h Ain Arik, where a friendly
brass band played us past with "Bonnie Dundee" till just below the top
of the pass at Kefr Skeyan, where we rested for the afternoon as we
might not cross the skyline in daylight. This resulted in a most
tedious night march, finishing in pitch darkness over very rough going
with a bad bivouac area at the end of it. Next morning we were
surprised to find ourselves by the side of a small lake--Lake
Baluah--shallow and muddy, but welcome as giving water for the animals
quite close to their lines. Road-making near Ram Allah was the order
of the day, and one company anyhow found the return journey not
without its excitement. A Taube dived at them and opened fire at very
close range, but fortunately their aim was distinctly bad, and it was
our nervous system only that suffered.

[Illustration: BATTALION BIVOUAC, NEAR SUFFA.
_To face page 110_]

[Illustration: THE IRISH ROAD CROSSING THE WADI AIN ARIK.
_To face page 110_]

We were now only a few miles behind the line, and though our
Brigade was only to be in support for the next advance the C.O. and
Company Commanders climbed Sheikh Abdullah, from which a good view of
the surrounding country could be obtained. This was an easy climb, but
the view from here showed us that the next advance would be no picnic
even if the country alone had to be overcome. Ridge upon ridge faced
us, rising higher and higher to the horizon about six miles away where
Burj Lisaneh stood up like a sugar-loaf, while to our half-right
steepish slopes covered with fig trees, not yet in leaf, rose up to
the heights of Tel Asur 3318 feet high. In all this country there was
but one road which wound its way among the hills towards Nablus (the
ancient Shechem) and the north. There were a few miles of road up as
far as Beitin (the Bethel of the Bible), but there it stopped short,
which meant that the 53rd Division on our right would have to do their
advance without any road at all; but we had all done without roads
before, and no doubt we should do equally well again. However, we had
now completed a road through from Latron to Ram Allah and the Nablus
road, so that a further advance was possible as supplies could now be
brought up. The corps had been more or less stationary across the
Jerusalem-Nablus road for six or seven weeks, though there had been a
lot of activity on the eastern flank towards Jericho.

On 8th March B Company (Captain D.D. Ogilvie) started off to report to