e official building to discuss the papers referring to our arrival,
and it was six in the evening before they had come to any decision.
Throughout these six hours we were left lying on the scorching sand in
the broiling sun without a bite of food. Seeing that many of us had
eaten little or nothing since the early evening of the previous day it
is not surprising that the greater part were knocked up. One or two of
us caught sight of the canteen provided for the convenience of recruits,
and succeeded in getting a few mouthfuls, but they were not worth
consideration. I myself whiled away the time by enjoying a wash at the
pump and giving myself the luxury of a shave. I bought a small cake of
coarse soap and never enjoyed an ablution so keenly as that _al fresco_
wash, shave, shampoo, and brush-up at Sennelager. When I came back
thoroughly refreshed I had changed my appearance so completely that I
was scarcely recognised. Even the soldiers looked at me twice to make
sure I was the correct man.

Later a doctor appeared upon the scene. His name was Dr. Ascher, and as
events proved he was the only friend we ever had in the camp. He
enquired if any one felt ill. Needless to say a goodly number, suffering
from hunger, thirst and fatigue, responded to his enquiry. Realising the
reason for their unfortunate plight he bustled up to the Commanding
Officer and emphasised the urgent necessity to give us a meal. But he
was not entirely successful. Then he inspected us one by one, giving a
cheering word here, and cracking a friendly joke there. The hand of
Prince L---- received instant attention, while other slight injuries
were also sympathetically treated. The hearts of one and all went out to
this ministering angel, to whose work and indefatigable efforts on our
behalf I refer in a subsequent chapter.

At last we were ordered to the barracks near by. It was a large masonry
building, each room being provided with beds and straw upon the floor.
Subsequently, however, we were moved to less comfortable quarters where
there were three buildings in one, but subdivided by thick masonry
walls, thereby preventing all intercommunication. Here our sleeping
accommodation comprised bunks, disposed in two tiers, made of wood and
with a sack as a mattress.

Whether it is my natural disposition or ancestral blood I do not know,
but it has ever been my practice in life to emulate Mark Tapley and to
see the humorous aspect of the most depressing sit