rm of shrapnel, one evidently getting
hit, he was seen applying something white round his leg.

This is one of the great routes for the migration of birds. Yesterday
and several times to-day I saw flocks of geese flying over our heads
and steering south, likely on their way to the Nile and great African
lakes. During last night they kept up a constant cackle as they flew
over us.

_October 14th._--Geese in large flocks are crossing to-day, mostly in
V formation of twenty-five to thirty. A good many are in two V's and
some of the largest flocks must number about 500. Many thousands must
have crossed before 11 a.m. when they suddenly came to an end.

A shrapnel shell struck the back of my dug-out at the dressing station
two nights ago, blowing all the walls down. Two of our new officers
were in it at the time, one being rather badly hit on the head by a
flying stone. He is besides badly shaken and has had to go to a
hospital ship. The other was blown right into the trench in front, got
well shaken up and had a hand cut, but he looks on it all as a bit of
a joke.

_October 15th._--I have been off colour for some little time, and I
question if I'll be able to carry on much longer. Of the ten officers
we had the other day only three are quite fit, and most of them landed
but a few days ago.

_October 16th._--This morning, about 4 o'clock, the orthodox hour for
attacking being one hour before dawn, a furious gunfire opened on Sari
Bair, which I got out of bed to watch. Many shells were bursting
simultaneously all along the ridge and down this side of the hill. It
is hard to say whether the Turks or the Australians were the
assailants, but I noticed in the forenoon the Turks were shelling a
spot near the bottom of a gully which crosses Sari Bair, and which a
few days ago was in their own hands. All forenoon a most interesting
shelling went on in these hills and foot hills, but after watching it
carefully I cannot satisfy myself that there is any material change of
position. The Turks and ourselves have fired many thousand shells
to-day, and the Turks have kept the end of Sari Bair held by the
Australians enveloped in a continuous smoke.

About three days ago the Turks had placed a new gun of large calibre
in the line of Hizlar Dagh, and its huge shells come screeching over
our heads on their way to Little West Beach at all hours of the day
and night. Its first day's bag I hear was forty-one, and its second
eighte