The Pulaskian., 1915-06-11

A age had spice of excitement
 about it. With the exception &rvA of the leader of the expedi-
 tion, not one of us had ever been in Serbia before; nor, indeed, had we more than the yaguest no- tions regarding the country and it's people. Some of us, moreover, like myself, had no experience whatever of hospital work; so that the whole ad- venture seemed as undefined and shadowy as any lover of romance could desire, writes John w. N. Sul- livan in the Illustrated London News.
 We started at midnight, but none of us were in bed. The rumor that we were presently to pass through an area of floating mines laid by the Ger mans, combined with the natural ex- citement of leaving England for an in- definite period, effectually banished sleep for the time being. And We were to have convoy! As matter of fact, the convoy was very tame af fair. We occasionally saw a smudge on the horizon which we were in- formed was one of the escorting cruis- CTS, and sometimes two or three vi- near enough to be seen; but apart from these transient appearances the CONVOY, from the spectacular point of view, might just as well not have existed. It left us at Gibraltar, and from there till Malta it was no longer necessary to have lights out at night.
 From Malta to Saloniki the wealth CT was bad, and, except for two days respite at Athens, the time was spent in enduring violent internal upheav- als succeeded by spells of sad medita- ton. But from Saloniki it is merely a days train journey to Skoplje-or Uskub, as the Turks called 1t when it belonged to them-and at Skoplje our hospital is situated.
 A Serbian train is never in hurry. It proceeds with leisurely dignity along its single-track railway, taking 13 hours to travel 150 miles, and thus affording one plenty of time to study Serbian scenery. The Vardar, river which resembles tumultuous stream of pea-soup, accompanies the railway throughout it's entire length At in- tervals we crawl cautiously and almost imperceptibly over high wood bridges, the Vardar boiling beneath and the bleak, bare mountains enclosing one on either side. Stationed at regular distances along the line we see a little matched mud hut, and stand ing beside it a motionless Serbian sentry, apparently quite alone in the surrounding desolation. 1t has a sobering effect, this Serbian scenery we gradually lose the holiday feeling; we become serious and little de- pressed.
 Arrival at Uskub.
 With the fall of dusk we light our candles, sticking them on projecting parts of the carriage q have not got the grease off my uniform yeti, and open our bags of provisions. Fortu- nately it is a warm day, for there is no heating or lighting apparatus on the train. We finish our meal, talk a little, and sleep little, until pres ently the train clanks slowly to a standstill. We have arrived.
 Skoplje or Uskub has, as we dis than most Serbian towns. It is bi- sected by the Vardar, one side being Turkish in population and buildings, and the other side Serbian. The con- trast is really very interesting, and in some ways instructive. But at first one had no opportunity of seeing the town; the hospital claimed all ones attention. After working twelve to fifteen hours every day, one has little leisure or inclination for sightseeing. The walk Gin high rubber boots) through the semiliquid streets of Uskub from the orderlies' sleeping quarters to the hospital, and the view of the distant mountains from the hospital windows, was for some time our sole acquaintance with this part of Serbia. On the other hand, one gained quite good insight into the character of the Serbian people from the patients in the wards.
 They are curious race That they are brave and efficient fighters is shown by their records in this and other wars but it is more interesting to note what one might call their peace qualities. The first thing which strikes one about the Serbian patients in a ward is their extraordinary volu- biiity and cheerfulness. They turn everything into joke, including death zud disagreement. Their sense of humor, like their sense of honor, oc-