1915 Letter 44
Lemnos
Dec. 11 - [1915]
Dearest Mother and Father
Your letters seem to come through regularly though often two come in one mail. None of the parcels except one small cake have arrived - but a ship carrying over 1900 bags of mail - chiefly parcels - was lost about a month ago - and I am sure we lost a lot then.
Yesterday I had my afternoon and went over to the village with one of the girls. It was a lovely day - we wore our cotton dresses and sweaters. The latter chiefly because we think we aren't dressed without them, not because we really needed them for warmth. Such a change for me from last December in Quebec.
Our road lay through our camp where daily improvements appear till now it is a model of neatness and swank - A huge sign built of white and red stones [with] #1 Can. Stat - & maple leaves in the four corners. In France all the hospitals - in tents - had huge Red Crosses against a white ground. They said it was so aircraft could tell they were hospitals but out here they don't seem to care for that style and the designs are many and varied. #2 Aust - has a map of Aust - and the R.A.M.C. like snakes climbing up the pole.
After we left the camp limits we decided it would be too wet to cross the flats so went around about half a mile to the new road. Hundreds of Gypsy laborers were working. They are a queer lot. Motley seems to be their only wear - army boots, native trousers - white once - khaki coats - and blue army overcoats - some old ones they had left over from peace time I suppose - striped blankets around their necks and all sorts of hats. They were carrying earth and they work in unison - all sit down together - talking plenty of time to fill their baskets - then they all get up together and then all start off to their everlasting chant. They say or rather sing "Mahomet is carrying this load we must help him". Between you and me they leave the big end of the stick to Mahomet for they are the laziest devils I ever saw. They don't stand the cold weather very well - poor souls -
Well - we walked along in clouds of dust and took a short cut through a side street. An old woman was making thread on a little hand spindle and I tried to buy it from her for you but she refused 2 shillings so I didn't go higher. Cotton grows on this island and oranges - so I can't think the winter will be severe.
We bought some tangerines at a little door way of a shop - the best tangerines I ever tasted are to be had here in quantities for a reasonable price.
Upton lead the way - as she is Mess Sister and goes over every day or so. In a filthy hole we were given chairs with all the airs and graces and a boy was dispatched to a cafe across the street for two small cups of Turkish coffee - sweet and awful. I know there were thousands of germs on each cup but Upton said she always drank it, so -
I bought a small lamp for 3/ the like of which you'd buy at home for 15 cents - a frying pan for 2/ - a lemon squeezer for 1/ - a tea kettle for 5/ - to heat water in on our oil stoves, and chintz at 1/3 a yard for curtains - am enclosing a sample. The place was full of soldiers and Sisters - ourselves English and Australians - every one giggling over the way everyone else was being overcharged.
Upton bought a lot of sage for Christmas and glasses etc. for the men. A Turk in a red fez - wide red cholera band or whatever they wear for a belt and baggy trousers - carried all our stuff home in a basket and tried to faint when he could only raise 2/ for the job. Upton and he talked at top speed and as neither one knew a word the other said - the only good it did them was to get it off their chests.
To-day has been quiet and peaceful. Had a tooth filled by #3 dentist - and had a glorious walk back in the sunset.
Must stop now. Wrote you yesterday and will try to do so every day in future.
Heard about young Mowat's death. Isn't it strange Ethel Boultbee's Mother was a Mowat -
Myra went to Bishop Bethune and knows heaps of Cobourg people. She leans toward the narrative habit and you'd enjoy her immensely.
We were discussing the famous Rossland - where she and Ethel and Cecily spent their early days and I said I really never knew any one who lived there except a small child who left Hastings when we were in the second book together and we were shown the place on the map. Myra asked her name and when I said Ethel Fox - She began to have paroxsyms of mirth - because Ethel Fox was the famous telephone girl we've heard them all talk about who knew absolutely every thing and wasn't above putting in a [spoke] on occasions.
Must stop now. Wrote Papa the other day thanking him for the Posts and papers. Thank the Thomsons for the papers they sent -
Yours always,
Helen