and Beitunia, which rears a proud and picturesque head to bar the
way to Bireh. The wadis cross the valleys wherever torrent water can
tear up rock, but the yeomanry found their beds smoother going, filled
though they were with boulders, than the hill slopes, which generally
rose in steep gradients from the sides of watercourses. During every
step of the way across this saw-toothed country one appreciated to
the full the defenders' advantage. If dead ground hid you from one
hill-top enemy marks-men could get you from another, and it was
impossible for the division to proceed unless it got the enemy out of
all the hills on its line of advance. The infantry on the right were
very helpful, but the brigade on the left flank had many difficulties,
which were not lessened when, on the second day of the movement, all
Royal Horse Artillery guns and all wheels had to be sent back owing to
the bad country. Up to this point the fight against Nature was more
arduous than against the enemy. Thenceforward the enemy became more
vigilant and active, and the hills and stony hollows more trying. All
available men were set to work to make a road for the Hong Kong and
Singapore gunners, a battery which would always get as far into the
mountains as any in the King's Army. The road parties laboured night
and day, but it was only by the greatest exertions that the battery
could be got through. The heavy rain of the 19th added to the
troubles. The 8th Brigade, having occupied Beit ur et Tahta
(Beth-horon the Lower) early on the morning of the 19th, proceeded
along the wadi Sunt until a force on the heights held them up, and
they had to remain in the wadi while the 6th Mounted Brigade turned
the enemy's flank at Foka. The 22nd Mounted Brigade on the north met
with the same trouble--every hill had to be won and picqueted--and
they could not make Ain Arik that day. As soon as it was light on the
following morning the 6th Mounted Brigade brushed away opposition in
Foka and entered the village, pushing on thence towards Beitunia. The
advance was slow and hazardous; every hill had to be searched, a task
difficult of accomplishment by reason of the innumerable caves and
boulders capable of sheltering snipers. The Turk had become an adept
at sniping, and left parties in the hills to carry on by themselves.
When the 6th Brigade got within two miles of the south-west of
Beitunia they were opposed by 5000 Turks well screened by woods on the
slopes and th