the
largest liners in the world, the "Mauretania" with her four funnels
being one of them. We trudged on for 1-1/2 miles through the most
terrible dust, underfoot and in the air, and took possession of a
rushy piece of ground, the only natural piece we could find, all the
rest being under cultivation of vines, French beans, maize, and other
crops. It is a god-forsaken place in the meantime. We could get
nothing to eat or drink, but finally, after 4 o'clock, we managed to
"borrow" sufficient water to make tea. After a meal of bread, and a
small tin of salmon between us all, we felt a bit revived, and the
desire to return to the shells of Gallipoli lessened. But we are
ordered to strike camp, we are interfering with the privacy of some
fellows who have the honour to belong to H.Q. of the 87th Division,
and we must be off to-night.

_July 21st._--I expected to have to go to bed hungry last night, but
Pirie of the Lancs. called and asked Kellas and myself to dine with
him, so that I finally went to rest under the stars feeling quite
comfortable. I spread my two coats on the ground, thought twice about
undressing, but, wishing to have a good sleep, got into my pyjamas,
and with a single blanket over me slept till about 3 a.m. when I woke
up feeling bitterly cold. We are now encamped in the midst of
vineyards, where there is an excellent crop of grapes, but they are
sour and unripe. I got hold of a Greek yesterday and asked him if he
could bring a supply of fruit to us in the evening. He did a big trade
among the men with oranges and lemons, and when he saw me produced a
special sack with some really fine pears and oranges, and a huge
red-fleshed water melon which we had for breakfast, in spite of the
warning that we were to guard against all sorts of fruit, but melons
in particular. This morning I gathered a supply of French beans and
think a good dish of green food will benefit our health. Except at
H.Q. I have never had an opportunity of anything of the kind.

The 29th Division, which left Gallipoli less than a week ago, are
ordered back already, before they have time to benefit much by the
change. An officer of the Dublins was lamenting about this to me, and
compared his men with Kitchener's army, which is largely represented
here, being on their way to the Front for the first time. All the old
campaigners are thin, hollow-eyed and haggard. I know I myself have
lost over a stone weight, and feel very tired--to do anyt