The colonel and about six others of the 2nd Scottish Horse, with Major Daniell, Major Jeans, and myself, started off soon after five this morning on a reconnaissance for the mobile column we shall form if the chance comes when the Turks come along. We had a troop of the Glasgow Yeomanry as escort, but didn't see anything.
We went to reconnoitre the ground from Blair's Post towards Katia. We found the going over Saklet El Romani very treacherous and boggy, in some places the horses went in right up to their bellies, certainly not suitable for guns, but we found a very good camel track round the edge. We went on though Hod El Sofiyia and Ghazlan, till we came to Bir Abu Haura, just a date palm grove, with a brackish well and a good many Bedouin huts made of palm branches and scrub. There were no Bedouins there, most of the are fighting with the Turks. The date palms were covered with big clusters of dates, but they were very small and green. They aren't ripe here till September I believe.
We went on beyond Bir Abu Haura to the top of a small rise from which we had a good view of the Katia oasis, but we didn't go down into it as it isn't a very healthy spot just at present as all the horses of the Worcester and Gloucester Yeomanry killed on Easter Sunday are still above ground.
We came back by the Romani wells and past Railhead and followed the line to Mahamdiya. They are getting on a tremendous pace with it and it won't be many more days before it reaches us here. The one that is being run out along the coast from Port Said is also coming along very quickly and is only about five miles off now.
Bathed this afternoon. Quite a rough sea. Digging on the gun emplacement this evening. We haven't heard anything official about the naval fight in the North Sea yet, but there are a lot of rumours going round.
Mail this evening. Some topping snapshots from home of the horses.
I am on duty at the O.Pip tonight.
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