ter a great
physical effort we reached the base of a hill with a steep soft slope,
and a sort of knife-edge ridge at the top, where an Australian outpost
had been surrounded a few days before. Australian and Turkish dead still
lay as evidence of the fight, and the stench from their bodies produced
by the sweltering heat did not diminish the grimness of the scene.

This ridge was the battalion's position for the day, so after a short
rest we scrambled to the top and surveyed the desert on the other side,
lying thoroughly exhausted under the almost vertical rays of the sun,
for it was now mid-day. The other side of the hill was exceptionally
steep and dropped into a large hod (plantation of date palms), the first
we had met on our desert travels. In this there appeared to be a well,
and the temptation to go down for water was great, but how could one
struggle up again? An occasional trooper visited this place but none
could persuade their horses to drink, which seemed to indicate that the
water was not good. Out over the desert the cavalry could still be seen
pursuing the enemy, and our guns were occasionally flinging shrapnel
amongst them.

Strange sights were seen. A captured convoy of Turkish camel transport
was captured, and they presented a very motley appearance. They were
evidently collected from the desert lands of the Turkish Empire. They
had come to the war dressed as for their more peaceful habits, so that
no two men were alike. Several wore brilliantly coloured garments and
head gear. Occasionally a German officer would be seen amongst the batch
of weary prisoners. The navy's assistance in this fighting was marked by
a monitor, miles away, standing as close to the shore as possible,
although to us she appeared like a tiny toy ship. Suddenly a big flash
belched forth, followed a long time afterwards by a roar, which in turn
was followed by a terrific explosion over the desert to the right where
the shell had arrived in the wake of the retreating Turks. One of these
shots at least had been an O.K. as we afterwards discovered, for it had
destroyed a large part of a Turkish camel convoy. At four in the
afternoon the battalion received orders to move on and occupy another
ridge about one and a half miles in front, and "A" Company immediately
set out, moving round the shoulder of our present hill. "C" Company
dropped down the steep slope and waited in the hod for further
instructions. They found there a batch of wo