino, from which there is a beautiful
view of the sea, we drank coffee. Toward evening we reached home,
after first sailing around the neighboring islands, on one of which
the captured defender of Kut-el-Amara lives in a very nice villa.
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