The attention of the men in the firing line was by no means always centred on the imminence of danger. Except during actual bombardments, or when on sentry, they had some leisure, which was filled by diversions of various kinds. Sleep--when possible, letter writing, and card playing, passed many hours pleasantly away. Those in the reserve areas found other amusements, in which figured largely the games of "Banker" and "Two-up," upon which had been placed an official taboo. In the hollows and gullies groups of men were often noticed, and the observer would see the faces momentarily turned towards the sky and then towards the earth again--actions denoting interested eyes following the flight of the spinning coins. Some men brought considerable sums of money to their officers for safe custody. A good deal of this the owners subsequently remitted to their homes. Again, others found an interest in watching the flocks of wild geese that passed over during the autumn migrations. The appearance of these birds whetted the appetites of the "dog-fed" soldiers, but no rifle bullet seemed to be able to find them. During the first week in December starlings passed over in flocks of thousands--flying low and following the line of hill and vale, whilst emitting a curious sound from the movement of so many wings. In the Deres would be seen an occasional blackbird and thrush, which were later on joined by the robin. On one occasion a visitor from the Balkans--an eagle with a very large spread of wings--hovered over Cheshire Ridge and, by a few, was thought to be an aeroplane flying at great altitude. Nor was the sea unpleasant to the eye. The wonderful blue of the Mediterranean, the storms, and the sunsets and clouds behind and above the sharp peaks of the island of Samothrace--some 40 miles away--made believers of those who had seen copies or prints of Turner's pictures. Farther south, and 12 or 15 miles distant, lay the less mountainous island of Imbros, where Sir Ian Hamilton had his headquarters. Kephalos Bay was on the east side, and there, on a clear day, could be discerned the anchored shipping. [Illustration: LEMNOS, IMBROS, AND SAMOTHRACE. _Lent by Mr. C. E. W. Bean._] Nearer at hand trawlers were engaged in mine sweeping. Others were lying at anchor, just beyond the range of the Turkish guns, waiting for darkness in order to discharge or take in cargo. Occasionally these craft came in too close and afforded a target for enemy "whizz-bangs" or salvos of "4.2's." These latter made a whining progress through the air and landed in the sea, throwing up fountains of water as they burst. Seldom did the Turk score a hit, and only once during the Battalion's stay was a shell noticed to reach its intended destination.