other
factors! Words are no use.

Looked at from the bridge of the _Triad_--not a bad observation
station--the tendency of our men to get into little groups was very
noticeable: as if they had not been trained in working under fire in the
open. As to the general form of our attack against the hills on our
right, it seemed to be what our French Allies call _decousu_. After a
whole day's rest and preparing, there might have been more form and
shape about the movement. Yet it was for the sake of this form and shape
that the Turkish reinforcements have been given time to get on to the
heights. Our stratagems worked well, but there is a time limit set to
all make-believes; the hour glass of fate was set at forty-eight hours,
and now the sands have run out.

Before going over to Anzac I had to get hold of Stopford so as to hear
what news had come in from Hammersley and from Mahon. If only Mahon is
pushing forward to Ejelmer Bay and can occupy the high range to the East
of it that would make amends for much. After breakfast, therefore, at
8.30 got into a launch and landed at Ghazi Baba with young Brodrick as
my only companion. Our boat took us into a deep, narrow creek cut by
nature into the sheer rock just by Ghazi Baba--a name only; there is
nothing to distinguish that spot from any other. Along the beach
feverish activity; stores, water, ammunition, all the wants of an army
being landed. Walking up the lower slope of Kiretch Tepe Sirt, we found
Stopford, about four or five hundred yards East of Ghazi Baba, busy with
part of a Field Company of Engineers supervising the building of some
splinter-proof Headquarters huts for himself and Staff. He was absorbed
in the work, and he said that it would be well to make a thorough good
job of the dug-outs as we should probably be here for a very long time.
I retorted, "Devil a bit; within a day or two you will be picking the
best of the Anafarta houses for your billet."

From the spot he had selected the whole of Suvla Bay and the Salt Lake
lay open; also the Anafartas and Yilghin Burnu. But, being on a lower
spur of Kiretch Tepe Sirt, his post was "dead" to the fighting taking
place along the crest of Kiretch Tepe Sirt itself. I remarked on this
and asked what news of the Irish, saying that now we were certainly
forestalled at Yilghin Burnu and, apparently, on Tekke Tepe also, it was
doubly essential Mahon should make a clean sweep of the ridge. Stopford
said he was confident he