owing the
drenching rain of the winter, produces in Palestine a profusion of
beautiful flowers that is probably surpassed nowhere. The country-side
was literally carpeted with choice flowers of sweet smell and varied
colour. To mention but a few--there were red, white, and blue anemones;
cyclamen, white, pink and mauve; aromatic herbs; poppies and
corn-flowers; scarlet tulips; pink phlox; blue irises, velvety arum
lilies, black and crimson, tall, stately hollyhocks. And the catalogue
is scarce begun. Truly a floral Paradise!

Early in March came rumours of a forward move. The nominal pretext was
an improvement of our line. Other motives may possibly have been
influencing the higher authorities, such as keeping the initiative in
our hands, fostering an aggressive spirit, and feeling the strength of
the enemy with a view to subsequent operations on a larger scale.

Almost opposite Jaffa the central range of Judaean hills is cleft by a
great gorge. Starting at a point on the edge of, and almost overlooking
the Jordan Valley, it runs approximately due east and west, with many
turns and even hairpin bends, until it debouches on the Plain at Mejdel
Yaba, thence forming a main tributary of the River Auja. In the days of
the Maccabees this gorge formed the frontier between the Jews and the
Samaritans. This gorge is the Wadi Deir Ballut. The sides of this wadi
are at all points steep, at some precipitous, presenting in places an
almost sheer drop of several hundred feet. The bed of the wadi is from a
hundred to a couple of hundred yards wide and the surface level. Thus
the Wadi Ballut formed an admirable defensive line for the Turk; after
it had passed into our hands, it provided us with an admirable line of
communication.

The Turk, at this time, held the line of the Wadi Ballut with such
advanced posts as could deny to our patrols all access to the wadi.
Available information about the wadi was thus restricted to reports and
maps, and was none too ample or reliable. The intermediate country
consisted of approximately flat "merjs," intersected with wadis, and
dotted about with hills, villages, and other features of tactical
importance. At this time of the year it somewhat resembled the general
appearance of Exmoor. For several days prior to the advance patrols were
sent out into No Man's Land, that as much as possible might be
ascertained about, and as many as possible be made familiar with, the
terrain over which we had to