en
the sturdy shoresmen of Brittany's coast gave of their time and their
smacks to the perilous task of combing adjacent water for mines and
explosive obstacles.

It was these the Morvada passed out in the darkness of night, on the
eve before landing and setting foot on foreign soil. The Morvada crept
on, the contrasting stillness of the waves showing that channel waters
had been reached. But few on board knew, or could rightly guess what
shore was to greet their eyes on the dawn of the morrow.

CHAPTER XII.

A ROYAL WELSH RECEPTION.

A surprise reception was in store for the soldiers aboard the S. S.
Morvada when it came to debarking on foreign soil. As the ship plied
the channel waters on the night of July 30th, 1918, but few on board
knew what port was its destination; but not so with the people of the
British Isles. They knew the plans for the arrival of the American
army transports. On July 31st, the people of Barry and Cardiff, in
common with Newport, in the province of South Wales, did honor to the
American troops.

Barry, the urban district and seaport of Glamorganshire, Wales, on the
Bristol channel, was the foreign shore that greeted the troops on the
Morvada early in the morning of July 31st.

It was perfect weather for such a visit, the first ever paid to Barry
by a large body of American troops, and Barry's reception was
whole-hearted. The citizens turned out in great force. Enthusiasm was
manifest on every side, and this, despite the fact that, owing to the
unavoidable delay in the ship's arrival, the people had to wait
several hours while the Morvada rested at anchor in the harbor until
docking could be accomplished at 9 a. m.

While preparations to dock were in progress crowds lingered on the
piers. The soldiers amused themselves by tossing one-cent pieces to
the Welsh children. Immediately a demand for American cigarettes and
chewing gum arose among the older Welshmen.

The crowds and the town itself were in holiday attire. The vessels in
dock were gay with bunting. Flags were displayed from shop-windows,
the municipal offices and the fire-brigade station, while from the
summit of the Barry Railway Company's offices "Old Glory" was flying
to the breeze.

As the Morvada docked and the command was given for the troops to
debark, loud welcome was sounded by sonorous "hooters," screaming
sirens and shrill ship and loco whistles.

At 10 o'clock the soldiers were assembled on terra firma