CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT 



A certifi- 

 cate of 

 character 



Raihovska 



On the Greek side of the Bistritza, just above the 

 bridge, was the pitiful village of Raikovska, and 

 near it the Greek camp of "Christos Aneste Hellas'" 

 (Christ save Greece), with about two hundred 

 soldiers under General Evangelos Tsanos. This 

 courteous official met us in the middle of the bridge to 

 examine our papers, already endorsed by the Greek 

 consul of Sofia as well as by Bulgarian and Turkish 

 officials. He seemed very doubtful, however, for no 

 one had ever before tried to enter Greece by the back 

 door. While he deliberated, two soldiers on the bank 

 shouted, in Greek of course: "Americans! That's Dr. 

 Jordan! We know him; he's all right." This at once 

 settled the matter, and we accordingly bade Mark- 

 ham, our escort, our chauffeurs, and the automobile 

 a grateful goodby. The commander now welcomed 

 us cordially and showed the party every possible 

 courtesy. One of our sponsors, it transpired, had 

 kept a Xenodocheion or lodging house on Third Street 

 in San Francisco, the other a candy shop in Oakland ! 

 In the company, those who had volunteered from 

 America could usually be picked out by their more 

 independent bearing. Six or eight of these took us up 

 the wooded hill to Raikovska, mostly composed of 

 women and children, all men of military age being 

 gone, and there secured for us a room over a little 

 shop. They then foraged so successfully that for 

 supper we had bread, cheese, and fried eggs — the 

 last a luxury rarely enjoyed by soldiers. For bedding 



C 594 3 



