The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1916-08-10

Bismarck, Aug. 1.-THE camp at
Mercedes is like that at Camp Lincoln,
says Capt, A. B. WelCh in a letter re-
GRised yesterday. The letter follows:
Well here we are, and l am steal
aag little time to write to you. Our
2amp is made just as you saw it at
Samp Lincoln except that it is among
aAs tropical jungle of mesquite, ba-
DaIlas and weeds. We are cleaning it
all out with our bayonets and bolos
and we are cleaner than at Bismarck.
Nc have killed two rattlesnakes, sew.
enal scorpions, some centipedes and
iarantulas and the boys have choice
snNection of reptiles captured. Quail
and deer are plentiful. Last night the
Ssutries on our right took several
shots at some MeXicans who tried
to get by somewhere along the line
We are very comfortable here and are
guarding this little city. We are 3b
miles from the border and great
irrigation main line runs by the camp
This We guard also. Eighteen thous
and troops are camping within three
miles OF us, and we get many COM
pliments from everybody. Texas is
samped just about three blocks from
NJ, aud some regular cavalry is on
Dnr right. They kill someone most
every night. Have seen several places
where fights have occurred houses
shot up and burned, etc. We are
about IA miles to the west of Browns
5IIe, in the extreme southern part of
the state. In case of extreme trouble
We will perhaps be sent on transports
and become part of the expedition
10 Mexico City from Vera Cruz. This
is beautiful little town with it's
Mexican quarters and white district,
separate and apart A fine hotel,
where had my dinner last night.
Regular Manila over again. Seems
good to get into the tropics again.
Very hot but fine gulf breeze
springs up about noon, which cools
things off somewhat. Mosquito nets
and board floor in my tent A big
horned toad sits on my desk as l
write, watching me carefully. We
Rad fine trip south and in record
alrne. Don't believe any reports about
collision. There was not man hurt
and besides smashing up two coaches,
NO harm was done at all. We made
san1p I'LL driving rain about 10 o'clock
at night and l slept out at last under
the stars after the rain quit. We had
about Is great army trucks hauling out
oar lmpedlmenta, but the mud was
lerce. But we are all right now.
You would laugh to see these cring-
ing Mexicans and their families. l
saw four on one burro yesterday.
Must WSit now, as this is just a line
OF two. Health of all the boys good
- ~. :ss; Is: ~
Dne of the Jamestown boys writes
go The; Alert in the following enter.
tainfne manner:
Our camp is on the outskirts of
Inc town of Mercedes, which is
small but nice town. 1t is a boom
town built by the irrigation people.
untn @1tfT@ are all on the south side
and the Mexicans on the north side.
Ne are six miles north of the Rio
Grande and 40 miles west of the
gulf. This country had no rain from
June, 1915, to July 1, this year, but
has had 10 inches of rainfall in the
last four weeks. Vegetation is awful
rank, tul OF ants, gnats, scorpions,
taYaHtlllas, common snakes and the
like; also flies. We don't know what
they feed on, but we have them. We
aee getting rid of all except the ants
and gnats as the ground is being de-
nnded Of all vegetation, and it may
ranse the ants to leave. The gnats
are quite a problem.
The country is low and marshy, only
from 3B 10 40 feet above the sea level.
Vegetation mostly low thistle brush
and cactus with few larger trees. The
soil is heavy dark clay, which when
Dig is as hard as. a brick, but when
wet, even when only wet from the
dew, ii is very gummy and adheres
fEnaciouslY.
This is the rainy season here and
She air is moist and close, and full of
numberless varieties of insects and
dies. In some places grass and weeds
grow thick and furnish breeding
places for insects and flies. The most
annoying insect is very small fly,
like a gnat, that flies in swarms and
gets into food and water, under cloth
ing and insists on filling the mouth,
eyes and ears.
We have requisitioned lumber and
Hardware for company messhall and
wnl have that built and screened as
SOon as possible. The men have all
been furnished cots and mosquito bars
ao rs per cent Of the men. Mosquitoes
IRE not troublesome. We are short
M mosquito bars in Co. H.
This is quite tropical country and
stin7ate. We expect to get accustom.