The Cordova daily times., 1918-08-09
CHAPTER VII.
Crawling Through Germany.

Crawling Through Germany.
 The exact spot at which 1 made my desperate leap don't know. Perhaps, after the war is over, someone on that train will be good enough to tell me and then I may go back and look for the dent l must have made in the rock ballast.
 l have said, I didn't stop very long that morning after l once regained my senses.
 was bleeding profusely from the wounds caused by the fall, but checked 1t somewhat with handker chiefs I held to my face. and l also held the tail of my coat so as to catch the blood as it fell and not to leave telI-tale traces on the ground.
 Before I stopped had gone about q mile. Then l took my course from the stars and found that had been going just opposite to the direction 1 should across the track there.
 Heading west. therefore, l kept this course for about two and Il half hours, but as was very weak from loss of blood l didn't cover very much ground in that time. Just before daylight. l came to q canal which l knew 1 had to cross, and l swan it with everything 1 hFtl on.
 This swim, which proved to be the first of q series that l was destined tc l-n tTry
 In the first place, had forgotten to remove my wrist-watch. This watch had been broken in my fall from the air, but 1 had 1t repaired at COurtrai. In the leap from the train, the crystal had been broken again, but it was still going and would probably have been of great service to me in my subsequent adventures. but the swim across the canal ruined it.
 Then, too, l had not thought to take damaged that, too.
 Thereafter, whenever l had any swimming to do. l was careful to take such matters into consideration, and my usual practice was to make Il bundle of all the things that would be damaged by water and tie it to my head. In this way I was able to keep them dry.
 It was now daylight and I knew that 1t would be suicidal for me to attempt to travel In the daytime. My British uniform would have been fatal to me. I decided to hide in the daytime and travel only at night.
 Not far from the canal 1 could see a heavily-wooded piece of ground, and l made my way there. By this time l had discovered that my left ankle had been strained in my leap from the train, and when I got to the woods l was glad to lie down and rest. The wound in my mouth had been opened, too, when l jumped, and 1t would have been difficult for me to have swallowed had not the piece of bread, which was to serve for my breakfast got wet when l swan the canal. 1 found safe hiding place in which to spend the day and l tried to dry some of my 'ioAii'Nt put u SiiSiA tl lELialiS made that out of the question. l knew that l ought to sleep, as I planned to travel at night. but sore as l was, caked with mud and blood my cloth ing soaked through and my hunger not nearly appeased, sleep was out of the question. This seemed to me about the longest day I had ever spent. but l was still to learn how long n day can really be and how much longer a night.
 When night came l dragged myself together and headed northeast.
 My clothing consisted of my Flying Corps uniform. two shirts, no under wear, leather leggings. heavy shoes, a good pair of wool socks and n German cap. l had n wallet containing sev- eral hundred francs in paper money Il jackknife which 1 had stolen one day before from the property room at Courtrai. where all the personal ef- fActs taken from prisoners were kept. For day'or two had carried n knap sack. but as had nothing to carry in it I discarded it.
 travelled rapidly, considering my difficulties, and swan couple of canals that night, covering in all per haps ten miles before daylight. Then located in some low bushes, lying there all day in my wet clothes and finishing my sausage for food. That was the last of my rations. That night made perhaps the same distance, but became very hungry and thirsty before the night was over.