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 on the hands and face, the men and the
guests on the hands, the fiance did likewise; then the engaged couple
stood in the centre of the room and had the ring presented, a gold
ring with a diamond and ruby. The ring was put on the little finger of
the right hand. The engaged couple kissed all the people again; we
then started with refreshments. The girl did everything. A tray was
handed round first with a dish of cakes and glasses of wine; this was
to drink the health of the guests. We only took a sip of wine and the
glasses were put back on the tray; then the girl went out and brought
in another tray, the same wine and cakes; this was to drink the
bride's health; then a third lot was brought in to drink the
bridegroom's health. Then a tray came in with two dishes of jam and
glasses of cold water and spoons. We all eat a spoonful of jam and
drank a little water; the last tray had little cups of Turkish coffee.
After this we sat and talked; the ceremony was over. Fortunately we
were not far from the camp as a blizzard came up with a terrible sand
storm. We rushed round to help with the tents and patients. This was a
difficult task. We got our patients taken away in the motors to our
new building near. The hospital ward tents stood well; as they are all
double, only three came down, and the poles were not broken, so were
soon put up. Fifteen came down in all, the staff mess tent, the men's
mess tent, the kitchen tent and some of the sleeping tents. We had
several of the military authorities helping us. The storm lasted for
two hours and then all was quite calm again. We had a lovely picnic
supper under a large shelter the Government officials had put up for
us. The next day we were busy putting things straight after the storm.
I was not well again, so was sent to bed. I had to get up in the
afternoon to pack, as Dr. Atkinson had arranged for me to go to
Belgrade to the British Fever Hospital. Four of our unit are returning
to England, so they have come with us to Belgrade. Eight of us left
for Belgrade by the 12 train. We had a through carriage, most
comfortable. Dr. Curcin had arranged it for us. The English military
attache, Col. Harrison, came to see us off. A motor took us from the
camp; we had a lovely journey and arrived at Belgrade at 10 a.m. It is
sad to see how Belgrade is destroyed. Our driver was too funny. The
roads were terribly bad; we had quite a young boy to drive us. He
jumped off the box part way to shake hands with some of his friends in
a cart; he got a cigar from them, lighted it and then ran after his
carriage again. We had gone on quite a long distance with our two
horses. When we got a little further our driver jumped down again,
this time for a drink of water on the roadside, and to buy a cake. We
arrived at the British Fever Hospital at 11 o'clock; we were given a
very nice ward, and the two nurses and I were sent to bed, and we had
to go on light diet for forty-eight hours. I have been put on milk
only, so I am very cross; it is very dull in bed, but I know many of
the Farmers' unit as so many came out in the _Saidieh_ with us.