g, picking, and quarrying
stones, and already we have fairly safe trenches for one company. The
Lancs., who have a large number of miners in their ranks, have been
selected to do this, job, otherwise they would have taken up a
position half a mile further back as was first intended.

In the afternoon I strolled down to our Advanced Dressing Station
which is only half a mile off, at the foot of the hill. Stephen had
walked out as far as this with me last night, and to-day I find the
place in charge of Sergt.-Major Shaw. Agassiz had paid them a flying
visit very early this morning on his way to the C.C.S., he too being
sick. All our original officers are now away or at present ailing
except Q.-M. Dickie and myself, and it looks as if he and I were to be
left alone in a few days.

_Later._--Had a note from Stephen saying Fiddes has gone off sick
along with Agassiz, and that his own temperature is 101--this looks
bright.

_September 25th._--After writing the above two days ago, and about 10
p.m. when I had retired to bed, the Adjutant announced to me that
another M.O. had been found and that I was to be relieved. This had
been arranged owing to the shortage of officers in our Ambulance. I
therefore left the Lancs. yesterday morning, Touhy, an Irishman,
taking my place. I was enjoying myself thoroughly with the Lancs., and
regretted this change as we were going into the front line in a day or
two. Colonel Pearson is very popular with every man in his Battalion
and is a most charming man, and I regretted leaving him.

Stephen went off sick to-day. Hoskin joined us yesterday, being
detached from hospital work at Imbros. He is a good fellow, and eager
for work and still more for excitement.

This morning I went up to our Advanced Dressing Station at the foot of
the hill. It has now to be run without a permanent medical man. I saw
the sick and wounded who had come in; took the Sick Parade of the
London R.E.'s who are at present without an M.O.; returned and had our
own Sick Parade; attended the sick in our hospital; saw several relays
of Royal, Dublin, and Munster Fusiliers; returned to the dressing
station at 6 p.m. and saw some fresh cases of sick and wounded;
besides other duties, and altogether had an unusually busy day.
Something of this sort will now go on daily until the D.M.S. sends us
more officers.

There was fighting all along the line last night, especially about
Anzac where we hear the Australians advanced