of fine sand fills up our excavations
as fast as we dig. Four ships still keep firing--"Lord Nelson,"
"Swiftsure," "Agamemnon" (?) and "Euryalus"--and every shot brings
down more sand.

Being off the direct track from the battlefield we have missed the
wounded we expected. In spite of our tramping about all night in the
dark we feel very fresh, and disappointed at having nothing to do,
although in good spirits over our victory--for such we take it to be.

This is the first occasion on which we can find fault with the Turks'
method of fighting, but to-day they have fired on all and
sundry--bearers, ambulance wagons, Red Cross flags, and the C.C.S.

_August 23rd._--I ended my notes two days ago by remarking that we
were all in good spirits over what seemed to us to be a victory. Soon
after that some of us had to change our tune. Two officers were
ordered up to Chocolate Hill, so Agassiz and I went across the north
side of the Salt Lake which we found dry and caked hard. Towards the
far end, as we neared the terrible hill, bullets were flying in
hundreds--one struck the ground practically under my left foot,
another passed between Agassiz and myself when we certainly were not a
foot apart. A few more hundred yards, at the double, took us to that
absolute inferno, Hill 53. (The hills were named according to their
height, 53 meaning 53 metres high.) We got to the top through dead and
dying men lined out everywhere. We at once looked up the A.D.M.S. who,
along with the heads of the 29th Division, was in a deep and strongly
protected dug-out. Now came the terrible and most unexpected
news--the Staff were in a state of hysterics--Hill 72, which is
separated from Hill 53 by a small dip, had been fought for all day and
captured at immense cost, and was now about to be given up, it was
impossible for us to hold it. The 11th Division had sent word that
they were at a certain point which was their objective, but they were
actually some distance behind that, and never did reach that point.
But this piece of information, which the line had been eagerly waiting
for, now allowed our centre to advance, thinking they had the 11th
Division protecting their flank. They soon got too far forward and
were at once enfiladed. This was the beginning of what was a
catastrophe and which will cost us thousands of lives to rectify. "We
are to give up Hill 72," said the A.D.M.S., "and if the Turks make a
night attack, as they always do after an