Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-01-13
SOLDIER LIFE m
DARKEST EGYPT
sy Fac. .nd Inel New. servlee

Oh the mediterranean Expedttionary
force is favored individual. During
the day the sun smiles serenely upon
him and life throbs with color At
night the moon bathes with cold
light the mysterious grey shapes OF a
fanciful landscape, and the stars scin.
tillate with a brilliance unknown to
the man at home. Be his surround
ings grim or gay. the charm OF the
tropical night creeps into and per-
meates his being.
This is especially the case in Egypt,
where many of our soldiers find
haven Of rest and quiet to recover
from their wounds. Fate and a Tur-
hsh bullet resulted in my arrival IN
a native hospital near Alexandria. l
well remember the first sensations OF
my advent.
On strip OF desert, covering the
cliff tops and overlooking the sea,
clustered the hospital encampment.
Long gowned natives moved silently
to and fro, their dusky faces making
delightful blots of color. in the staring
areas of white and yellow.
was taken to a place which was
called a reception room, but which
looked more like South Sea Island
ers abode. The building consisted Of
an awning of rushes matted together
and propped up by long wooden pole
II was fenced off by a narrow strip
of the same mating. Dusk settled
down as the long intricate details con-
corning the new arrivals were entered
on large sheet of cardboard by a
native orderly. II was quite dark
when I was shown which marquee /
had to go to.
The other patients had all gone out:
and as I pulled aside the curtain to
look for vacant bed, queer sort OF
feeling overcame me. The tent was
lined inside by dark blue cloth,
against which showed up vaguely rows
of ghostly beds and pyramid of
Egyptian vases on a pedestal. There
was an extraordinary stiffness in the
air; and could not help feeling that
the curtains of the far corner would
be pulled aside to reveal a solemn
visaged Egyptian deity. The Yellow
wildly to my memory.
The feeling vanished as made
down my bed and bundled my scanty
belongings below the pillow. Then |
set out on a tour of inspection. The
encampment looked down upon a long
strip of beach, lit up by an occasional
electric light. The sound of laughter
and the hum of many voices waited
across the still night air.
A precipitous scrambling path took
me past. a gaunt wooden building
which I made out to be boathouse,
A couple of native women sat on an
upturned boat, laughing merrily. The
beach was a tumbling chaos of color.
The tumult of voices was softened by
the gentle sound of the surf. Arabs,
Soudanese. Egyptians, and representa-
tives of almost every European coun,
try thronged along the shore.
Pretty French girls, in white sum.
mer frocks, laughed and chatted gaiiy.
a group of Mohammedan ladies in
black draperies, and their faces hid
den behind dark mask, were wading
ankle deep in the sea. Peals of laugh.
tor echoed from them as one wave,
holder than the others, surged rogu.
ishly over their ankles and dampened
their garments.
In kahki and fez. and grasping a
rifle, paced up and down. Australian
troopers trotted slowly amongst the
crowd. Wounded soldiers in Egyptian
hospital garb wandered aimlessly to
and fro. Some of them were dressed
in white blouses and pantaloons; 9th,
ers in green. Most of them wore
broad-rlmed straw hats. few wore
sun helmets. Brown-faced youngsters
in light and flimsy attire darted hither
and thither regardless of the shouts
of "Allons enfants!" from a demure
Pari9ienne. The clatter of many diff.
ferent tongues blended joyously.
Native hawkers, with baskets of
nuts, pomegranates. cakes, and apples,
shouted what they had to sell in a
monotonous sing-song voice, always
preflxing the article with VERY
good; very nice!"
Along the beach stretched a row OF
bathing huts with a wicker-work can.
opy in front of each. From the huts
were produced tables. deck chairs,
dishes, and tablecloths. Baskets we're
unpacked, and dainty suppers set out
by def feminine fingers. The clink
of cutlery and the Jingle OF glasses
mingled with hilarious shouts Of mer.
riment.
The Tommies made themselves quite
at home amongst the crowd. A num-
Der Of them heroicaily struggled to
make themselves understood TO admir-.
ing nymphs; others Joined in romp
with eager and joyful youngsters. l
sat down in corner of one OF the
bathing coach awnings and watched
the surf reflect the moonbeam's glitter
before II broke on the shore,
xtyoo n narfaoN ,,to1,t rrt,, a,o $780,,