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[Page 71]
wire entanglements are here very extensive. I doubt if the real traces of the affair will be properly wiped out for years to come.
We noticed away on the desert a slowly moving whirlwind of dust, gradually approaching us. As this drew nearer we saw it was caused by a number of horses galloping. On it came till we could distinguish the turbans of the famous Bengal Lancers. They were out exercising their horses and by way of a little muscle producer they galloped their hardy ponies a distance of about 4 miles, never pulling rein till they propped dear on the very bank of the canal opposite us. Here, by a pretty manouvre, showing what wonderful horsemen they are, they formed two deep & gave us three cheers. We've passed a few Australians on the same game, but mostly stationed near one of the many pretty oases-like stations along the route of the canal. They all greeted us with "lucky beggars", and no doubt we are. At about 10 AM on the 12th Aug we drew into Port Said. Said is a large town with some waterfront buildings which are rather imposing. There is an enormous amount of shipping there now, and I should think there was not the slightest reduction in the toll since the war began. We did not draw up to a wharf here, but were only about 50 yards from the shore. The first evening, as we had had no leave at all, we decided that a trip ashore would do us a great deal of good. There was a knotted rope which had been lowered over the stern of the Orsova to enable those who had been swimming in the afternoon to regain the boat, and this we decided to use the next time the