The route taken was familiar to everyone. Passing Rishon-le-Zion (Ayun
Kara) the Squadron came upon its old friend the Jaffa Road, thence, past
Yazur to Sarona, by exactly the same way as was taken in the previous May.
Bearing to the left, past the village, we arrived at Summeil and the camp
south of the River Auja, where Sec.-Lieut. Arden, who had been sent on in
advance to take over the Squadron area, showed us our position in the camp.
Arriving at dusk the whole Brigade (horses, wagons and men), were hidden
in orange groves; it was certainly not an easy task to fit everything up in
the dark, the avenues between the trees being narrow and in most places
only allowing horses to be led in single file.

The orders for the morrow (equally unenlightening) were to the effect that
no unnecessary movement was to take place, and that no one, on any account,
_was to go outside the groves_; the horses were to be watered at stated
hours from the stone gullies used by the natives for the irrigation of the
plantations; no fires were allowed; and all cooking was to be done with the
methylated spirit blocks which were issued out for the purpose.

The daytime was passed without incident, but 18.30 found the Brigade
paraded outside the groves ready to march at dusk. Crossing the Auja by the
wooden bridge, and proceeding stealthily along the sea shore, below the
cliffs, about five miles to west of El Jelil, it halted in "column of
troops," off-saddled, watered from a trough, supplied by water from a well
dug beside it, "linked" horses and laid down on the sand to get some sleep.
It may be imagined that by this time everyone was wondering what the next
day would bring forth!


ADVANCE TO LIKTERA (EL HUDEIRA).