ore lunch seven were lying in
the outer. It was a magnificent sight from the top of the hill I have
mentioned.

_April 14th._--Wednesday. Had a very slow day on board, feeling that I
was badly in need of some hard physical exercise. No attack to be made
to-day, that is evident, and I doubt if we are ready for it
to-morrow. Orders are out for the usual drill to-morrow which now
always consists of boating, landing, and climbing rope ladders
swinging about in mid-air.

After dinner I had a long talk with one of the ship's officers who had
been in the navy for years, and is now attached to this boat to look
after things naval. "The charge ashore" of the covering party he
considers a vast mistake, and his idea is that the authorities have
just discovered this too, and are reconsidering its advisability. A
few machine-guns could wipe us all out before we get ashore. We are to
be covered by the navy, but what is the use of big guns against
individuals planted everywhere in trenches. However it is not for us
"to reason why". My informant had been talking yesterday to the
Brigade Major, and on asking him if we were still going to Gallipoli
he said, "Oh, I think so".

_April 15th._--Prepared this morning to go ashore with full equipment
and lifebelt, but in the end no boat was available for the R.A.M.C.
Just after breakfast I met a naval man on the stair leading down to
the saloon, looking for the O.C. the troops, Col. Rooth, and he sent
him a message through me, introducing himself as the commander of our
covering ship. Looking over the rail I found H.M.S. "Cornwallis"
painted on his steam-launch.

6.15 p.m. Just returned from a five mile sail in a rowing boat, Morris
and I being determined to find the "Marquette" if she was among the
ships out in the offing, being anxious to get our letters, but she was
not there. We sorrowfully wheeled about and returned, encircling the
"Queen Elizabeth" with her eight 15-inch guns, then along to examine
the German ship "Acane Herksman," which struck one of their own mines
off Smyrna. A huge hole 7 or 8 feet wide had been blown in her bow
which must have flooded her in a minute or so, but I forget how she
was kept afloat. She was brought round here as a prize with her stern
heavily loaded with sandbags which tilted her bow completely out of
the water.

Our row was a most enjoyable one, and the men rowed with a will, all
expecting to get their home mail. The country round the bay was