ever. The Germans were concentrating an attack on
it with the hope of reaching Furnes. They occupied it that night, but
were later driven out again. I have learned since some of the villagers
remained through that bombardment, and were killed in their houses.

[Sidenote: Destruction of Ramscapelle.]

While we stood sheltered by the house on the canal, speculating as to
which one of the houses still standing in Ramscapelle would be hit next,
the light from those on fire reflected on the dark, brackish water of
the canal, which was running in with the tide. Presently we noticed
something in the water, and, stooping down in the twilight, we made out
the body of a man face downward. The color of the coat and the little
short skirt to it showed it was the body of a German soldier. It passed
on and was followed by three more before we left. They had been in the
water several days.

The fire from the trenches died down at dusk and we made our way back
along the empty crossroad. Half way back to the dunes we passed a Red
Cross motor ambulance, headed toward Ramscapelle. On the seat beside the
driver was a young English woman. She was wearing the gray-brown coat
and gray-brown puttees of the English soldier. We called out to her we
thought the town was empty, but the only answer we got from the speeding
ambulance was an assuring wave of the young woman's hand, which was
evidently meant to inform us she knew where she was going.

[Sidenote: Ambulances and infantry pass.]

On the main road from Nieuport to Furnes, which we followed a short
distance, there were dozens of ambulances going to the rear and a long
column of infantry going forward. Headed toward the rear there were also
many wounded men on foot. They had been dressed at Nieuport, but there
were not enough ambulances to take them all away. One who was walking
slowly and painfully told me he had a bullet in his back.

During the afternoon the Schneiders I had seen had evidently been placed
among the sand dunes, and they were now bombarding the German lines over
our heads. Crossing over the sand dunes to the beach, we passed under
two batteries, though we did not see them. We could tell they were
French, though, by the rapidity of the fire. The French seem to be able
to fire their guns several times as fast as the Germans or the English.

A cluster of houses belonging to shrimp fishermen was right under these
batteries, where they were sure to get some of the return