The peninsula beyond Gaba Tepe had apparently been cleared of the enemy.  The tide of the struggle had passed away.  On Thursday, too, I could see our guns flashing from a hill, firing probably at points northward or across the strait.  Further north our artillery also appeared to be placed on a high ridge this side of Maidos.  What a magic sight the southern part of the peninsula must present, where even at this distance the evidence of the havoc of three weeks’ daily shell and lead is not hidden!

The point of the peninsula has become brown under the trampling of men and guns.  Krithia lies a complete and pathetic ruin, and Tree Hill is scarred with trench and shell holes as far as I can see.

On Thursday the point of greatest activity was in the strait opposite the conquered portion of the peninsula.  It stood out somewhat dim in the haze of battle, but the smoke and flash of the Allies’ guns and the Turks’ answering could be picked out without great difficulty.  Added to this the air was still; the dull thud of the field guns at work there was different from the resounding boom of the naval guns, and the whirr of the machine guns could be plainly heard.

Hard work by land and water is going on along the front stretching away to the left from Erenkeui on the Asiatic side, and the difficulties of obtaining a substantial footing in that mountainous region had evidently been overcome.  It was apparent that the enemy was putting up a stiff fight, and at times he must have run his batteries close to the water’s edge.

Early in the afternoon the Turkish gunners managed to explode several shells on the land near Morto Bay on the European side.  A little later they made the earth and stones of Tree Hill fly up in the air by a few well-placed shells, but such advances on the part of the enemy were brief.  The warships in the strait instantly turned their guns on the daring batteries, and such diversions by the enemy were only of brief duration.  Toward sunset a battleship was seen to send two shells against the cliff edge south of Suvla Bay.

Yesterday the thick smoke of battle still hung over all activities on the Asiatic side of the waterway.  Nearly all the transports had gone, and most of the warships were engaged in the entrance and further up to near Kilid Bahr.  Only one battleship that I could see was firing from off the western coast of the peninsula, standing well out off shore near Krithia.  It was evidently firing long-range shells against the foe on the further side of the Dardanelles.

The land actions had another point of interest yesterday.  In the afternoon very heavy fighting could be noticed far along the Sari Bair, (about sixteen miles north of the tip of the peninsula,) where the Australians are.  Every now and again waves of smoke blotted out that part of the landscape.  It would clear occasionally to show the hillsides dotted over with puffs of white.  Often against the gray background spurts of flame would herald the thunder of heavily engaged artillery.  Rifle fire at times, too, could be heard.