ENGLISH GIRL IN AFRICA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 3, 28 September 1917, Page 2

ENGLISH GIRL IN AFRICA

TEE GERMANS AT CLOSE I QUARTERS. Miss Mabel Packhaiu, A.8.R.C., who is now in England, contributes an article on her personal oxpeneuces in Africa to "G'eutral Africa." She was selected to be the English sister for the hospital at Mrogoro for whom the Germans' telegraphed. The German official who summoned her to receive instruction;. ;.sked her if flic would like to go to Mrogoro. "Not 6(i," was the reply; but, noting her interlocutor's look of annoyed consternation, Miss Packham. added, "I will go to nurse your sick if you need me.' <m her way to Mrogoro her escort told her that Kitchener was dead; but she-an-swered quietly, "Ileiwill probably resurrect somewhere else,' and t;ll she learned the truth from the English themselves looked upon the .assertion as a lable. One day the enthusiastic doctor, as he made his round, remarked, "bchwester, we have taken one of your motor-cars, and in it were three men. • Perhaps one is General Smuts." "Perhaps, was the sarcastic answer; then Miss Packham spoke out frankly: "I am nore by myself. an Englishwoman out off froni everyone with the enemy, nursing their sick, I and you delight to bring me si.cl, iTs it German to do so.' Ihe doctoi, apologising and ashamed withdrew, but the nrrow found it-* mark; slie was bothered no more with idle tales, and tho Germans treated her with cburlcsy_ and

Front Hie- patients and medical staff she received gratitude and absolute trust. One of tlie former wrote: I can level thank vou enough; niy three hospital' have given 111 c a very ideal of Knglisli sister?. ' On Sept«mbo> 24 packing had been going on all '.ay , some of the sick were carefully put on stretchers and carried to the station, the Bed Cross train was ready, steam up, ami the medical stuff arrived at tjie hospital. "We are going, SchWer. AVill vou take care of. our sick, our women and children, and will you as],, for clemency fqr them: Wie advancing troops are English," ,'M:ss Packhain ie- ■ plied, "and there will lie no need; I should be ashannd to call my peop <; countrymen if they treated your people as you . have treated nuis. So tlio ti«rmaiis departed, and left. Miss' alone in the town with one faithful t.oy -alone in a dead town. Willi everything likelv to be of use to tlie English blown up. food, flour mill, powder, soda factory. slfttion, all a lioap.of rmns. Then came the turn of the Africans to loot nnA When- the English arrived, tlw n on eaten nn with fever, exhausted with long marching, hungry and faint for want of food, IV hoßpih'il crow fnli nnd meiflowed But there was only one sister to nnrse them, and nothing for ihcm months later Hielstl. StaKonftW Hospital ennie up. wuh its staff of >natrnii? d sisters. ;u line •neilieal eouipmer.l ." its crowds'of orderlies. Then Mies rackiiani came liome.