overed over Cheshire Ridge and, by a few, was thought to be
an aeroplane flying at great altitude.

Nor was the sea unpleasant to the eye. The wonderful blue of the
Mediterranean, the storms, and the sunsets and clouds behind and above
the sharp peaks of the island of Samothrace--some 40 miles away--made
believers of those who had seen copies or prints of Turner's pictures.
Farther south, and 12 or 15 miles distant, lay the less mountainous
island of Imbros, where Sir Ian Hamilton had his headquarters. Kephalos
Bay was on the east side, and there, on a clear day, could be discerned
the anchored shipping.

[Illustration: LEMNOS, IMBROS, AND SAMOTHRACE.
_Lent by Mr. C. E. W. Bean._]

Nearer at hand trawlers were engaged in mine sweeping. Others were lying
at anchor, just beyond the range of the Turkish guns, waiting for
darkness in order to discharge or take in cargo. Occasionally these
craft came in too close and afforded a target for enemy "whizz-bangs" or
salvos of "4.2's." These latter made a whining progress through the air
and landed in the sea, throwing up fountains of water as they burst.
Seldom did the Turk score a hit, and only once during the Battalion's
stay was a shell noticed to reach its intended destination.

Other vessels could be seen. An occasional destroyer proceeded at full
speed on some errand or in search of a hostile submarine whose presence
had been rumoured. Once a huge battle cruiser approached Suvla with a
watching destroyer keeping station on each bow and quarter. Low-lying
monitors, standing a long way off shore, with their one or two guns
trained at high angles, made practice at some inland target near Achi
Baba or at the northern end of the Peninsula. One of these, the
"Peninsula Press" reported, secured four direct hits on the flour mills
at Galata at a range of 19,400 yards.

Close at hand was the ever-present "Grafton," which, when the evening
sun lighted up the north-western slopes of Sari Bair, would loose her
guns, the firing of which gave forth a peculiar long-drawn-out double
echo.

With the fall of night sight failed except in regard to the flashes of
the naval guns and the red and green lights of the waiting hospital
ships.

Whilst in Taylor's Hollow the Battalion was not immediately concerned
with the operations of the front line. It was, however, still under
fire, for numerous shells fell at the entrance to the Hollow and bullets
came thickly at night all over the area.