the world, with manners
suave and distinguished; the second is a savant and knows the habits of
obscure and out of the way people. What de la Borde's points may be, I
do not know: he is a frank, good looking young fellow and spoke perfect
English.

_20th April, 1915. S.S. "Arcadian." Lemnos._ A big wind rose in the
night.

A clerk from my central office at the Horse Guards developed small pox
this morning. No doubt he has been in some rotten hole in Alexandria and
this is the result,--a disgusting one to all of us as we have had to be
vaccinated.

Ready now, but so long as the wind blows, we have to twiddle our thumbs.

Got the full text of d'Amades' orders for his Kum Kale landing as well
as for the Besika Bay make-believe.

_21st April, 1915. S.S. "Arcadian." Lemnos._ Blowing big guns. The event
with which old mother time is in labour is so big that her pains are
prodigious and prolonged out of all nature. So near are we now to our
opening that the storm means a twenty four hours' delay.

Have issued my orders to the troops. Yesterday our plans were but plans.
To-day the irrevocable steps out on to the stage.

General Headquarters,
_21st April, 1915._

_Soldiers of France and of the King._

Before us lies an adventure unprecedented in modern war. Together with
our comrades of the Fleet, we are about to force a landing upon an open
beach in face of positions which have been vaunted by our enemies as
impregnable.

The landing will be made good, by the help of God and the Navy; the
positions will be stormed, and the War brought one step nearer to a
glorious close.

"Remember," said Lord Kitchener when bidding adieu to your Commander,
"Remember, once you set foot upon the Gallipoli Peninsula, you must
fight the thing through to a finish."

The whole world will be watching your progress. Let us prove our selves
worthy of the great feat of arms entrusted to us.
IAN HAMILTON, _General_.

_22nd April, 1915. S.S. "Arcadian." Lemnos._ Wind worse than ever, but
weather brighter. Another twenty four hours' delay. Russian Military
Attache from Athens (Makalinsky) came to see me at 2.30 p.m. He cannot
give me much idea of how the minds of the Athenians are working. He says
our Russian troops are of the very best. Delay is the worst
nerve-cracker.

Charley Burn, King