With the Serbs in Macedonia

248 WITH THE SERBS IN MACEDONIA
soldiers on the peaks amid the snow or knee-
deep in the muddy, wind-swept trenches,
making war as cheaply as possible so as not to
increase their beloved country's burdens— is it
to be wondered at that those of us who had the
privilege of seeing them wax lyrical in their
praise ? Thomas Atkins is a wonderfully
discriminating and trustworthy person in bulk.
He does not wear his heart upon his sleeve, and
he does not give his friendship to everybody.
But, officer and man, when he has come in
contact with them, he has given it whole-
heartedly
to the Serbs.
Snow, rain, scorching sun, and blinding dust,
malaria and dysentery ;
in the face of an enemy
perched high above them, they
have endured
these things, and in the end driven the enemy
from his fastness as well. And all the time they
have loved us and had faith in us. On us they
have striven to model themselves, admiring our
ways and our tranquillity and openly seeking
to copy them, crediting us with all sorts of
virtues that it is to be hoped that we possess.
Conscious of their defects, pathetically eager for
development and improvement, the wish of their
hearts is that Britain will be their instructor
and helper.
It is on us that their eyes are turned, these
good fellows, these clean fighters and faithful