, but could not catch them.
Contests of this sort are more exciting to the crowd than any fancy
aviation stunts that are done at exhibitions, and the whole town turns
out whenever an aeroplane is sighted.

This morning I presented myself at the German Legation with the imposing
_laisser-passer_ furnished me by the Military Governor of Brabant, but
the guard on duty at the door had not received orders to let me in and
turned me down politely but definitely. I took the matter up with the
Foreign Office and said that I wanted it settled, so that I would not
have any more fruitless trips over there. At five an officer from the
Etat-Major of the Garde Civique came for me in a motor and took me over
to the Legation, to give orders in my presence that whenever I appeared
I was to be allowed to pass without argument. As I got into the motor I
noticed that the soldier who was driving the car looked at me with a
twinkle in his eye, but paid no attention to him. When I took a second
look I saw that it was G. B----, with whom I had played golf several
times. I am constantly being greeted by people in uniform whom I had
known at one time or another. It is hard to recognise them in uniform.

So far as operations in Belgium are concerned, we may not have anything
big for some days to come; but, in the meantime, work of preparation is
being pushed rapidly and supplies and reinforcements are being rushed to
the front. Half the shops in town are closed, and all the people are
working either in the field or taking care of the wounded or prisoners.
There are said to be some eight thousand German prisoners in Belgium,
and it is some work to take care of them all.

* * * * *

_Brussels, August 12, 1914._--A few minutes' gap, so I seize my pen to
scratch off a line.

Last night when I left here I rode up the Rue Belliard on my way home. I
was stopped in front of the German Legation by the guard which was
placed across the street. They examined the chauffeur's papers carefully
and then looked over mine. They compared the tintype on my
_laisser-passer_ with the classic lineaments of the original, and after
looking wise, told me to move on. When we got up to the Boulevard there
was great cheering, and we came out on a thin file of French cavalry,
which was on its way through town from the Gare du Midi. The crowd was
mad with enthusiasm and the soldiers, although plainly very tired,
pulled t