ar as I can see.
On Thursday the point of greatest activity was in the strait opposite
the conquered portion of the peninsula. It stood out somewhat dim in the
haze of battle, but the smoke and flash of the Allies' guns and the
Turks' answering could be picked out without great difficulty. Added to
this the air was still; the dull thud of the field guns at work there
was different from the resounding boom of the naval guns, and the whirr
of the machine guns could be plainly heard.
Hard work by land and water is going on along the front stretching away
to the left from Erenkeui on the Asiatic side, and the difficulties of
obtaining a substantial footing in that mountainous region had evidently
been overcome. It was apparent that the enemy was putting up a stiff
fight, and at times he must have run his batteries close to the water's
edge.
Early in the afternoon the Turkish gunners managed to explode several
shells on the land near Morto Bay on the European side. A little later
they made the earth and stones of Tree Hill fly up in the air by a few
well-placed shells, but such advances on the part of the enemy were
brief. The warships in the strait instantly turned their guns on the
daring batteries, and such diversions by the enemy were only of brief
duration. Toward sunset a battleship was seen to send two shells against
the cliff edge south of Suvla Bay.
Yesterday the thick smoke of battle still hung over all activities on
the Asiatic side of the waterway. Nearly all the transports had gone,
and most of the warships were engaged in the entrance and further up to
near Kilid Bahr. Only one battleship that I could see was firing from
off the western coast of the peninsula, standing well out off shore near
Krithia. It was evidently firing long-range shells against the foe on
the further side of the Dardanelles.
The land actions had another point of interest yesterday. In the
afternoon very heavy fighting could be noticed far along the Sari Bair,
(about sixteen miles north of the tip of the peninsula,) where the
Australians are. Every now and again waves of smoke blotted out that
part of the landscape. It would clear occasionally to show the hillsides
dotted over with puffs of white. Often against the gray background
spurts of flame would herald the thunder of heavily engaged artillery.
Rifle fire at times, too, could be heard.
The supposition is that our forces in that region, who are forcing their
way across th
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