There's no doubt it's one of the most fascinating rivers I've seen.
Hooded crows sailing over the uplands, and I met a flock of bright sweet
goldfinches near some guns, and a tree-creeper in a copse.

[Sidenote: SAILLY-LE-SEC]

What a wonderful day! It was snowing all the time, with quite warm,
sunny intervals. Swallow and Tank and Jezebel are all under cover, and
I've actually got a bed! You might not call it a bed, but it is a bed,
because it has four legs (one of them a biscuit tin). The place where we
were going to has been rather too heavily strafed lately, so they are
keeping us back here.

Things are wonderfully quiet, and there are no batteries near us, which
is pleasant. I did want to show you the beautiful river winding in and
out of the little hills. The great river-bed is quite untouched by
shells here, and the very sight of it would soothe the most jangled
nerves. Oh, it did look so heavenly this evening. Thank God for this
glorious river. The snow melted as it fell. The snow flakes as they
touched the river were like fairies taking headers.


_December 15._

Isn't this fine about Peace?

So Fritz would like Peace, would he? No amount of flamboyant talk can
possibly hide the fact that he wants peace. And it isn't the victor who
asks for peace first. Carry on, say we.