TCD MS 11290/15 folio 2 recto
[6th December [1917]] At last we got to our destination very tired and fed up. However after a meal and dose in the sun we went and had a good look round us officially hunting for water. We are right up high in the hills in about as high and bare a place as the ground between Tibradden and Foxrock mountains where the old cottage is. The mountains are a bit steeper than Three Rock and much rockier. They are all terraced mostly by nature, but artificially as well so as to catch soil for olives or figs to grow in, no oranges.
There are lots of partridge about and a few hares, and according to the natives lots of gazelle as well, but they are shy and have gone off out of harm’s way.
Other birds are mostly like the English ones, robins, linnets, chaffinches and tits are all here, a great treat to see, but there aren’t many of them.
As for the plants, I think we will have all manner of flowers if we are here a few months longer. At present we have daisies which grow to a huge size, purple siklimons [cyclamens] and narcissus, all very common, but not making much of a show.
The people are just like those living in the plains only a little fairer and less shy. The women never fret themselves about wearing veils and sell oranges to the troops as a matter of course, which would be unheard of in Egypt.
Well, for three days the rain descended upon us and everybody was very wet except a few lucky ones who were only very few,