use of one's wits and by
purchase at exorbitant prices of certain articles from sailors. Still,
despite this high living, the troops grew perceptibly thinner.

All offensive on Gallipoli was at this time confined to the Cape Helles
front, where the capture of Achi Baba was their immediate object. The
role of the Anzac troops was merely to keep the enemy always on the
alert and in fear of an offensive movement from Anzac, and to make
small demonstrations during heavy attacks on the big hill of Achi Baba.
On these occasions Mac would watch eagerly through his glasses the
bursting shells along its crests, and would seek indications of a
British advance, but always in vain.

Much as the Anzac troops yearned for some activity to break the
monotony, there was little prospect of success of any present push from
there. The regiments were thin; the Turks held strong superior
positions, and possessed more machine-guns than were to Mac's liking.

The enemy made several night attacks, which brought nothing but
casualties and regrets to the attackers. On one of these occasions
Mac's squadron was in reserve to the Light Horse on Russell's Top, and
were doing their best to sleep on the narrow clay terraces perched
along the cliffs behind it.

About nine o'clock, heavy, ominous thunder-clouds came rolling silently
in from the west. Lightning played in fitful dashes. Then followed
swirling wind gusts, which stirred up fantastic columns of whirling
dust, roared down the ravines, and raised a surf which grated furiously
on the shingle below. Thunder crashed and bellowed, and the whole
weird fantasy of crag, cliff and cyclonic dust columns was terribly and
wonderfully lit by the vivid and almost continual flashing of the
lightning.

Not content with the inferno of nature, the enemy chose this mad moment
to add his artillery to the cataclysm, and turned a merry whizz-bang
battery on to the Top. For an hour the racket lasted, and then fell in
gradual diminuendo; and Mac thought of sleep notwithstanding vermin,
dust and shrapnel. It was not to be. A fatigue party was wanted
immediately. A number were told off. Warmly and extensively
apostrophizing the originators of this nocturnal expedition, they
gathered up their rifles, bandoliers and water-bottles and wandered
protestingly off uphill.

Arrived in the front fire-trench, they were directed to set about
roofing bomb-proof dug-outs, in place of another party which was too