the moon. My guard came along and ordered me to lie down, but I
refused, and, in fact, walked along between the rows of prostrate forms.
The air was uncannily still, broken only by the twitterings of night
birds, the hooting of the owls, the subdued clanging of rifles, the
footsteps of the guards, and the groans of many of the sleepers who were
twisting and turning upon the ground. The hill-side was crowded with the
restless forms; they seemed so thick and densely packed as to cover
every inch of space.

As I surveyed the scene the loneliness and helplessness of our position
did not strike me. All was so quiet and apparently peaceful. Now and
again a sleeper would stir, mutter something in his sleep about his poor
wife and children at home, and would sit up to ascertain what light was
playing upon his face, would turn to the moon and then completely
satisfied would lie down and relapse into slumber. As I observed the
heavy dew which had dressed the grass and sleeping forms with beads
which sparkled like diamonds I could not repress a feeling of thanks
that the weather was kind to us. Supposing it had rained! I shuddered at
the thought.

At 4.30 we were all roused, lined up, and ordered to prepare to receive
our breakfast. We formed queues as instructed but we had to wait
patiently until eight o'clock before we received our rations--the acorn
coffee looking more sickly and watery than ever. Only a few basins were
available so we had to drink successively out of the self-same vessel,
as rapidly as we could swallow the liquid upon the spot. We closed our
eyes to the fact that a hundred or more people of all nationalities,
from Frenchmen to Poles, German recruits to Slavs, had drunk a few
moments previously from these basins which were not even rinsed after
use. The thought was revolting, but it was either drink with a blind
trust in the Fates or go without.

During that day the erection of the single marquee was hastened. It was
the only tent available, and there were sufficient of us on the field to
have packed it to suffocation ten times over! We were compelled to go
without our mid-day meal, but this did not disconcert us very
pronouncedly. Our peace of mind was being racked by another impending
aggravation of our predicament. Dark heavy clouds were gathering in the
sky. Was the weather which had been merciful to us during the previous
night now going to break?

When the marquee was completed a few trusses of straw