in places we could recognise. One fell in the sea not far from us as
we marched from the Beach in the dark. To-day we had a large number of
shells just round us.

I had an order early this morning to join the Lancs. Fusiliers, and
after breakfast set off in search of their lines. I was directed to
various places where the North, South, and Royal Lancashire Regiments
lay, but it cost me a whole hour to find our Fusiliers. They are in
reserve, with the supports and firing lines just in front of them, all
on the steep slope of Hizlar Dagh. During Sick Parade we had to keep
ducking from shells, the Turks evidently having discovered that the
86th Brigade was once more among them. As I was passing through the
Dublin lines on my return to our base two shells fell just beyond
them when de Boer shouted to me to take shelter under a projecting
rock where all their officers had retired for safety, but before I got
in another shell landed almost in the centre of their line, among some
very thick scrub, which had prevented pieces from flying far. As I
passed this spot when things had got a bit quieter I asked one of the
men if none of them were hit. "No," said Paddy, "but we smelt the
pouther."

_September 23rd._--As it was getting dark last night the A.D.M.S.
ordered me to join the Lancashire Fusiliers at once, and to remain
with them, they having no Regimental M.O. I hurriedly put everything
necessary into my pack, and with Conroy, as servant, set off to the
slopes of Hizlar Dagh. I reached my post in half an hour, and was
assigned as my quarters a scraping in the earth not a foot deep. Here
I spent a most wretched night, an icy cold wind blowing down the
depression in the hill where the Battalion is encamped. I simply
shivered and shook till the sun rose at 6 o'clock, when I felt too
cold to wash and shave, but so did every one. I breakfasted with
Lt-Col. Pearson and his Adjutant, Captain Johnson (killed three months
afterwards), and at 10 held Sick Parade. The Turks can fire straight
along our hollow, and General de Lisle made a wise proposal yesterday
to run a long series of terraces crossways, each with a back about 7
feet high and a trench 7 feet wide in front. If this is continued to
the foot there should then be room for 5000 troops. The Turks have not
yet found us out, although they gave us a few shells yesterday,
otherwise they could have made it too hot for us to continue
operations. All have been busy to-day diggin