FacetoFacewithHurricaneCamille

JosephP.Blank

1JohnKoshak,Jr.,knewthatHurricaneCamillewouldbebad.

RadioandtelevisionwarningshadsoundedthroughoutthatSunday,last

August17,asCamillelashednorthwestwardacrosstheGulfofMexico.It

wascertaintopummelGulfport,Miss.,wheretheKosherslived.Alongthe

coastsofLouisiana,MississippiandAlabama,nearly150,000peoplefled

inlandtosafer8round.But,likethousandsofothersinthecoastal

communities,Johnwasreluctanttoabandonhishomeunlessthefamily-

hiswife,Janis,andtheirsevenchildren,abed3to11--wasclearly

endangered.

2Tryingtoreasonoutthebestcourseofaction,hetalkedwithhis

fatherandmother,whohadmovedintotheten-roomhousewiththe

KoshaksamonthearlierfromCalifornia.HealsoconsultedCharlesHill,a

longtimefriend,whohaddrivenfromLasVegasforavisit.

3John,37-whosebusinesswasrightthereinhishome(he

designedanddevelopededucationaltoysandsupplies,andallofMagna

Products'correspondence,engineeringdrawingsandartworkwerethere

onthefirstfloor)--wasfamiliarwiththepowerofahurricane.Fouryears

earlier,HurricaneBetsyhaddemolishedundefinedhisformerhomeafew

mileswestofGulfport(Koshakhadmovedhisfamilytoamotelforthe

night).Butthathousehadstoodonlyafewfeetabovesealevel."We1re

elevated2afeet,"hetoldhisfather,"andwe'reagood250yardsfromthe

sea.Theplacehasbeenheresince1915,andnohurricanehasever

botheredit.We'IIprobablybeassafehereasanyplaceelse."

4TheelderKoshak,agruff,warmheartedexpertmachinistof67,

agreed."Wecanbattendownandrideitout,"hesaid."Ifweseesignsof

danger,wecangetoutbeforedark."

5Themenmethodicallvpreparedforthehurricane.Sincewater

mainsmightbedamaged,theyfilledbathtubsandpails.Apowerfailure

waslikely,sotheycheckedoutbatteriesfortheportableradioand

flashlights,andfuelforthelantern.John'sfathermovedasmallgenerator

intothedownstairshallway,wiredseverallightbulbstoitandprepareda

connectiontotherefrigerator.

6Rainfellsteadilythatafternoon;graycloudsscuddedinfromthe

Gulfontherisingwind.Thefamilyhadanearlysupper.Aneighbor,whose

husbandwasinVietnam,askedifsheandhertwochildrencouldsitout

thestormwiththeKoshaks.Anotherneighborcamebyonhiswayin-land

—wouldtheKoshaksmindtakingcareofhisdog?

7Itgrewdarkbeforeseveno'clock.Windandrainnowwhippedthe

house.Johnsenthisoldestsonanddaughterupstairstobringdown

mattressesandpillowsfortheyoungerchildren.Hewantedtokeepthe

grouptogetherononefloor."Stayawayfromthewindows,"hewarned,

concernedaboutglassflyingfromstorm-shatteredcanes.Asthewind

mountedtoaroar,thehousebeganleaking-therainseeminglydriven

rightthroughthewalls.Withmops,towels,potsandbucketstheKoshaks

beganastruggleagainsttherapidlyspreadingwater.At8:30,power

failed,andPopKoshakturnedontheaenerator.

8Theroarofthehurricanenowwasoverwhelming.Thehouseshook,

andtheceilinginthelivingroomwasfallingpiecebypiece.TheFrench

doorsinanupstairsroomblewinwithanexplosivesound,andthegroup

heardgun-likereportsasotherupstairswindowsdisintearated.Water

roseabovetheirankles.

9Thenthefrontdoorstartedtobreakawayfromitsframe.Johnand

Charlieputtheirshouldersagainstit,butablastofwaterhitthehouse,

flingingopenthedoorandshovingthemdownthehall.Thegeneratorwas

doused,andthelightswentout.Charlielickedhislipsandshoutedto

John."Ithinkwe'reinrealtrouble.Thatwatertastedsalty."Theseahad

reachedthehouse,andthewaterwasrisingbytheminute!

10"Everybodyoutthebackdoortotheoars!"Johnyelled."We'II

passthechildrenalongbetweenus.Countthem!Nine!"

11Thechildrenwentfromadulttoadultlikebucketsinafirebriaade.

Butthecarswouldn'tstart;theelectricalsystemshadbeenkilledbywater.

ThewindwastooStrongandthewatertoodeeptofleeonfoot."Backto

thehouse!"johnyelled."Countthechildren!Countnine!"

12Astheyscrambledback,johnordered,"Every-bodyonthestairs!"

Frightened,breathlessandwet,thegroupsettledonthestairs,whichwere

protectedbytwointeriorwalls.Thechildrenputtheoat,Spooky,andabox

withherfourkittensonthelanding.Shepeerednervouslyatherlitter.The

neighbor'sdogcurledupandwenttosleep.

13Thewindsoundedliketheroarofatrainpassingafewyardsaway.

Thehouseshudderedandshiftedonitsfoundations.Waterincheditsway

upthestepsasfirst-flooroutsidewallscollapsed.Noonespoke.

Everyoneknewtherewasnoescape;theywouldliveordieinthehouse.

14CharlieHillhadmoreorlesstakenresponsibilityfortheneighbor

andhertwochildren.Themotherwasonthevergeofpanic.Sheclutched

hisarmandkeptrepeating,"Ican'tswim,Ican'tswim."

15"Youwon'thaveto,"hetoldher,withoutwardcalm."It'sboundto

endsoon."

16GrandmotherKoshakreachedanarmaroundherhusband's

shoulderandputhermouthclosetohisear."Pop,"shesaid,"Iloveyou."

Heturnedhisheadandanswered,"Iloveyou"-andhisvoicelackedits

usualgruffness.

17Johnwatchedthewaterlapatthesteps,andfeltacrushingguilt.

HehadunderestimatedtheferocitvofCamille.Hehadassumedthat

whathadneverhappenedcouldnothappen.Heheldhisheadbetweenhis

hands,andsilentlyprayed:"Getusthroughthismess,willYou?"

18Amomentlater,thehurricane,inonemightyswipe,liftedtheentire

roofoffthehouseandskimmedit40feetthroughtheair.Thebottomsteps

ofthestaircasebrokeapart.Onewallbegancrumblingonthemarooned

group.

19Dr.RobertH.Simpson,directoroftheNationalHurricaneCenterin

Miami,Fla.,gradedHurricaneCamilleas"thegreatestrecordedstorm

evertohitapopulatedareaintheWesternHemisphere."inits

concentratedbreadthofsome70milesitshotoutwindsofnearly200

m.p.h.andraisedtidesashighas30feet.AlongtheGulfCoastit

devastatedeverythinginitsswath:19,467homesand709small

businessesweredemolishedorseverelydamaged,itseizeda600,

000-gallonGulfportoiltankanddumpedit3-milesaway.Ittorethree

largecargoshipsfromtheirmoorinqsandbeachedthem.Telephone

polesand20-inch-thickpinescrackedlikegunsasthewindssnapped

them.

20TothewestofGulfport,thetownofPassChristianwasvirtually

wipedout.SeveralvacationersattheluxuriousRichelieuApartmentsthere

heldahurricanepartytowatchthestormfromtheirspectacularvantaae

point.RichelieuApartmentsweresmashedapartasifbyagiganticfist,

and26peopleperished.

21SecondsaftertheroofblewofftheKoshakhouse,johnyelled,"Up

thestairs-intoourbedroom!Countthekids."Thechildrenhuddledinthe

slashingrainwithinthecircleofadults.GrandmotherKoshakimulored.

"Children,let'ssing!"Thechildrenweretoofrightenedtorespond.She

carriedonaloneforafewbars;thenhervoicetrailedaway.

22Debrisflewastheliving-roomfireplaceanditschimneycollapsed.

Withtwowallsintheirbedroomsanctuarybeginningtodisintegrate,John

ordered,"Intothetelevisionroom!"Thiswastheroomfarthestfromthe

directionofthestorm.

23Foraninstant,Johnputhisarmaroundhiswife.Janisunderstood.

Shiveringfromthewindandrainandfear,clutchingtwochildrentoher,

shethought,DearLord,givemethestrengthtoendurewhatIhaveto.She

feltangeragainstthehurricane.Wewon'tletitwin.

24PopKoshakragedsilently,frustratedatnotbeingabletodo

anythingtofightCamille.Withoutreason,hedraggedacedarchestanda

doublemattressfromabed-roomintotheTVroom.Atthatmoment,the

windtoreoutonewallandextinguishedthelantern.Asecondwallmoved,

wavered.CharlieHilltriedtosupportit,butittoppledonhim,injuringhis

back.Thehouse,shudderingandrocking,hadmoved25feetfromits

foundations.Theworldseemedtobebreakingapart.

25"Let'sgetthatmattressup!"Johnshoutedtohisfather."Makeita

learvtoagainstthewind.Getthekidsunderit.Wecanpropitupwithour

headsandshoulders!"

26Thelargerchildrensprawledonthefloor,withthesmalleronesina

layerontopofthem,andtheadultsbentoverallnine.Thefloortilted.The

boxcontainingthelitterofkittensslidoffashelfandvanishedinthewind.

Spookyflewoffthetopofaslidingbookcaseandalsodisappeared.The

dogcoweredwitheyesclosed.Athirdwallgaveway.Waterlappedacross

theslantingfloor.Johngrabbedadoorwhichwasstillhingedtoonecloset

wall."Ifthefloorgoes,"heyelledathisfather,"let'sgetthekidsonthis."

27Inthatmoment,thewindslightlydiminished,andthewaterstopped

rising.Thenthewaterbeganreceding.ThemainthrustofCamillehad

passed.TheKoshaksandtheirfriendshadsurvived.

28Withthedawn,Gulfportpeoplestartedcomingbacktotheir

homes.Theysawhumanbodies-morethan130men,womenand

childrendiedalongtheMississippicoast-andpartsofthebeachand

highwaywerestrewnwithdeaddogs,cats,cattle.Stripsofclothing

festoonedthestandingtrees,andblowndownpowerlinescoiledlikeblack

spaqhettiovertheroads.

29Noneofthereturneesmovedquicklyorspokeloudly;theystood

shocked,tryingtoabsorbtheshatteringscenesbeforetheireyes."What

dowedot"theyasked."Wheredowego?"

30Bythistime,organizationswithintheareaand,ineffect,theentire

populationoftheUnitedStateshadcometotheaidofthedevastated

coast.Beforedawn,theMississippiNationalGuardandcivil-defense

unitsweremovingintohandletraffic,guardproperty,setup

communicationscenters,helpclearthedebrisandtakethehomelessby

truckandbustorefugeecenters.By10a.m..theSalvationArmv's

canteentrucksandRedCrossvolunteersandstaffersweregoing

whereverpossibletodistributehotdrinks,food,clothingandbedding.

31Fromhundredsoftownsandcitiesacrossthecountrycame

severalmilliondollarsindonations;householdandmedicalsupplies

streamedinbyplane,train,truckandcar.Thefederalgovernmentshipped

4,400,000poundsoffood,movedinmobilehomes,setupportable

classrooms,openedofficestoprovidelow-interest,long-termbusiness

loans.

32Camille,meanwhile,hadrakeditswaynorthwardacross

Mississippi,droppingmorethan28inchesofrainintoWestVirginiaand

southernVirginia,causingrampaqinqfloods,hugemountainslidesand

111additionaldeathsbeforebreakingupovertheAtlanticOcean.

33LikemanyotherGulfportfamilies,theKoshaksquicklybegan

reorganizingtheirlives,Johndividedhisfamilyinthehomesoftwofriends.

Theneighborwithhertwochildrenwenttoarefugeecenter.CharlieHill

foundaroomforrent.ByTuesday,Charlie'sbackhadimproved,andhe

pitchedinwithSeabeesintheworstvolunteerworkofall-searchingfor

bodies.Threedaysafterthestorm,hedecidednottoreturntoLasVegas,

butto"remaininGulfportandhelprebuildthecommunity."

34Neartheendofthefirstweek,afriendofferedtheKoshakshis

apartment,andthefamilywasreunited.Thechildrenappearedtosufferno

psychologicaldamagefromtheirexperience;theywerestillawedbythe

incomurehensibleoowerofthehurricane,butenjoyeddescribingwhat

theyhadseenandheardonthatfrightfulnight,Janishadjustonedelayed

reaction.Afewnightsafterthehurricane,sheawokesuddenlyat2a.m.

Shequietlygotupandwentoutside.Lookingupattheskyand,without

knowingshewasgoingtodoit,shebegantocrysoftly.

35Meanwhile,John,PopandCharliewerepickingthroughthe

wreckaqeofthehome.Itcouldhavebeendepressing,butitwasn't:each

salvageditemrepresentedalittlevictoryoverthewrathofthestorm.The

dogandcatsuddenlyappearedatthescene,aliveandhungry.

36Butthebluesdidoccasionallyafflictalltheadults.Once,inalow

mood,Johnsaidtohisparents,"Iwantedyouheresothatwewouldallbe

together,soyoucouldenjoythechildren,andlookwhathappened."

37Hisfather,whohadmadeuphismindtostartaweldingshoo

whenlivingwasnormalagain,said,"Let'snotcryaboutwhat'sgone.We'II

juststartallover."

38"You'regreat,"Johnsaid."Andthistownhasalotofgreatpeople

init.It'sgoingtobebetterherethaniteverwasbefore."

39Later,GrandmotherKoshakreflected:"Welostpracticallyallour

possessions,butthefamilycamethroughit.WhenIthinkofthat,Irealize

welostnothingimportant."

(fromRhetoricandLiteraturebyP.JosephCanavan)

NOTES

1.Josephp.Blank:Thewriterpublished"FacetoFacewithHurricane

Camille"intheReader'sDigest,March1970.

2.HurricaneCamille:IntheUnitedStateshurricanesarenamed

alphabeticallyandgiventhenamesofpeoplelikeHurricaneCamille,

HurricaneBetsy,andsoon;whereasinChinaTyphoonsaregivenserial

numberslikeTyphoonNo.1,TyphoonNo.2andsoon.

3.TheSalvationArmy:AProtestantreligiousbodydevotedtothe

conversionof,andsocialworkamongthepoor,andcharacterizedbyuse

ofmilitarytitles,uniforms,etc.Itwasfoundedin1878by"General"Booth

inLondon;nowworldwideinoperation.

4.RedCross:aninternationalorganization(infullInternationalRed

Cross),foundedin1864withheadquartersandbranchesinallcountries

signatorytotheGenevaConvention,forthereliefofsufferingintimeofwar

ordisaster

Marrakech

GeorgeOrwell

1Asthecorpsewentpasttheflieslefttherestauranttable

inacloudandrushedafterit,buttheycamebackafewminutes

later.

2Thelittlecrowdofmourners-allmenandboys,no

women-threadedtheirwayacrossthemarketplacebetweenthe

pilesofpomearanatesandthetaxisandthecamels,wallinga

shortchantoverandoveragain.Whatreallyappealstothefliesis

thatthecorpseshereareneverputintocoffins,theyaremerely

wrappedinapieceofragandcarriedonaroughwoodenbieron

theshouldersoffourfriends.Whenthefriendsgettothe

burying-groundtheyhackanoblongholeafootortwodeep,dump

thebodyinitandflingoveritalittleofthedried-up,lumpyearth,

whichislikebrokenbrick.Nogravestone,noname,noidentifying

markofanykind.Theburying-groundismerelyahugewasteof

hummockvearth,likeaderelictbuilding-lot.Afteramonthortwo

noonecanevenbecertainwherehisownrelativesareburied.

3Whenyouwalkthroughatownlikethis-twohundred

thousandinhabitantsofwhomatleasttwentythousandown

literallynothingexcepttheragstheystandupin--whenyousee

howthepeoplelive,andstillmorehoweasilytheydie,itisalways

difficulttobelievethatyouarewalkingamonghumanbeings.All

colonialempiresareinrealityfoundeduponthisfact.Thepeople

havebrownfaces-besides,therearesomanyofthem!Arethey

reallythesamefleshasyourself?Dotheyevenhavenames?Or

aretheymerelyakindofundifferentiatedbrownstuff,aboutas

individualasbeesorcoralinsects?Theyriseoutoftheearth,

theysweatandstarveforafewyears,andthentheysinkbackinto

thenamelessmoundsofthegraveyardandnobodynoticesthat

theyaregone.Andeventhegravesthemselvessoonfadeback

intothesoil.Sometimes,outforawalkasyoubreakyourway

throughthepricklypear,younoticethatitisratherbumpv

underfoot,andonlyacertainregularityinthebumpstellsyouthat

youarewalkingoverskeletons.

4Iwasfeedingoneofthegazellesinthepublicgardens.

5Gazellesarealmosttheonlyanimalsthatlookgoodtoeat

whentheyarestillalive,infact,onecanhardlylookattheir

hindquarterswithoutthinkingofamintsauce.ThegazelleIwas

feedingseemedtoknowthatthisthoughtwasinmymind,for

thoughittookthepieceofbreadIwasholdingoutitobviouslydid

notlikeme.Itnibblednibbledrapidlyatthebread,thenlowered

itsheadandtriedtobuttme,thentookanothernibbleandthen

buttedagain.Probablyitsideawasthatifitcoulddrivemeaway

thebreadwouldsomehowremainhanginginmid-air.

6AnArabnavvvworkingonthepathnearbyloweredhis

heavyhoeandsidledslowlytowardsus.Helookedfromthe

gazelletothebreadandfromthebreadtothegazelle,withasort

ofquietamazement,asthoughhehadneverseenanythingquite

likethisbefore.FinallyhesaidshylyinFrench:"1couldeatsome

ofthatbread."

7Itoreoffapieceandhestoweditgratefullyinsomesecret

placeunderhisrags.Thismanisanemployeeofthe

municipality.

8WhenyougothroughtheJewishQuartersyougathersome

ideaofwhatthemedievalghettoeswereprobablylike.Undertheir

MoorishMoorishrulerstheJewswereonlyallowedtoownlandin

certainrestrictedareas,andaftercenturiesofthiskindof

treatmenttheyhaveceasedtobotheraboutovercrowding.Many

ofthestreetsareagooddeallessthansixfeetwide,thehouses

arecompletelywindowless,andsore-eyedchildrencluster

everywhereinunbelievablenumbers,likecloudsofflies.Downthe

centreofthestreetthereisgenerallyrunningalittleriverofurine.

9InthebazaarhugefamiliesofJews,alldressedinthelong

blackrobeandlittleblackskull-cap,areworkingindark

fly-infestedboothsthatlooklikecaves.Acarpentersits

crossleggedataprehistoriclathe,turningchairlegsatlightning

speed.Heworksthelathewithabowinhisrighthandandguides

thechiselwithhisleftfoot,andthankstoalifetimeofsittinginthis

positionhisleftlegiswarpedoutofshape.Athissidehis

grandson,agedsix,isalreadystartingonthesimplerpartsofthe

job.

10Iwasjustpassingthecoppersmiths'boothswhen

somebodynoticedthatIwaslightingacigarette.Instantly,from

thedarkholesallround,therewasafrenziedrushofJews,many

ofthemoldgrandfatherswithflowinggreybeards,allclamouring

foracigarette.Evenablindmansomewhereatthebackofoneof

theboothsheardarumourofcigarettesandcamecrawlingout,

gropingintheairwithhishand.InaboutaminuteIhadusedup

thewholepacket.Noneofthesepeople,Isuppose,worksless

thantwelvehoursaday,andeveryoneofthemlooksona

cigaretteasamoreorlessimpossibleluxury.

11AstheJewsliveinself-containedcommunitiestheyfollow

thesametradesastheArabs,exceptforagriculture.Fruitsellers,

potters,silversmiths,blacksmiths,butchers,leather-workers,

tailors,water-carriers,beggars,porters--whicheverwayyoulook

youseenothingbutJews.Asamatteroffacttherearethirteen

thousandofthem,alllivinginthespaceofafewacres.Agoodjob

Hitletwasn'there.Perhapshewasonhisway,however.Youhear

theusualdarkrumoursaboutJews,notonlyfromtheArabsbut

fromthepoorerEuropeans.

12"Yesvieuxmonvieux,theytookmyjobawayfromme

andgaveittoaJew.TheJews!They'retherealrulersofthis

country,youknow.They'vegotallthemoney.Theycontrolthe

banks,finance-everything."

13"But",Isaid,"isn'titafactthattheaverageJewisa

labourerworkingforaboutapennyanhour?"

14"Ah,that'sonlyforshow!They'reallmoneylendersreally.

They'recunning,theJews."

15Injustthesameway,acoupleofhundredyearsago,poor

oldwomenusedtobeburnedforwitchcraftwhentheycouldnot

evenworkenoughmagictogetthemselvesasquaremeal.

squaremeal

16Allpeoplewhoworkwiththeirhandsarepartlyinvisible,

andthemoreimportanttheworktheydo,thelessvisibletheyare.

Still,awhiteskinisalwaysfairlyconspicuous.Innorthern

Europe,whenyouseealabourerploughingafield,youprobably

givehimasecondglance.Inahotcountry,anywheresouthof

GibraltaroreastofSuez,thechancesarethatyoudon'tevensee

him.Ihavenoticedthisagainandagain.Inatropicallandscape

one'seyetakesineverythingexceptthehumanbeings.Ittakesin

thedried-upsoil,thepricklypear,thepalmtreeandthedistant

mountain,butitalwaysmissesthepeasanthoeingathispatch.

Heisthesamecolourastheearth,andagreatdealless

interestingtolookat.

17ItisonlybecauseofthisthatthestarvedcountriesofAsia

andAfricaareacceptedastouristresorts.Noonewouldthinkof

runningcheaptripstotheDistressedAreasButwherethe

humanbeingshavebrownskinstheirpovertyissimplynot

noticed.WhatdoesMoroccomeantoaFrenchman?Anorange

groveorajobinGovernmentservice.OrtoanEnglishman?

Camels,castles,palmtrees,ForeianLeaionnaires,brasstrays,

andbandits.Onecouldprobablylivethereforyearswithout

noticingthatfornine-tenthsofthepeopletherealityoflifeisan

endlessback-breakingstruggletowringalittlefoodoutofan

erodedsoil.

18MostofMoroccoissodesolatethatnowildanimalbigger

thanaharecanliveonit.Hugeareaswhichwereoncecovered

withforesthaveturnedintoatreelesswastewherethesoilis

exactlylikebroken-upbrick.Neverthelessagooddealofitis

cultivated,withfrightfullabour.Everythingisdonebyhand.Long

linesofwomen,bentdoublelikeinvertedcapitalLs,worktheirway

slowlyacrossthefields,tearingupthepricklyweedswiththeir

hands,andthepeasantgatheringlucerneforfodderpullsitup

stalkbystalkinsteadofreapingit,thussavinganinchortwoon

eachstalk.Theploughisawretchedwoodenthing,sofrailthat

onecaneasilycarryitonone'sshoulder,andfittedunderneath

witharoughironspikewhichstirsthesoiltoadepthofaboutfour

inches.Thisisasmuchasthestrengthoftheanimalsisequalto.

Itisusualtoploughwithacowandadonkeyvokedtogether.Two

donkeyswouldnotbequitestrongenough,butontheotherhand

twocowswouldcostalittlemoretofeed.Thepeasantspossess

nonarrows,theymerelyploughthesoilseveraltimesoverin

differentdirections,finallyleavingitinroughfurrows,afterwhich

thewholefieldhastobeshapedwithhoesintosmalloblong

patchestoconservewater.Exceptforadayortwoaftertherare

rainstormsthereisneverenoughwater.Alongtheedgesofthe

fieldschannelsarehackedouttoadepthofthirtyorfortyfeetto

getatthetinytrickleswhichrunthroughthesubsoil.

19Everyafternoonafileofveryoldwomenpassesdownthe

roadoutsidemyhouse,eachcarryingaloadoffirewood.Allof

themaremummifiedwithageandthesun,andallofthemaretiny.

Itseemstobegenerallythecaseinprimitivecommunitiesthatthe

women,whentheygetbeyondacertainage,shrinktothesizeof

children.Onedaypoorcreaturewhocouldnothavebeenmore

thanfourfeettallcreptpastmeunderavastloadofwood.I

stoppedherandputafive-sousoupiece(alittlemorethana

farthinaintoherhand.Sheansweredwithashrillwail,almosta

scream,whichwaspartlygratitudebutmainlysurprise.Isuppose

thatfromherpointofview,bytakinganynoticeofher,Iseemed

almosttobeviolatingalawofnature.Sheaccept-edherstatusas

anoldwoman,thatistosayasabeastofburden.Whenafamily

istravellingitisquiteusualtoseeafatherandagrown-upson

ridingaheadondonkeys,andanoldwomanfollowingonfoot,

carryingthebaggage.

20Butwhatisstrangeaboutthesepeopleistheirinvisibility.

Forseveralweeks,alwaysataboutthesametimeofday,thefile

ofoldwomenhadhobbledpastthehousewiththeirfirewood,and

thoughtheyhadregisteredthemselvesonmyeyeballsIcannot

trulysaythatIhadseenthem.Firewoodwaspassing-thatwas

howIsawit.ItwasonlythatonedayIhappenedtobewalking

behindthem,andthecuriousup-and-downmotionofaloadof

wooddrewmyattentiontothehumanbeingbeneathit.Thenfor

thefirsttimeInoticedthepooroldearth-colouredbodies,bodies

reducedtobonesandleathervskin,bentdoubleunderthe

crushingweight.YetIsupposeIhadnotbeenfiveminuteson

MoroccansoilbeforeInoticedtheoverloadingofthedonkeysand

wasinfuriatedbyit.Thereisnoquestionthatthedonkeysare

damnablytreated.TheMoroccandonkeyishardlybiggerthana

St.Bernarddog,itcarriesaloadwhichintheBritishArmywould

beconsideredtoomuchforafifteen-handsmule,andveryoften

itspacksaddleisnottakenoffitsbackforweekstogether.But

whatispeculiarlypitifulisthatitisthemostwillingcreatureon

earth,itfollowsitsmasterlikeadoganddoesnotneedeither

bridleorhalter.Afteradozenyearsofdevotedworkitsuddenly

dropsdead,whereuponitsmastertipsitintotheditchandthe

villagedogshavetornitsautsoutbeforeitiscold.

21Thiskindofthingmakesone'sbloodboil,whereas-onthe

whole--theplightofthehumanbeingsdoesnot.Iamnot

commenting,merelypointingtoafact.Peoplewithbrownskins

arenextdoortoinvisible.Anyonecanbesorryforthedonkeywith

itsgalledback,butitisgenerallyowingtosomekindofaccidentif

oneevennoticestheoldwomanunderherloadofsticks.

22AsthestorksflewnorthwardtheNegroesweremarching

southward-along,dustycolumn,infantrv,screw-gunbatteries,

andthenmoreinfantry,fourorfivethousandmeninall,winding

uptheroadwithaclumpingofbootsandaclatterofironwheels.

23TheywereSeneaalese,theblackestNegroesinAfrica,so

blackthatsometimesitisdifficulttoseewhereaboutsontheir

necksthehairbegins.Theirsplendidbodieswerehiddenin

reach-me-downkhakiuniforms,theirfeetsquashedintoboots

thatlookedlikeblocksofwood,andeverytinhatseemedtobea

coupleofsizestoosmall.Itwasveryhotandthemenhad

marchedalongway.Theyslumpedundertheweightoftheir

packsandthecuriouslysensitiveblackfaceswereglisteningwith

sweat.

24Astheywentpast,atall,veryyoungNegroturnedand

caughtmyeye.Butthelookhegavemewasnotintheleastthe

kindoflookyoumightexpect.Nothostile,notcontemptuous,not

sullen,noteveninquisitive.Itwastheshy,wide-eyedNegrolook,

whichactuallyisalookof