Mr. Terrell to Mr. Olney.
Missionaries at Aintab, Bitlis, Harpoot, Marsovan, Cæsarea safe and protected, but apprehensive. Ladies at Hadjin, I believe, safe. Porte promises security for all missionaries. Have telegraphed that I would [Page 1392] furnish ship to receive if they desired to visit home. Gave no advice; they know dangers and must decide. Mails and telegrams less impeded since my protest. Reliable information from interior provinces shows destruction of many Armenian villages, massacre of men, desecration and burning of monasteries and churches, murdering of priests, enforced circumcising of boys, enforced religious conversion of Armenian women as the price of life. It is believed now that from 30,000 to 40,000 have been killed during the last sixty days. I expect daily to hear that the army of some 3,000 at Zeitoun and town are annihilated. They are surrounded.
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