Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915 - Part 11

190                     

reported so far.

I had a most peculiar

and most vivid dream last

night. I dreamt that I

was in Egypt again, and

was picking about among

the ruins of an old temple.

And suddenly, I realised

that it was still in working

order, so to speak. There

were priests and worshippers

and offerings and all the 

other stage effects of a much

alive heathenish religion.

And in one court I came

upon the body of a human

being - it looked like that

of a young girl, and there

was a bangle on the arm -

it was alive, but had been

skinned, and looked like
the flesh of a rabbit after

the skin has been torn off.

It filled me with horror,

and I turned to go out, 

but in some way took the

wrong direction, for presently

I found myself in another

large chamber. And in

this chamber was an enormous

bed. It's frame stood 

about six feet from the 

ground and on top of

that the mattress and 

bed clothes were piled 

about another three feet

thick. The bed was

large enough to accommodate

a dozen people, sleeping

feet to feet. In it were

two wounded soldiers.

What they were doing there

192
I do not know. From this
chamber led off another and

richer chamber. At one

end it was raised, like the

organ-loft in a big church.

And indeed, there were

the fanciful organ pipes

ranged along the walls.

But in the centre, and

almost as high as the roof,

was a beautifully designed

bed, and as I looked up

at it, I saw a head raise

itself from the white pillows,

and a dusty face peered

down at me with large piercing

dark eyes. I could do nothing

but stare back at the lady,

and it flashed through my

mind that she must be a

princess or boss-priestess or
193              
something of the sort. But

the head disappeared

again among the pillows.

I suppose if I had done

as a respectable married

man and the father of a

large family should 

have done, I would have

turned tail and fled.

I don't know what prompted

me, but I commenced to

whistle softly. Presently 

up shot the head again 

and a pair of blazing eyes

hit me like a flash of

lightning. Then an accusing

finger pointed at me

and in a voice strained

and harsh with anger she

pronounced this curse upon

me. Three times a year I

194                           

should take a fit, during

which I should spin round

and round on one foot, like

a top. The duration of each

attack would be three days,

and the curse was to remain

on me for ten years. Then

the head disappeared again, 

and I was left standing

there. I remember trying

to laugh the thing off as the

ineffective raving of a mad

woman, but even as I

laughed a cold shudder passed

over me, and I felt in

spite of myself that the

curse had taken roost alright.

And I passed out of the 

temple and met some of

my friends and told them 

of my experience as though
it were a great joke. But

all the time the feeling that

I was indeed doomed grew

upon me, even though I

tried to tell myself that it

was impossible for one person

to call down a curse upon

another. And I can

assure you I was glad to

wake up and find the

steward there with my 

morning cup of tea.
And then some people

are of the opinion that your

dreams are influenced by

your waking thoughts.
When I told the chaps at

breakfast about it they advised

me to drink water instead of

sherry at dinner.

196                   

Monday May 10^th.

There is a fairly heavy swell

on today, and as the boat is

meeting it head -on she pitches a

good deal. I have been up in

the forecastle a good bit, watching

the bows cleaving through the

waves and hurling them aside,

in great breakers of snow white

foam. The motion is not

affecting me a bit this trip. I 

think it must have been the

close confinement of the office

that made me sick on the

trip from Alexandria xxx L

to Lemnos. I am enjoying every

minutes of this trip, but I wish

you were with me to share it;

it would make it so much better.
We had a sort of concert

in the mess ward tonight. Some
of the men volunteered songs,

and one of the medical

officers showed a number of

lantern slides.
I am writing you a short 

letter tonight, which I hope to

post at Gibraltar. I must also

write to Mother and Ethel, as 

I missed them last mail.

I hope you are getting my

letters alright, chicken dear.
Tuesday - May 11^th

We arrived at Gibraltar

at about seven this morning,

and anchored quite close

to the Rock. I got my 

letters ashore alright.
The Rock is not quite

what I had pictured. I

had always imagined it to

be simply a hard, barren

198                 

rock, but bless you, it is

quite a little Eden. It is

covered with green shrub,

and at the foot and on

the lower slopes the vegetation

is quite luxuriant. There are

even trees there. And

there is quite a large town

ship perched out of reach

of the sea. But despite

its peaceful domestic

appearance, it is the most formidable

rock in the world. I

am told that there are over

1000 guns there; but they

are splendidly concealed.

Away to the left stretches

the coast of Spain, and

still further on the coast

of Portugal. On the other 

side of the Straits lies th
rugged coast of Morocco.

The view is very beautiful,

being mostly green clad

hills and verdant valleys,

with the blue sea in the 

foreground. And the

bright sunny sky made

it all seem so sparkling

and full of the joy of 

life. The usual

bumboats came alongside

and the usual chaffing

and badgering about prices

took place. I wish you

were here now to share

the whacking great piece

of chocolate that is within

reach of my hand. Just a

minute please. M-m yum yum, 

that was lovely; it is still

melting in my mouth. Here

200                 

I have just been up in the

fo'e'sl watching a shoal of

porpoises ^(They were dolphins) disport themselves.

They play about the bow

just like a couple of dogs

running in front of a horse

and trap. They skim

through the water and

dive and turn and seem 

to have a great time generally

And sometimes they bunch

about the front until you

think the boat will cut

right through them, but they

shoot ahead, jumping clear

out of the water, turning

somersaults, diving, and

behaving in a decidedly

cheeky manner. They are

very fast. I always

imagine the porpoise to be
201               

a slow, lumbering, lazy

sort of creature,( so he is too:  what
Isaw were dolphins) but he
is not so, by any means.
At length they tired, and
fell astern.
I am on duty again tonight.
Wednesday -May 12^th 1915

We are getting near the Bay

of Biscay tonight. All day

there has been a fair sea

running, and the ship has

been rolling steadily. It has

not affected me at all so

far. Perhaps the Bay will

knock the conceit out of me.
We were issued with

small presentation boxes of

chocolate today. They are 

Cadbury's gift to wounded

soldiers and sailors. I shall put

mine by for you, chicken,

202                           

Thursday -May 13^th. - Have had a

slight headache today. Been reading

too much, I think. Am turning in

early. On the edge of the Bay now.

Friday May 14^th- Expect to reach

Southhampton tomorrow night if we don't

run into any fogs or German torpedo

boats. Doing from 12-13 knots.

Great indignation re President Wilson's

apathy regarding "Lusitania" affair.

Have regained my good opinion of

myself as a sailor. Have been on 

the Bay all day, and the ship

has been rolling and pitching and

heaving until half the supply

of crockery must be smashed.

But it has only made me come

up all the keener to my meals.

I think it must have been because

I was run down, and partly

because of confinement to a close

office that made me sick on
the trip from Alexandria to

Lemnos.
Well, kiddie dearest, this

little book is exhausted. I

will put another refill in 

the cover and post this 

back to you as soon as

I am able. It is the

largest letter you have

yet received. I hope it

doesn't bore you too much

to read it. Don't destroy 

it chicken, because it

will make interesting reading

for me bye and bye if I

get back - which I am

confident I will.
Goodbye for the time, dear girl.

Lots and lots of love

and kissed to your dear old self

and to our babies, from

Your fond hu

B    

Manchester, Sunday May 16^th /15                     

Dear Girl,

The last entry was made 

on Friday, when we were seeing the

last of Biscay. Saturday

dawned calm and grey, and the

sea gradually changed to the

yellow-green of the English 

Channel. Late in the afternoon

we reached the "Isle of Wight"

and signalled for a pilot, but

there was not one available.

However, a destroyer came

alongside and gave the captain

instructions for entering the harbor.

You see, Southhampton Waters

are mined and protected with

torpedo nets and goodness knows

what else. Destroyers patrol

the waters, and searchlights

sweep both sea and sky

2                      

almost the whole night through.

We anchored in midstream 

at about 10pm. and stood

off until dawn. I was on

night duty in one of the

suds until 2am, so it was

about 7.30 am when I woke.

We were then well within

the defences, and I obtained

my first glimpse of beautiful

England. I say beautiful

England advisedly, for although

I am now in smoky, blackened

Manchester, I will never forget 

the run from Southhampton 

to Manchester - a journey

of seven hours through country

that resembled one endless

park and rolling lawns and

well kept trees. But I am

going ahead of myself.
3                  
The channel leading to the docks

is very narrow, and on either

bank are beautiful homes

with large and well kept

grounds. The docks were

soon reached, and after

a good breakfast on board

we disembarked and boarded 

a long hospital train which

was waiting there. Here 

we learned that our destination

was Manchester, and not
Letley Hospital, as was at 

first expected. While we

were waiting I managed to

send off a letter to you, and

little Gwen's birthday letter

and chocs. We left at about

10.30am, and soon

we were rushing through the

beautiful Hampshire