Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-03-08
ARMY NURSE.
ELLSWORTH BOY BACK FROM
TRIP AROUND THE WORLD.
LEWIS A. ELLINGTON RELATES HIS
EXPERIENCES IN THE FAR EAST
HOME TO STAY.

Ellington, of Ellsworth, tells to the
Lowell (Mass.) Courier an interesting
story OF his experiences as a government
contract nurse in the far East-Japan,
China and the Philippines.
II have had three years as contract
nurse" he says, "and my last trip was
through tropical countries. My expert
ence at Nagasaki, Japan, Manila, p. l.,
and upon the hospital ship Relief, which
piled between the islands OF the Philip
pine group, is something that cannot
soon forget.
"When the ship left New York on
March 2, 1899, there were 1856 nurses, and
seventeen contract nurses. We were
bound for Manila, where our services
were urgently needed, and for China,
where the Boxer uprising was in embryo.
We arrived in Gibraltar after ten days.
passage and stopped four days for coal
and repairs. The English garrison treated
us finely and when we left gave us crest
send-off. They supplied US with the Pail
Mall Gasettes. and one night held sham
battle in honor of our officers. 1t was
quite difficult to break away from there,
so we'll did the people entertain US.
"Passing through the Mediterranean
sea we arrived at Port Said, Egypt, after
eleven days on the water. As we were to
stop five days. all of the nurses went
ashore and had grand time. We rode in
riekshaws into the country, also visited
wicked Cairo, the worst place in the
world, SO say some. The trip through
the Suez canal was uneventful except that
we saw many interesting things as we
went along. The canal Is something like
1877 miles in length.
"Along the side Is steam railroad. We
saw men riding on camels and used to yell
at them and wave our caps. Some were
very friendly and would answer In their
strange tongue, showing their white teeth
and calling Allah, Allah, with wild
gesticulations.
"a stop OF day was made at the Isle
Of Perrin, barren spot with nothing but
coal station, and then we proceeded d.
rectly to the island Of Ceylon. Port Col
ombo was as beautiful a place as 1 ever
saw. We spent some time on shore in
specting things and improving our
knowledge Of geography. Cinnamon grew
abundantiy there, and we broke of the
branches OF the trees to smell the fra
grant odor.
Through the Indian ocean into the
Straits OF Malacca to the China sea, was
about the toughest bit of voyaging we
encountered. There was a pilot needed
to keep up out Of danger in the straits,
which were rocky, winding, narrow and
extremely dangerous.
Our next stop was at Singapore, British
India, where we were given another re-
ception by the English garrison. They
came down in boats aud took us ashore,
showing US their buildings and enter
tanning at their best clubs. l became ac-
quainted there with an American who
for over Gig hteen years has been in bust
ness as dealer in wild animals. He
employed fifty or seventy-five natives at
regular salaries, who hunted the lion and
elephant in all parts OF British India.
His heaviest purchaser at the time was,
believe, Ringing Bros. circus. He took
me to his home, where there were a baby
elephant and an infant lion, and greatly
enjoyed the visit. told him of the home
country and he narrated to me things
about himself and his experiences In
capturing and caging beasts of the for
est.
''1t took seven or eight days to go to
Hong Kong. We all went ashore, but at
that time the bubonic plague was at its
height and we were not allowed in GER
tain parts of the city. Some streets were
quarantined. Men were dropping dead
in their tracks In the streets and ambu-
lances were plyingj back and forth with
funeral regularity. East OF the Queen
Road no one was allowed to step, for 1t
meant death OF horrible character.
ave next proceeded to Manila. P. /.
where 1 went Immediately to work in the
reserve hospital. There were 1900
patients there at the time, suffering from
every conceivable disease. Many OF our
own soldier boys were there with wounds
was in the operating and surgical rooms
most of the time. Besides American
soldiers, there were civilians, department
clerks and many natives.
"There were many Filipinos among those
cared for, but events made it very appar-
ent that these people should have had a
hospital all by themselves on reservs-
tion. The insurgents would be brought
into our hospital suffering from wounds,
and after they had been cured were al
lowed to go loose again. What did they
do? just as soon as they recuperated
they went back to fighting against us
again, as we found out very often. Many
times on the battlefield they would come
across dead and wounded men who had
been treated at our hospitals. After it
was discovered that this was the actual
condition OF things, these men were
placed under arrest and were not allowed
to go free.
"One event was indelibly impressed