CHAPTER 41
Seven days after they had left Kashgar and travelled through the mountains including a mountain pass of just over 8,000 feet Edrich and Hutton arrived at the Russian border. Hutton had once again become ill three days out from Kashgar with something that the medicine the party carried could not alleviate. In none of the Kirghiz settlements that the party passed was there a doctor who could help Hutton but one of the settlements made a litter slung between two ponies and thus Hutton could at least be transported. Edrich did think of sending Hutton back to Kashgar but the latter pleaded with him not to and that plus the difficulty of the terrain they had been through decided Edrich to continue the journey. Hutton’s illness slowed the journey but this allowed Edrich to study the countryside and do sketches of it and the Kirghiz settlements that they passed along the way. What surprised Edrich as the party travelled was that the nomadic Kirghiz were beginning to enclose and irrigate fields.
After the party reached the border Hutton began to feel better much to his and Edrich’s relief. Quite what had improved Hutton’s health Edrich was not sure but he thought it might be the copious amounts of vodka that the pair had to drink with the customs’ officials and border guards. The British party only stayed one evening with the convivial Russians for Edrich reckoned two nights there might result in alcoholic poisoning for him and might kill Hutton. None of the Russian border officials were Bolsheviks but they were expecting that at some stage Bolshevik troops to arrive and then fighting was expected between the two groups. The border guards had taken the trouble to build a protective wall round their post that Edrich was interested to see consisted of bales of cotton stacked one on top of the other. Needless to say the British party were allowed to continue into Russia by the border guards without difficulty but with a warning that any Bolsheviks that they met en route would be dangerous.
When Colonel Fishlock left Ashkhabad to return to report to Barber Fernee was left to deal with the FTU. Fernee’s first job was a meeting with Belov, the local leader, in the telegraph building.
‘Chairman Belov when Colonel Fishlock was here and you were discussing your requirements with him you agreed that the FTU would arrest all German and other agents who are here and in Krasnovodsk.’
‘Yes, but we have to be careful,’ began Belov.
‘Yes we do Chairman. However, last night when dining in the town I saw the German party who are trying to buy cotton. Not only were they at liberty but one of them I am shocked to say was wearing what looked like a British uniform.’
Belov shifted uneasily in his chair. ‘I know nothing of a man in a British uniform. However, I shall see that these men are arrested this evening. Are they to be shot?’ the Russian spoke tentatively.
‘Absolutely not, hold them and then perhaps we will move them to Meshed.’ As soon as he said the second half of that sentence Fernee wondered if that was a wise thing to say. The Germans were FTU prisoners and there was not much of a gaol in Meshed. ‘We’ll get directions from Meshed as to what we do with them. Have you news of the fighting?’
‘Yes,’ Belov smiled, ‘I have some good news for you, captain. British soldiers have arrived in Baku before the Turks.’
When Fernee left the meeting with Belov he decided that there was nothing more for him to do in Ashkhabad. He needed to travel to Baku and see what British troops had arrived and report his findings to Meshed – he knew Mawle would never think of that. Fernee also wondered if Muncerforce had people who could speak Russian. Fernee decided against telegraphing Meshed for permission to go to Baku, it would take too much time. The following day, after telling everyone what he was doing, Fernee was once again heading west across the Caspian.
The Cotton Spies Page 42