ery
well indeed, much better than they did when I saw them some months ago
in Kent, although the sand was against them, muffling the stamp of feet
which binds a Company together and telling unevenly on different parts
of the line. Admiral Pierce and his Flag Captain, Burmeister, honoured
the occasion: they were on foot and so, not to elevate the stature of
the Army above that of the Senior Service, I took the salute dismounted.

Next had a look round camp. Found things so, so. Saw Arthur Asquith and
Rupert Brooke of the Howe Battalion, both sick, neither bad. Asked
Brooke to join my personal Staff, not as a fire insurance (seeing what
happened to Ronnie Brooke at Elandslaagte and to Ava at Waggon Hill) but
still as enabling me to keep an eye on the most distinguished of the
Georgians. Young Brooke replied, as a _preux chevalier_ would naturally
reply,--he realised the privileges he was foregoing, but he felt bound
to do the landing shoulder-to-shoulder with his comrades. He looked
extraordinarily handsome, quite a knightly presence, stretched out there
on the sand with the only world that counts at his feet.

Lunched on the _Franconia_ and conversed with Lieutenant-Colonel
Matthews and Major Mewes of the Plymouth Battalion; also with Major
Palmer. To see with your eyes; to hear with your ears; to touch with
your fingers enables you to bring the truth home to yourself. Five
minutes of that personal touch tells a man more than five weeks of
report reading. In five minutes I gained from these Officers five times
more knowledge about Sedd-el-Bahr and Kum Kale than all their own bald
despatches describing their own landings and cutting-out enterprises had
given me. Paris' account had not helped me much either, the reason being
that it was not first hand,--was only so many words that he had
heard,--was not what he had _felt_. Now, I do really, at last and for
the first time, realistically grasp the lie of the land and of the
Turks. The prospect is not too rosy, but Wolfe, I daresay, saw blue as
he gazed over the water at his problem, without map or General Staff
plan to help him. There lay Quebec; within cannon shot; but that enemy
was thrice his strength; entrenched in a fortress--there they lay
confident--a landing was "impossible!" But all things are possible--to
faith. He had faith in Pitt; faith in his own bright particular star;
faith in the British Fleet standing resolute at his back:--he launched
his attack; he got b