Our Despatches from the Front (No. 145).
Page 16
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A Motor Lorry in the Wilds of East Africa.
M.T. EXPERIENCES IN EAST'
AFRICA.
(Continued from page 361.)
I thought it would be unsafe to lie down and sleep, so I kept on all night, and although. I saw several lions and leopards they never came very near me, and I certainly did not Want them ! When daylight broke, I stopped near a river and bathed the horse's wounds, and after having soina.breakfast, rested until about 10 o'clock. By then, however, the horse was so lame that would not ride him, so I proceeded on foot, leading the horse, until about four o'clock, where I found a place which seemed pretty
good for the night. I Was still about 10 or 12 miles from the destination of the despatches: I made a hammock of my blankets and slung it up in a tree and slept there all night, perfectly comfortable. Next morning, the horse was too bad to go any further, so I turned him hose and proceeded on foot, carrying my.blankets and coat myself. About two o'clock I came across some natives, and they told me I was not far from the camp for -which I was bound, showing me a nearer way.
The End of the Journey.
Just as it was getting dark I delivered the despatches, then ate and slept. The following morning I was given a horse and sent back with 10 mounted men. I was also given some flour, tea, sugar and meat. With the aid of these men, we managed to free the lorries; but we found no trace of the German scouts whom I had run across. On our return journey we• found the horse I had left behind, but he was dead, Driving Whilst Suffering from an
Attack of Fever. .
On the succeeding journey for. more ammunition, I caught my first attack of fever, and I was very bad for. about 30 days: During this time we were very hotly attacked by the enemy who considerably outnumbered us, but we managed to hold our position until the big guns came up, when we got a bit of our own back, and shelled the enemy ten to one, after which we got them on the move again. It was about this time that I got my third dose of fever. I stuck to my lorry until I was so bad that I fell off. • I was then sent back 75 miles down the line into hospital, where I remained for eight days.This hospital had once been a, German mission church ; there were no beds, the patients were all lying on the floor,. and were being fed on stewed meat
and flour porridge, with occasional rice and milk. When I was a little better I was again sent down the line, this time about 255 miles, to a fever hospital. The ox wagons in which patients were conveyed took about 14 days to cover this distance, although they started about 5 o'clock in the morning and did not stop until 10 o'clock at night. Every third day, however, we did not move off until 12 o'clock. We used to spread our blankets out on-the ground when we wanted to go to sleep at night time.
A Weird Pillow.
One night when I was lying down, I thought I heard something moving near my head, but I could not see anything, so I dozed off again. I was awakened, however, and felt my pillow moving, my kit bag being my pillow. Next morning when I arose at seven o'clock and commenced to roll my blankets up, I found a .snake coiled up underneath, just about where my head had been. It must have been this that, caused my restlessness It gave me a bit of a shock When I sa,W it. I pieked up a stick and gave it two or three good blows on the head, thus killing it.
The Joys of Blighty.
This was my last experience in British East Africa. Arrived at the base hospital, it was a treat to get on a bed, as it was the first time I had slept between sheets for eight months, and the nurse at this hospital was the 'first white woman
had. spoken to since I left Cape Town barracks. 'Leaving. west, I was sent doWn to. Mombassa by rail, and thence' to Cape Town, thir.6 finishing My experience in :31rican warfare, at any rata for the pre§ent.