v. Mr. Sewell
arrived, and Mrs. Sewell from Belgrade. Dr. Hanson and Mr. and Mrs.
Sewell and I had tea together in Dr. Atkinson's tent. This morning
Major Potridge took me to the arsenal to choose a transport kitchen
which the Serbians captured from the Austrians. I was taken all over
the arsenal, which was most interesting. It is most wonderful the
amount of guns which the Serbs have taken from the Austrians. Mr.
Paulhan, the French aviator, is here. He won the _Daily Mail_ prize;
he flies over the camp very often going to Belgrade. Six of our unit
go to Belgrade this evening for a few days. I hope to go before
returning to England.
Friday, _July 16, 1915._
Mrs. Stobart and three of the Government officials went to choose a
site for another dispensary. I was up at 3.30 and we had breakfast at
4.30. I went to the market to order things for the week. Sunday is the
great day for the market. It is so picturesque to see all the Serbs in
their quaint costumes. The gipsies are lovely. They have gorgeous
striped skirts, homespun, lovely coloured belts with large buckles,
home-made stockings wonderfully embroidered, fancy zouave, and fancy
coloured scarves on their heads. One of the doctors and I were invited
out to an engagement ceremony. It was really most interesting. One of
our interpreters who was single was told that there was a girl who
would make him a suitable wife, so he went to see her early last
week, liked her, so proposed. She is nineteen and he is about
thirty-five years of age. The girl possesses a maize field, a wheat
field and a walnut tree. This is considered a very good dowry. At 3.30
the interpreter called for us; the cottage where the girl and her
people live is about ten minutes walk from the camp. On our way we met
several of the man's relations. On arriving at the house we were met
by her relations, who were standing all along the pathway to the front
door. The men shook hands with us and the women kissed our hands. We
were taken into the front room, a good sized one with a table in the
middle; there was tapestry all round the walls which had been done by
the girl. The Serbs do the most beautiful work with the handlooms, and
it is all done with the pure wool from the sheep, which one sees the
women spinning as they walk along the streets. We sat round the table
and talked till all the guests had arrived. The girl went round
kissing all the women relations o
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