FROM THE VOSGES TO TENERIFFE ii 
the custom house at Bordeaux, and this was closed on 
Easter Monday. There would have been no time on 
Tuesday to manage it, but fortunately an official 
observed and was touched by our anxiety, and enabled 
me to get possession of my goods without all the 
prescribed formalities. But it was only at the last 
minute that two motor cars got us and our belongings 
to the harbour station, where the train was already 
waiting which was to convey the passengers for the 
Congo to their ship. The feeling of relief can hardly 
be described with which, after all the excitement and 
the payment of all those who had helped us off, we sank 
into our seats in the railway carriage. The guard 
blew his whistle ; the soldiers who were also going took 
their places ; we moved out into the open, and for a 
time had the enjoyment of blue sky and pleasant 
breeze, with the sight here and there of water, and 
yellow broom in flower, and cows quietly grazing. In 
an hour and a half we are at the quay among packing 
cases, bales, and barrels, ten yards from the ship, called 
the Europe, which is gently tossing on the somewhat 
restless waters of the Gironde. Then came a time of 
crushing, shouting, signalling to porters ; we push and 
are pushed till, over the narrow gangway, we get on 
board and, on giving our names, learn the number of 
the cabin which is to be our home for three whole weeks. 
It is a roomy one, well forward and away from the 
engines, which is a great advantage. Then we had just 
time to wash before the bell rang for lunch. 
We had at our table several officers, the ship’s doctor, 
an army doctor, and two wives of colonial officials who 
were returning to their husbands after a voyage home 
to recruit. AU of them, as we soon discovered, had 
