The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1917-10-04

y. Earl True of Norridgewock and
comes from his brother W p True
who is now in Scotland An excel
lent insight into the life and customs
Of the people of that country may be
gained by reading this letter
Ardgay, Ross-shire. Scotland,
July lG
Dear Aunt Rosa:
How are you people and how is
Grandma standing the hot weather?
suppose it is hot at this time of year
and that you are busy haying
Perhaps you would like to know
something about our trip and the
country. climate and people here In
Scotland.
Well to begin with we left Boston
June Is for New York harhor, arriving
there on the 10th. We Immediately
boarded a large transport. | could
writ up quite lot of dope describing
the boat but we aren't allowed to do
so. While there we saw large num-
bers of submarines. war ships and
airplanes. We were anchored about
a
On the 18th we left the harbor for
Halifax, sailing at 35 miles per hour.
We reached Halifax at noon the 18th
and cast anchor. BY the way the
anchor weighed l IL tons and each
link of the chain weighed rs pounds.
They were handled by electric winch
es, not men VIII also say that the
ship had nine decks and 3h times
around the upper promenade deck was
mile On June % we locked to
allow (consored) to come aboard. We
we're at dock two days and tried all
kinds of excuses to get ashore leave
but couldn't | had a bad cavity in
one of my teeth and wanted the ships
doctor to issue a pass SO ! could get
ashore and have it filled. but he laugh
ed and said nothing doing. On the
Goth we left in company with another
transport and an armed cruiser for an
escort While passing the Grand
Banks of Newfoundland we saw few
small whales also some fishing smacks
On July Sd we were met by five sub
marine destroyers that were to con-
vey or protect us on the rest of the
journey as we were then in the danger
zone. 1t kept a fellow guessing when
he went to mess or to bed at night
whether he would be able to get on
deck again or not.
We had one or two boat drills every
day and wore life jackets continually
after leaving Halifax.
The alarm or signal for the drills
would occur at the most unexpected
times AT first there was an awful
jamming and confusion among the
men but after few days we were able
to get to our particular boat in Is
minutes. We got wireless news every
day from England and u S. A. They
kept the baseball fans that were
aboard posted on all the league games
also all the war news were put up on
the bulletin board.
At 3 O'Clock of the 4th we sighted
land and there was almost as much
noise and excitement aboard as oc-
cure at MERGERS annual Cattle Show
and Fair
We landed at Liverpool that even
ing being 20 days aboard and | want
to say that Liverpool consists mostly
tthat is the part | saw of smoke,
fog and narrow streets.
All the street cars have lady drivers
and are double deck affairs. The
police are ladies and | saw girls hand
ling two and three ton trucks with
lots more ease and vigor among the
large traffic than some girls handle
brooms and fly bats in Mercer.
That evening we went aboard the
queerest train | ever saw, the cars
are 90 or 30 feet long and have four
compartments each supposed to hold
twelve people. The conductor pass
es along the running board to collect
fares There are no brakes whatso-
ever on the cars and they are con-
nected to each other by short chains.
The freight cars are from six to ten
tons capacity. They use 2240 pounds
for q ton here.
We travelled 450 or 500 miles and
reached this place at noon July 9Th.
We passed some beautiful castles and
estate, on the way here also some
tne cattle and horses. by the way this
Is the home of the Clydesdale horse.
We are at present all located in one
large circus tent, that Is, the most
of us If you care to look up the
map of Scotland and find on the N. E.
coast Donnach Firth part of Moray
Firth YOU can get an idea where we
are.
| was sick four day with a desper-
ate headache and cold and have lost
II pounds since June 9Th. They have
established field hospital and have
nurse there, at present there are II
natipnts In II qOma have measles.
others have bad colds and there Is one
case of appendicitis. one fellow has
had several attacks of heart trouble
and is to be sent to the U. s. A. as
soon as possible.
The weather Is delightfully."- cool for
July the thermometer rarely going |
above 70 and the days are delightfully."- |
long, the sun rises at $50 or and sits |
around half past ten. This Is rather
bad for the fellows that have picked |
up girls but probably they can make
up their counting in the winter as the
days and nights are nearly reversed
They claim there isn't much snowfall
here, rain, sleet and hail instead. Ten
above zero is considered a cold day
all this is due to the fact that the
Gulf Stream passes near us.
Life among the natives Is very easy |
and primitive. The houses are rath
er small and are entirely of stone with |
slate roofs. The walls are very thick |
and the ends are made hollow to per
NIT the building Of fireplaces in each |
end down stairs and up, over which |
all the cooking is done. They bake
on a largo fat ctona that 10 uaually |