Note 46 — Chapter XXIII

In point of fact, they did not get away until the night of August 7th-8th, and at the end of July, when the Spook’s guarantee expired, the plotters got a bad fright. The authors of “450 Miles to Freedom” say: “Unfortunately the Turks also appeared to have got wind of it (i.e., the intention to escape). For the last week of July, sentries were visited and awakened with unheard-of frequency. Even the Commandant himself occasionally visited the different houses after dark. In the case of one house an extra sentry was suddenly posted in the garden.” The intention to escape was really known to the Turks from the moment the Changri men arrived at Yozgad. Moïse informed me at Constantinople that the tunnel at Changri had been discovered and reported after our departure from Yozgad. I believe the sudden activity which alarmed our friends in July was due to the expiry of our guarantee. Hill and I apologize for not making the period four months—we did our best!