abode, which was a farmhouse standing in the centre of an orchard
adjoining the main road. The building itself was by no means intact,
although, as yet, habitable. It gave us enough shelter of a kind, and
we soon adjusted ourselves to the prevailing conditions, and the
outhouses surrounding it afforded ample accommodation for the
detachments. The gun pits were cunningly concealed in the front
portion of the orchard, special care having been taken against the
prying eyes of hostile aeroplanes. We were fortunate in the choice of
position made for our first time in the line, for two reasons,
firstly, it was an interesting zone--including the village of Neuve
Chapelle now immediately behind our front line--and, secondly, it was
quiet. The country there is extremely flat, with the exception of
Aubers Ridge, which, occupied by the enemy, overlooked us to a certain
extent, although the many trees and woods prevented his having an
uninterrupted view. Our tuition began at once, and we were conducted
to the front line through innumerable communication trenches, which,
at first, reminded one of a maze at an exhibition, the only difference
being that numerous notice-boards directed our movements.

There we were welcomed, with smiling faces, by men of a Ghurka
battalion, their white teeth and flashing eyes showing up their brown
skins. Now and then they would stop sharpening their deadly-looking
kukris, their dearest possession, to allow us to pass along the
trench. Nothing delighted these brave little men more than to be
permitted to go on a silent raid at night, when they wormed themselves
through the wire in "No Man's Land," and did as much damage on the
other side as possible. They have been known to enter the enemy
trenches without a sound, killing everyone within reach, and to return
radiant, quite unscathed. When questioned as to why they had not
brought in any prisoners for identification purposes, they would
merely roll their eyes, shrug their shoulders, and say, "Enemy all
quiet, he asleep," and calmly remove the still warm gore from their
knives! Continuing on our way, we next struck a Highland regiment, the
necessary complement of the one of stout little men just left behind.
It was most interesting, as one had heard so much about the
traditional good comradeship existing, in India, between Ghurka and
Highlander, and here they were still side by side in France. Their
mutual admiration is boundless and unconcealed, and i