The spectator., 1919-03-04

II The flSnInuu must nave uIiVtxbtOO0 it, because he let out q volley of curses in return. The French sentries seem- ed to enf0y this barrage of insults and
 did not in any way attempt to curtaii
 the prisoners remarks. This, at the time, struck me as depicting remark
 able sense of fairness, apd later on,
 during my service on the western
 front, I found out that the French
 man in all his dealings Is fair and
 just.
 Pretty soon the prisoners faded out
 of sight and we came alongside the
 dock at Bordeaux. I was all eagerness and strained my eyes so as not to miss 1 the least thing. The dock was full of
 French cavalrymen, hurrying to and fro. Huge Turcos, black as the ace of spades, with white turbans on their heads, were majestically strid-
 ing about.
 After we warped into the dock and made fast, our work was over. We had
 nothing to do with the unloading or the horses. The French cavalrymen came aboard with bunch of cavalry
 matters hanging over their arms. 1t was a marvel to see with what ease and efficiency that ship was unlOnd- ed. The condition of the horses was pitiful. They could hardly bend their legs from stiffness They would hob- ble down the gangplank and stand trembling on the dock. In about minute or so they would stretch their necks way up into the air and seem to be taking long breaths of the pure air. Then they started to whinny. They were calling backward and for ward to each other. Even though
 did not understand horse language. knew exactly what they were saying.
 They were thanking the good Lord for their deliverance from that hell
 ship. and were looking forward to green pastures and good roll Tn the dirt. Pretty soon you could see them bend their forelegs and lie down on l the dock: then try to roll over. It was pitiful: some of them did not have the strength to turn over and they feebly kicked. Pretty soon the ! whole dock was mass of rolling l uOESCS, tuS EIcuCtneu around. gesticulating and jabbering.
 After getting the horses up, they were divided into classes according to their height and weight. Then each horse was led into a ring chalked out on the dock and the army inspectors examined it. Very few were reject ed. From this ring of chalk they were led into a portable stall and | branded. You could hear the sing song voice of the brander shouting ont what sounded like "Battry Loo" AS l he yelled this, a French private would | come over, get the horse which had | been branded, and lead it away. I got in conversation with an inter preter and he informed me that the average life of these horses in the French army was three days. so these poor horses had only left that hell ship to go into worse hell of bursting shells and cracking bullets. I. after passing q rigid examination as to my nationality. and being issued Il cattleman's passport, inquired my way to the prefecture of police. l deliverd to him sealed envelope which I had received in New York. | Upon opening 1t. he was very gracious | to me and I went into a rear room. where the interpreter put me through l a grilling examination. From there I was taken to hotel. and the next morning in the company of sergeant and a private. got into little match l hN~ p<v tho ing train I ever saw. The track seenl- ed to be about three feet wide: the wheels of the cars looked like huge cogwheels on an engine minus the cogs. After pumping, stopping. and sometimes sliding backwards. in 26 | hours we reached little town. Sup | plies were piled up as high as houses. Officers and enlisted men were hurrying to and fro, and could see long trains of supply wagons and artillery limbers always moving in the same direction. l was ushered into the presence of | French officer. who, l later found out, | was brigadier general of the Quar. | termaster corps. I could hear a dis. | tant booming. and upon inquiring | iouhu out tiiui II WIS tHt t,uuS or France, striving to hold back the Ger. l man invaders. I trembled all over with excitement, and feeling that I | cannot describe rushed over me. I was listening to my first sound of the guns l on the western front.
 Two days afterward again reached Bordeaux, and shipped to New York on the French liner Rochambeaux. Upon arriving in New York reported to the Frenchman who had sent mo over. He was very courteous, and as reached out to shake hands with him. he placed both hands on my shoulders and kissed me on the right and left cheek. was dumfounded. blushed all over and after receiving the pay that was due me. left.
 l think could have borne another