making their way out of Africa. A more brilliant affair, however, was
the lightning raid upon Rafa, on the border between Sinai and Palestine,
and about thirty miles beyond El Arish, the starting point of the raid.
In a few hours a large mounted column, consisting chiefly of Anzacs had
covered this distance and had taken the Turk completely by surprise. The
enemy put up a stern fight, however, and after his reinforcements had
been destroyed on the road from Gaza he gave in. The prisoners from
these engagements continued to have the desired effect upon the
dissaffected natives in Cairo on their arrival there.

Less was heard about our leaving Egypt after the New Year, and rumours
received a mortal wound when the Division turned its face to the east
once more and marched up, a Brigade at a time, to El Arish. The 7th
accomplished this march in three easy stages, the first day taking us to
Maadan, and the next to Bitia. A few days' stay here helped us to
appreciate its natural advantages, and as far as the desert went, it
almost had pretensions to beauty. There were glorious palm groves,
bright clean sand to live in, hard flat stretches for football (greatly
appreciated), and a roaring sea close at hand on a wonderful beach for
bathing. If El Arish were in Belgium, Bitia would be "El Arish Bains."
The return of British power to this corner of the earth was epitomised
one day in the sight of a Bedouin caravan pursuing its peaceful purpose.
The old sheik stalked proudly in front, while his family and goods were
disposed on various camels, and a small flock of pretty black goats
pattered along behind in charge of a sturdy brown lad. Surely they at
least had witnessed the Turkish retirement with satisfaction.


EL ARISH AND AFTER.