Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XV. Via Ghent and Bruges to Ostend
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266 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
glance westward. One seemed to feel the hot breath of war
blowing in over the land. The rain had ceased, the weather
was clearing, but the sky was still overcast. In the west, at
a distance of nine or ten kilometres, we saw plainly and clearly
the outlines of thirteen British warships, of which a couple were
cruisers and the others large destroyers of the older type.
They were firing against the German positions on the Belgian
coast and were themselves under fire. One could see them
constantly on the move so as to render the German aim and
fire more difficult. Yet on the whole they retained their
positions and their black hulls were sharply silhouetted against
the light horizon. Huge black clouds of smoke rose from their
funnels and were blown across the horizon, giving the sky
a peculiar streaky appearance.
The swell rolled in, dull and sleepy, over the fine smooth
sands of the flage. The road facing the sea was open to traffic,
but the spacious promenade outside, separated from the sea
and plage by an iron rail, was reserved for the German troops.
At high tide the sea ascends to the foot of the stone wall of the
promenade, whilst at low water it recedes some distance,
leaving a wide belt of sand high and dry. This was now
occupied by German horsemen who rode out into the water to
refresh and harden their tired mounts.
I called upon the commandant at Ostend, Kapitän zur See
(naval captain) Tägert. He was staying on the first floor of
the Hotel Littoral, and from his balcony we once again ob-
served the British warships. He told me that he and his
brother naval officers had arrived at Ostend early the same
day, the 21st October. They had gone first to the Majestic
Hotel, which was supposed to be the best in the town. The
proprietor declared that he had no rooms available, which
was not true, as the season was long since over. Possibly
the name of the hotel explained why there was no room—for
German officers. Instead of availing themselves of their
right to insist on accommodation, the Germans, anxious to
avoid a fuss, went to the Hotel Littoral, which was placed
at their disposal from top to bottom. They subsequently
found that they had no cause to repent the change. The army
officers and doctors, on the other hand, were less amenable
and settled down without further ado at the Majestic Hotel,
where kitchen service and attendance were quickly working
at full pressure.
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