The Pulaskian., 1918-10-25
CHAPTER x.-continued.


 The knack of making fire with two pieces of dry wood I had often read about, but had never put it to a test and for various reasons I concluded that it would be unsafe for me to build fire even if l had matches. Tn the first place, there was no absolute need for it. 1 didn't have anything to cook nor utensils to cook it in even if had. While the air was getting to be rather cool at night, I was usu- ally on the go at that time and didn't notice it. In the daytime, when I was resting or sleeping, the sun was usually out.
 To have borrowed matches from a belgian peasant would have been feas- ible, but when I was willing to take the chance of approaching anyone, it was just as easy to ask for food as matches.
 It the second place, it would have been extremely dangerous to have built fire even if I had needed it. You can't build a fire in Belgium, which is the most thickly populated country in Europe, without everyone knowing it, and I was far from anx- lous to advertising my whereabouts.
 The villages in that part of Bel gium through which I was making my course were so close together that there was hardly ever an hour passed without my hearing some clock strike. Every village has its clock. Many times could hear the clocks striking In two villages at the same time.
 But the hour had very little interest to me. My program was to travel as last as I could from sunset to sunrise and pay no attention to the hours in between, and in the daytime I had only two things to worry about: keep concealed and get as much sleep as possible.
 The cabbage that I got in Belgium consisted of the small heads that the peasants had not cut. All the strength nad concentrated in these little heaus and they would be as bitter as gall. would have to be pretty hungry to- uay before I could ever eat cabbage again and the same observation ap- plies to carrots, turnips and sugar 0eetS-especially sugar beets.
 It IS rather remarkable thing that today even smell of turnips, raw or cooked, makes me sick. and yet few snort months ago my life depended upon them.
 Ara
 Night after night as I searched for food, was always in hopes that might come upon some tomatoes or ceiery-vegetables which I really nked, but with the exception of once, when found some celery, I was never 50 fortunate. I ate so much of the celery the night I came upon it that was sick for two days thereafter, put carried several punches away with me and used to chew on it as walked along.
 UT course, l kept my eyes open all the time for fruit trees, but apparently u was too late in the year for fruit, as all that l ever was able to find were two pears, which got out of a tree.
 "oo oiS Ol liJ ISu-lSItSi OdyoS put l was never able to repeat it.
 Tn the brooks and ponds that I passed l often noticed fish of different Kinds. That was either in the early morning just before I turned in for the day, or on moonlight nights when ehe water seemed as clear in spots az Tn the daytime. It occurred to me .hat It would be simple matter to rig nook and line and catch some fish, put had no means of cooking them ana 1t was useless to fish for the sake of it.
 one night in Belgium my course LOOK me through desolate stretch of country which seemed to be absolutely uncultivated. I must have covered '"elve miles during the night, without passing single farm or cultivated neid. My stock of turnips which I nad picked the night before was gone ana planned, of course, to get enough to carry me through the following day.
 :, Ine North Star was shining brightly mat night and there was absolutely nothing to prevent my steering an ab- ss.oiutely direct course for Holland and nperty, but my path seemed to lie through arid pastures. Far to the