“The river has risen tremendously the last few days, and is only a few feet from the top. Let’s hope it does not rise any more or we shall be completely flooded out.... I have got thirteen extra men out from permanent camp, and with the new horses can turn out something like a respectable squadron.... I am still short of horses, could do with any amount more like the last lot. Do you remember how in peace time it was always too many horses and no men? And now it is the exact opposite, just when horses are wanted.”[28] [Illustration: CAPTAIN EVE’S CHARGER “FOLLOW ME” (DIED AT SEA ON THE WAY HOME IN APRIL 1919)] _February 23._--“Well, we didn’t go out on Thursday, yesterday, the whole show being postponed owing to the river having risen too much. It has since fallen, and the show started early this morning, and so far is going very well indeed, and we are standing-to in readiness. “Besides this show, we have taken a great part of the first and second lines of the Sannaiyat position and repulsed five or six counter-attacks, so all is very well.... “Payne overheard the following between two of the men the other day. ‘That there Major Fry, ’e’s been made a Colonel.’ ‘What, ’im? _What’s_ wrong with him?’ I think it good enough for ‘Punch’ if only one could draw a picture for it....” General Maude had certainly been lucky in the weather, the winter floods not having yet made the river impassable, and he was taking full advantage of his chances. The “quite good show” of the 15th had been the last of a series of carefully-planned and hard-fought Infantry attacks, which had gradually torn away the Turkish hold from point after point upon the south bank of the Tigris. The enemy was now thrown across the river, and in desperate anxiety for his long line of communications. They were still covered by a swollen river more than three hundred yards broad, but they were not safe from a resolute attack, and after some skilful feinting here and there the blow was about to be driven home. Maude was not the man to lose an hour. On the 23rd of February, just before daybreak, some Infantry, English and Goorkha, were ferried across the Tigris at the Shamran bend, west of Kut, and after hard fighting succeeded in establishing themselves on the northern bank. Before dark the same afternoon a bridge had been completed. The end of the long suspense had come. The Turks had fought stubbornly for more than two months, but their line of communications had now been struck, and their main force must go or be captured. CHAPTER XIII. THE RECAPTURE OF KUT--RETREAT OF THE TURKS.