The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-08-22
A CHAMBER OF HORRORS.
CONTINUED from page 3, column u

(COQIlQuCu pdSO =, NoAo1AA - i
tunnel from the other end, which,
with the aid of poilu, we finally
discovered.
The entrance-to this tunnel was eX-
tremely difficult. We soon had TO
walk on all fours. Soon the pale
light of the orifce through which we
had entered was lost and we had to
light our candles and electric lights.
Arrived at the foot of staircase OF
seventy steps, we found ourselves in
a series of little rooms, about Wh1cn
were scattered innumerable bottles.
II had been the German beer shop.
There were also all the appliances
for boiling and sterilizing water. One
of the rooms had evidently been a
dormitory, the mattresses being still
there, but this was not what We had
come to seek-not corpse was to
be found. Had they, then, invented
THIS SrueSOuS ldlS:
Suddenly in the last compartment
by the light of my smoky candle l
seemed to see in the partition wall of
the mine a closed door. l pulled it
towards myself and it opened, re-
leasing an odor of mushrooms and
mould and swarm of mosquitoes.
A Scene of Horror.
The pale and smoky candle reveal
ed a horrible sight. Before me lay
the bodies of soldiers in every imagl-
nable pose in which death had over
taken them with such suddenness.
They had lain there since August,
1917. some leaning against each 9TH
er. some on the back, some on the
face. some seated, others leaning on
their guns, many lying side by side
seemed asleep. 1t would seem as II
the humidity and lack of light and
air had preserved the bodies-the
flesh was still on the hands except In
certain places, where it had fallen on
and the bones were exposed.
The heads were still covered with
hair under the helmets, While the
eyes, wide open, were like great
empty black holes, which seemed to
shrink with terror from the light.
The spectacle was Internal and one
had to summon all the force of his
soul to preserve his equanimity and
see what he wished to see. How had
they died? What must be done to
prevent our own men from a similar
fate? These thoughts were strong
enough to conquer the horrible re-
pu1sion experienced against contin-
uing the exploration.
"The corpse of an enemy always
smells good" says an old proverb OF
the savages, but at the same time
realized that a soldier wha has died
for his country is always worthy of
respect, even when it is the case of
country like Germany, which has
treated us with the most abominable
cruelty. I wished to pass among the
dead with reverence and to accom-
plish this I prayed to the god OF bat
ties that he would accord to these
warriors the pardon of their faults
towards us, and that their souls in
repose might show their compa-
triots, still living, the folly of the
war and of their own misdeeds.
Trying Moments.
A muddy and blackish water stood
over the surface of the soil in the
middle of which one found groups of
corpses forming little islands. You
can imagine the pain and horror with
which / passed from one of these lit
tie islands to another assisting my
self with ends of old rails and moldy
planks. To cross here it was neces-
sary to step across head, or an arm,
or a cross formed by leg and an
arm-at one point I thought had
arrived at solid ground formed of
sacks of earth. 1t proved to be backs
or loins.! Perspiration poured down
my face, my hands were covered with
the mould and filth of the walls, my
clothes had touched everywhere the
the horrors which surrounded me. In
spite of all my precaution my feet