Silver tassel;
Scented room;
Almond "glad"-eye-look.
Queersome figures prowling round,
From some kiddies' picture-book.

Graeco-Serbian Frontier,
J. H., October 1915.

The coal-yards and dingy quays looked gray and chill. Here were
gray-painted Government sheds, with white numbers on the sliding doors,
dull gray trucks, and dirty sidings.

A couple of Egyptian native police in khaki drill, brown belts,
side-arms, red fezes, and carrying canes, both smoking cigarettes,
swaggered up and down in front of an arc-light.

There were dump-yards and gray tin offices, rusty cranes, and a gray
floating quay. Gangs of Egyptian beggars in ragged clothes and a flock
of little brown children continually dodged the native police as we
sailed slowly through the docks. They were the only touch of colour in a
muddle of Government buildings, stores, and transport ships.

We were all crowding to the handrail looking overboard. The Egyptian
sunset had just vanished and the deep blue of an Eastern night held the
docks in a haze of gloom.

The pipe band of the Inniskillings was playing "The Wearin' o' the
Green" in that mournful, gurgling chant which we came to know so well.

One of the little Egyptian beggar-girls was dancing to it on the
floating quay down below us by the flicker of the arc-lamp. She was a
tiny mite, with a shock of black hair and brown face and arms. She wore
a pink dress with some brass buttons hung round her neck. She danced
with all the supple gracefulness of the out-door tribes of the desert,
never out of step, always true and rhythmic in every motion of arms and
body.

When the pipes on board trailed away with a hiss of wind and a choking,
gurgling noise into silence the little dancing girl began to sing in
a deep, musical voice--the voice of one who has lived out-of-doors in
tents--

"Itta long way--Tipple-airy!
--Long way to go!
--Long way--Tipple-airy!
Sweetie girl I know!..."

She sang in broken English, and danced to the tune, which she knew
perfectly.

The khaki crowd aboard whistled and cheered and laughed. Some one threw
a penny. The whole gang of beggars scrambled after it, and there ensued
a scrimmage with much shouting and swearing in Arabic.

We could see the city lit up be