Thirty Days in Lithuania in 1919Saurusaitis, Peter
History
Thirty Days in Lithuania in 1919
Saurusaitis, Peter
Lithuania
At Kaunas I learned that the Germans and Kolchakians had taken Siauliai,
a city between Kaunas and Libow, and that I could not go back to America
by way of Libow. The telephone was interrupted by the occupants. Then
there was no way left to me but to go to the English mission at Kaunas
to get a permit to go back via Germany, and to go to the German consul
at Kaunas to put a visa on my passport for the same purpose. Having
obtained all the documents I said adieu to Kaunas, adieu Lithuania,
adieu Vilkaviskis, adieu my sister and all her family. On October 16 I
took the German train from Eytkunen to Berlin and Cologne. In Cologne I
remained three days, making investigation for my lost baggage, but in
vain. Via Brussells to Ostend, where I embarked on the four hours vessel
from Ostend to Dower, an English port. On October 23 I came to London
at 9:30 p. m. There I was obliged to spend all night walking up and down
the front of the church to avoid catching cold, because there was no
possibility of getting a place in any of the hotels. Next morning the
first thing I went to find out how soon I could get the ship Mauretania.
I was informed that it was not sure if the Mauretania would be able to
start for New York on December 30, because it was in repair. There were
some smaller ships to start sooner, which I did not risk. In Scotland
two Lithuanian priests who were informed of my coming to London and
would not be able to get a ship to America for a long time, invited me
to Scotland to give mission to the Lithuanians there. Having consented
to do so, I came to Glasgow November 5. In the following places I gave
mission of four days each: Graigneuk, Motherwell, Garfin, Burnbank; and
a whole week in each of the following places: Mossend and Glasgow. I
also spent one week at Manchester in England. The missions were very
successful in all places. The Lithuanians were rejoicing and saying that
my not getting a ship was very providential. On December 21, I came back
to London and bought my ticket to cross the ocean on the Canadian ship
called Empress of France, which was to start January 3, 1920. On
December 24 I came to Liverpool to spend a few days there in getting
ready for my voyage to Canada and the United States. On coming to
Liverpool, I learned that the "Empress of France" was to start four days
later, than was intended, on January 7th.
The Lithuanian people of Liverpool asked me to give a Mission to them.
On the Sunday after Christmas I opened a mission for the Lithuanians of
Liverpool, and closed it the next Sunday.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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