leepiest place on earth. It nestled at the
bottom of a cup and was hidden by trees; no passer in the skies would
glimpse roof or street. No vehicle entered it from outside and the war
was only hearsay. I think the hum of its labor can only be heard by
the bees, and its drowsy evening prayers are barely audible to the
angels. Its atmosphere crept over our spirits like ether and we did
little else but sleep for the week that we were there. Parades would
be ordered, but after a short time of drilling in the only field of the
village, we would realize the sacrilege of our exertion, and the parade
would be dismissed. Thereafter the only preparation for the day ahead
that was persisted in consisted of lectures, when the droning voice of
the officer would frequently be accompanied by snores from his men. My
duties were to give instruction in scouting, but I seemed to be
sounding a motor-horn in slumberland when I counselled my boys to
"always keep their eyes skinned" as the genie of the village was
weighting their eyelids with lead. I spoke in the language of
different worlds when I said: "A scout's body should never be seen to
move" (and the village hummed its applause), "but his eyes should be
never still--" (and there was almost a hiss that came through the
trees).

For the first day or two we did not see the inhabitants of the village
at all. Much puzzled at this we questioned the maire, and he told us
that they were very much afraid because we were Australians--that there
had been much alarm when they heard we were coming. Perhaps they
thought we were black, and into their dulled ears had crept a whisper
of the fierceness in battle of these giants called "Anzac." It was not
long, however, before curiosity drew them from their hiding-places and
our laughing good nature won their confidence. It was not surprising
that our lavish spending of money should have roused their cupidity,
for never had they seen so much wealth before, and never had we seen
such poverty. Any of our privates was able to buy out the stock of a
whole store, which was not worth more than a pound or two. One of
them, to satisfy his hunger, on the first night walked into one of
these stores, but when he saw the stock his face was a picture of blank
disappointment. "I want something to eat," he said, "and I think I'll
take all you've got. It may make a fruit salad or something." There
were only one or two that could converse with us in any