w
they talked, and certainly the subjects discussed sometimes covered a
very big field. I have heard a heated discussion as to the position of
the port of Hamburg, and was finally called on to decide as arbitrator
whether this was a Dutch or German town. Theological discussions were
also by no means infrequent. One of my comrades insisted with a fervour
almost amounting to ferocity upon the reality of "conversion," and was
opposed by another whose tendencies were more Pelagian, and who went so
far as to maintain that no one would employ the services of a
"converted" man if he could secure one who was "unconverted". The amount
of bad language evoked in the course of this theological argument was
extraordinary. Such acrimonious discussions as these acted, however, as
a mere foil to our general harmony, and a common practice on an evening
when we had no wounded on our hands was to start a "sing-song". The
general tone of these concerts was decidedly patriotic. "God save the
Queen" and "Rule Britannia" were thrown in every now and then, but
seldom, if ever, I am glad to say, that wearisome doggerel "The
Absent-Minded Beggar". It is quite a mistake, by the way, to suppose
that Mr. Kipling's poetry is widely appreciated by the rank and file of
the army. From what I have noticed, the less intelligent soldiers know
nothing at all about Mr. Kipling's verses, while the more intelligent of
them heartily dislike the manner in which they are represented in his
poems--as foul-mouthed, godless and utterly careless of their duties to
wives and children. I remember a sergeant exclaiming: "Kipling's works,
sir! why, we wouldn't have 'em in our depot library at any price!" Of
course it would be ridiculous to maintain that many soldiers do not use
offensive language, but the habit is largely the outcome of their social
surroundings in earlier life and is also very infectious; it requires
quite an effort to refrain from swearing when other people about one are
continually doing this, and when such behaviour is no longer viewed as a
serious social offence. As to Mr. Atkins' absent-mindedness I shall have
a word to say later on.

In addition to the National Anthem and "Rule Britannia," we had, of
course, "Soldiers of the Queen," and a variety of other less known
ballads which described the superhuman valour of our race, and deplored
the folly of any opposition on the part of our enemies even if they
outnumbered us by "ten to one". One of our