d,
and it seems to me that there never was a time in those trenches that I
wasn't thirsty.

[Illustration: An Australian Camel Corps.]

I had some fun scouting in the desert, but on several occasions was
very nearly lost when there were no stars, and hills had been altered
in shape by the wind since I last passed them. We were expecting an
attack by the Turks, and some camel patrols we sent out reported signs
of camps but no sight of the enemy. As a consequence of these rumors
our sentries were very nervous, and we scouts ran considerable risk
returning to our lines before daylight. I was very nearly shot on
several occasions, and once was within an ace of firing on one of my
best pals. I saw a figure in the dark and, sneaking up to it, called
out: "Put up your hands!" He did so, but then foolishly dropped them
again. If he had not called out, "Who the hell are you?" at the same
moment, he would have been a dead man.

A squadron of our Light Horse discovered a Turkish well-boring party in
the desert. They were under command of an Austrian engineer, but soon
surrendered when they saw that they were surrounded. This made us sure
that the Turkish army could not be far away, but our aeroplanes
reported no signs of it. A few weeks later an attack was made by about
twenty thousand Turks on the Scottish regiment holding the line to the
north of us and we had a bit of a skirmish with their flank guard.
They surprised us completely; the fight was fought mostly in pyjamas on
our part, but we had little difficulty in driving them off. This raid
was some achievement and I take off my hat to the man who planned it.
They came across those many miles of desert without being seen,
bringing with them even six-inch guns. They bluffed our aeroplanes by
only travelling at night and hiding under sand-colored canvas in the
daytime. Their heavy transport was moved by laying a track in front of
it, taking it up behind as it passed on and putting it down in front
again.

We captured a lone Turk soldier nursing his blistered feet in the
desert and he was delighted to join us. We also brought in at the same
time a Bedouin who evidently thought we were some species of game, for
although he fired on us he had no love for his Turkish companion and
could not be persuaded to keep him company. The only request I heard
this Turk make was for one of our uniforms. He kept pointing out the
filth of his own clothes, so I had some water g