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111
BATUM TO TIFLIS
At half-past seven in the morning wc slid into the roads
outside Batum. The town was all smiling in the quivering
sunlight, encircled by its green wooded hills and mountains.
Wc had arrived at the entrance to the Union of Soviet
Republics. The first business was an examination of the
whole crew. A Russian doctor came on board, in white
medical dress, with high Russian boots, and a white blouse
cut in the Soviet fashion, with a belt round the waist. He
kept on pulling down his blouse under the belt, while he
straightened his shoulders and expanded his chest. The
crew had all to stand in a row on deck while he walked to
and fro in front of them, tugged at his blouse, and counted
them. Two short. Then one came up from the engine
room ; and presently another ; now all were present. The
doctor proceeded to examine each man to make sure that there
were no signs of infectious disease. Eventually all were
passed and dismissed. But this tedious ceremony seemed
rather superfluous, as the whole crew were going back at
once with the ship. The passengers, on the other hand, who
were going on into the country and might spread mfection,
were not examined at all Instead, our passports were
looked at, which took a considerable time ; but in the end
this formality was safely got through, too.
Next a large deputation representing the various Govern
ments arrived on board to welcome our commission ; there
was the Government of the local republic of Acharistan, and
the Government of the republic of Georgia, to which this
autonomous republic belongs, and the Government of
Transcaucasian Federated Republics, to which Georgia
belongs, and finally the Government in Moscow of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, to which the Federation
belongs. Here wc were under the benevolent protection of
all these Governments, which seemed very reassuring.
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