The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-05-23
he sea was smooth again.

the sea was smooth again.
fully realize why they call those
big ships "ocean grey hounds" and
especially the last two days Of the
voyage when we entered the. danger
zone. She then showed what she
could do in the way of speed. The
day we struck port somewhere on
this side," it was perfectly calm;
bit foggy early in the morning. and
altogether ideal weather for subma-
rines. but Mr.. Sub didn't show his
nose out at all, and we'll for him ne
didn't say, for Uncle Sans gunners
sure know how to shoot.
I'd like to tell you more Of the
s5hp Itself but cannot. can say
though that we were well careq 1or'
although somewhat crowded. Natur-
ally we soon got used to that. "nat
interested me great deal were tne
engines in the ship. Whenever was
on guard had chance to look down
into the engine room. 1t surpassed
anything l had ever seen before IN
the way of engines:
What looked good to all OF US
though was to see the pretty green
fields in France. After that long win
ter in camp and the many days we
saw nothing but water, made US just
rave over them. The scenery so far
here has been picturesque and every
thing looks peaceful as can be. :,
7 found it almost impossible to find
time to write since the boat we came
over on dropped anchor in the har-
Dor. It was four days after that be-
foro wa GOT off the ship and once more
felt terra firma. Those four days
land nights) were spent unloading
the ship's cargo. Our regimen. was
detailed for the work and we were on
six hour shifts till the unloading ceas-
ed. which was early Thursday a. m.
You should have seen the supplies
etc that came out of that ships
hold There seemed to be no bottom
in that ship at all. When not on duty
there was little chance for sleeping
for the donkey engines kept up a
continual grind all the time and the
shift on duty kept shouting and hol-
lering too. It was relief to get away
from the boat, believe me, having
been on it for fifteen days.
We marched quietly through the
town about 1900 a. m. and out to the
railway yards, where our. train await
ed to take us, we knew not where.
There were two days rations aboard,
80 we knew we had some ride ahead
of US. We were packed in forty to
car. not coaches, but little dinky horse
cars, On the outside of each written
in French was 90 horses or 40 men"
They were funny looking things, those
cars, but the engine was queerest OF
ALL It was small but it sure could
20 all right. There were times on
that trip we thought surely we must
be off the track and humping along on
the ties. We had to stand up to look
out of the windows (Which had ne
glass in them.) But the scenery On!
I can't begin to describe it. The little
towns. all so antique and picturesque
The quaint people and methods, and
above all the tidiness of all the
dwellings both in the towns and coun-
try. We travelled SO hours, stopping
/ at terminals for short time, giving
us an opportunity to stretch our
selves.
That journey took US through some
of the prettiest parts OF France. II
was a very noticeable fact, though
the absence of the young men: Every
thing about us seems peaceful as cal
be. but we see many soldiers, Dotl
French and U. s., coming and gong
Altogether the French people seen
very glad to see us.
We arrived and disembarked at {
little town about 200 a. m. ant
marched two miles to camp. It wal
four o'clock before we got to bed ant
were called out at seven. We had
chance then to take good hot batl