The "Permissions" read La Bourboule, and no sooner were these handed to
their proper owners than sixty well-groomed "Medics," representing the
Sanitary Train were on their way to the destination specified. After
being jammed into those queer French coaches (third class) with no
thought given to comfort, the train finally picked up speed and passed
out upon the main line. The clicking of the rail-joints seemed to call
cadence for the songs from 1200 throats, all from the 35th division,
whose owners were happy to get away from bugle calls, military
discipline and slushy streets.
After a few hours' ride--just a sample of what they were to get--the
train was sidetracked at Nancy and all enjoyed the best bath they had
ever taken, in what is said to be the largest bath-house in the world.
Here the water comes out of the ground at a temperature of 78 degrees F.
and passes direct into the pool. After this "decootieization" they
boarded the train again and were able to sit and enjoy the scenery for
the rest of the trip.
The first day and night passed quickly, but then time began to drag, and
along toward evening of the second day some great geniuses were born to
the world. These were the men who devised the method by which nine men
could sleep in a space that only seemed large enough for half that
number. Could one have peeped into the passing coaches it would have
struck him as exceedingly humorous--some were stowed away in the
hat-racks over head, while others, with no room to lie down, were trying
to sleep in a sitting posture. So time passed for three days and two
nights.
To step from the train and see no town of any size was the thing that
befell these men, and exclamations of dissatisfaction and disgust were
heard everywhere. Being encouraged by a Y. M. C. A. man standing nearby
that twenty-four hours in the town would change their opinion, they were
content to be assigned to their various hotels.
The village, or town, of La Bourboule is located in the Auvergne
mountains, in the range Puy-de-Dome, and had been a very popular summer
resort for the French people up to the time the U. S. government took it
over as one of the leave areas for American troops. The altitude of this
locality varies, for the valleys are about 2800 feet, while some peaks
are 4500 feet above the sea level. But as a leave sector it was a
disappointment to everyone. There were no recreations at all except
those furnished by the Y. M. C. A. and that place was carried by storm
from morning to night. A Y. M. C. A. man spoke of the trouble and placed
the blame to the fact that the town had accommodations for 1200 men, but
there were twice that number there of the 35th and the 26th divisions.
One can easily judge why these fellows thought they were "in the wrong
pew." To see an evening's performance of vaudeville or motion pictures
at the theatre, it was necessary to take a magazine and lunch, make
yourself at home for at least two hours and stick it out in said
selected seat.
All had the idea that their days of standing in line for everything were
"_fini_," for seven days' leave, but it was not to be; they lined up to
purchase canteen checks and "fell in" behind, sometimes, one hundred
others to buy at the wet or dry canteen. At the former could be
purchased soft drinks, sandwiches and cakes, while at the latter was an
abundant supply of tobaccos and soldiers' needs.
One Y. M. C. A. man made a practice of taking all interested soldiers to
see the many sights that the town boasted of, that is, to those that
were within hiking distance. The most important were the Roman Baths,
which are located at a distance of about six kilometres from La
Bourboule. These baths were first built by the soldiers of Caesar about
the year 400 A. D. Afterwards the springs were found to be beneficial to
people suffering from rheumatics and bronchial troubles. There are
eleven springs, all of a temperature averaging from 98 to 100 degrees
except one cold spring, and all tasting of mineral properties very
strongly. All of these springs are said to be radio-active, and each is
famous as a "cure" for some particular ailment. The most popular is the
"Singer's Spring," so-called because most of the leading vocalists in
the country took treatment there by gargling the water from this spring.
The original building was sacked and pillaged by the Gauls and
afterwards rebuilt as nearly along former lines as knowledge would
permit. Throughout the building are scattered pieces of the former
structure; statues, arches and pillars of the old Doric, Ionic and
Corinthian designs, which were unearthed and placed on display in the
many rooms. Among these is a piece of masonry representing the she-wolf
that suckled Romulus and Remus, as the legend goes, when they were lost
in the woods prior to the founding of Rome. It is not known, however,
whether this is the original that the Romans prized so highly, or a
reproduction.
Another thing worth visiting at La Bourboule is the subterranean city,
which was supposed to have been submerged by an earthquake in early
times. A few of the buildings were unearthed a few years ago, but the
task was never completed. All around that vicinity the ground has a
hollow sound under foot, and makes walking seem a little dangerous.
On a large plateau, 4500 feet above the town proper, is said to have
been the camping ground for Caesar's large army at the time he attempted
to stop the advance of the Gauls from the north. The French say he was
unsuccessful, and was forced to retire to the valley below. Mont
D'Sancy, one of the highest peaks in France, is near this area, but few
have ever cared to climb to its summit.
After enduring French menu, which could have been much improved, for
nine days, the men were not sorry to receive orders to return to their
units. Prices ranged but one way--high and higher. One soldier remarked
that every time a certain bell rang, prices in the town jumped a franc.
The bell struck every quarter-hour. But conditions returning by rail
were even worse than the trip down, for this time, instead of nine to a
compartment, there were twelve crabby, disagreeable "soldats" returning
from their bi-yearly "Permission" in the heart of France.