To have him, best award try the fresh new glee of the rescued Armenians

Now one of the most tangled and crowded suburbs, it absolutely was next as an alternative from the the city

Toward Sept. six, 1919, “Existe Dzayn” (New Armenian Sound), written in Adana, noted: “The nice Wilderness Guy, the incredible Ruben Heryan…it has been currently six months you to neglecting regarding all else, he’s got tossed himself with selfless passion towards slaughterhouse so you’re able to collect the remainder Armenian fragments. The new frontrunners regarding Ashirs [Kurdish people] currently admit your as the Mufettish este-Ermen [this new Investigator of one’s Armenians]; it’s impossible instead of bribery, there was absolutely nothing currency, but the guy seizes people chance to rescue the fresh new Armenian captives.” sixteen

This new cooperation out-of Heryan with remarkable activist of your own rescue mission, Misak Melconyan, the accompanied man off Karen Jeppe, brand new user of one’s League off Nations about Near Eastern, are very important

For a passing fancy day, Heryan blogged a page 17 so you’re able to his cousin and close friend Metaks 18 of Adana explaining his poor health, however, meanwhile listing his opportunity and you may enthusiasm so you can keep enabling people he rescued each day, and those who appealed so you can him discover its nearest and dearest.

It is eg fascinating to read through their letter, dated July 19, 1919, regarding Der Zor, so you’re able to Metaks. The fresh new letter ways the problems he encountered while you are moving the initial caravan of 320 people to Aleppo and you can, later on, with the aid of keleks (rafts) swinging 350 orphans so you can Baghdad; browsing come back to towns and bringing the orphans right back that have him, together with to find of numerous Armenian lady from their captors and you may looking for the individuals abducted; and you may, most importantly, due to dangers from the Arabs, convincing the latest thriving Armenians to be saved. The guy also penned regarding the chief economic trouble he had, and you may regarding the his personal deals, that he had exhausted to fund their efforts. “My personal cardiovascular system bleeds once i think of my economic destroy; I’ve mature early; and i also dont come to my purpose,” the guy wrote. “Not only could there be no cash, however, there are no anybody both.” In the same letter, the guy wrote regarding the people federal activists getting whom brand new liberation out of the fresh orphans and females was not a primary topic, as well as how they were therefore active with other functions. The guy actually described the new people in the brand new “Armenian National Delegation” whom participated in the brand new Paris serenity meeting while the “patriots into the word.” Predicated on Heryan, more urgent dilemma of the day is the brand new rescue purpose. “Could it possibly be one to I am stupid, or perhaps is it you to ‘the brand new patriots of one’s word’ are clever? Regardless, I cannot really works facing my own personal beliefs. This new orphans will end up the newest seed from tomorrow’s Armenia; for each and every a lot more rescued Armenian was an increase; these are the fragments of my personal center. Whenever drifting through the deserts, indeed there, in the sun, the latest white gleaming skulls and you will bones is actually whining aloud, ‘Place all of our orphans free'; and that will feel indifferent immediately after enjoying all of that? … I’m able to works up to We die.” 19

Melconyan has worked one another with Armenian and you will Arab couples, and therefore significantly facilitated the fresh new save yourself functions. The guy shaped groups of horsemen, who significantly less than his command sought and you will saved Armenian internet orphans and females on the tents of your Bedouins in the desert. Either, this type of communities crossed over the edging into the Turkish top and you can set 100 % free the ladies and children abducted because of the Turks and you can Kurds. 20 Brand new survivors was stationed in the Aleppo, throughout the gardens entitled Sheik Daha, located in the northern a portion of the town, on the bank of the Queiq River. This new tents had been shelters towards orphans, refugees, and you will widows who had escaped Chicken or escaped on the Bedouins. Most of the survivors was provided by eating, healthcare, and you may clothing; their identities was basically searched, as well as their names was sent to push, church buildings, and you may Armenian communities, in an effort to discover the family relations. There have been a lot of people about urban area exactly who involved discover their sisters among newbies or even to see information about the latest future of their nearest and dearest. 21