The "going" on the plain was very bad, especially in the dark, the ground
being a network of cracks and covered with a species of tall needle-grass,
the latter making it very painful for the horses, whilst the former,
continually giving way under their weight made the risk of broken legs a
real one. Fortunately, however, no serious accidents took place. What
wonderful creatures horses are! Those who were on that trek could not fail
to realise it, if they had never done so before! As time went on and the
goal was still not reached, it seemed that they _must_ drop at any minute,
_but still they kept on_, never faltering! A few dropped out, it is true,
but they were a very small percentage of the whole. What courage and
endurance they showed, to carry a weight of (say) 18 stone, _50 miles in 24
hours_ over the worst country imaginable!

About half way across the plain, the railway to Haifa was "cut," and,
pushing on, there were still some miles to go when day began to break. Many
thought they would now be "in for" a hot time, and expected guns to open
upon them from all sides.

But the Turk was still quite ignorant of our presence. In any case he was
not prepared for an attack at that distance behind his line! When it became
fully light the 13th Brigade could be seen on the top of the ridge on the
left moving parallel with us, and, in front of us, there was Mount
Tabor[21] which served as a "guide" for direction. At 05.30 enemy motor
lorries were seen crossing our front going towards Nazareth. We opened fire
upon them but they did not stop.

Proceeding up the hill, they discovered that our 13th Brigade troops were
on the top, when they stopped about half way up and opened fire with
machine-guns. Upon this our "No. 2" Section came up and "peppered" them.