with speed and secrecy--while we were resting here, _a Boche motor lorry
arrived_! The driver, being unaware of anything unusual, drove quietly
into the town; he nearly fell off his seat when he was suddenly surrounded
by British troops! This lorry proved to be the advance guard of several
more, all of which were, of course, captured.


CAPTURE OF EL FULE.

After a sleep in the afternoon (what a luxury for the first day of a
"stunt!") and tea, the Brigade saddled up and moved off at 18.00, just
before dark. What a cheery crowd it was! But they had "some" march in front
of them, the object being the capture of Nazareth and the cutting of the
Turk's principal line of communication, _which would isolate practically
the whole of his army west of the Jordan_! Just outside the village, two
large marquees--a German Field Ambulance--hurriedly evacuated, were passed.
Earlier in the day an officer of the 13th Brigade had found an untasted
breakfast here, for which he had much reason to be thankful!

[Illustration]

Further on, the track taken (the main route being avoided) proved very
bad, and in many places the whole division had to proceed in "single file".
In some places, also, horses were led. The natives, who had gathered upon
the road-side from the villages which we passed, stood silently watching
us. They must have been amazed, and the troops must have appeared to them
veritable "ghosts of the night". At 23.30 a halt of 30 minutes was made, at
a small village, and horses fed. In the early hours of the morning many
horses, belonging to the forward part of the column, were passed by the
wayside. They were completely "done". No doubt they were, in some cases,