TCD MS 3416 page 10
[April 1916]
Zubeida, the wife of Harum-el-Rashid, Kalif of Baghdad in the “Arabian Nights.” We met several German officers: & their opinion of the Turk was far from complimentary, in fact one German officer said “These Turks hardly know whom to hate most, the Englishman or the German.”
Throughout our journey I found the Germans courteous & willing to help us in our troubles; I have often heard said that the German abroad is an improvement on the one met in Germany, & I have found this surmise to be correct. They themselves had their difficulties in obtaining money & European stores, & their cherished beer! As regards money, we found that if ever received from the Turkish Government at all, it was always in notes; which in most places were almost valueless. Even in large towns one was obliged to invoke the aid of a Turkish official to get them accepted at all. The Germans seemed only too pleased to see a white face again in this far off Oriental Land, where even the embryo of “Kultur” is non existant.
We were paid in notes with a small proportion of gold at the following rates:- Generals, Liras 45 each; Colonel 25, Major 20, Captain 10; Lieut 7; our names and addresses were taken down.