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MORE DAYS IN ANTWERP 237
ferry across the Scheldt ; everything is done with the rapidity,
efficiency, order and disciphne which distinguish the doings
of the German army down to the minutest detail.
The ferries do not return empty from Tete de Flandre, for
enormous groups of returning fugitives, men, women and
children with their carts, bicycles and barrows, bundles and
packages are now gathering on the opposite bank. They form
a picturesque and motley crowd, such as one is accustomed
to see by the side of emigrant ships on the way to America.
Most of them are Flemings. A remarkable order seems to
reign amongst them. They do not squabble, do not shout,
and do not push to get past one another on to the ferries, but
wait quietly and obediently until the soldiers show them the
way. The military and civilians seem to be on the best of
terms. We saw the former, to the accompaniment of jest and
laughter, exert themselves to the utmost to make themselves
understood, and the result was a bewildering medley of Ger-
man, French and Flemish.
When the Germans entered Antwerp, they found on the
eastern quay in question enormous piles of Belgian uniforms,
caps, helmets and knapsacks. None of these had yet been
touched. Presumably all this kit had been intended for re-
cruits recently called out.
In the course of our wanderings we also visited the northern
parts of the harbour. Here one almost loses oneself in a
gigantic maze of docks, piers, quays, basins, warehouses and
sheds, and enormous stacks of timber and stores of ironware
and colonial produce. Here is a profusion of customs sheds,
office buildings, loading gear, cranes, railway wagons, wheel-
less motor-cars, packing cases and sacks containing I don’t
know what. " Verboten te rooken" (Smoking prohibited) is
posted up everywhere in gigantic letters. As I saw it I could
not help thinking that " Verboten te bombardeeren " would have
been, if anything, a more fitting injunction. Without a guide
it would have been impossible to find one’s way, and we were
glad to get hold of a queer-looking fish sniffing round amongst
the merchandise, who subsequently took us in hand. To-day
there were a few more people about, amongst them Germans
who were making the round of the harbour precincts to note
the names of all the vessels lying there. I asked them if they
had seen any Swedish boats, but the answer was in the nega-
tive. Barges, lighters and fishing boats were lying closely
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