in charge of My expulsion declared, however:
"These others have not been charged with any offence and have not been
expelled by the government. Should they desire to accompany you, no one
will oppose them." These hapless souls therefore paid their own expenses,
forsook all their possessions, and, contenting themselves with Our
presence and placing their whole trust in God, journeyed once again with
Him until the fortress of 'Akka became the prison of Baha.

4 Upon our arrival, we were surrounded by guards and confined together,
men and women, young and old alike, in the army barracks. The first night
all were deprived of either food or drink, for the sentries were guarding
the gate of the barracks and permitted no one to leave. No one gave a
thought to the plight of these wronged ones. They even begged for water,
and were refused.

5 Time hath passed, and we all remain confined in these barracks,
notwithstanding that during the five years we dwelt in Adrianople, all its
inhabitants, whether learned or ignorant, rich or poor, bore witness to
the purity and sanctity of these servants. At the time this Youth was
departing from Adrianople, one of the loved ones of God attempted to take
his own life, so unbearable to him was the sight of this Wronged One in
the hands of His oppressors. During the journey we were thrice compelled
to change ships, and it is evident how much the children suffered as a
result. Upon disembarking, four of the believers were separated and
prevented from accompanying Us. As this Youth was leaving, one of the
four, named 'Abdu'l-Ghaffar, cast himself into the sea, and no one knoweth
what befell him thereafter.(73)

6 All this is but a drop in the ocean of the wrongs that have been
inflicted upon Us, and still ye are not satisfied! The officials enforce
every day a new decree, and no end is in sight to their tyranny. Night and
day they conceive new schemes. They have assigned each prisoner, from the
government storehouse, a daily allowance of three loaves of bread that no
one can eat. From the foundation of the world until the present day a
cruelty such as this hath neither been seen nor heard of.

7 By the righteousness of Him Who hath caused Baha to speak forth before
all that are in heaven and all that are on earth! Ye have neither rank nor
mention among them that have offered up their souls, their bodies and
their substance for the love of God, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling,
the Almighty