Train

Tuesday Thursday, April 18 16, 1929 Dates and days wrong Tuesday, April 16, 1929

Noon—sitting on our baggage in the shade of the station platform. Plenty of flies, ants, and crows, and the heat waves are rolling in making it like an oven here. There was no private compartment in the train for Europeans, but the stationmaster cleared out one end of a compartment so we all had plenty of room to lie down in. All day we rode through a vast flat plain of scrubby bushes and an occasional tree. The heat rolled in the car in waves—so hot that every now and then you would catch your breath. Wherever a bare arm or leg touched a seat would be a pool of perspiration. Like the natives we made ourselves at home and took off our shoes and socks. About 7, Mort and Frank went to the dining car for dinner, which they got very reasonably for 55¢ per head. I tried my luck at a Hindu stand on the station platform. I started to pick up a bit of food and the man grabbed my arm. Then I remembered that a Hindu may not eat food or drink water handled by others. He can only drink running water. At each station there is a Hindu drinking place where a Hindu sits and pours water into the hands of those of his faith who wish to drink. For two annas two pies or 4¢ I got eight cakes of a kind of bread, round and the size of a pancake, and flat, of a yellowish-gray color. These were made of wheat and had a slightly sweetish taste—and very good. I also received a little paper full of chopped-up potatoes, mushrooms (?), and a sauce containing, among other things, curry. At the following station I went to the diner for lots of ice-water.

The wooden seat didn’t seem so hard for I was plenty tired. Hadn’t had a real decent night’s sleep since leaving Port Said. The night was pleasantly cool. Dirt and cinders poured in by the carload. When Mort woke me just before sunset, I thought I was asleep in a cinder pile. On a seat perpendicular to ours was a man nicely laid out on some blankets. I am sure he was asfixiated (?) for both Frank and Mort had their feet reposed near his face. Once during the night I awoke to find Frank’s feet parked in his hand, and Mort awoke this morning with his feet touching the man’s face. (Wednesday) The fare for the 441 miles from Karachi to Jodhpur is 8r8a or $3.14.

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