Gilpin observer., 1915-06-17

VEIN the beginning or the vOy-
age had a spice Of excitement
about it. With the exception
of the leader of the expedi-
t1on, not one of US had ever
been in Serbia before; nor, indeed,
had we more than the vaguest no
tions regarding the country and its
people. Some of us, moreover, like
myself, had no experience whatever of
hospital work; SO that the whole ad-
venture seemed as underlined and
shadowy as any lover of romance
could desire, writes John w. N. Sui
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-
element of leaving England for an in
definite period. effectually banished
sleep for the time being. And we were
to have a convoy! AS a 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-
ers, and sometimes two or three vi
cious-looking destroyers would come
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. 1t 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
er was bad, and, except for two days
respite at Athens, the time was spent
in enduring violent internal upheav-
ais succeeded by spells of sad medita-
ton. But from Saloniki It is merely
days train journey to Skoplje-or
Uskub, as the Turks called 1t when
1t belonged to them-and at Skoplje
our hospital is situated.
A Serbian train is never In hurry
1t proceeds with leisurely dignity
along its single-track railway. taking
13 hours to travel $50 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 its 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
little matched mud hut, and stand
ing beside it motionless Serbian
sentry, apparently quite alone in the
surrounding desolation. 1t has a
SOLDERING effect. this Serbian scenery
We gradually lose the holiday feeling;
we become serious and a little de-
pressed.
Arrival at Uskub.
With the fall OF dusk we light our
candles, sticking them on projecting
parts of the carriage Il 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
emily the train clanks slowly to
standstill. We have arrived.
Skoplje or Uskub has, as we dis
covered later, more points of interest
than most Serbian towns. 1t is BIZ
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 lin 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
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 u curious race. That they
are brave and efficient fighters is
shown by their records in this and
other wars; but 1t is more interesting
to note what one might call their
peace qualities. The first thing which
strikes one about the Serbian patients
in ward is their extraordinary volu-
bility and cheerfulness. They turn
everything into Joke, including death
and Disagreement. Their sense Of
humor. like their sense of honor, oc-