Tea in Yemetskoe and Bugs on Board

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“I left Seletskoe on Thursday October 17^th, and was very, very sorry to go. If I had only known that when I got back to Archangel, and found that the 85^th General Hospital wasn’t ready for opening, and that I was to be pushed off on another job altogether, I should have remained on in Seletskoe as S.M.O. for I was in my element there. I was hundreds of miles away from all the red, blue and green tabbed gentlemen, and had a most excellent friend and colleague in Lt. Little of the U.S. Army. The first snow of the winter fell to-day, but didn’t lie long. I left Seletskoe about noon on the hospital boat ‘Sanitary’, and took eleven stretcher cases (wounded) with me. I received many small gifts from some of my Russian patients in the place, and had a rousing send off. Turner came with me. We reached Yemetskoe about 4 o’clock (p.m.) after a very pleasant, though cold, trip down the river. At Yemetskoe I met Lt. Heath, Royal Scots, who was commandant, or some such thing, there.

He gave me a very nice tea, and afterwards took me round to meet Lt. Bradbury at the hospital, which proved to be a very cosy little place. Yemetskoe turned out to be quite a large town on the banks of the Dwina. I noticed several large store buildings. We left at 5 o’clock (p.m.) but anchored at dusk as it was very foggy and the captain wasn’t feeling well. The chief engineer very gallantly offered me the use of his cabin for the voyage, which I accepted. I didn’t sleep at all, however, as the bugs were many, and decidedly active!”

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