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[Page 58]
and made them into bundles and slept that night. The next day we completed the raft all ready for launching, that night. In the afternoon we christened the raft naming it "Success". We read the service from a prayer book which we carried in a very solemn earnest way, sprinkling water on as we named it. I am afraid had we had anything better than water it should not have been wasted on the christening.
About 8.30 p.m. we launched the raft on to the creek It was very heavy and we had great difficulty in getting it down into the water, However we got it out into about three feet of water. It certainly looked a success. One of us got on it and stood the strain but when the two of us got on it barely floated. Certainly not good enough to put to sea in. It was a huge disappointment. After a short consultation we decided to pull the raft back to the same place so that it would not be discovered, the following day, and a search made. We did this and then moved about three miles further along the beach. There was a well close by and we found an excellent hiding place right on the beach where we could see ships by day and if they came in close enough we could make a signal without being seen by anybody on shore. We decided to stop there. The following day we could see a large village about two miles away. We were just about run out of food so my mate suggested that he should go over to this village and try and buy some bread and chance being caught, for we would have to give ourselves up in a couple of days in any case from want of food. About 9 a.m. he set off in the direction of this village. He had not gone far before he met an old man and woman riding on donkeys, and he asked them if they had anything to sell. They said they had not but directed him to the village just outside there were two old men pruning grape vines. He asked them where he could buy certain articles. They told him to ask for a certain name, this man being the head man or Mahommedin priest of the village and that he would attend his wants. My mate went on to the village and seeing a small boy asked for this certain man. The boy knew who he wanted and directed him. It turned out that this was his son. However when they met the old man wanted to know who he was. My mate said he was a German telegraph Mechanic working on the line between Mersina and Selefka. The old man clapped him on the back and said how pleased he was to meet one of his German brothers. Then he asked what he could do for him. My mate replied that he wanted bread and eggs as we had run out of provisions and would not be able to go into headquarters to get more till this job was finished. The old man replied that it was very difficult to get anything there as there was such a shortage of bread. He said he would see what he could do. After bringing my mate a cool glass of water from the well and a plate of fresh figs the old man went out into the village to see what he could get. Shortly after he returned