Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1918-07-18
CHAPTER VII.
Crawling Through Germany.

Crawling Through Germany
The exact spot at which l made my
desperate leap l don't know. Perhaps,
after the war is over, someone on that
train will be good enough to tell me
and then 1 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.
l was bleeding profusely from the
wounds caused by the fall, but 1
checked it somewhat with handker-
chiefs 1 held TO my face, and 1 also
held the tail of my coat so as to catch
the blood as it fell and not TO leave
tell-tale traces on the ground.
Before l stopped 1 had gone about a
mile. Then 1 took my course from the
stars and found that l had been going
just opposite to the direction l should
be making, but 1 could not go back
across the track there.
Heading west, therefore, 1 kept this
course for about two and half hours,
but as l was very weak from loss Of
blood l didn't cover very much ground
in that time. Just before daylight.
came to a canal which 1 knew had TO
cross, and 1 swan il with everything
had on.
This swim, which proved to be the
first of a series that 1 was destined 10
make, taught me several things.
In the first place, had forgotten to
remove my wrist-watch. This watch
had been broken in my fall from the
air, but l had it 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, had not thought to take
my map out of my sock and the water
damaged that, too.
Thereafter, whenever 1 had any
swimming 10 do, was careful to take
such matters into consideration. and
my usual practice was to make a
bundle of all the things that would be
damaged by water and tie 1t TO my
head. In this way was able to keep
them dry.
1t was now daylight and knew that
it would be suicidal for me TO attempt
to travel in the daytime. My British
uniform would have been fatal to me.
1 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 1
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 1 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 it would have
been difficult for me 10 have swallowed
had not the piece of bread, which was !
to serve for my breakfast, got wet
when l swan the canal. found a safe
hiding place in which to spend the
day and l tried TO dry some of my
clothes, but slight drizzling rainfall
made that out of the question. l knew /
that l ought to sleep, as l planned TO
travel at night, but sore as l was, .
,aked with mud and blood, my cloth
ng soaked through and my hunger not
nearly appeaSed, sleep was out of the
question. This seemed to me about !.
he longest day l had ever spent, but
was still to learn how long day can
,eally be and how much longer 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
yood pair of wool socks and a German
,ap. l had a wallet containing sew
sral hundred francs in paper money
md various other papers. l also had
/ jackknife which l had stolen one
lay before from the property room at
Iourtrai, where all the personal eff
'ects taken from prisoners were kept.
For a day or two had carried KNAPP
sack, but as 1 had nothing, to carry in
{ l discarded it.
1 travelled rapidly, considering my
difficulties, and swan couple OF
annals that night, covering in all per
laps ten miles before daylight. Then
located in some low bushes, lying
here all day in my wet clothes and
inishing my sausage for food. That
vas the last of my rations.
That night l made perhaps the same
distance, but became very hungry and
thirsty before the night was over.