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[Page 29]
on a dead whale. Some of them came up on mule-back with Aussies double-banking on the same mule. They're as thick as thieves with our chaps - you can't imagine better pals. The reason is that they are on a par of intelligence and both therefore have little use for the poor Tommy, who hasn't had their chances. The attitude of the French towards us is very different from that displayed towards the English. We have a few American officers with us getting experience. They are very sore over the avariciousness of the French and so marvel at the generosity with which claims are granted. "I wouldn't give the god-damned skunks a cent - it's all they think about" said one of them. It's astonishing to see how flimsy their houses are - nothing but frame-and-mud walls - thin ones at that. Yesterday I went through the cathedral city but not right up to the cathedral. It has been hit 7 times but not materially damaged - three of the shells were duds and those that burst only smashed up pews and such truck. Of course the roof and ceiling suffered. The country round about is lovely. In form it's exactly like an upholstered seat but with a village on the top of every rise and another in the bottom of every pocket, and each has a little church set among trees. On inpsection the churches are all tawdry; as tawdry as the houses; and even the chateaux are of ridiculously poor material. Benno was over to-day. He hasn't yet got his material but was able to give me some information that I wanted very much. He was going to stay to see Leist, who left a message that he would soon be back, as he wanted to see me. Ben, however, wouldn't stay and it proved wise as L. hasn't come back yet. I am going over later to see him. We are supposed to have a conference here before long; I hope it's to be soon. I want to get all the outside painters working to give the less lucky army ones a better go. It's certain I can't go on with this roughing it indefinitely and at the same time do decent work. Under the best conditions it's none too good, but to one who hasn't worked for years and who isn't in good health, the present conditions are very hard and almost prohibitive of really good work. It's not fair and I hope it will be mended ere long. The good weather keeps up and I am making a sketch of a farrier's forge; the