The Washington herald., 1916-12-10

looked like the huts built of blocks of ice
IN the arctic. The interior was lighted
by smoky oil lamp. No real dugouts OF
any sort are possible In this region; re-
move q shovelfull Of mud and the hole
nils instantly with water.
Our hosts warned us Of the discomforts
and dangers Of the islands, to which wc
retorted that we had come all the way
from the other end of the line to ex-
perience the wettest sector on the British
front-a compliment much appreciated,
Tor an officer likes to be told he Is hold
ing q bad spot. though military modesty
always prevents him from saying so him.
self. While we tooksoff our trench boots,
useless here, and put on rubber thigh
boots and waterproof oilslxins, we were
told OF the impending attempt to catch
Boche" and refused permission to go
along. But the major commanding re-
Tented and said We might go out In the
rear or the hunting party. Unlike some
passenger liners, We declined to carry
guns for defensive purposes only-they
were wicked-looking automatics-though
informed that noncombatants have little
status In no mans land, that II you meet
someone you don't know 1t Is etiquette
to shoot him or stick something In him
nrst and ask afterward who he Is. you
needn't think your going unarmed will
help you IL the Boche catches you," a
captain cheerfully remarked. Hell
shoot you for not being In Uniform"
A young lieutenant led US out, and we
two reporters followed him down a COM
munication ditch for a little way: he an
swered a sharp challenge with the coun-
tersign, and we were in a bit of first line
on the edge of the island district We
stooo on the firestep. watching the Ger
man nares go up and trying not to duck
Wnen nre leaped from a persistent Ger
man sniper's rifle not 800 feet away and
ouIiets sang over our heads. Meanwhile
our escort commented on the absolute
qulet IN the British lines; not a flare
went up not shot was fired. This
won't do-they'n know we're up to some-
tnlng' ne said, and dispatched a cor
porai who stirred a few Lewis machine
guns ana snipers into activity to lull the
enemys suspicious.
Meet Up with Rats.
We walked on down the ditch. which
suddenly came to an end, and stepned
out into quagnire. It was a pitch-darx
mgnt with no moon or stars, Just right
Tor ne1arious enterprises. A creeping
form or two was seen ahead. ITS the
patrol our guides whispered, and this
was all I actually saw Of the ''Boche-
nunt Keeping absolutely still when
tneir mares go up. don't duck or you'll get
oAHeh' anu uOH talk, ne went on. We
noundered about for a long time often
tumoiing into great shell holes full of
water and mud which reached our waists,
'freezing" in whatever posture we Nigh:
gave warning that star shell was about
wage warning that a star shell was about
TO burst. All sense Of direction left me;
no sound came from the patrol
Great rats scampered about in all direc-
tions. One tried to run up my compan-
ions boot: How these loathsome Great
ures escape drowning in such a morass I
cannot understand. They all looked hor-
ribly well-fed-generations of them have
fattened on human flesh and all night we
saw them under our feet in the trenches.
scampering along the parapets of the is
lands. and gliding through the marshes
out in the open.
After an hours wallowing about we
reached an 'island." constructed en-
tirely Of thousands of bags filled with
earth or sand stacked up upon ground