Half stunned and almost smothered by frequent submerging and the weight of the volume of water that had fallen on me, I drifted helplessly toward the bank.

The next thing I remembered was hearing sounds above me and a hand reaching down and grasping me, while a voice in French said: "You live!" "It's about all I do," was my answer.
Then strong arms hauled me out on the bank.

The one who had addressed me was a priest, and through the midst of a madly excited crowd he escorted me up the street to the palace of the archbishop, a quaint old building, almost in ruins.

Here every possible kindness was extended from the civil, military and religious authorities.

At the banquet tendered me I was dressed in a suit of clothes half clerical, half military; but I enjoyed it as well as my tired bones would permit.