adventures and letters-第37节

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and　going　to　dances　and　not　paying　board　to　anyone。　　Remember　how　I　used　to　threaten　to　go　to　Greece　when　the　coffee　was　not　good。　　It　seems　too　funny　now；　for　I　never　was　in　a　better　place；　or　had　more　fun　or　saw　less　of　war　or　the　signs　of　war。

DICK。


May　7；　1897。　10　East　Twenty…Eighth　Street…NIT　Sponitza。　DEAR　CHAS。

This　is　one　of　the　places　out　of　Phroso；　but　as　you　never　　read　Phroso　I　will　cut　all　that　I　hate　to　say　it　so　　soon　again　but　this　is　the　most　beautiful　country　to　travel　over　I　have　seen　It　is　a　fairy　theatrical　grand　opera　country　where　everybody　dresses　in　petticoats　and　gold　braided　vests　and　carry　carbines　to　tend　sheep　with　I　rode　from　Santa　Maura　（see　map）　to　a　spot　opposite　Prevesa　where　they　said　there　was　going　to　be　bombarding　There　was　not　of　course　but　I　had　I　think　the　most　beautiful　ride　of　my　life。　　I　was　absolutely　happylittle　lambs　bleated　and　kids　butted　each　other　and　peasants　in　fur　cloaks　without　sleeves　and　in　tights　like　princes　sat　on　rocks　and　played　pipes　and　the　sky　was　blue；　the　mountains　covered　with　snow　and　the　fields　and　hills　full　of　purple　bushes　and　yellow　and　blue　flowers　and　sheep　There　was　a　cable　station　of　yellow　adobe。　　It　was　the　only　building　and　it　looked　across　at　Prevesa　but　nobody　bombarded。　　The　general　gave　me　cognac　and　the　cable　operator　played　a　guitar　for　me　and　the　preyor　sang　a　fine　bass；　the　corporal　not　to　be　out　done　gave　me　chocolate　and　the　army　stood　around　in　the　sun　and　joined　in　the　conversation　correcting　the　general　and　each　other　and　taking　off　their　hats　to　all　the　noble　sentiments　we　toasted。　　It　was　just　like　a　comic　opera。　　After　a　while　when　I　had　finished　a　fine　hunck　of　cheese　and　hard　eggs　and　brown　bread　I　took　a　photograph　of　the　General　and　the　cable　operator　and　the　officer　with　the　bass　voice　and　half　of　the　army　The　other　half　was　then　sent　to　escort　me　to　this　place。　　It　walked　and　I　rode　and　there　were　many　halts　for　drinks　and　cigarettes。　　They　all　ran　after　a　stray　colt　and　were　lost　for　some　time　but　we　re…mobilized　and　advanced　with　great　effect　into　this　town。　　I　was　here　taken　in　charge　by　at　least　fifty　sailors　and　as　many　soldiers　and　comic　opera　brigands　in　drawers　and　white　petticoats；　　who　conducted　me　to　a　house　on　the　hill　where　the　innkeeper　brought　me　a　live　chicken　to　approve　of　for　dinner。　　Then　the　mayor　of　the　town　turned　up　in　gold　clothes　and　Barrison　Sister　skirts　and　said　the　General　had　telegraphed　about　me　and　that　I　was　his　The　innkeeper　wept　and　said　he　had　seen　me　first　and　the　chorus　of　soldiers；　sailors　and　brigands　all　joined　in。　　I　kept　out　of　it　but　I　knew　the　Mayor　would　win　and　he　did。　　Then　we　went　out　to　a　man…of…war　the　size　of　the　Vagabond　and　were　solemnly　assured　there　would　be　bombarding　of　Prevesa　to…morrow　I　go　to　sleep　in　that　hope。　　We　leave　here　at　seven　crossing　the　river　and　ride　after　the　Greeks　who　are　approaching　Prevesa　from　the　land　side　while　the　men…of…war　bombard　it　from　the　river。　　At　least　that　is　what　they　say。　　I　think　it　is　the　mildest　war　on　both　sides　I　ever　heard　of　and　I　certainly　mean　to　be　a　Times　correspondent　next　time　I　play　at　going　to　war　After　being　insulted　and　frightened　to　death　all　over　Cuba；　this　is　the　pleasantest　picnic　I　was　ever　on　They　seriously　apologized　for　not　bombarding　while　I　was　there　and　I　said　not　to　mention　it　With　lots　of　love；　old　man；　and　to　the　family

DICK。


FLORENCE　May　16；　1897。　DEAR　FAMILY：

Here　I　am　safe　and　sound　again　in　the　old　rooms　in　Florence。　　I　was　gone　twenty…three　days　and　was　traveling　nineteen　of　them；　walking；　riding；　in　sailboats；　in　the　cars；　and　on　steamers。　　I　have　had　more　experiences　and　adventures　than　I　ever　had　before　in　three　months　and　quite　enough　to　last　me　for　years。　　　After　my　happy　ride　through　Turkey　and　the　retreat　of　the　Greek　army　in　Arta；　of　which　I　wrote　you　last；　I　have　been　in　Thessaly　where　I　saw　the　two　days'　battle　of　Velestinos　from　the　beginning　up　to　the　end。　　It　was　the　one　real　battle　of　the　war　and　the　Greeks　fought　well　from　the　first　to　the　last。　　I　left　Athens　on　the　29th　of　April　with　John　Bass；　a　Harvard　graduate；　and　a　most　charming　and　attractive　youth　who　is；　or　was；　in　charge　of　the　Journal　men；　Stephen　Crane　being　among　the　number。　　He　seems　a　genius　with　no　responsibilities　of　any　sort　to　anyone；　and　I　and　Bass　left　him　at　Velestinos　after　traveling　with　him　for　four　days。　　Crane　went　to　Volo；　as　did　every　other　correspondent；　leaving　Bass　and　myself　in　Velestinos。　　As　the　villagers　had　run　away；　we　burglarized　the　house　of　the　mayor　and　made　it　our　habitation　while　the　courier　hunted　for　food。　　It　was　like　〃The　Swiss　Family　Robinson；〃　and　we　rejoiced　over　the　discovery　of　soap　and　tablecloths　and　stray　knives　and　forks；　just　as　though　we　had　been　cast　on　a　desert　island。　　Bass　did　the　cooking　and　I　laid　the　table　and　washed　up　and　made　the　beds；　which　were　full　of　fleas。　　But　we　had　been　sleeping　on　chairs　and　on　the　floor　for　a　week　so　we　did　not　mind　much。

The　second　day　we　were　awakened　by　cannon　and　you　can　imagine　our　joy　and　excitement。　　We　had　it　all　to　ourselves　for　eight　hours；　as　it　took　the　other　correspondents　that　long　to　arrive。　　It　was　an　artillery　and　infantry　battle　and　about　20；000　men　were　engaged　on　both　sides。　　The　Greeks　fought　from　little　trenches　on　the　hills　back　of　the　town　and　the　Turks　advanced　across　a　great　green　prairie。　　It　was　very　long　　range　and　only　twice　did　they　get　to　within　a　quarter　of　　a　mile　of　our　trenches。　　Bass　and　I　went　all　over　the　Greek　lines；　for　you　were　just　as　safe　in　one　place　as　in　another；　which　means　that　it　wasn't　safe　anywhere；　so　we　gave　up　considering　that　and　followed　the　fight　as　best　we　could　from　the　first　trench；　which　was　the　only　one　that　gave　an　uninterrupted　view　of　the　Turkish　forces。　　It　was　a　brilliantly　clear　day　but　opened　with　a　hail　storm；　which　enabled　the　Turks　to　crawl　up　half　a　mile　in　the　sudden　darkness。　　It　also　gave　me　the　worst　attack　of　sciatica　I　ever　had。　　Fortunately；　it　did　not　come　on　badly　until　I　reached　Volo；　when　it　suddenly　took　hold　of　me　so　that　I　could　not　walk。　　The　trenches　were　wet　with　the　rain　and　we　had　no　clothes　to　change　to；　and　two　more　showers　kept　us　more　or　less　wet　all　day。　　We　had　a　fine　view　of　everything　and　I　learned　a　lot。

We　were　under　a　heavy　fire　for　thirteen　hours　and　certainly　had　some　very　close　escapes。　　At　times　the　firing　was　so　fierce　that　if　you　had　raised　your　arm　above　your　head；　the　hand　would　have　been　instantly　torn　off。　　We　had　to　lie　on　our　stomachs　with　our　chins　in　the　dirt　and　not　so　much　as　budge。　　This　was　when　the　Turkish　fire　happened　to　be　directed　on　our　trench。　　At　such　times　all　the　other　trenches　would　fire　so　as　to　draw　the　attack　away；　and　we　would　have　to　wait　until　it　was　over。　　The　shells　sounded　like　the　jarring　sound　of　telegraph　wires　when　one　hits　the　pole　they　hang　from　with　a　stone；　and　when　the　shells　were　close　they　sounded　like　the　noise　made　by　two　trains　passing　in　opposite　directions　when　the　wind　is　driven　between　the　cars。　　The　bullets　were　much　worse　than　the　shells　as　you　could　always　hear　them　coming；　and　the　bullets　slipped　up　and　passed　you　in　a　sneaking　way　with　a　noise　like　rustling　silk；　or　if　some　one　had　torn　a　silk　handkerchief　with　a　sharp　pull。　　One　shell　struck　　three　feet　from　me　and　knocked　me　over　with　the　dirt　and　stones　and　filled　my　nose　and　mouth　with　pebbles。　　I　went　back　and　dug　it　out　of　the　ground　while　it　was　still　hot　and　have　it　as　a　souvenir。　　I　swore　terribly　at　the　bullets　and　Bass　used　to　grin　in　a　sickly　way。　　It　made　your　hair　creep　when　they　came　very　close。　　One　man　next　me　got　a　shot　through　the　breast　while　he　was　ramming　his　cleaner　down　the　barrel；　and　there　were　three　killed　within　the　limits　of　our　fifty　yards。　　We　could　not　get　back　because　there　was　a　cross　fire　that　swept　a　place　we　had　to　pass　through；　just　about　the　way　the　wind　comes　around　the　City　Hall　in　the　times　of　a　blizzard。　　We　called　it　Dead　Man's　Curve；　after　that　at　Fourteenth　Street　and　Union　Square；　because　it　was　sprinkled　with　dead　ammunition；　mules　and　soldiers。　　We　came　through　it　the　first　time　without　knowing　what　we　were　getting　into　and　we　had　no　desire　to　go　back　again。　　So　we　waited　until　the　sun　set。　　I　took　some　of　the　finest　photographs　and　probably　the　only　ones　ever　taken　of　a　battle　at　such　close　range。　　Whenever　the　men　fired；　I　would　shoot　off　the　camera　and　I　expect　I　have　some　pretty　great　pictures。　　Bass　took　some　of　me　so　if　there　is　any　question　as　to　whether　I　was　at　the　Coronation；　there　will　be　none　as　to　whether　I　was　at　Velestinos。

Our　house　was　hit　with　two　shells　and　bullets　fell　like　the　gentle　rain　from　heaven　all　over　the　courtyard；　so　we　would　have　been　no　safer　there　than　behind　the　trenches。　　We　sent　off　the　first　account　of　the　battle　written　by　anybody　by　midday；　and　stayed　on　until　the　next　day　at　four　when　the　place　was　evacuated　in　good　order　because；　as　usual；　　the　Crown　Prince　was　running　awayfrom　Pharsalia　this　time。　　　They　say　in　Greece　〃Lewes；　the　peasant；　won　the　race　from　Marathon；　but　Constantine　the　prince；　won　the　race　from　Larissa。〃

I　was　all　right　until　I　got　to　Volo　when　my　right　leg　refused　absolutely　to　do　its　act　and　I